'Game of Thrones' fever builds — will you catch it?

Closely attend to, respect and show appreciation of each relationship, recognizing each relationship is a gift of God.

Great observations. To be honest, some of the things Martin writes upset me an inordinate amount, but I'm already invested enough so I must just keep going. The main problem with Martin's world is that moments of joy are difficult to grasp for very long and always elusive, while the misery is unceasing. It makes for extremely frustrating reading and I'm afraid it may make for frustrating watching as well.

Also, I've been waiting for the first non-glowing review that didn't just involve bashing fantasy and anyone who likes it. Thank you for not only being honest that you didn't love the first three episodes but also for actually being able to coherently say what about the show isn't grabbing you so far.

I'm going to echo some thoughts by earlier posters. Having read the books numerous times, it does seem to me that there are very few flat characters to be had. That being said, I agree with your assessment that waiting several seasons for character X to turn dynamic would be a bit much. After reading some comments from other book lovers that have seen several episodes of the show, I feel pretty confident in saying at least some of that development has been moved up in the story. I can think of one character in particular that we don't really start to see another side of until the second book but I know some of that material has been moved into season 1 of GoT (where I don't know).

I guess I'm saying that I understand where you're coming from and I can see how someone reading the books could feel the same way. If the show is evoking feelings I can see a reader having, then I feel pretty confident that I'm going to love it. Also, it gives me confidence in saying that it will pay off in the end. In short, stick with it. I'm not sure that your opinion will turn into "OMFG. Best. Show. Ever." but I think you'll become more invested and enjoy it more than you have so far.

I laughed out loud when you said there was a Dany plot point so appalling you almost stopped watching. Literally, I laughed out loud.

I bet you never felt that way about anything in Eragon? Or while watching Desperate Housewives?

In the real world (and in fake fantasy ones) bad things happen, sometimes they happen to good people. It is the contrast provided by those bad events that allow you to appreciate the good events more.

Isn't it good to have a story that can conjure such a visceral reaction in you? You felt something, you were moved, not in a pleasant American Pie funny kind of way, but it was an emotional response.

Such gritty realism and no holds barred approach to writing, where no character is ever safe from the evils of the world, is what makes the novels so fantastic. Tolkien had that one moment, where Frodo says "No." but these books are full of them. You don't typically find that in entertainment. When you're watching other shows you know the main guys are safe. You knew Jack wasn't going to get killed (until the finale, anyways). You knew Adama wasn't a cylon, and when the Centurions had Laura Roselyn and the others lined up on New Caprica you knew they weren't going to die, even through the camera panned away and they made bullet sounds before going to commercial.

Not here, not in Game of Thrones. No one is safe. Bad things happen to good people. And if that makes you feel bad, imagine how good it will be in contrast when you see those people fight through and succeed (assuming they don't die, of course).

In anycase, if you think anything that happened to Dany was bad, wait for future seasons. Worse things continue to happen to good people, sometimes the perpetrators don't even eventually get their comeuppance (yet).

It isn't for you to take pleasure in the acts which you abhor, it is for you to feel fear for the character, to connect with them, to sit on the edge of your seat and pray they make it through. Because you know, in this show, you won't be able to think to yourself "Of course they'll be okay, they're a main character, and HBO would never do that."

I'm a big fan of the books so I expect I'll by default take to the show a little better than you but it was refreshing to read a somewhat negative opinion that had some actual thought behind it. The only others I've seen have just dismissed the fantasy genre and said very little about the actual show, and that's just not rewarding for anyone.

I think I can guess which part with Dany you found appalling and that does in a way make me interested in seeing how it's done on the show. I personally like when things just seem dark for the reason to show that the world doesn't have much hope for most people. It's cruel and most remain pawns, or die, and only a few can change their own fate. Such heavy mood makes everything that contrasts it work so much better in my eyes.

I completely agree with your comment on that the show should not at all require anyone to have read the book. The absolute best way to make an adaptation is to make it work on it's own but never contradict the source material so those that have read it can fill in all the blanks, making the show even richer.

In any case it will be interesting to hear if you come to like the show more as it progresses or if this just isn't done to your taste.

Basing my opinion solely on the book, I can't fault you for getting put off by the darkness of Martin's world if such things are not your...well, thing.
I feel, on the other hand, that the darkness is the book series first virtue. The bleakness of the narrative shows us what such a world of swords and feudalism would be like, not some prettied up "mediveal" world most fantasy tries to sell us.
Martin asks: What would a fantasy world be like if it contained real people with real agendas and feelings, and actions had true consequences.

I also find it gratifying that you find so many of the characters abhorrent, because I know that appearances can be very deceiving in Westeros. I would guess that there is perhaps only one major character in all the books I cannot understand or even agree with a little...walk a mile in their shoes, as the saying goes.
Though, for the record I find Eddard Stark to be a pretty selfish character, since I do not hold with deontological ethics.

If the appalling scene in question is the one I'm thinking of, I imagine the portrayal of a tribal minority might offend the Avatar/Dances With Wolves sensibilities of some in Hollywood.

I've read the book series twice, and I think it's almost a prerequisite to read the books first! When I read the first book, the first time, I was confused until about the end of the novel as to who everyone was, and what roles they played in the story! I can imagine that viewers who have not read the series will be seriously confused, especially if they are looking for ONE hero the attach themselves to...the characters are all dubious and double dealing in this series! Cannot wait to see the show!

Jon, thank you for your honest review. I'm a Game of Thrones fan, but I came to it unwillingly. A year or so ago, my husband, longtime fan of the books, told me HBO was making it into a miniseries, so I should read it. So I started reading, and pretty quickly I went back to my husband with a few complaints about the roles of women, how they were portrayed, and what happened to them. I felt that this was a really ugly patriarchal world, and I didn't want to give any energy to something so negative, that reinforced what I felt were such awful things and so negative towards women. He told me to 'keep at it, it gets better'. I wasn't too encouraged, but I kept at it, and by the end of the book, it DID get better, and I felt a lot better about some of the women, and what happens to them. I won't say what happens, cause that will spoil things if you continue to watch, but I do want you to encourage to continue. Sometimes there are those books or shows where after the beginning, you are thinking "I should just walk away now", and in the end, most of the time your instincts are good, and you should have! But I do believe this is one of those stories where you will be happy you stayed with it by the end. One thing that doesn't change too much is the somber atmosphere - it IS a pretty joyless world, and despite occasional moments of happiness, the overall world is pretty depressing, very much like the Wire in that way.

Your list of favorite characters map almost identically with mine. Judging solely by that, if the producers/writers/directors do just a decent job of translating existing story to screen, I think you'll find yourself addicted before too long.

The underlying setting and reality of the world is grim, no doubt about it. It's almost a reaction to a previous age of fantasy that sets up beautiful heroes in pristine lands fighting for undeniably just causes against unequivocably evil villains.

In contrast, here, there may be good people (like Dany, Ned, Jon, Bran, Arya) but bad things happen to them, as in our own lives. But the story remains a true fantasy in the sense that the good in people triumphs ultimately over the evil.

Those who are undeniably good (which are, not by coincidence, your favorites) struggle and are molded into who they become, but those whose motivations seem repulsive to us at first also grow and mature and become, at the very least, understandable (and sometimes even become redeemed in our eyes somehow).

Thanks for taking the time to respond. This comes off as a bit of a lecture, but mostly I wanted to reassure you and any other readers that there's definitely a purpose in the darkness, much the same purpose a forge serves.

Jim | April 12, 2011 at 01:40 PM

I've had very little trouble keeping up with who's who.

Thanks for the review. I plan to be swept away by GoT fever myself, but I appreciated your comments. The couple other negative reviews so far have been far from objective, but you gave actual reasons why you were lukewarm toward the series. I hope comments posters are nice to you. :)

Interesting points, glad to hear you'll stick with the books. As someone who has not read the books, did you find it hard to keep track of the characters and all the various relationships between them? Also, how was the acting?

Thanks for the comments. The comparison to "The Wire," which I love, may prove apt - although I will say I had more positive feelings about "The Wire" at this stage.

I don't think I'm having trouble understanding the characters' motivations as much as I'm having trouble embracing some of them.

But again, to reiterate, I don't dislike "Thrones" and plan to continue watching. I'm just not in that feverish place.

Talk in geek code. We will understand u.

Well, for spoiler reasons I'm not going to answer that.