The latest TV phenomenon is the HBO “perspective” of the Game of Thrones books. I actually have not been watching. I’m not really a fan of the deviation from the books. I realize that the author, George R. R. Martin (GRRM), is heavily involved with the retelling of his books. Perhaps his reasons for changing the fates of some characters or emphasizing certain character elements is his way of “correcting the flaws in the books”. Well then he should have fixed them before publishing the books. GRRM must be the worlds most A.D.D. author, or the most indecisive author.
I’m actually somewhat reluctant to read books 6 and 7 (if he ever gets around to publishing them) because I’m worried about the continuity with the first 5 books. He has already altered the fates of a few characters from the books. How will that affect the next book? If he uses some lame flashback mechanic or character recollection of the Red Wedding (**SPOILER**) to explain why suddenly Rob’s wife is dead (because she wasn’t killed at the Red Wedding in the book – in fact she wasn’t even at the wedding – and is the source of much controversy that she is carrying an heir), I will be quite upset and GRRM will be quite the sell out (and I know sell outs, I’m a George Lucas fan).
The old adage “the book is always better” definitely applies in this case but since the author has direct influence of the story told on HBO, then personally they will be two different entities. The HBO series will be a *cough*bastardized*cough* re-telling of the books and not worthy of my patronage.
Am I really the only one that feels this way? Is everyone else so taken in by the HBO series, and too intimidated to actually read a book, that these differences are not that troubling??
I think what pisses me off the most is that GoT was actually declared the best HBO series since The Sopranos!! REALLY!! The Sopranos was an original concept, not an adapted screenplay. There shouldn’t be any comparison. Oh, and aside from Peter Dinklage, the casting of GoT is terrible.
