HBO greenlights A Game of Thrones pilot!

[keg in kc]

EDIT: Changed the original header to mark this as the thread where spoilers are allowed (but not necessarily recommended...). Created a new, spoiler-free thread for Ice and Fire virgins...


This is awesome...

Huge, Huge News

Nov. 11th, 2008 at 10:29 PM

HBO has given the production order.

They will be filming the pilot episode of A GAME OF THRONES.

It's just the pilot so far. They'll need to see that before they decide whether to proceed with a full season's episodes. So let's all hope the pilot will kick serious ass.

It should. David Benioff and Dan Weiss did a terrific job with the script. And yes, all of you can relax, it's very faithful. Dan and David will be the executive producers for the pilot and (we hope) the eventual series.

More details when I have 'em. The news is very fresh. HBO just issued their own press release, which should be up on their website soon, if it's not there already.

Winter is coming to HBO. Hot damn.

[Red Brooklyn]

Originally Posted by TrickyNicky

Spoiler!

Yes. It is the catalyst for one of the major conflicts running throughout the series. It hits you square in the gut, huh?

Spoiler!

It's seriously the most unexpected, shocking and painful thing I've read in a novel in a long, long time. I never saw that coming. If you'd asked me yesterday, I would have said he was probably the only "safe" character. I honestly can not believe it. I still have about 60 pages until the end... but I almost don't want to finish this thing.

[Miles]

Originally Posted by frazod

I had never heard of this before seeing this thread, but it piqued my curiosity enough that a bought the first book today. I'm only a few pages in, but I'm already quite impressed.

Good luck with the lack of sleep these things cause.

[Miles]

Originally Posted by Red Brooklyn

For those who have read the series.... are the other books as good as Game Of Thrones? Which do you think is the best of the series so far?

Just my personal take.

The second is probably on par with the the first.

Storm Of Swords is easily one of the best books I have read.

The 4th installment was a bit of a letdown compared to the high standards set by the previous books but still good.

[NewChief]

Originally Posted by Red Brooklyn

I feel you, man. I'm a very slow reader as well. And I didn't really start to get into reading until around 99/2000. Before that it was a just a chore. Now I read as much as I can. I hardly go anywhere without a book or a play.

Because my job is pretty much dealing with literacy, I'd be curious to hear what turned you into a reader?

[Shag]

Originally Posted by Red Brooklyn

Wait....

Spoiler!

did they just ****ing KILL EDDARD STARK?!!?!! Can't be. Right? I mean he can't be dead.... RIGHT?! WTF!!!

I can't take this book....

lol, I remember that moment when I was reading aGoT for the first time. This series is really no holds barred - there are no sacred, unkillable characters...

[David.]

Yeah grrm pulls no punches that is for sure
Posted via Mobile Device

[thecoffeeguy]

Originally Posted by Red Brooklyn

Spoiler!

It's seriously the most unexpected, shocking and painful thing I've read in a novel in a long, long time. I never saw that coming. If you'd asked me yesterday, I would have said he was probably the only "safe" character. I honestly can not believe it. I still have about 60 pages until the end... but I almost don't want to finish this thing.

I thought the same thing. I was like "NO WAY!"

[Red Brooklyn]

Originally Posted by NewPhin

Because my job is pretty much dealing with literacy, I'd be curious to hear what turned you into a reader?

A combination of things.

1) I started college in the fall of 1998 - theate major. My director/mentor/professor stressed the importance of reading "a play a day." So reading play scripts got me started reading every day.

2) Then, in 1999 I read Fight Club by Chuck Palahniuk. That book really changed my life. It changed the way I looked at the world and the way I saw myself in the world. It also opened my eyes to a whole new literary style of which I'd been completely ignorant.

Later that same year I read The Catcher In The Rye. I really haven't slowed down since. It was another book that changed me - or at least - meant a lot to me.

3) Most importantly, I married a woman who has been a devoted reader her entire life. It's become a pleasure we can share. We try to introduce each other to new stuff all the time. She gave me Harry Potter, and I gave her Ender's Game. She gave me The Bell Jar and The Handmaid's Tale and I gave her Never Let Me Go and Rant.

She's read infinently more than I have. I'm still playing catch up. But I really don't mind. There's nothing like reading a great book for the first time. And, while I've dropped the "play a day" habit, I still read a new play at least twice a month. Sometimes, more.

What's your job? If you don't mind my asking...

[Red Brooklyn]

Ya'all have me seriously looking forward to Storm Of Swords.

[Red Brooklyn]

Originally Posted by Shag

lol, I remember that moment when I was reading aGoT for the first time. This series is really no holds barred - there are no sacred, unkillable characters...

It's sick, man! I've never read anything like this (in terms of characters' safety). I only have about 30 pages left, but I had to put it down as I'm at work. I'll finish tonight... but yeah... good god.

Spoiler!

People are dropping left and right. Robert, Ned, Drogo... it's insane. I figured the end game of the series would revolve around those three dudes. Dany's story has been so heartbreaking and compelling. I can't believe she lost her husband and child. Seems like they're setting her up to be the ultimate villain of the series. But who knows! Maybe she dies before the end of aGoT too!!

[NewChief]

Originally Posted by Red Brooklyn

What's your job? If you don't mind my asking...

Very cool. I'm a teacher. I teach a lot of different language arts courses (creative writing, freshman composition, british literature, etc..), but working with struggling readers and at-risk students is my primary interest and field of study.

[Red Brooklyn]

Originally Posted by NewPhin

Very cool. I'm a teacher. I teach a lot of different language arts courses (creative writing, freshman composition, british literature, etc..), but working with struggling readers and at-risk students is my primary interest and field of study.

Good on ya, man. That's fantastic. Our educational system needs people like you. Thank you for all your hard work. I can only imagine.

My wife is also bilingual. She's fluent in Spanish and knows her way around Italian fairly well. She's working on French now too.

If you ever have any book recommendations, please, throw them at me. I've got a bit of back list built up, but I'm a firm believer in a book's power to find a reader. So, if something grabs me first, it jumps to the front of the line. And I like all of it, so far. Fiction, fantasy, mystery, literary fiction, sci-fi, non fiction, historical fiction, biographies, poetry... whatever.

[TrickyNicky]

Originally Posted by Red Brooklyn

It's sick, man! I've never read anything like this (in terms of characters' safety). I only have about 30 pages left, but I had to put it down as I'm at work. I'll finish tonight... but yeah... good god.

Spoiler!

People are dropping left and right. Robert, Ned, Drogo... it's insane. I figured the end game of the series would revolve around those three dudes. Dany's story has been so heartbreaking and compelling. I can't believe she lost her husband and child. Seems like they're setting her up to be the ultimate villain of the series. But who knows! Maybe she dies before the end of aGoT too!!

So who is your favorite character?

[Red Brooklyn]

Hard to say. I'm a big fan of Jon and Arya on the Stark side. I'm still not sure I can trust him, but on the Lannister side, you have to love Tyrion. His wit is outstanding. That's about all I like on the Lannister side. Cersei, Jaime and Joff can go straight to hell.

I really like Daenerys, though. She's such a well drawn character... yeah, probably Daenerys and Jon are my favorites right now. But I reserve the right to change my mind once I've finished the book, and I reserve the right to continue to change my mind throughout the series.

[Red Brooklyn]

Done.

****.