I think that's a book/show issue. You can internalize a lot more of characters' emotions and ideas in books than you can on a television show. Everything in tv and film has to be visually explained, whereas Martin has had 5 1,000+ page books to explain the who, how, and why of everything. I think Tyrion comes across a tad more confident in the show, but we also haven't seen where Martin takes Tyrion as he does in the later books. Things get very complicated for him, and I think it will come across pretty well.

As far as other character parallels, the only one I can think of that fares poorly both in the books and the show for me is Dany. Her entire story arc is so flat and cliche I'm kind of hoping she becomes the next Robb Stark. She's just not an interesting character to me. Her whole story arc so far has been spoiled royal princess-duck out of water wife-hardened desert warrior-slave liberator... and then she comes to a screeching halt with no movement except for some random dragon stuff and hints of assassination. By book 5 I was secretly hoping Mormont or someone else would toss her into the narrow sea. To me Dany is to GOT what Lori was to Walking Dead.

BOOK SPOILERS



See, I actually sort of like that Dany has been "stuck" for a couple of books now. I think it is interesting to juxtapose her as this incredibly powerful character (Targaryen + dragons + lots of support around her in various forms (whether that is Mormont or Barristan) + ruthless enough to get things done when she has a cause) with the fact that she is stuck in stasis because of the world around her. I think it is a good reminder that powerful characters don't move history, which we get a lot of if we only think about Tywin Lannister, or Cersei, or Tyrion, or Dorne, or basically anything happening in A Feast for Crows. A Dance with Dragons is--to me--much more of a rumination on the limits of power to change history (again, with the anti-Tolkien / fairytale stuff of getting rid of the great people as deciders).

So I think that Dany is interesting in her current, sort of boring position, sitting on a rock trying to tame her dragon and being sort of useless. Because she is so powerful, and yet cannot achieve the victory she wants with the ease she thinks she should.

I think you're giving GRRM too much credit there, even he admitted he was stuck in Dany's storyline ^^

SPOILER WARNING (it's just safer that way).



I kind of agree with both of you. Nothing has really happened on her end - well, a lot has actually, but she's still stuck there. She is also torn. She has this burning desire to get back to Westeros, albeit this probably abated a bit when the 'Usurper' was killed. On the other hand she is also 'Mhysa', and therefore doesn't want to abandon her 'children' to their doom of renewed slavery. Naturally things fired up so to speak at the end of book 5, and Martin can take her in various directions from there. A fine analysis from SheBear as well, and I agree she is nicely juxtaposed, and intended or not, it shows that powerful people can't get their will easily. A son might just put a spanner in the works too. I think she will become very important in the last two books though - unless she dies before then ofc. I keep looking forward to the probably climax of the realm fighting the Others, where her and her dragonfire will be rather important, as perhaps the only weapon possible of killing those 'things' on a large enough scale.

END SPOILERS



I am glad I read the books first, as they're much better than the show, but it does have the unintended downside of making the show worse than if I watched it 'blind'. I've not read the Tolkien books yet, but I assume people familiar with those had some of the same feelings when the movies came out. There's only so much you can do with 8 hours or however long they were combined, that books will do infinitely better. Movies/TV shows have the benefit of turning all those words into beautiful scenery and gorgeous clothes, putting a face to the characters, but it can also be a limitation because much of what is written in the books are thoughts, justifications and things like that, which are very hard to get across on a screen (without a narrator's voice).

I missed this post, but that theory you mention is interesting. I've been so worried about spoilers that I haven't read anything about the books anywhere, but that one is quite believeable, I must confess.

Good to hear Martin saying he won't change things from his own vision. Of course he could just say that and change things anyway, but I do hope he will stick with whatever he planned and not be affected by the show in any way. He is the original author after all. If he were to adapt the story to whatever character happened to be popular, he would go down a very slippery slope. I've heard something akin to this is what happened to Heroes. Once you let fans influence the direction of the story, it can lead to a carcrash.

Thus ends episode 6.

Wow Tyrion snapped in the end of that trail he just could not take it anymore and basically said fuck you all.

What I would give to see Tyrion's Confession in the books which sadly I do not own.

Speaking of GoT, anyone play the RPG? It's not bad if you just take it as an interactive story; tbh, the only thing that makes it iffy for me is the long, drawn out dialogue/monologue sequences; the script is great, but they should have worked with the pacing to make it more suited for a game. I think Witcher 2 is a shining example of how to have a well-written script, but not let it overcome the gameplay aspects.

I am on the fence about the combat, maybe I just don't know how to control it yet; though, people have called it less than stellar, so there's that. Overall, get the game- it's an interesting story.

Episode 7 is full of lovely surprises.

Not sure how I missed this the first go around. I really liked the game. Great length, wonderful bits of lore and fairly large scope (you'll range from many varied locales dealing with everyone from high lords to street thugs). I actually like the combat - akin to KOTOR or Dragon Age - but I felt there was a bit more feedback here (when to pull interrupts, properly timing the drinking of a potion, etc). I also REALLY liked how the game forced you to tailor your weapon skills and matched them up against a type of armor. I had a fun time with it.

Season final tonight. As a reader of the books, I imagine many of you will be surprised by the ending. You'll finally be given reason to celebrate a character everyone seems to hate.

Ours is the fury.

In Italy will be transmitted next week, but I know from the book what will happen.

Tonigh I will complete a Feast for Crowns, and next week I will lend on library the last book.

do you mean "A feast for crows"?

Trenton you didn't know Book 7 came out last week ;)

I don't expect the next book for another 4 years. George rr Martin is so slooooow about putting books out, drives me nuts

I think I mentioned it before in this thread; I've been wanting to read this story for about 15 years now, but was scared off way back when by the notion he might never finish it. Knowing that the show has a "skeleton ending" sketched out took away my reservations about watching it. I still haven't read the books though, as I'm afraid I won't be able to contain myself and will fly through them - I'm having too much fun being surprised by the show to do that!