I love his writing. I read the first two books. I read Wild Cards way back but I just gave up the GoT series after book two when I realized it was going to be endless and every time I got to like somebody they would die. I have enough drama politics and sadness on the news. I'm glad he's not missing my sale.
If you stopped at Book II (where no huge character died) then you didn't get the HUGE gut-wrenchers in Book III. The mid-point 'climax' of that one is one of the most astonishingly audience gut-punching things I've read.
There you are being set up that finally two of the characters are going to be reunited and... everything all goes to hell. Two HUGE characters are killed off in truly, truly horrific fashion and the beloved character that was just about to be reunited with the other beloved characters arrives just in time... to witness it.
It's just... awful. I mean it's awe-inspiringly awful because you look at it in retrospect and wonder how you could have allowed yourself to be suckered into thinking there actually would have been a reunion.
Martin played his readers like a fiddle. But, yeah, it's still one of the most horrifying things I've ever read.
I expect when this point in the story arrives on the show (given how they're playing with the books it could happen either at the finale of Season 3 or even be pushed into season 4) I expect the show fandom to go batshit.
As I said to shadowcat once, I think I enjoy the books in retrospect more than I enjoyed the experience of reading them. While reading them theres just so much horror. In retrospect you see the character arcs and the BIG moments and that makes it not as depressing. But as a process of reading? Yeah, it really becomes a tough read after a while.
On the other hand, Martin can surprise you. By the ending Book II I hated, loathed, despised, and wanted horrible, horrible things to happen to Theon Greyjoy. Yet, by the end of Book V, I...I.... found myself rooting for him. *meep* (...in a way. I mean, I want him to have a redemptive death and I have sympathy for him... which I never, ever, ever would have believed at the end of Book II).
On the other hand, Martin can surprise you. By the ending Book II I hated, loathed, despised, and wanted horrible, horrible things to happen to Theon Greyjoy. Yet, by the end of Book V, I...I.... found myself rooting for him. *meep* (...in a way. I mean, I want him to have a redemptive death and I have sympathy for him... which I never, ever, ever would have believed at the end of Book II).
Really...I'm not there yet. I got bogged down in Feast, but I do own Dance of Dragons...
Good to know. I will state that with the exception of five characters, Martin does twist characters around, and delve into the battle between good and evil in each. Jamie certainly fits that, as does both Ayra and Tyrion. Also Catelynne.
I was so spoiled for some of the things that happened in Storm that I barely reacted when they happened. Although...I was not spoiled for and did not see the Red Wedding coming..that was like whoa. I'm wondering how the tv show is going to handle that one and if it will. Because if they do it the way it happened in the books, the television fans will go absolutely batshit. You are right about that. Considering how they reacted to what happened in Game of Thrones, which was rather tame in comparison.
Thanks for posting that interview by the way, made me fall a little bit in love with George RR Martin - who I agree with. If you have to show violence, at least be honest about it. Although...there's only so much I can watch nowadays without cringing.
Also liked his depiction of the process - architects vs. gardeners. He's right about that. You can almost tell which way writers swing. And his comment about how detailed fans get was hilarious. (Although changing eye color isn't that big deal, killing someone off on the other hand and then forgetting that you did...is a big deal - which as far as I can tell Martin has never done.) Also the bit about fan kerfuffles and how he has to moderate his blog now...LOL!
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branchandroot
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Date: 2012-03-15 07:46 pm (UTC)Man speaks a lot of sense.
no subject
Date: 2012-03-16 04:05 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-03-16 04:21 pm (UTC)There you are being set up that finally two of the characters are going to be reunited and... everything all goes to hell. Two HUGE characters are killed off in truly, truly horrific fashion and the beloved character that was just about to be reunited with the other beloved characters arrives just in time... to witness it.
It's just... awful. I mean it's awe-inspiringly awful because you look at it in retrospect and wonder how you could have allowed yourself to be suckered into thinking there actually would have been a reunion.
Martin played his readers like a fiddle. But, yeah, it's still one of the most horrifying things I've ever read.
I expect when this point in the story arrives on the show (given how they're playing with the books it could happen either at the finale of Season 3 or even be pushed into season 4) I expect the show fandom to go batshit.
As I said to shadowcat once, I think I enjoy the books in retrospect more than I enjoyed the experience of reading them. While reading them theres just so much horror. In retrospect you see the character arcs and the BIG moments and that makes it not as depressing. But as a process of reading? Yeah, it really becomes a tough read after a while.
On the other hand, Martin can surprise you. By the ending Book II I hated, loathed, despised, and wanted horrible, horrible things to happen to Theon Greyjoy. Yet, by the end of Book V, I...I.... found myself rooting for him. *meep* (...in a way. I mean, I want him to have a redemptive death and I have sympathy for him... which I never, ever, ever would have believed at the end of Book II).
no subject
Date: 2012-03-17 04:44 pm (UTC)Really...I'm not there yet. I got bogged down in Feast, but I do own Dance of Dragons...
Good to know. I will state that with the exception of five characters, Martin does twist characters around, and delve into the battle between good and evil in each. Jamie certainly fits that, as does both Ayra and Tyrion.
Also Catelynne.
I was so spoiled for some of the things that happened in Storm that I barely reacted when they happened. Although...I was not spoiled for and did not see the Red Wedding coming..that was like whoa. I'm wondering how the tv show is going to handle that one and if it will. Because if they do it the way it happened in the books, the television fans will go absolutely batshit. You are right about that. Considering how they reacted to what happened in Game of Thrones, which was rather tame in comparison.
Thanks for posting that interview by the way, made me fall a little bit in love with George RR Martin - who I agree with. If you have to show violence, at least be honest about it. Although...there's only so much I can watch nowadays without cringing.
Also liked his depiction of the process - architects vs. gardeners. He's right about that. You can almost tell which way writers swing. And his comment about how detailed fans get was hilarious. (Although changing eye color isn't that big deal, killing someone off on the other hand and then forgetting that you did...is a big deal - which as far as I can tell Martin has never done.) Also the bit about fan kerfuffles and how he has to moderate his blog now...LOL!
Wonderful interview.