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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 you will much of that fourth book has been severely condensed: as a visual medium, the show can't translate most of those well-written words when they don't have 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.) |
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 you will much of that fourth book has been severely condensed: as a visual medium, the show can't translate most of those well-written words when they don't have 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.) |
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| − | 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; 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. So, as you can see, Game of Thrones is also better at keeping its characters (both main and secondary) 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; 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. So, as you can see, Game of Thrones is also better at keeping its characters (both main and secondary) 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; that is, don't expect that much characterization of (or scenes with) Margaery, Olenna, Bronn, Tywin, Littlefinger, Varys... So, all those scenes in the show in which non-POV characters interact only with each other don't exist in the books (Robert and Cersei; Littlefinger and Varys/Roose/Olenna; Olenna and the High Sparrow; Stannis and anyone who isn't Davos, as he is the only POV of that storyline until book 5; and countless others.) 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. |
Revision as of 09:53, 1 October 2015
The books are much better at handling enormous amounts of material —not only as a matter of quantity (more stories, more characters), but there's also the crucial fact that main characters benefit immensely from the inner narration, as it provides more backstory and introspection, which results in more well-rounded main POV 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!).
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 you will much of that fourth book has been severely condensed: as a visual medium, the show can't translate most of those well-written words when they don't have 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; 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. So, as you can see, Game of Thrones is also better at keeping its characters (both main and secondary) 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; that is, don't expect that much characterization of (or scenes with) Margaery, Olenna, Bronn, Tywin, Littlefinger, Varys... So, all those scenes in the show in which non-POV characters interact only with each other don't exist in the books (Robert and Cersei; Littlefinger and Varys/Roose/Olenna; Olenna and the High Sparrow; Stannis and anyone who isn't Davos, as he is the only POV of that storyline until book 5; and countless others.) 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.