Mote Wrote:It seems everyone I've talked to who has watched or read Game of Thrones has only high praise for it. Sooner or later I will have to see for myself. To those of you who have read/watched this series, would you suggest reading the books first or watching the show?
That really depends on the individual, both are good, so I don't think you can go wrong either way.
I've read the books first, have been reading them since the first one came out in the 90's, so I am enjoying the show bringing these stories to life, and also enjoying the asides that the show does, and the adaptation decisions they are making. ie the books use a different character POV for each chapter, which means that some characters can go entire books as a mystery before getting their own POV. The show isn't limited in this way, so you will see two characters, who don't have a POV in the book, meet and plot and threat with one another. Who's to say that didn't happen in the book, but the book doesn't show it.
Midway through the second season and the show is taking more deviations like this, maintaining the key plot beats from the books but adapting them in their own way, it's keeping it fresh for me. And I like it.
However, traditionally I've always preferred seeing the show/film before reading the book it was adapted from. Books invariably always have more material, so I always felt that I could enjoy the show/film on it's own merits, and then get the bonus material reading the book, I never felt that 'they cut my favourite scene out!' moment.
So as I said before, I don't think there's a definitive answer, depends on the individual.