"Why the heck should I read these books?" One might ask. "There's this TV show on HBO that has ratings through the roof, the books are long and there aren't pictures. What's so good about them?"
Well, someone might ask something like that at any rate. It's a pretty common theme nowadays, at least as far as I've seen, that many people seem like they're not keen on reading. Some are even proud of it, shocking as it might seem. I saw a quote today that said:
"Sometimes people write novels and they just be so wordy
and so self absorbed. I am not a fan of books.
I would never want a book's autograph.
I am a proud non-reader of books"
~Kanye West
That kind of blew my mind a bit but then I thought about it and thought "Why not make a little guide to talk about what makes these books great?" The ironic thing is that one would have to read the guide in order to get the info. ;)
A Song of Ice and Fire is a series packed with all the things that make the best movies and television shows what they are, apart from a visual component. There's massive action, deep drama, sex, huge set pieces, layered plots, "real" magic and some of the best character development you'll ever see.
Action: You want fights, we've got 'em. You want explosions, we've got those too. Battles? Check. The perk of having a book is that there is literally zero budget for the scale of mayhem you want to create. You can, with a pen stroke, put tens of thousands of troops on a field. You can lay waste to cities with fire. You can have naval battles with ships splintering and smashing into each other. A Song of Ice and Fire has action in spades and all of it has weight. Every time you see it, there's something behind it, so it at no point has a feeling of "fluff" to it.
Action: You want fights, we've got 'em. You want explosions, we've got those too. Battles? Check. The perk of having a book is that there is literally zero budget for the scale of mayhem you want to create. You can, with a pen stroke, put tens of thousands of troops on a field. You can lay waste to cities with fire. You can have naval battles with ships splintering and smashing into each other. A Song of Ice and Fire has action in spades and all of it has weight. Every time you see it, there's something behind it, so it at no point has a feeling of "fluff" to it.
Drama: The interactions in the story drive everything. The story is massive and far reaching. Each plot line has significance and the play between characters has very real gravitas, while at the same time having a startling level of wit and comedy. There are times where I find myself laughing when reading the books and it's often in the midst of what would otherwise be some very heavy material and that's what makes it great. The drama draws you in; you get invested and once you do, it grabs you by the lapels and doesn't let go.
Sex: The books are filled with it. What's interesting, though, is that it is not often, if ever, for the mere point of titillation. The books, at their very core, are about the pursuit of power, in all of it's forms including what it is, how one gets it, and what one does with it once they have it. The sex in the novels tends to generally have something tied to it in terms of gain for the characters involved; it is often a way of making a deal or achieving an end. What is oddly refreshing too is that it is treated with frankness at most instances instead of through a fog of steamy bad-TV romance. Like everything else in the books, it's got weight.
Huge Set Pieces: This is what puts A Song of Ice and Fire on the map. This is what made HBO decide to invest close to $100 MILLION on each season of Game of Thrones. These are the moments that grab you, hit you like a Mack truck, send you reeling, and pull you back in and ask if you're ready for another one. Sometimes they're literally huge moments like battles, other times they're plot twists and crazy things. These are the things that get you to make a blog to talk about these amazing books.
Layered Plots: The plot lines in the books are some of the most interesting I've ever seen. In an interview years back, George R. R. Martin mentioned how he was telling the story and I don't think I've ever read a story that did quite the same thing; and that's this: He's telling two stories at once. As you read, you're going forward in time. You're seeing things happen in a chronologically normal way BUT, as you're doing so, you hear characters talk and you hear these small nuggets of story that are relayed by the characters all through the series. This causes the story to be told in two directions, forward and backward. This leads to many theories about what things happened to cause current events to take place, questions about how we perceive what we're reading. Having re-read the first 3 books about 5 times and making my way though a collective re-read of books 4 and 5, I can certainly say that I find new things each time I read. It shows tremendous planning, thought and imagination on the part of the author and creates a story worthy of constant discussion even 15+ years after the publishing of the first volume in the series.
"Real" Magic: Lets face it. Magic, in TV shows, movies, heck, even other books can many times be treated laughably. It can come off as hokey, disingenuous, ridiculous and just not plausible, even within the fiction built by the story surrounding them. A Song of Ice and Fire is written in such a way where things feel grounded. The world seems palpable and rich and very real. This, in turn, makes magic, when it does rear its head, also very real and very serious. When magic happens or is "on screen," you pay attention and it's the kind of thing that changes the game. It's magic that gives you those "Oh snap..." moments; and every once in a while, a straight up "OH SNAP!" moment.
Sex: The books are filled with it. What's interesting, though, is that it is not often, if ever, for the mere point of titillation. The books, at their very core, are about the pursuit of power, in all of it's forms including what it is, how one gets it, and what one does with it once they have it. The sex in the novels tends to generally have something tied to it in terms of gain for the characters involved; it is often a way of making a deal or achieving an end. What is oddly refreshing too is that it is treated with frankness at most instances instead of through a fog of steamy bad-TV romance. Like everything else in the books, it's got weight.
Huge Set Pieces: This is what puts A Song of Ice and Fire on the map. This is what made HBO decide to invest close to $100 MILLION on each season of Game of Thrones. These are the moments that grab you, hit you like a Mack truck, send you reeling, and pull you back in and ask if you're ready for another one. Sometimes they're literally huge moments like battles, other times they're plot twists and crazy things. These are the things that get you to make a blog to talk about these amazing books.
Layered Plots: The plot lines in the books are some of the most interesting I've ever seen. In an interview years back, George R. R. Martin mentioned how he was telling the story and I don't think I've ever read a story that did quite the same thing; and that's this: He's telling two stories at once. As you read, you're going forward in time. You're seeing things happen in a chronologically normal way BUT, as you're doing so, you hear characters talk and you hear these small nuggets of story that are relayed by the characters all through the series. This causes the story to be told in two directions, forward and backward. This leads to many theories about what things happened to cause current events to take place, questions about how we perceive what we're reading. Having re-read the first 3 books about 5 times and making my way though a collective re-read of books 4 and 5, I can certainly say that I find new things each time I read. It shows tremendous planning, thought and imagination on the part of the author and creates a story worthy of constant discussion even 15+ years after the publishing of the first volume in the series.
"Real" Magic: Lets face it. Magic, in TV shows, movies, heck, even other books can many times be treated laughably. It can come off as hokey, disingenuous, ridiculous and just not plausible, even within the fiction built by the story surrounding them. A Song of Ice and Fire is written in such a way where things feel grounded. The world seems palpable and rich and very real. This, in turn, makes magic, when it does rear its head, also very real and very serious. When magic happens or is "on screen," you pay attention and it's the kind of thing that changes the game. It's magic that gives you those "Oh snap..." moments; and every once in a while, a straight up "OH SNAP!" moment.
Character Development: This is the crown jewel, in my opinion, of the whole series. The characters are incredible, all. There is the sense of reality to them where you feel, generally, like they're real people, dealing with real problems and they are relate-able on a very deep, human level. You also see character change. I was going to say character "growth" but, as in real life, not all characters get "better" or move towards the light side of the force. Some go dark. Some take roads perhaps best left alone. Each step of the way, you pay attention to these characters and you care about them and what they go through. There's an incredible sense of attachment you feel and much of the impact the series has stems from this wonderful wonderful thing.
Finally, it comes down to this. Yes, they are books. Yes, they require imagination. Yes, they are long. They are also masterpieces. They paint pictures in your mind with a brush that can conjure wonders. Even if you're not a "reader," it is worth it to make an exception to your rule and enjoy a story that is captivating millions as we speak. I think even Kanye might like these. :)
Finally, it comes down to this. Yes, they are books. Yes, they require imagination. Yes, they are long. They are also masterpieces. They paint pictures in your mind with a brush that can conjure wonders. Even if you're not a "reader," it is worth it to make an exception to your rule and enjoy a story that is captivating millions as we speak. I think even Kanye might like these. :)
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDelete