re: Game of Thrones- Season Long Thread (Newbie Guide in First Post)

I'm on my second reading of the existing series, halfway through book 2. This is some of the best fiction ever written. (in my humble opinion)

HBO did a damn fine job here, they hit a major home run. The casting was excellent, in all respects except a few. Cersie and Cat are too homely, Joffery looks too young and too short, and Sansa looks too tall. Dany is my biggest disappointment. I picture Dany being slimmer, more exotic looking, Olivia Wild with white hair.

But Sean Bean IS Eddard Stark! Jon Snow, Benjen Stark, Arya, Rob, Bran, and Khal Drogo are dead on.

As for some of the sex scenes, I'm in NO WAY a prude, but both the Dany/Drogo, and Jaime/Cersei scenes were far too violent then in the books.

My wife is pretty open minded when it comes to nudty and sex, but the rape theme was too much for her. She isn't in to fantasy fiction, but watched the first episode because she knew how big a fan of the series I am. She didn't like how over the top the nudity and sex were, and said it wasn't fair that there was no male nudity (equal rights is big with her). She said she'd give it another week, hopefully HBO got what they wanted with the overt first episode and now they can dive more in to the mystery, intrigue, plotting, and adventure.

Winter is coming.

First, I want to say I enjoyed the hell out of the first episode. While not all of the characters are how I imagined them while reading, I think they all will be able to pull off their roles exceptionally well.

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The scene with Khal Drogo and Daenerys wasn't done well at all imho. It didn't portray what happened in the book well, but more importantly doesn't show the true dynamic of the relationship and the characters personalities in how they handled the situation.

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It was one of the few scenes that was actually different, but I think I see why they did it this way. I'll have to see how their relationship is portrayed over the rest of the season.

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Which will probably not do the story so much justice as it should. That character was well received and then when they disappeared people actually felt a bit of loss.

The speed of the story and not so much on screen time spent focus on individual characters could simply make it feel like just a tally on the death toll.

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I know for certain that the scene takes place in ep. 9. PPl have to realize there was so much thrown at you in the pilot b/c it's similar to the book, but also they wanted to have that cliff hanger. At the same time, several of the characters weren't specifically introduced bc there was already so many characters to keep up w/ in the first episode. The pace will remain brisk bc the amount of plot that needs to be covered is massive, but everything I've read from critics that have already seen the first 6 eps, is that it'll find it's footing in a couple episodes when they've established the characters w/ the viewers.

I think the season would be much better with 12 episodes, I have to believe next season will have to be more than ten.

Two of the wolves in particular are very important in the books.

They both received more screen time than the others in the first episode.

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For those that have read the books is there any significance to the dire wolf pups? other than them being the symbol of the Stark house.

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Here is a summary of what happens in the book.

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The party is shocked to see they have discovered a dead direwolf and her five live cubs, three male and two female.5 Theon comments that there has not been a direwolf seen south of the Wall in two hundred years, and Hullen, the master of horse, is uneasy that a direwolf has been discovered in the realm after so long. Many in the party are further disquieted when it is revealed the direwolf has an antler stag lodged in its throat, the apparent cause of death.6 Theon prepares to kill the pups, but Bran and Robb protest. Hullen's son, Harwin, points out they cannot keep the pups, and Hullen and Eddard agree. Jon points out that the number and gender match Eddard's children7 and says they were meant to have the pups. Bran is impressed that Jon has referenced both of Bran's sisters and even baby Rickon and given up any right to a wolf for himself to save the pups. Eddard relents and tells Jory and Desmond to gather up the pups. A little farther on, Jon hears something and goes back to discover a sixth cub, white with red eyes, which he takes for himself.8

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What is interesting to note is that in the book, all of the pups have their eyes closed, except Jon's pup has its eyes open.

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I need to learn people's first and last names
little boy's older bro- Robb Stark
little boy's oldest bro-

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I am betting she means Theon Greyjoy.

Finished book 3 last night! Read the first 3 in two weeks. I think i'm going to wait until closer to July to start Book 4.

In addition, Rome was filmed in Italy which is about as expensive as it gets to film in.

You should link your family trees on the OP to the HBO site. They have the actors pictures in place, which will help newcomers.