Game of Thrones Episode 9: Baelor Reactions

[Ganolyn]

People are just too funny. Perusing reader's negative reactions to the books was almost as entertaining as the books themselves and now this last episode's reactions are just as fun to read. People refusing to watch anymore because they killed off Sean Bean's character and how shocked they were that HBO could advertise his image all over the place and then ruin it for them like that. When it happend in print, many people said they threw the book across the room in disgust. Everyone was used to and expecting the same old tropes of good winning over evil and that somehow the good guy scrapes through to triumph in the end. I get invested in characters as much as the next guy, but when I first read it I was shocked, then really intrigued as to how Martin was going to write his way out of it. I wasn't disappointed either. Now HBO is weathering a s**tstorm of criticism from new viewers who haven't read the books and high praise from those who have. I hope these new "fans" come around and stick with it. I'd hate to see such a good adaptation get thrown under the bus because some people can't see the forest for the trees.

[nolaureltree000]

im not sure how i feel about it yet (will have to wait and see if the results of this event justify it), but i will give the writers props for really bringing ned stark's character to a head.

[danotmano1998]

People are just too funny. Perusing reader's negative reactions to the books was almost as entertaining as the books themselves and now this last episode's reactions are just as fun to read. People refusing to watch anymore because they killed of Sean Bean's character and how shocked they were that HBO could advertise his image all over the place and then ruin it for them like that. When it happend in print, many people said they threw the book arcoss the room in disgust. Everyone was used to and expecting the same old tropes of good winning over evil and that somehow the good guy scrapes through to triumph in the end. I get invested in characters as much as the next guy, but when I first read it I was shocked, then really intrigued as to how Martin was going to write his way out of it. I wasn't disappointed either. Now HBO is weathering a s**tstorm of criticism from new viewers who haven't read the books and high praise from those who have. I hope these new "fans" come around and stick with it. I'd hate to see such a good adaptation get thrown under the bus because some people can't see the forest for the trees.

I find it amusing how people get so set on the books, they can't bend in the slightest when the movie comes out. There are LOTS of examples of this. They rage and criticize and cry because things aren't EXACTLY the way they were written. Really?
*sigh*
It's fiction. Get over it.

(Yes, I'm loving the Game of Thrones. Good stuff. At first I wasn't too excited and watched it for my wife's sake. Now I'm invested and can't wait for more.)

[grodon9999]

You mean people didn't Google the plot?

[Ganolyn]

You mean people didn't Google the plot?

Some people like to be surprised and boy were they ever!

[dkyle]

You mean people didn't Google the plot?

I don't want spoilers, and this seems to be the show that is most willing to surprise and subvert expectations the most out of any other show, and thus reward avoiding spoilers the most.

In any other show, that Ned would've gotten out of there alive would've been a forgone conclusion. But given that they'd already killed what seemed to be at least a major supporting character (that idiot Targaryen boy), I honestly didn't know what would happen. Which is rare for television.

[voodoogroves]

That scene in the books is the big one that lets you know this isn't your mother's softball novel. It is what hooked me, for sure.

[kernal42]

That scene in the books is the big one that lets you know this isn't your mother's softball novel. It is what hooked me, for sure.

Agreed.

Before that scene, it was an interesting and well-written story. But that moment in the books really set it apart from so many other fantasy novels.

-Kernal

[Molotov]

That scene in the books is the big one that lets you know this isn't your mother's softball novel. It is what hooked me, for sure.

same, I stopped trying to figure out who was what as soon as I read what happened to lord stark

[cdbd3rd]

People are just too funny. ....

Can't justify getting HBO for one show - am SO hoping this gets out on DVD soon.

[SilkofDrasnia]

Can't justify getting HBO for one show - am SO hoping this gets out on DVD soon.

um surf the web no need for hbo or dvds LOL

anyhoot i like the tv series n i did google the main plot i have to say i wont read the books but will watch the series.

mainly i wont read the books because he kills off lots of characters which i don't like. i read epic/high fantasy exactly because the "good guys win and bad guys lose" if i wanted a dose of reality id watch the 11 o'clock news

its seems to be much better done as series than say the sword of truth book series which sucked major n i'm happy was canned, thing is about this series tho is that the author seem to use the lets kill off main characters as tool to keep people hooked or make his book different or some kind of shock tactic which i find meh... killing a main character shouldn't be the main point that makes a series good or memorable

[mournbladereigns]

um surf the web no need for hbo or dvds LOL

anyhoot i like the tv series n i did google the main plot i have to say i wont read the books but will watch the series.

mainly i wont read the books because he kills off lots of characters which i don't like. i read epic/high fantasy exactly because the "good guys win and bad guys lose" if i wanted a dose of reality id watch the 11 o'clock news

the good guys can win and the bad guys can lose even if the hero dies, just saying.

[SilkofDrasnia]

the good guys can win and the bad guys can lose even if the hero dies, just saying.

i know and i like some books that exactly that happens what i was saying is that it become a cheap tactic when it happens too often bad guys should be hard to kill as well as good guys

one example would be Melanie Rawn's series "Dragon Prince Trilogy" followed by "Dragon Star Trilogy" which showed how one can kill off main characters without it becoming "a cheap tactic"

@Ganolyn yes that something i like about books, like for example in the gap series by Stephen R Donaldson (sci fi tho not fantasy)

[dingal]

the good guys can win and the bad guys can lose even if the hero dies, just saying.

I have absolutely no doubt the good guys will win and the bad guys will lose, but with Martin you don't ever quite know who is who

Sometimes bad guys do good things and good guys do bad things and while they are at each other's throats there are a couple more bad guys coming from both flanks who are dead-set on killing everyone.

[brian14]

I have absolutely no doubt the good guys will win and the bad guys will lose, but with Martin you don't ever quite know who is who

Sometimes bad guys do good things and good guys do bad things and while they are at each other's throats there are a couple more bad guys coming from both flanks who are dead-set on killing everyone.

Not to mention this plot twist, which already appeared in Song of Ice and Fire several times, and I do not recall EVER seeing before:

Someone who is more or less a "bad guy" is falsely accused of something far worse than he ever actually done, and "good guys" believe it because it is, well, believable. He has no way to prove his innocence, and has to fight back.

[Ganolyn]

um surf the web no need for hbo or dvds LOL

anyhoot i like the tv series n i did google the main plot i have to say i wont read the books but will watch the series.

mainly i wont read the books because he kills off lots of characters which i don't like. i read epic/high fantasy exactly because the "good guys win and bad guys lose" if i wanted a dose of reality id watch the 11 o'clock news

That's the interesting thing about these books - Bad guys become good guys and a lot of the good guys aren't so good. There are people in the first book who you wish would die, but they become some of the most interesting characters in later books. It takes awhile, but everyone who deserves it gets their comeuppance eventually.

[9Crows]

mainly i wont read the books because he kills off lots of characters which i don't like. i read epic/high fantasy exactly because the "good guys win and bad guys lose" if i wanted a dose of reality id watch the 11 o'clock news

its seems to be much better done as series than say the sword of truth book series which sucked major n i'm happy was canned, thing is about this series tho is that the author seem to use the lets kill off main characters as tool to keep people hooked or make his book different or some kind of shock tactic which i find meh... killing a main character shouldn't be the main point that makes a series good or memorable

having read the series would strongly disagree that his killing characters is a "hook" it is but a natural progression of events when power structures clash re:human history.Its just not something you see in fantasy alot i think he put reality back into fantasy and as a result inspired many other writers in the field to do likewise.and yes i found the books uncomfortable also but very compelling

[SilkofDrasnia]

having read the series would strongly disagree that his killing characters is a "hook" it is but a natural progression of events when power structures clash re:human history.Its just not something you see in fantasy alot i think he put reality back into fantasy and as a result inspired many other writers in the field to do likewise.and yes i found the books uncomfortable also but very compelling

that's entirely possible as i didn't read the books as mentioned (its just what i was impressed upon when reading a general plot outline of the series) as for the inspired part isn't he rather a new author? i will say tho i never been one to believe reality goes hand in hand with "fantasy fiction" as i always felt that is its own niche fantasy genre.

still i hope no one gets the wrong impression as i'm enjoying the tv series rather thoroughly tho i didn't see this episode yet

[Deissa_Ironhand]

Well lets see what they do with the next season....Waiting on a few characters..Primarily Brienne Tarth .....left a lot of people hanging as of the last book....waiting on the next one....what was the word she uttered ....

[SilkofDrasnia]

o i see he has been around guess that's why i phrased it as a question, anyhoot he doesn't have that many books written seeing as he started his first book in 78 n i guess its why i never had heard of him.

as i read the wiki about him i see he not really been much of an author until he began song of fire series in 1996 and that's about the extent of his novels with a 5 year gap between the last couple in the series.

so just saying, hes a rather new author as i don't really count short stories (or tv epi writing, editing) when speaking of good authors

i do like the tv show and am looking forward to the next episode.