Saturday, January 22, 2011

Mini Review of Book-In-Progress: "A Game of Thrones"

Sorsha has been after me for months in her gentle way (No, really. She doesn't pressure. She knows better. Almost no one manipulates me better than her) to start reading the first book in A Song of Ice and Fire series, A Game of Thrones.

I've had the damn book for over a year. I bought it at a used book store when she first started talking about it and I'd heard about the series from my fellow geeks online. Mostly, they were bitching about the next book not being out. And then Neil Gaiman told them to shut up about it and that was fun. So, I picked up the book, took one look at all the characters with the crazy names and put it back down. I'd look at it longingly on occasion, but went on to other things. But I really wanted to get it read before the HBO miniseries with the AWESOME cast came on. In April. I think I've got time. But you know. Time gets away from you. And then there was this preview.

Yeah. I need to get on that.

So, I started it this week. DETERMINED.

After numerous texts to Sorsha (And pouncing on her at work), visits to the IMDB page (Sometimes it helps if I can get mental pictures of the characters in my mind) and the Wikipedia page (Careful there if you're spoiler-averse) and I've mostly got my brain wrapped around the thirty or so primary and secondary characters and the "rules" of the world they live in.

And it's so fucking awesome. It's like a really mean, dirty (Both in sexual terms and like, grime) Middle Earth. Everyone is complex and layered and morally ambiguous. My favorite character is still Daenerys, nicknamed Dany, a thirteen-year-old deposed princess married off by her asshole brother to a warlord so he (The asshole brother) can build his army and get his throne back. She's terrified (And who wouldn't be?) but eventually comes to like her scary husband (Jason Momoa is playing him in the mini, if that tells you anything) and, more importantly, realizes that she needs to toughen the fuck up if she's going to survive. And she DOES and it's AWESOME. Also, that picture of her from IMDB immediately made me think of the Jungle Queen from The Maxx. 90s nostalgia!

So, reading continues and I need to order the next three books off of Amazon. WOOOO!!!

P.S. Three guesses as to why I used the Flowers in the Attic tag. Hee.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

I've been dying to start reading the book too! I was waiting for Game of Thrones to come out first but the books looks too good to wait till April. Oh and I saw the pix of that Daenerys character! she's one of the best things about this series, along with Jason Momoa of course who plays the character of Khal Drogo. I used to watch him in Stargate Atlantis and in a show called North Shore, and I'm telling you, he's gonna be great in GOT!

Sorshanik said...

OMG! I've said it 100 times at this point and will say it 100 more to be sure, but I am SOOOOO glad you are reading this series and so glad I will have our Chocogoddess into it soon as I can get her my iPod in next 2 weeks!!!
This series is a fantastic "who knew?!" mind-crack find for me I stumbled on in 2009.

I LOVED the link to Gaiman's rant about people needing to bugger off about aurthor's not writing fast enough for the fans. I'm not mad at George, but probably because I haven't finished the 4th book. I've been drawing the series out since 2009 and only now almost done book 3. Neil had great advice, read other books in the mean time and go on with your life. That's what I do since I read on line the 5th book is not on the way any time soon. I partially like the drama from waiting. But more than that, I want the last book to be just as AMAZING as the first 4. So, if it takes him a decade, as long as it rocks and I get my answers I am trying to be understanding. I'm also trying to make karma ammends for my badgering poor JK for last HP book. Thanks for drinving the point home, Neil. You rock.

So keep reading, texting and ranting, Bea. I love it. My fav characters in book 1 are Tyrion, The Hound, Jon Snow and his Knight's Watch brother Samwell Tarley, Eddard Stark, Littlefinger/Petyr Baelish, the Stark children's dire wolves and Khal Drogo. :>)

Sorshanik said...

I'm pretty sure Momoa needs to just show up, remove his shirt and he will be BETTER THAN GREAT as Khal Drogo. He will look lovely with bells in his hair. No seriously, the Dothroki wear them as warriors!

EGT said...

Did you use the Flowers in the Attic tag because this book is also crazy?

Bea said...

@Crybaby - thanks for stopping by! :) I was thrilled when I saw Momoa was cast as Khal Drogo (Now THAT'S an awesome name!). I've...actually never seen him act in anything, but he's VERY pretty to look at. I have high hopes!

@Sorsha - I'm so glad, tooooo! We're having a blast already! My favorites so far are: Dany, Tyrion, Jon Snow and Ned. My least favorites: Dany's brother, Catelyn (Sorry. She's boring), Joffrey, Cersei, and anyone else who's a dick to the Starks.

Sorshanik said...

I was so sad when Ned died and thought how unfair it was at first. Now, while I still love Ned and the stand up guy he was, I am now certain, as Bea and I have geeked out about, that he signed his family's death warrants by taking Cersei on in book one. You can't hate him, because he was so damn decent. But you can see how a wife like Cat could be better suited to be "in charge" of such things as politics as she shows in books 2 & 3. **SPOILER ALERT** Except for attending the Red Wedding, she had great counsel for King Robb. Big OPPS on the marrying your only brother to a Fray decision and taking your kingly son to his slaughter. Better luck as a vengeful zombie, Cat!