So a couple of weeks ago I was pretty unwell and off work for a couple of days, but thankfully was able to read my way through being stuck on the sofa wrapped in a blanket with a hot water bottle (which is weird for late July it must be said) and was so absorbed that I managed to stop feeling sorry for myself (quite a feat as that’s one of my best skills right there).
I’ve been more or less under the weather since then and finding real solace in books, and as the latter half of this week has been particularly tiring and I am well into August crime month I have found myself in a major binge read, almost exclusively of Jacqueline Winspear’s Maisie Dobbs mysteries. And when I say a binge read, I mean four not-inconsiderable novels in three days. And it has worked; I feel distinctly more cheerful than I did when I started, I’m sure because these are very easy reads; that’s not to do them down, I just mean I find Winspear’s style flows so lightly that before you know it you’re a couple of hundred pages in and so absorbed int he story that you have to get to the end.
That being in the zone where reading is concerned, for whatever reason, brings me to my dilemma. There are two people whose opinions I value greatly, my other half the Book God and my closest friend Silvery Dude. And they are both strongly encouraging me to start reading the Song of Ice and Fire cycle by George RR Martin, the former because he has read them all, the latter because he’s just discovered them and come over all enthusiastic, and both because they think I would really enjoy them.
But.
I have a complicated relationship with certain types of fantasy (setting Tolkien aside) and I can find the sort with swords and stuff set in other worlds or versions of our own world a bit of a problem. Add to that the fact that I’ve seen (and to be fair enjoyed) all four seasons of Game of Thrones on TV and I’m asking myself the question “what more can I get out of reading the books?”
So that’s a question for you all – should I give them a go or leave well alone?
Bride of the Book God 
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August 11, 2014 at 3:37 am
Adam
You should totally read the books! I’ve read the books and watched the show and, even though it’s my favorite TV show, the books far outshine the show. There’s so much they have to cut out of the show because of time restraints. I’ve read a lot of books and Game of Thrones is by farmy favorite set if books.
August 11, 2014 at 10:22 pm
brideofthebookgod
Thanks Adam, my husband has read them all and did so in a real binge and he really rates them too.
August 11, 2014 at 7:13 pm
bethany653
At least give the first book a few chapters and see what you think. There really is a *lot* in the books that didn’t make it into the show.
August 11, 2014 at 10:22 pm
brideofthebookgod
Thanks Bethany, I have downloaded the first book onto my Kindle app and I may, probably will, dip my toes in and see what happens!
August 11, 2014 at 9:42 pm
Jenny @ Reading the End
I think you will be okay without reading them. However, I will say that I picked up the books to help me understand who all the characters on the show were (seriously, there are so many characters), and I ended up really enjoying them. I tore right through the four that were published at the time. Having said that, I’d have been fine without them, and I experienced no urge to read the fifth book when it came out. Too long. Not enough dragons.
August 11, 2014 at 10:24 pm
brideofthebookgod
I spend a good 10 minutes after each episode asking my husband two things – who exactly everybody was (though I’ve got a good grip on the major characters I sometimes get all my Sers confused – though not Ser Pounce obviously) and what was different from the book. At least I was more or less prepared for both Red and Purple Weddings 🙂
August 23, 2014 at 6:27 am
Susan Flynn
I hope you have decided to read the Game of Thrones books, Christine! They are so much better than the tv series, and you really get to know the main characters, really invest in them. Some of the best fantasy writing (and world-building) in the genre. Smart writing, too. So I do hope you give them a try. I’m on book 4 now.
August 23, 2014 at 6:32 am
brideofthebookgod
I have been persuaded Susan and have downloaded book 1 to my Kindle; not sure exactly when I’ll start, possibly after RIP!
August 28, 2014 at 7:01 am
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