Great idea Shas!
Logged onto Galaxy now, just after finishing
Storm of Swords pt. 2. Undoubtedly my favourite yet. The fastest pace, heart-rending tragedy, bone-crunching combat and treason of the highest order. This is shaping up to be my favourite book series, it has already snatched the position of favourite TV series.
I have voiced my thoughts on book vs. show in Latest Book you Read thread. I stand by it still; book does small events and subtleties better, show does big events and non-POV characters / scenes better. But I have a feeling S3 may shake me from it a bit. Solely for the scenes that take place on the Wall - you're gonna' need a big budget for that. Makes the Battle of Black Water bay look like a childish squabble I.M.O.
I dislike how a lot of Theon's scenes are less conflicted and sympathetic, and more arrogant and cold in the show. Also how Cersei is made less of a mad bitch and more of a shafted wife and mad mother, which I felt she didn't deserve.
Fave characters, mostly spoiler-lite.
Robb Stark - My favourite character. On the surface the archetype good guy, but with nuances that set him apart from being just another uber-skilled protagonist Jesus like Harry Potter. He's young and makes mistakes. He gets wounded in battle and isn't the most skilled swordman in his barracks let alone Westeros. He makes questionable decisions with love, loyalty and royalty. And pays the hardest price.
Shout out to
Grey Wind too, who has a much larger role in the books and is even more badass the point where he practically won the Battle of Oxcross himself.
On the casting, yeah Richard Madden was too old. But I liked show-Robb and felt the character was done well enough that the five years could very easily be forgiven.
Tywin Lannister - On the surface the archetype bad guy, but with nuance that set him apart from being just another dull pseudo-Hitler like Voldemort. He cared / cares for
some of his family, and even does for Tyrion to some extent. And he in the books that line 'Lord Tywin ruled the Seven Kingdoms, but Lady Joanna ruled Lord Tywin. The best part of him died with her.' instantly made him a much more sympathetic character. He also ended a very destructive war that was unquestionably unsustainable for the Seven Kingdoms,
especially with Winter coming.
He gets even better in the show though. Charles Dance.
Charles f**king Dance. To anyone who disagrees with that casting and his role in the show, I have but this to say to you :
"
And who are you, the proud lord said, that I must bow so low?..."
Sandor 'The Hound' Clegane - He's blunt, he's brutal and he's unforgivingly intimidating. But also conflicted over his actions (as evidenced in his last scene with Arya in SoS) and his pryophobia was used excellently in the show. Show Hound is probably a bigger character and better than book Hound, but both are still excellent. I can only hope we get a final truth about his character before the show is out.
Melisandre of Asshai - I guess a lot may have to wait until her scenes on the Wall to warm up (pun not intended
) to Mel, but even then she swiftly became one of my favourite characters from her intro. Powerful, beautiful,
fanatical, I think she's often quite an overlooked character, and also a polarising one. She means the best, but sometimes must do the worst to get results. Or would if Davos didn't throw, or try to throw, spanners in her plans.
Her chapter in DoD (I skipped ahead to read the sole chapter) was excellent and also makes her a bit more of a sympathetic character, and an even more mysterious one. '
For the night is dark and full of terrors...'
Ser Davos Seaworth - Ah the Onion Knight. With his chapters in Dragonstone, they're almost humourous in hindsight the way it's almost a 'only sane man' dynamic. Loyal and likeable, he's the other side of the coin of Mel in that he too does what he thinks is best for Stannis and the realm but from a different, gentler standpoint that can often clash with Stannis and Mel's views. Looking forward to more of his story!
The Wolf
The Lion
The Hound
The Fire
The Onion
