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.

[keg in kc]

The only real problem with the fourth book is that his cast of characters has grown so large that several of them were neglected (he cut entire sections and put them in Dance With Dragons, which will probably have the same issue). Other than that, it's fine.

I've read Codex Alera, and it's pretty good for light fantasy fare, but I think you'll find that Martin's work blows it out of the water.

Just realize that this Ice and Fire is the very essence of dark fantasy: there's very little magic to be seen, a ton of politics, and a lot of unsavory characters doing very unsavory things. It's wonderful stuff.

But god knows when (and if) it will end.

[Huffmeister]

Originally Posted by keg in kc

The only real problem with the fourth book is that his cast of characters has grown so large that several of them were neglected (he cut entire sections and put them in Dance With Dragons, which will probably have the same issue). Other than that, it's fine.

Oh yeah, it's still excellent stuff. Storm of Swords just ended on such a high note that I was expecting Feast For Crows to continue that momentum. I read them back-to-back, so maybe that had something to do with it. I do remember him saying in the afterword that Dance with Dragons will cover the same time span as Feast For Crows, but from the perspective of other characters. That's why I'm hoping DWD will help round it out.

Originally Posted by keg in kc

I've read Codex Alera, and it's pretty good for light fantasy fare, but I think you'll find that Martin's work blows it out of the water.

Just realize that this Ice and Fire is the very essence of dark fantasy: there's very little magic to be seen, a ton of politics, and a lot of unsavory characters doing very unsavory things. It's wonderful stuff.

Any recommendations of other, similar 'dark fantasy'? I know Dragonlance and Forgotten Realms aren't dark fantasy, but they're about the only other fantasy books that I've read (besides Tolkien). I'd like to read some more fantasy, but I'm afraid that most anything else will feel lame and cheesy when compared to Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire.

[NewChief]

Originally Posted by Cankerskull

Oh yeah, it's still excellent stuff. Storm of Swords just ended on such a high note that I was expecting Feast For Crows to continue that momentum. I read them back-to-back, so maybe that had something to do with it. I do remember him saying in the afterword that Dance with Dragons will cover the same time span as Feast For Crows, but from the perspective of other characters. That's why I'm hoping DWD will help round it out.


Any recommendations of other, similar 'dark fantasy'? I know Dragonlance and Forgotten Realms aren't dark fantasy, but they're about the only other fantasy books that I've read (besides Tolkien). I'd like to read some more fantasy, but I'm afraid that most anything else will feel lame and cheesy when compared to Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire.

You might like Glen Cook's Black Company series. The Thieves World series is also very dark and gritty.

[keg in kc]

Originally Posted by Cankerskull

Any recommendations of other, similar 'dark fantasy'? I know Dragonlance and Forgotten Realms aren't dark fantasy, but they're about the only other fantasy books that I've read (besides Tolkien). I'd like to read some more fantasy, but I'm afraid that most anything else will feel lame and cheesy when compared to Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire.

I read Joe Abercrombie's First Law Trilogy around Christmas, and thought it was really great. The books are, err, The Blade Itself, Before they are Hanged and Last Argument of Kings. There's a fourth book set in the universe entitled Best Served Cold, which was good, but not quite as good as the trilogy IMO.

I've recently begun reading the Prince of Nothing trilogy by R. Scott Bakker. The first book in that series is called The Darkness that Comes Before. It's fairly dense, but interesting so far.

These are both recent series, Bakker's books coming out from '04-'06 and Abercrombies' from '06-'08 ('09 for the 4th, and I think a fifth this year or next).

[keg in kc]

Originally Posted by NewPhin

You might like Glen Cook's Black Company series.

Yeah, that series is good stuff.

[TrickyNicky]

I can recommend a few. However, let me preface it by saying there is nothing in the same league as ASoIaF, IMO.

Lies of Locke Lamora
Dunk and Egg novellas (set in Westeros approx. 100 years prior to the story of A Game of Thrones)
Gardens of the Moon
Assassin's Apprentice

[Buck]

Originally Posted by TrickyNicky

Yes

Thats the only part of the book I've read so far, then I moved and packed it up but I have no idea where th book is. Need to find it.

[jspchief]

Originally Posted by Cankerskull

Any recommendations of other, similar 'dark fantasy'? I know Dragonlance and Forgotten Realms aren't dark fantasy, but they're about the only other fantasy books that I've read (besides Tolkien). I'd like to read some more fantasy, but I'm afraid that most anything else will feel lame and cheesy when compared to Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire.

As I mentioned, I'm nearing the end of the Codex Alera by Jim Butcher (perhaps more famously known for his Dresden Files books). The first book is Calderon's Fury.

I highly recommend it. It may be on the lighter side of fantasy, but the magic system he has created brings a fresh approach to an otherwise pretty standard subject. And while his characters are not tremendously deep, they are well fleshed out and for the most part interesting. And the storyline itself it pretty solid, evolving well with the series.

[jspchief]

Originally Posted by NewPhin

You might like Glen Cook's Black Company series. The Thieves World series is also very dark and gritty.

I didn't realize Black Company was a series. I've read one of their books, and enjoyed it but was left wanting a bit. I wonder if i got into the middle of it and maybe missed out on a bit.

[keg in kc]

Originally Posted by jspchief

I didn't realize Black Company was a series. I've read one of their books, and enjoyed it but was left wanting a bit. I wonder if i got into the middle of it and maybe missed out on a bit.

There are 9 or 10 of them as I recall. You'd want to start out with The Black Company.

[Huffmeister]

Cool, thanks for the recommendations. Black Company sounds like it'd be right up my alley.

Wasn't there a published fantasy author that used to post here?

[unlurking]

Originally Posted by keg in kc

There are 9 or 10 of them as I recall. You'd want to start out with The Black Company.

10, supposedly working on 2 more.
Dread Empire series by Cook is excellent as well.

Night Angel trilogy (Brent Weeks) was pretty dark as well.

[Red Brooklyn]

I haven't read a lot of fantasy either... so for those posting recommendations.... I'm looking for a gauge on how "dark" or "gritty" and intellengent these series' are.

So on a scale from 1 to 10 (1 being something like Harry Potter and 10 being something like King's The Dark Tower, and LotR being a 5 or 6) where would you place these these recommendations? Specifically ASoIaF and Black Company.

[Huffmeister]

If Dark Tower is a 10, I would have to say that ASoIaF is also a 10, although it's kind of hard to make that comparison.

If you're debating whether or not you'll like ASoIaF, here are a few things to keep in mind:

1) There is very little magic. (Dark Tower had a LOT of magic, supernatural, weird stuff going on. This doesn't.)

2) There are only humans (so far). No elves, dwarves (in the traditional fantasy sense, Tyrion not included), fairies, orcs, etc.

3) There is very little combat / action, but the what little there is is pretty damn good.

4) These books are more political in nature. A lot of alliances, Machiavellian manipulations, etc, etc. But there is still a lot of excellent individual character development. Good guys turn bad, bad guys turn good, and sometimes you can't figure out if a particular character is good or bad.

5) There are a LOT of people to keep track of. I mean a LOT of people. Luckily, the books have an appendix in the back that lists the main characters of the major houses and factions.



I would HIGHLY recommend it. At least pick up the first book, A Game Of Thrones, and give it a try. I think you'll be glad you did.

[Huffmeister]

And I almost hesitate to call them "fantasy" novels. I think I'll take a cue from Reaper and make up a new genre for it: "Epic Geo-political Historical Fantasy"