I think for the first read it's best to use the normal reading order.
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A Reading of Ice and Fire: Now It Begins
- Thread starter Lunar Wolf
- Start date
I think for the first read it's best to use the normal reading order.
Just started my reread recently too and it's been really enjoyable going back after so many years.
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Looks-wise, Charlize Theron is perfect actually. I don't mind saying this unspoilered since my OP is supposed to demonstrate that the TV show characters look different to the book characters but according to GRRM, his Cersei looks like Nicole Kidman:
Charlize Theron looks pretty similar though.
Cersei is supposed to
exude angelic charm when she smiles. Someone that doesn't look nasty at all. God-bless Lena Headey but season 1 Cersei looks like she despises the world. . It's such a small change that it ultimately doesn't matter though and Lena is a god-tier actress.
I haven't tried that order yet but want to.
We can take a poll later once we're done with a Storm of Swords and in the middle Dunk & Egg on whether we want to do the combined order or the original order.
I'll let the thread decide, I think.
I need to decide whether or not I'm in. I'm already reading The Wheel of Time and a couple of (canon) Star Wars books. And I've read ASOIAF already.
But at the same time, this is a rare opportunity to "discuss with the class," as it were. Decisions, decisions, decisions...
But at the same time, this is a rare opportunity to "discuss with the class," as it were. Decisions, decisions, decisions...
If anyone doesn't have A Game of Thrones yet and doesn't mind reading digital books (and has an Apple device), I definitely recommend looking into the Enhanced Edition on the iBooks store. Has a lot of handy features, like showing you where on the map a chapter is taking place, and letting you tap a character's name for some context on them. Here are some examples from the prologue of the book:
There are also occasional illustrations of the events. It's very, very cool.
There are also occasional illustrations of the events. It's very, very cool.
I'm excited to eventually read Fire & Blood. It sounds like it's really good.
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One of the things that I hope this thread provides is catching clues on whether the show's ending is being built up to in the books at least for the main characters.
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If anyone doesn't have A Game of Thrones yet and doesn't mind reading digital books, I definitely recommend looking into the Enhanced Edition on the iBooks store. Has a lot of handy features, like showing you where on the map a chapter is taking place, and letting you tap a character's name for some context on them. Here are some examples from the prologue of the book:
There are also occasional illustrations of the events. It's very, very cool.
I'm excited to eventually read Fire & Blood. It sounds like it's really good.
We might do Fire and Blood too along with the World of Ice and Fire after ADWD unless people prefer to read those in their free time.
Agreed! There is an artist who once drew an image of Cersei based on Charlize Theron.
Lena Heady was fantastic as Cersei too though.
YEEEES I'm so hyped to do this. I had read the French translation a few years ago, now my English should be good enough to read all of them in English ! Great OP.
I may be too optimistic, but I think by the time we finish the main books we will have a release date for WoW. And this experience will have created a passionate little community hopefully.
I may be too optimistic, but I think by the time we finish the main books we will have a release date for WoW. And this experience will have created a passionate little community hopefully.
Sweet. Definitely wouldn't mind reading them either way.
If anyone doesn't have A Game of Thrones yet and doesn't mind reading digital books (and has an Apple device), I definitely recommend looking into the Enhanced Edition on the iBooks store. Has a lot of handy features, like showing you where on the map a chapter is taking place, and letting you tap a character's name for some context on them. Here are some examples from the prologue of the book:
There are also occasional illustrations of the events. It's very, very cool.
I'm excited to eventually read Fire & Blood. It sounds like it's really good.
Is this exclusive to Apple devices?
I'm gonna try and join this. Not sure if I'll keep up for the first bit. I'm in the middle of Heretics of Dune and kinda wanted to finish those novels off. Maybe I'll catch up or stay just behind for a bit.
Last time I tried reading them I got through A Game of Thrones but then stopped for whatever reason. It was a bit harder getting through GoT since it's so close to season 1 and I've seen that like 5 or 6 times.
Last time I tried reading them I got through A Game of Thrones but then stopped for whatever reason. It was a bit harder getting through GoT since it's so close to season 1 and I've seen that like 5 or 6 times.
Unfortunately, yeah. I tried seeing if the Enhanced Editions of the books are available on any other devices, but everything I've read says that they're exclusive to Apple.
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Added the White Walkers/Others into the OP. Provided a description that GRRM gave of them.
You're welcome to join us and participate even if you are behind.
You're welcome to join us and participate even if you are behind.
Been waiting for this! I'm already a good ways into the first book, so that's great. I can go at a pretty leisurely pace until the thread schedule catches up to me. Hoping this thread stays active. Love to hear what everyone thinks. First time reader, by the way.
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My gf read the German translation and couldn't handle it. She said the English version was much better. Don't know about the French translation though.
Maybe I should try to participate, happened to spot the book at work last friday and took it home. Can't be a coincidence. Though to be honest I've really been hoping that Witcher books would show up, but this will do for now. Fortunately it's also the English version, I can't stand when any names are translated. And most fantasy stuff just sounds really whacky to me in Finnish anyway.
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Trivia for these set of chapters.
The Prologue was created later.
Bran I is the first chapter that George RR Martin created and it's there from which A Song of Ice and Fire actually grew from.
According to Martin, the chapter you read there is almost near exactly what he wrote down in his first draft.
The Prologue was created later.
Bran I is the first chapter that George RR Martin created and it's there from which A Song of Ice and Fire actually grew from.
According to Martin, the chapter you read there is almost near exactly what he wrote down in his first draft.
Early on I catch something that passed me by on the first read through:
That the direwolf was killed by an antler, foreboding the Starks being killed by the Baratheons. When I read that the first time I didn't see the significance of the antler since the Baratheon sigil hadn't been revealed.
This is actually the genesis of the entire series; Martin had the idea of a striking image of a wolf being gored by a stag that represented two noble houses and decided to write a book series about it.
In for this. I gave my brother my copies of the books so I've had to order new ones, haven't arrived yet but hopefully will next week. Only read them once and finished way back after season 3 ended so it's been a while, and I'm sure I've forgotten a lot. Will be good fun to re-explore.
Thank you! A shame, app looks incredible.
Will be following this thread, especially curious to see how the show-only viewers react or perceive the changes between the books and series.
About time, I just re-read AFFC/ADWD (skipping chapters I didn't care for) and am ready to re-read from the top.
Speaking of apps, another neat thing is the World of Ice and Fire app (I'm not talking about the book) for Android and iOS. It's basically an official encyclopedia for the series with all sorts of information regarding characters, locations, events, the various houses, creatures, religions, etc. It also has some very nice artwork in it, as well as interactive maps of the world that you can look over.
You'll probably find more information and all of the artwork by looking at things like the Wiki of Ice and Fire, but one neat feature of the app is that you can select which book you've read up to. That way, any spoilery information from books you haven't read is omitted, and you don't stumble upon something you aren't meant to know yet. Unfortunately, information from each book is locked behind a paywall, but you can purchase the whole thing for $4.99 USD, or individually for $0.99 each (except for AGoT's content, which is $1.99).
You'll probably find more information and all of the artwork by looking at things like the Wiki of Ice and Fire, but one neat feature of the app is that you can select which book you've read up to. That way, any spoilery information from books you haven't read is omitted, and you don't stumble upon something you aren't meant to know yet. Unfortunately, information from each book is locked behind a paywall, but you can purchase the whole thing for $4.99 USD, or individually for $0.99 each (except for AGoT's content, which is $1.99).
kudos to everyone starting the books before they're completed. im on the fence but im ultimately not likely to do it.
There's an Android app which is somewhat similar, called A World of Ice and Fire. You can get a kind of limited demo for free to see how it works, and unlock content by book or wholesale. Unlocking everything costs something like 5 bucks.
Edit: lol
Exactly this. Should've read further.
Ok, I finished the five chapters. I'm not one for leisurely reading, lol.
I now set the book aside until next weekend.
I now set the book aside until next weekend.
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I really like those portraits in the OP. Looking forward to having a whole new perspective for all these characters!
I'm in, I've read large portions of most of them, but basically found myself skipping around alot. Blame it on wanting to see moments related to the TV show, or around areas/characters I didn't care enough to know (some of Dorne and Mareen from memory) Think this will get me to fully reading these things.
Just picked up a new copy of A Game of Thrones yesterday since I couldn't find the one I had years ago. Been wanting to give the books a try again since the show ended. Now seems like the perfect time to dive in!
As luck would have it, the premier ASoIaF podcast, Vassals of Kingsgrave is just finishing up their re-read.
Thanks for the link, I've been wanting to listen to some podcasts for this while I'm at work.
I only have the main books so if this thread is also doing the spinoffs I guess it gives me motivation to actually reading those
I'm the same. I read the books a long while ago, I watched the show up to Season 4 or 5, when the show started to overtake the books. I have been spoiled on some major things through Twitter and stuff, I'd prefer not to have anything more spoiled.
I really want to read them again. Especially with the tease of next year for the next book and how the end of the show was handled...but I can't remember if I brought all the books with me when I moved house last year and I too cheap to buy them all again if I didn't.
Maybe I'll just read Dunk and Egg again.
Maybe I'll just read Dunk and Egg again.
