Thoughts about Game of Thrones TV show potentially spoiling future books...

April 30, 2016

I am a book reader myself but I have always been behind the TV show so this isn't as relevant to me. I had almost caught up at one stage and I decided I would carry on with the books because in my opinion they are so much better than the TV show, but work and other things hindered my efforts to pass out the show and become a "smug book reader" (like so many people relish in an I know something you don't know sort of way). I essentially read on my holidays now, which isn't that often. Now that the TV series has caught up with the books some of my friends who are avid book readers have decided to not watch season 6 as it will spoil future instalments; The Winds of Winter and a Dream of Spring.

Are any of you book readers and if so how do you feel about the show spoiling the books?

Edited May 1, 2016 by paidimartinez

King · April 30, 2016

Anyone posting spoilers in this thread please use the spoiler tags :)

Paul · April 30, 2016

Considering how different the books and show are I'm not even slightly worried.

Evil Gringo · May 1, 2016

Exactly that really.

As for where we are now in the TV show compared to the books... The Littlefinger and Sansa story line in the books is completely different, so is Breanne of Tarth and Pod's, the Hound ended up taking a different path to the same end, the visions of John Snow that Melisandre has are different, where Tyrion is, who has Greyscale, who Ramsey Bolton marries, who Rob Stark married, the number of Targaryen pretenders to the Iron Throne.... all of them are different and going down separate paths to the TV show.

Basically the reason for the civil war and most of the events of the first novel are the same in the TV show and some other major events there after like the Red Wedding, Stannis going North to the wall to try and take the North, most of Daenerys storyline up until being carried away by Drogon but that's it - the show has slowly been going a different path since season 2.

So yeah, nothing really will be spoiled by the TV show in the new books, in fact Martin will probably revel in being completely different and messing with peoples heads and expectations.

May 1, 2016

Exactly that really.

As for where we are now in the TV show compared to the books... The Littlefinger and Sansa story line in the books is completely different, so is Breanne of Tarth and Pod's, the Hound ended up taking a different path to the same end, the visions of John Snow that Melisandre has are different, where Tyrion is, who has Greyscale, who Ramsey Bolton marries, who Rob Stark married, the number of Targaryen pretenders to the Iron Throne.... all of them are different and going down separate paths to the TV show.

Basically the reason for the civil war and most of the events of the first novel are the same in the TV show and some other major events there after like the Red Wedding, Stannis going North to the wall to try and take the North, most of Daenerys storyline up until being carried away by Drogon but that's it - the show has slowly been going a different path since season 2.

So yeah, nothing really will be spoiled by the TV show in the new books, in fact Martin will probably revel in being completely different and messing with peoples heads and expectations.

A lot of the stuff that's different doesn't have huge implications for the overall story though. But I get what you're saying.

Evil Gringo · May 1, 2016

The fact that in the books there is a Targaryen in Westros taking land from the other factions fighting from the throne who is not even in the TV series means we could well end up with a completely different ending in the books though.

Unless of course R+L=J is true and he ends up becoming the King after repelling the White Walkers in both? That is of course if he is alive or not in either.

May 2, 2016

There's no doubt it's going to be different and with every episode that is becoming more apparent, but I still think we'll get Dany teaming up with Jon to fight the others and on a broad scale have the same result at the end of it all.

The fact that in the books there is a Targaryen in Westros taking land from the other factions fighting from the throne who is not even in the TV series means we could well end up with a completely different ending in the books though.

Unless of course R+L=J is true

Do you not think R+L=J is true??????

May 27, 2016

Considering how different the books and show are I'm not even slightly worried.

Watching the last episode I couldn't help thinking about how George RR Martin must have felt while this was being played out. I mean, I can't imagine starting work on a project more than twenty years ago and seeing someone else tell your story before you got around to it. I've never spent twenty years doing anything, so I can only imagine the recriminations and regret that must be bouncing around in his head. He's made a fortune but he didn't get to tell his story in the way he originally intended. Surely there will be huge differences between the show and the last two books but what a weird way for your life's work to come to a conclusion.

Evil Gringo · May 27, 2016

Well he spent time doing spin off novels before the main story was finished, so really its all on him. Also eating tonnes of hot pockets, all that at the microwave adds up!

May 28, 2016

Well he spent time doing spin off novels before the main story was finished, so really its all on him. Also eating tonnes of hot pockets, all that at the microwave adds up!

:goodpost:

I know that's true from my own experiences spending too much time at the coffee machine and the kettle, really interferes with your ability to get stuff done :(

He'd also probably be better off writing the book instead of writing blog posts about why he's not finished the book yet.