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The books are obviously better at handling enormous amounts of more material —not only as a matter of quantity (more stories, more characters), but there's also that main characters benefit from the inner narration, as it results in more backstory and more well-rounded main POV narrator characters. However, I can honestly say the show is better at fleshing out secondary, non-POV characters (non-narrators), and it gives more of a distinct voice to each of the characters, initially thanks to the acting and later because the writing was adjusted to the strengths of each actor; George R.R. Martin isn't that great at giving each character a distinct voice (which is not that much of a criticism considering he has hundreds of characters!). Still, if you've watched the show first, you'll probably be surprised by, for example, how Jaime speaks. |
The books are obviously better at handling enormous amounts of more material —not only as a matter of quantity (more stories, more characters), but there's also that main characters benefit from the inner narration, as it results in more backstory and more well-rounded main POV narrator characters. However, I can honestly say the show is better at fleshing out secondary, non-POV characters (non-narrators), and it gives more of a distinct voice to each of the characters, initially thanks to the acting and later because the writing was adjusted to the strengths of each actor; George R.R. Martin isn't that great at giving each character a distinct voice (which is not that much of a criticism considering he has hundreds of characters!). Still, if you've watched the show first, you'll probably be surprised by, for example, how Jaime speaks. |
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| − | Often, the show also acts as |
+ | Often, the show also acts as a harsher editor for GRRM. For example, though the fourth book, ''A Feast for Crows'', is incredibly well-written (it has some of the best writing in the whole series, in my opinion), it is relatively light on story and plots. And that is why the in the show you will much of that fourth book has been severely condensed; as a visual medium, it can't translate most of those well-written words when they lack much of a moving plot (most of Brienne's, Sam's and Jaime's journey), yet it can translate ''story'' and ''plot''; and that's what you will find has been adapted (Cersei's robust story, which is the backbone of that book; Arya's in Braavos; a (too) ''heavily ''condensed Dorne; and in Season 6 the Greyjoy storyline.) |
The show is also great at condensing material in intelligent ways. For example, in the books, Gendry dissapears from the plot after joining the Brotherhood without Banners; another one of Robert's bastards, this one utterly characterless, appears in the Dragonstone plot so that Davos can save him; the show wisely used Gendry instead, giving him something to do.) The show is also better at keeping its main characters relevant in the story and the plot throughout the whole show, while in the books some of them disappear for long stretches of time, sometimes entire books. In the same vein, the show has worked hard to interlink most storylines and characters more than the book does. Basically, the books are much deeper, while the show is much more cohesive and structured. |
The show is also great at condensing material in intelligent ways. For example, in the books, Gendry dissapears from the plot after joining the Brotherhood without Banners; another one of Robert's bastards, this one utterly characterless, appears in the Dragonstone plot so that Davos can save him; the show wisely used Gendry instead, giving him something to do.) The show is also better at keeping its main characters relevant in the story and the plot throughout the whole show, while in the books some of them disappear for long stretches of time, sometimes entire books. In the same vein, the show has worked hard to interlink most storylines and characters more than the book does. Basically, the books are much deeper, while the show is much more cohesive and structured. |
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Revision as of 09:44, 1 October 2015
The books are obviously better at handling enormous amounts of more material —not only as a matter of quantity (more stories, more characters), but there's also that main characters benefit from the inner narration, as it results in more backstory and more well-rounded main POV narrator characters. However, I can honestly say the show is better at fleshing out secondary, non-POV characters (non-narrators), and it gives more of a distinct voice to each of the characters, initially thanks to the acting and later because the writing was adjusted to the strengths of each actor; George R.R. Martin isn't that great at giving each character a distinct voice (which is not that much of a criticism considering he has hundreds of characters!). Still, if you've watched the show first, you'll probably be surprised by, for example, how Jaime speaks.
Often, the show also acts as a harsher editor for GRRM. For example, though the fourth book, A Feast for Crows, is incredibly well-written (it has some of the best writing in the whole series, in my opinion), it is relatively light on story and plots. And that is why the in the show you will much of that fourth book has been severely condensed; as a visual medium, it can't translate most of those well-written words when they lack much of a moving plot (most of Brienne's, Sam's and Jaime's journey), yet it can translate story and plot; and that's what you will find has been adapted (Cersei's robust story, which is the backbone of that book; Arya's in Braavos; a (too) heavily condensed Dorne; and in Season 6 the Greyjoy storyline.)
The show is also great at condensing material in intelligent ways. For example, in the books, Gendry dissapears from the plot after joining the Brotherhood without Banners; another one of Robert's bastards, this one utterly characterless, appears in the Dragonstone plot so that Davos can save him; the show wisely used Gendry instead, giving him something to do.) The show is also better at keeping its main characters relevant in the story and the plot throughout the whole show, while in the books some of them disappear for long stretches of time, sometimes entire books. In the same vein, the show has worked hard to interlink most storylines and characters more than the book does. Basically, the books are much deeper, while the show is much more cohesive and structured.