Game of Thrones Episode 9: Baelor Reactions

[SaisMatters]

MUST.......HAVE.......SEASON 2.................NOW!!!!!!
I'll be going crazy all summer long waiting! lol

[Xaxx]

A little off topic but is the guy playing Khal Drogo the same guy in the new Conan movie?

Drogo is played by Jason Mamoa who is the new Conan.

Formerly played Ronin Dex on Stargage Atlantis for 4 years.


As for the show.

If people were surprised and po'd that they'd kill off Eddards.... they're in for a lot more shocks if this series continues for a few seasons and makes it through the first few books.

As it is, I personally was never able to make it more than halfway through book 2. I've tried 3 or 4 times to get through it.... and its just an absolute slog through literature for me. Dont get me wrong, the story isnt bad (as i've kept up with the story without actually reading the books). I just do not like Martins writing style (and I've read plenty of fantasy series, epics, trillogies, settings over the years, his is just one of the most blandly stretched in my opinion.)

The show has been a breath of fresh air for me for the series, as I've always thought the base story itself should have been written for something like what its being done as now rather than a set of books.

I'm all for a twist in the average fantasy that LOTR and CoC started but every time you get to know a character in this series the author offs them in some horrific fashion. I can't wait to see peoples reactions to some of the future deaths.

[zwiebelring]

Btw. Episode 10 makes up for the loss of Stark.

[Grimdiegn]

I just finished book 3. Catelyn Zombie for the win!

My only peeve I have with the HBO series is the Shae character. I don't think they did the character justice with their casting choice. Nothing like I imagined from the book.

That and Tyrion really needed to be uglier.

[Maatogaeoth]

The big difference is, in the books you do not find out until after Renly's death. That is, YOU do not find out. Judging from what Jamie Lannister says to Loras upon returning to King's Landing, he must have known about Loras and Renly all along.

Very true. Cersei makes a few off-the-cuff comments about Loras to Jamie also. Just ran across another in book #4.

[quietkey0]

I'd never read the series, had just read the Wild Cards (which was a very entertaining series). I saw an episode over at a friends house, and had to get and read all 4 books...Excellent series, and from the single episode I saw, the show was really true to the books as well, even down to the dialog in many cases.

The great news is:

http://www.georgerrmartin.com/if-update.html

Book 5 will be out anytime!

[quietkey0]

Very true. Cersei makes a few off-the-cuff comments about Loras to Jamie also. Just ran across another in book #4.

Yeah, there's a few comments alluding to it throughout, but for the most part subtle enough that if you didn't know what was going on with Loras and Renly, you may not even have noticed it.

[Ganolyn]

MUST.......HAVE.......SEASON 2.................NOW!!!!!!
I'll be going crazy all summer long waiting! lol

You'll be waiting a lot longer than that. Season two isn't going to air until next spring.

[Kielbasa]

Drogo is played by Jason Mamoa who is the new Conan.

Formerly played Ronin Dex on Stargage Atlantis for 4 years.


As for the show.

If people were surprised and po'd that they'd kill off Eddards.... they're in for a lot more shocks if this series continues for a few seasons and makes it through the first few books.

As it is, I personally was never able to make it more than halfway through book 2. I've tried 3 or 4 times to get through it.... and its just an absolute slog through literature for me. Dont get me wrong, the story isnt bad (as i've kept up with the story without actually reading the books). I just do not like Martins writing style (and I've read plenty of fantasy series, epics, trillogies, settings over the years, his is just one of the most blandly stretched in my opinion.)

The show has been a breath of fresh air for me for the series, as I've always thought the base story itself should have been written for something like what its being done as now rather than a set of books.

I'm all for a twist in the average fantasy that LOTR and CoC started but every time you get to know a character in this series the author offs them in some horrific fashion. I can't wait to see peoples reactions to some of the future deaths.

Definitely agree the books were like washing your mouth out with soap to read. Mainly because I was so used to traditional high fantasy before I read them I may have a different take on them now that its been a few years since I read them. That being said the television adaptation of them has been great. I don't think I'll ever finish reading the series until I know the last one is ready to be published don't want another WoT on my hands.

That and Tyrion really needed to be uglier.

I pretty sure their choices for actors were rather limited for the role. He's probably going to be the saving grace for the whole series his acting has been great.

[Grimdiegn]

I pretty sure their choices for actors were rather limited for the role. He's probably going to be the saving grace for the whole series his acting has been great.

They could have used the same actor and done some makeup work like colored contact lenses to make him like the char in the books. He's described as monstrous, not short and handsome. /shrug

[Der_Incubo]

How far along in the books are the shows up to?

I only read the first 2 books when they came out, then sorta gave up on them after years of not seeing a 3rd so i just barely remember the story and names of characters (actually.. jon snow is the only name i remember, and that might not be correct). Havent gotten around to watching the show either, just not enough time, but am going to have to find the time to watch it i guess...

[Battery]

I know one thing for sure. I've never wanted to push a fictional character in front of a moving train like little king joffrey

[Ganolyn]

How far along in the books are the shows up to?

I only read the first 2 books when they came out, then sorta gave up on them after years of not seeing a 3rd so i just barely remember the story and names of characters (actually.. jon snow is the only name i remember, and that might not be correct). Havent gotten around to watching the show either, just not enough time, but am going to have to find the time to watch it i guess...

They have just finished the first book. There are four books out now and a fifth is coming out July 12th so you'll have plenty to read.

[brian14]

I know one thing for sure. I've never wanted to push a fictional character in front of a moving train like little king joffrey

If you are talking about books, I agree. In the movies I would say Viserys has him beat for sheer assholiness. Although not by much.

[Epitome]

To all those who can't/don't want to read these books I recommend the Unabridged Audiobooks, actually I have never read the series but I've listened to all 4 books 3 times over. They are word for word verbatim and have allowed me to know each and every line as if I read them, sometimes to a greater extent. The first 3 are narrated by one of the main cast members in the tv show G.R.R. Martin wrote for, Beauty and the Beast (Roy Dotrice), which does an excellent job of keeping the countless characters mostly different so you grow to know who is saying what. They guy that does book 4 has a better voice but is kinda dull and uninteresting, at least the material he was reading was interesting. If you are into certain methods of file sharing you can get these audiobooks, else-wise you can grab them at www.audible.com. Even though they are expensive I feel like I received my money's worth listening to them 3 times and sharing them with some friends.

For those who say nay to audiobooks you would be surprised if you tried it. At first I stumbled upon them doing art homework in college. I quickly loaded them on to a mp3 player and listened while driving to/from work, doing laundry, mowing the lawn, drinking coffee in the morning before class or work, going to bed, or sometimes when I had free time I would just lie down and turn it on (still preferred to do a mindless task, hard to set aside massive time to read while not doing anything).

For MMOs this strategy is the best if you aren't grouped for long stretches, I played alot of EQ2 doing mindless crafting and harvesting. And look! We now have that in DDO. This works well too for scroll farming in eDQ1 and elsewhere.

[dingal]

The show is fantastic and is just as far ahead of it's television competition as the books are ahead of their own.

Yeah, I was P*SSED OFF when Eddard died and I did throw the book down in disgust. Not angry at the author because I was bothered by the development of the story but because I was so mad at the Lannisters for killing him.

Martin really set the tone for the series in this scene but he actually began much sooner with Jaime Lannister's casual murder of the Stark men (And Ser Jarry - not sure about the spelling on the name) after Catlyn took Tyrion prisoner. For me it was the first real eye opener to the depth of the casual disgregard for life that permeates the ruling class. Jaime's killing of all those men just to provide Eddard with a slap on the wrists was very shocking for me.

So was I surprised when Eddard died? Nope, but I have to admit I was still living under the preconceived notion that you can't kill off a main character and that if you do they will always somehow return (Think LOTR or WoT). So yeah even though I was on pins and needles after the scene I described above I somehow thought Eddard would pull out of the mess he was in so I still suffered from some wide-open lock-jaw. But that's what makes the series so great. How many books have you ever read where you legitimately worried for the safety of the main character as you read? None too many I bet. *SPOILER* Dark Tower fans can probably relate. *END SPOILER*

One of the things I love so much about these books is Martin's ability to make you identify with and even empathize with such incredibly flawed characters. People in general are deeply flawed and even the seemingly most despicable people often have resonant human characteristics that we would empathize with if we only knew them on that level. I've somehow come to love (in a literary sense) characters like Jaime and Tyrion Lannister despite them being on the wrong side of the war and just as readily as Martin shows "the bad guy's" good characteristics he doesn't shy away from the flaws that even good people possess.

Final note: If you were upset by the plot element of Eddard's death then cut your losses now, it's a bumpy ride.

[dingal]

To all those who can't/don't want to read these books I recommend the Unabridged Audiobooks, actually I have never read the series but I've listened to all 4 books 3 times over. They are word for word verbatim and have allowed me to know each and every line as if I read them, sometimes to a greater extent. The first 3 are narrated by one of the main cast members in the tv show G.R.R. Martin wrote for, Beauty and the Beast (Roy Dotrice), which does an excellent job of keeping the countless characters mostly different so you grow to know who is saying what. They guy that does book 4 has a better voice but is kinda dull and uninteresting, at least the material he was reading was interesting. If you are into certain methods of file sharing you can get these audiobooks, else-wise you can grab them at www.audible.com. Even though they are expensive I feel like I received my money's worth listening to them 3 times and sharing them with some friends.

For those who say nay to audiobooks you would be surprised if you tried it. At first I stumbled upon them doing art homework in college. I quickly loaded them on to a mp3 player and listened while driving to/from work, doing laundry, mowing the lawn, drinking coffee in the morning before class or work, going to bed, or sometimes when I had free time I would just lie down and turn it on (still preferred to do a mindless task, hard to set aside massive time to read while not doing anything).

For MMOs this strategy is the best if you aren't grouped for long stretches, I played alot of EQ2 doing mindless crafting and harvesting. And look! We now have that in DDO. This works well too for scroll farming in eDQ1 and elsewhere.

Roy Dotrice is The Lord Of Audiobooks. That guy could give depth to a cardboard cutouot.

I love audiobooks and listen to quite a few and he is by far the best narrator I've ever listened to with the potential for a tiebreaker with Frank Muller (Dark Tower and others),

I've read the books and have listened multiple times and I can't recommend the audiobooks enough. They are truly fantastic.

[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.

[Rumbaar]

One of the best TV shows in a number of years. Nothing comes close to it, in the same genre.

Have not read the books, but it was very surprising to see so many main characters die. That sense of foreboding, really adds to the story and sense of drama.

[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.