I finally read Game of Thrones by George RR Martin

I've been avoiding reading A Song of Ice and Fire by George RR Martin because I was worried it would be too graphic for me/ have subject matter that just isn't for me. After being bullied (affectionate) by other content creators, I finally caved and gave it a shot! Excited to talk about how I felt about the book, and whether I was right or not to avoid it. Tell me your thoughts below!

Creators mentioned:
@LienesLibrary
@readbykyle3082
@thefantasynuttwork

Chapters
00:00 - Why I've avoided Game of Thrones
03:52 - Assault as an over-used subject
09:17 - What I loved about the book
13:35 - The spoilers I knew and how that affected reading
20:15 - Final thoughts

Socials

[Bookborn]

PLEASE STOP SPOILING THINGS IN THE COMMENTS 😭😭 you know I love y’all and so I try to read/respond to every comment. But I’ve had to stop because I’ve read so many spoilers for the series at this point. Please at least mark a spoiler in your comment if it spoils beyond book one. Thanks!

[ryan]

The reason George Martin's dialogue is so good, so punchy and economical is because he used to be a script writer for network television in the 80's. So he's had a lot of practice.

[pjlights]

Even if it never gets finished, it is 100% worth it to read these books.

[ACinemafanatic]

The end of the book gives me chills every-time with how George describes the dragons being brought back into the world after centuries

[CunnininnuC]

Re: magic in a song of ice and fire - it’s endlessly frustrating how much the show stripped the magic and other fantasy stuff away from the world (especially in later seasons) and I’m always very excited when people talk about the magic in this world ❤

[jaredpoulter]

That is a great gift. My wife read Mistborn in secret as a gift to me. I had no idea until she brought it up while we were out for dinner for my birthday. It made me happy.

[jeffreywhipple]

Standing in line for Robert Jordon book signing and the person ahead asked if I had read Game of Thrones, at the point where it was only one out. Nope I said. He said buy it right now and start reading while you wait.

Greatest book signing advice I ever received

[kietus]

I remember watching that first season and having to go take a walk on the beach for like an hour after Ned died. I honestly couldn't believe how much it affected me. I immediately picked up all the books and read them all in one summer before the second season came out.

[thefantasynuttwork]

Tyrion’s backstory is very important going forward. However, I’m just thrilled you read it and enjoyed it!

[wjhall]

I have read everything GRRM has written in the GOT universe, including the Song of Ice and Fire Series which I have read 6 times. It never gets old. Your video makes me want to read it a 7th time. Thanks....By the way the scenes that make us uncomfortable are supposed to make us uncomfortable but trust me they are not gratuitous. One of the reasons these books have taken so long to write is that there is not a word that has not been placed where it is in the story for a reason.

[DoNotLookDown]

I've had all 5 books on my shelf since 2014. I've only read about 200 pages of the first book that year and never picked it back up. I was a massive fan of the show at the time and wanted to wait for that to finish before reading the books. We all know how the show ended, so I didn't have motivation to pick up the books after that. I read the prologue again recently and was amazed that The Others had more character and depth in those short pages than in the entire show's 8 seasons. Books are the best.

[pjlights]

Catelyn is fantastic in this series! One of, if not, my favorite.

[WillowGardener]

I think a lot of the readerbase does not understand the subtext that Martin put into the relationship between Drogo and Dany. If you strip it down to the basics, Dany is worshipping an abuser because he rescued her from another abuser. For a child who has normalized abuse, this is actually a very realistic reaction. Many people being abused worship their abuser. And if you really pay attention to Dany's arc as it continues, she is constantly relating to and struggling with issues around slavery, hierarchy, patriarchy--all the things that are normalized in this world, which have harmed Dany. And what it really offers is an exaggerated version of the patriarchy in our world, and thereby essentially criticizes the patriarchy of our world by its parallels with the world of Westeros. But it's not something you really pick up on until you've read the whole series and then you re-read Game of Thrones, so I think a lot of people miss it. I think Martin can be a little too subtle with his unreliable narrators sometimes.

[nananutmuffin]

Love this video!! And what a great birthday gift!

***Book one spoilers***
The way I interpreted Dany’s “relationship” with Drogo was that she had Stockholm. At first we got more of a clear picture of the real Drogo but as Dany tries to cope with the TERRIBLE things she goes through, she becomes a less reliable narrator. I am not sure how to put it into words but I think it’s really important that she is the one that ends up killing him.

Also, as disgusting as it is to be reminded of, I think the references to her being a child are important (especially in a post-show world). I feel like that’s Martin being like, “Hey remember how wrong this is?? This is BAD, not romantic.”

[derrisreaditbefore]

As a reader who just wants other readers to love the books I love - THIS MAKES ME GENUINELY HAPPY!

[danielamcmullin]

So I’ve been avoiding G.O.T. for many of the same reasons as you (and also have been spoiling myself because I had no intention of ever reading/watching it 😂) but you/this video have convinced me to change my mind and read it… If the story, characters, and prose are that good, then it’s definitely something I want to read. Thank you for being willing to go out of your comfort zone and Happy (belated) Birthday to Kyle!

[thisguy]

Grrm is an avid history nerd. Tons of his ideas come from *real life* history.


Had the story been set in a fantasy world where it wasnt medieval times.. then all of that stuff would be different.

However. There was a time where a child was deemed a "woman" when she "flowered".. gross? Fk yeah it's gross! But that *was* normal. Just like it was normal for 10 year old boys to act as squires and literally fight in battles. To be considered grown at a crazy early age. Life expectancy back then was very, very short.

I had to separate my morals based on today and the fact that we've grown and learn (in some ways) to read this book. And im glad I did.

These are fictional characters. But that kind of stuff happened in real life. Up to not even that long ago.

My grandmother was married at 14. To a man 10 years older than her. That was like... the 40s.

Elvis started a relationship with his future wife when she was 14. And he's still worshipped. And i refuse to listen to his music for that reason.. bc he Didnt have the excuse that it was "medieval times" when you were considered an old person at 35.

[alias]

I think it makes people uncomfortable how realistic george makes his stories, he draws inspiration from real historical events, the incest, the marrying off of young girls, etc. People like Joffrey exist thats why he writes about them

[LordBloodraven]

I enjoyed how Tyrion struggled to convince Mord to let Tyrion out of the cell so he could 'confess' his crimes.
He knew Mord would have enjoyed a reward of gold, but the offer wasn't initially understood.
There's even a moment when Tyrion empathizes with Mord, realizing the man must have been used to people tricking him out of rewards before. This is why I enjoy Tyrion the most in the early books. Book 4 moving on, not so much.

[Morfeusm]

As a Song of Fire and Ice fan since 2006 and I consider it being the best fantasy series ever and Storm of Swords is one of my favorite novels. But I actually while reading it felt same about consent scenes and minors etc. to a point I remember discussing this with other people… however as a history nerd I know concept of childhood wasn’t really existing in Middle Ages and Martin draws a huge inspiration from Late-middle ages in England so I get why it was there.
Oh and also NS death I had it spoiled by person who recommended me the books so even I knew back then lol