Game of Thrones (ASoIaF book series and TV show).
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Hey there Earthlings, Alternatives and Trollers. Put down that mouse and lend an ear. Welcome to The Bandersnatch blog where we talk weird, wacky and wondrous. I'm Mama Ogre and I have no idea what I'm doing.
As
you should know Tuesdays is book blog day were we talk about one
particular book and pretty much run with it. Today's blog is on the
Song of Ice and Fire series by G. R. R. Martin and the TV show series
it inspired A Game of Thrones.
Long ago, in a time forgotten, a preternatural event threw the seasons out of balance. In a land where summers can last decades and winters a lifetime, trouble is brewing. The cold is returning, and in the frozen wastes to the north of Winterfell, sinister and supernatural forces are massing beyond the kingdom's protective wall. At the centre of the conflict lie the Starks of Winterfell, a family as harsh and unyielding as the land they were born to. Sweeping from a land of brutal cold to a distant summertime kingdom of epicurean plenty, here is a tale of lords and ladies, soldiers and sorcerers, assassins and bastards, who come together in a time of grim omens.
Here an enigmatic band of warriors bear swords of no human metal; a tribe of fierce wildlings carry men off into madness; a cruel young dragon prince barters his sister to win back his throne; and a determined woman undertakes the most treacherous of journeys. Amid plots and counterplots, tragedy and betrayal, victory and terror, the fate of the Starks, their allies, and enemies hangs perilously in the balance, as each endeavours to win that deadliest of conflicts: the game of thrones.
Game of Thrones Goodreads page
Game of Thrones is the first of A song of Ice and fire series written by author George RR Martin. Published on August 1st 1996 by Bantam Spectra (US) and Voyager Books (UK), Game of Thrones went onto win the 1997 Locus Award and held nominations for both the Nebula Award and World Fantasy award for 1997. A novella called Blood of the Dragon composed of the Daenerys Targaryen chapters won the 1997 Hugo Award for Best Novella. In 2011 The book became a New York Times Bestseller and reached No1 in July 2011.
A comet the colour of blood and flame cuts across the sky. Two great leaders—lord Eddard Stark and Robert Baratheon—who hold sway over an age of enforced peace are dead, victims of royal treachery. Now, from the ancient citadel of Dragonstone to the forbidding shores of Winterfell, chaos reigns. Six fractions struggle for control of a divided land and the iron throne of the Seven Kingdoms, preparing to stake their claims through tempest, turmoil, and war.
It is a tale in which brother plots against brother and the dead rise to walk in the night. Here a princess masquerades as an orphan boy; a knight of the mind prepares a poison for a treacherous sorceress; and wild men descend form the mountains of the moon to ravage the countryside. Against a back drop of incest and fratricide, alchemy and murder, victory may go to the men and women possessed of the coldest steel and the coldest hearts. For when kings clash, the whole land trembles.
A Clash of Kings Goodreads page
A Clash of Kings became the second book in the Song of Ice and Fire series on November 19th 1998 in the UK with the US version being released on February 2nd 1999 (by Voyager books - UK and Bantam spectra- US), at this point author George R. R. Martin believed the series would be seven books. Like its predecessor, A Clash of kings received nominations for the 1999 Locus award (which it won) and the 1999 Nebula Award for best Novel. The book also won the Ignotus Award in 2004. In May 2005 the book received a fully illustrated limited edition release by Meisha Merlin, John Howe of LOTR fame was the illustrator. I am currently trying to read a Clash of Kings as such I dont have a full opinion of the book.
A Storm of Swords
Of the five contenders for power, one is dead, another in disfavor, and still the wars rage as alliances are made and broken. Joffrey sits on the iron throne, the uneasy ruler of the seven kingdoms. His most bitter rival, Lord Stannis, stands defeated and disgraced, victim of the sorceress who holds him in her thrall. Young Robb still rules the north from Riverun. Meanwhile, making her way across a blood-drenched continent is the exiled queen, Daenerys, mistress of the only three dragons still left in the world. And as opposing forces manoeuvre for the final showdown, an army of barbaric wildlings arrives form the outermost limits of civilisation, accompanied by a horde of mythical Others- a supernatural army of the living dead whose animated corpses are unstoppable. As for the future of the land hangs in the balance, no one will rest until the Seven Kingdoms have exploded in a veritable storm of swords........
A Storm of Swords Goodreads page
A Storm of Swords is the third book released of The Song of Ice and Fire series released in the UK on August 8th 2000 and in the US in November 2000 (by Voyager books and Bantam Spectra) and is currently the series longest book, its so long it had to be split in half to be published in the UK, Ireland and Australia. Under the by names of Steel and snow in June 2001 and Blood and gold in August 2001. the book was nominated for 2001's Locus Award (Which it won) and the Nebula award for best Novel, for 2002's Geffen Award for best novel and was the first to be nominated for the Hugo award which it lost to Harry Potter and The Goblet of fire.
A Feast for Crows
Bloodthirsty, treacherous and cunning, the Lannisters are in power on the iron Throne in the name of the boy-king Tommen. The war in the seven kingdoms has burned itself out, but in its bitter aftermath new conflicts spark to life.
The Martells of Dorne and the Starks of Winterfell seek vengeance for their dead. Euron Crow's eye, as black a pirate as ever raised a sail, returns from the smoking ruins of Valyria to claim the Iron Isles. From the icy north, where Others threaten the Wall, apprentice Maester Samwell Tarley brings a mysterious babe in arms to the wall.
Against a backdrop of incest and fratricide, alchemy and murder, Victory will go to the men and women possessed of the coldest steel and the coldest hearts.
A Feast for Crows Goodreads page
The fourth book if the A Song of Ice and Fire series. A Feast For Crows was published in the UK on October 17th 2005 then in the US on November 8th of the same year by Voyager books and Bantam Spectra respectively. A feast for crows was the first in the series to reach the number one spot on The New York Times Best seller list, and received nominations for the 2006 Hugo, Locus and British Fantasy society awards.
A Dance with Dragons
In the aftermath of a colossal battle, the future of the seven kingdoms hangs in the balance—beset by newly emerging threats from every direction. In the east, Daenerys Targaryen, the last scion of house Targaryen, rules with her three dragons as queen of a city built on dust and death. But Daenerys has thousands of enemies, and many have set out to find her. As they gather, one young man embarks upon his own quest for the queen, with an entirely different goal in mind.
Fleeing form Westeros with a price on his head, Tyrion Lannister, too, is making his way ot Daenerys. But his newest Allies in this quest are not the rag-tag band they seem, and at their heart lies one who could undo Daenerys's claim to Westeros forever.
Meanwhile, to the north lies the mammoth wall of ice and stone—a structure only as strong as those guarding it. There, Jon snow, 998th lord commander of the nights watch, will face his greatest challenge. For had powerful foes not only within the watch but also beyond, in the land of the creatures of ice.
From all corners, bitter conflicts reignite, intimate betrayals are perpetrated, and a grand cast of outlaws and priests, soldiers and skin changers, nobles and slaves, will face seemingly insurmountable obstacles. Some will fail, others will grow in the strength of Darkness. But in time of rising restlessness, the tides of destiny and politics will lead inevitably to the greatest dance of all.
A Dance of Dragons Goodreads page
I have yet to fully read the books from A Storm of Swords to A Dance of Dragons and as of yet I dont have a full opinion on them bar to what I have been told is different between them and the corroborating season in the Game of Thrones TV series.
The Winds of Winter is the next book in the Song of Ice and Fire series and is currently being worked on by Author G.R.R. Martin. The next book after TWoW is A dream of Spring which as of this blogs posting yet to be written.
GAME OF THRONES TV SERIES
Game of thrones came to our TV screens on April 17th 2011, and not only made celebrities out of the cast and crew of said TV show but was also nominated for various awards 738 times of which 269 were won including the 58 Primetime Emmy Awards, the most by a drama series including Outstanding Drama in 2015, 2016, 2018 and 2019. The other awards include three Hugo Awards for best Dramatic Presentation (2012-2014), a 2011 Peabodyaward and five nominations for the Golden Globe best TV series-drama (2012 and 2015-2018).
I came into Game of Thrones with the first episode of S4 and had to buy the previous three series on DVD to catch up properly, not only for the series itself but for the extras and the behind the scenes information often provided in the box sets. I also bought the books available at the time with every intent to read them, as such I've barely read past part of the second book.
Season 1:
Season one set off the whole Gambit of Game of Thrones, as such It was the series which kept the closest to the book, effectively being the book portrayed on screen bar one or two detail changes. The season was welcomed reaching 89-90% on Rotten Tomatoes and was compared favourably to both Mad Men or Breaking Bad as one of the best TV series around. My favourite actors from S1 are Sean Bean as Lord Eddard Stark, Kit Harrington as Jon Snow and Peter Dinklage as Tyrion Lannister. Sean bean I feel has always been a great actor for characters in fantasy and historical shows and movies. He portrays the characters he's hired for both authentically and extremely well. Peter Dinklage also like Sean Bean portrays Fantasy and Historical actors extremely well.
Season 2:
Season Two starts similar to A Clash of Kings but this is where the TV show and the Books start diverging, however the main story arks were kept in line despite the divergence and changes of detail. Season Two was highly received just like Season One was and received 96% on Rotten Tomatoes. Maisie Williams as Arya Stark definitely took a step up as an actress in my opinion as she joined Harrington and Dinklage as my favourite actors/characters, Emilia Clarke and Daenerys Targaryen also took a strong step up but this in my belief is partly due to how great the scripting was for her character.
Season 3:
Like its seasonal predecessors Season Three was highly praised and well received and managed a 96% on Rotten Tomatoes. Just like Season 2 there was a divergence of details and story from the books and TV show. I started appreciating the storylines for both Sansa Stark and Brienne of Tarth played by Sophie Turner and Gwendoline Christie on top of those for Jon Snow, Arya Stark and Tyrion Lannister (Harrington, Williams and Dinklage respectively). Whilst I love the cast and characters of Game of Thrones near equally these are the ones which stood out most to me.
Season 4:
Season Four followed the presidence its predecessors set in receiving both praise from fans and critics alike as well as a 97% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. This was Jack Gleeson's last season as boy-king Joffery Baratheon. Joffery was a well hated character showing how great an actor Gleeson was. I met Gleeson at the LFCC (London film and comic-con) before S8 of Game of Thrones came out and it was a great experience, he was a very nice man. Gleeson's performance had him rated highly amongst the cast and characters I've mentioned before.
Season 5:
Season Five received 93% on Rotten Tomatoes, receiving -quite rightly- the fan and critic acclaim like its predecessors did. The characters of Samwell Tarley – John Bradley, Tormund Giantsbane- Kristopher Hivju, Lord Varys- Conleth hill and Davos Seaworth- Liam Cunningham and Margery Tyrell-Natalie Dormer definitely took to the floor as great characters with great storylines this season in my opinion.
Season 6:
Season Six received 94% on Rotten Tomatoes following the other seasons in being highly regarded by both fans and critics alike. Issac Hempstead Wright having not been in S5 of Game of Thrones returned and simply aced his character of Bran Stark on his journey to become the Three Eyed-Raven. Hempstead-Wright joined Clarke as the two actors whose Characters somewhat drove the season onwards alongside Harrington and Dinklage. The storyline for Sansa Stark can also be considered one of the best in the long run of Game of Thrones.
Season 7:
Season Seven, despite its focus mainly on the arrival of Daenerys Targaryen to Westeros and the resulting reactions, didn't have full ties to the books bar what had been put down in previous seasons and what G. R. R. Martin gave to the writers. Despite this the season was greatly received by the public and critics getting a 93% on Rotten Tomatoes. The storyline of the attempt to unite the whole of Westeros against the Others definitely gave S7 its edge and high ratings. The actors definitely made the season one of Game of Thrones Best.
Season 8:
Season Eight despite being greatly awaited on received great criticism from both the public and critics receiving a 53% on Rotten Tomatoes. Many stated how rushed and all over the place S8 was. And for once I whole heartedly agree. Though this was in due part to the loss of several story arks in earlier seasons, the lack of storylines to frame S8 bar the building up to and the aftermath of the final battles plus the rushed decisions of the Directors. There had been a report that Dan and Dave the Directors had been hired for one of the Star Wars TV shows partially due to how well Game of Thrones was doing but was dropped sometime after S8 came out, its believed that the reactions of the fans had contributed to Dan and Dave being fired from doing Star Wars.
THE GAME OF THRONES FANBASE
Since the publication of A Game of Thrones the fan base for the series and George R. R. Martin has grown steadily over the past 20ish years. With the release of the TV show the fan base near exploded with the TV show fans interdigitating with those of the book fan base creating a mega community which continues to thrive today. Many of the fan base took to YouTube and began documenting what they thought about the books and TV show as well as including theories of what would be shown on the TV show and would come up in the recent book releases. The YouTubers who are well known for this are; Rawst, GeekChat1, In Deep Geek, The History of Westeros, Lord of Thrones, Fandomedia (formerly Azor Ahype), Secrets of the Citadel and more.....the links to their you-tube channels are in the Website Bibliography down below. I highly recommend the viewing of these YouTubers especially in regards of Game of Thrones and Geekiness in general.
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WEBSITE BIBLIOGRAPHY:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Song_of_Ice_and_Fire
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Game_of_Thrones
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13496.A_Game_of_Thrones
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Clash_of_Kings
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10572.A_Clash_of_Kings
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Storm_of_Swords
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/62291.A_Storm_of_Swords
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Feast_for_Crows
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13497.A_Feast_for_Crows
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Dance_with_Dragons
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10664113-a-dance-with-dragons
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Winds_of_Winter
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_R._R._Martin
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13496.A_Game_of_Thrones
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Game_of_Thrones
https://awoiaf.westeros.org/index.php/Main_Page
https://www.hbo.com/game-of-thrones
https://www.makinggameofthrones.com/
https://gameofthrones.fandom.com/wiki/Game_of_Thrones_(TV_series)
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfZtSuQt-Krr3jyhOBQBxbg
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqI8A72Bqc1HQRr5JUDlzkw
https://www.youtube.com/user/MyRawrist
https://www.youtube.com/user/TheHistoryofwesteros
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCx4RG-jgoRAtywgnyv8WtWg
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVg2AVe6eTCTVoWQ9AwrIHg
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqROIhneltpZKvFzuB3pAiA
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZZo2jEVm4lui8eLmoV8ICw
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3dNUeJ3jGZ3vixcQf4KSlg
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-x4iL-dib6tLIfSD4orfQw
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCspB1BKv-Aqiu-8QZdI6PUQ
https://www.patreon.com/BandernsatchBlog?fan_landing=true
And there you have it a decent book for those who love to read So we'll be leaving this here for today please leave a comment, share with others if you want or not, Don't forget We HAVE PATREON! please consider becoming a Patreon today, the link is in the bibliography above. Friday is random blog day and remember keep it sensible in the comments all abuse will be tracked and reported to the appropriate people.
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