# Game of Thrones - Noteable differences between the book and the show so far (chock full of spoilers) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 25, 2011, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-noteable-differences-between-the-book-and-the-show-so-far-chock-full-of-spoilers/583205 "2011-05-25T21:25:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Stoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stoid/32/272_2.png) [@Stoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stoid)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2011, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-noteable-differences-between-the-book-and-the-show-so-far-chock-full-of-spoilers/583205/41 "2011-05-26T21:31:51Z")
Wow I looked up pictures of Tyrion…does he become king? I saw a pic of Dinklage with a crown on! I’m kinda bummed about Viserys Targaryen buying the farm, he was fun. And cute. Oh, and what’s UP with Jamie and Cersei??? EW. Gross. And does anyone else think that in the one scene we’ve seen them screwing, it looked VERY perfunctory? Hell, why bother with incest if you are going to do it like it’s a job? ---
**Author:** ![Athena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/35a633/32.png) [@Athena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Athena)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2011, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-noteable-differences-between-the-book-and-the-show-so-far-chock-full-of-spoilers/583205/42 "2011-05-26T21:46:45Z")
> [@Tengu](#): > > Not Ned’s. Ned’s is consistently described as a closure for his cloak, and while, flipping through the book, I can’t find a specific description of what it looks like, when he resigns, it’s described as ‘the ornate silver hand that is the badge of his office’ and when Robert makes him take the position again, he threatens to ‘pin it on Jaime Lannister’. So, while Martin may not have been thinking of exactly the design they used for the show, it’s certainly a brooch with a single hand. OK, am I nuts? Cuz I clearly remember them talking about a chain of interlocking hands. Am I mixing up books or is my brain tricking me? ---
**Author:** ![JSexton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/96bed5/32.png) [@JSexton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JSexton)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2011, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-noteable-differences-between-the-book-and-the-show-so-far-chock-full-of-spoilers/583205/43 "2011-05-26T21:53:09Z")
> [@Stoid](#): > > I haven’t read the books, so I’m just asking questions: > > Is there going to be a lot of supernaturalness? It seems hinted at, but so far pretty grounded. Magic has been mostly gone from Westeros for quite some time. However, it is making a resurgence during the time of the story. It will never be at the level of wizards on every corner. > [@](#): > > Am I supposed to like Tyrion, does he turn out to be a good guy? Cuz I love him. (I have a thing for Peter Dinklage, who is WAY the hottest dwarf I’ve ever seen or HEARD in my life…I’d do him no problem.) It’s never as simple as “good” or “bad”. Tyrion does some pretty reprehensible things. He generally has good reasons, though, or is choosing from several bad options. He’s certainly one of the more likeable characters. ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2011, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-noteable-differences-between-the-book-and-the-show-so-far-chock-full-of-spoilers/583205/44 "2011-05-26T21:53:17Z")
> [@Athena](#): > > OK, am I nuts? Cuz I clearly remember them talking about a chain of interlocking hands. Am I mixing up books or is my brain tricking me? Mixing up books, I think. I’ve not seen that particular one (only just started A Clash of Kings, and I always have trouble slogging through Sansa bits), but I checked a SoIaF wiki, and it says that necklace of hands is one possible badge for the Hand, so clearly it comes up at some point. Ned’s (and probably Jon Arryn’s, as there’s no indicator of Ned making a new one) is a brooch. The Hand to one or more of the kings who claim the throne after Robert’s death probably has the chain. ---
**Author:** ![JSexton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/96bed5/32.png) [@JSexton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JSexton)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2011, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-noteable-differences-between-the-book-and-the-show-so-far-chock-full-of-spoilers/583205/45 "2011-05-26T21:54:12Z")
> [@Athena](#): > > OK, am I nuts? Cuz I clearly remember them talking about a chain of interlocking hands. Am I mixing up books or is my brain tricking me? When Tyrion becomes Hand, he has a interlocking chain of gold hands. I think it’s what Tywin wore, back when he was Hand to the Mad King. And, of course, that chain becomes important in Book 3. ---
**Author:** ![Snarky\_Kong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a183cd/32.png) [@Snarky\_Kong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snarky_Kong)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2011, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-noteable-differences-between-the-book-and-the-show-so-far-chock-full-of-spoilers/583205/46 "2011-05-26T21:55:02Z")
> [@Athena](#): > > OK, am I nuts? Cuz I clearly remember them talking about a chain of interlocking hands. Am I mixing up books or is my brain tricking me? No, that exists. **Stoid**. The things you’re asking don’t really have anything to do with the TV show, so this is the wrong thread. Anyhow: [spoiler]Four decades of winter doesn’t appear anywhere in the book. Tyrion has not, yet, become king and it’s unlikely he ever will. Some people like his character, some don’t. I’m not sure how you have someone to answer that for you. Some people like Sansa, Jon, Tywin, Jaime, etc. All of those are also hated characters by other people. What do you mean what’s up with Jaime and Cersei? They’re twins and they fuck.[/spoiler] ---
**Author:** ![G0sp3l](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c68b51/32.png) [@G0sp3l](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/G0sp3l)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2011, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-noteable-differences-between-the-book-and-the-show-so-far-chock-full-of-spoilers/583205/47 "2011-05-26T23:50:30Z")
> [@xtisme](#): > > – In the book the fight is a lot less epic…Jamie basically tells his men to leave Ned alive but kill all his men then rides away. Ned only gets into the fight to save his men, and then he pretty much doesn’t accomplish much (I think he kills or wounds one guy) before another horse hits his, knocks it over and it falls on him, breaking his leg and causing him to pass out. It’s one of the scenes from the series that’s MUCH better than what happens in the book, IMHO. – -XT Interesting, I thought that scene in the book was MUCH better. The phrase about the ‘red rain’ from Jory’s sword sticks in my mind. > [@xtisme](#): > > That brings up a good point on another change though. In the series, Littlefinger tells Sansa the story of the Hound and his brother and the burning. In the book, however, it’s the Hound himself that tells her in one of those glimpses into the inner workings of the Hound and how he feels about things…and how he feels about Sansa. – -XT I despise that scene in the show, it robbed Sandor of a huge character building and humanizing moment. Again the book was better. IMHO. > [@Stoid](#): > > – Hell, why bother with incest if you are going to do it like it’s a job? It’s a dirty job but someone has to do it. :eek: I am so, so kidding. ---
**Author:** ![lisiate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f05b48/32.png) [@lisiate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lisiate)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2011, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-noteable-differences-between-the-book-and-the-show-so-far-chock-full-of-spoilers/583205/48 "2011-05-27T01:32:25Z")
Overall I’m astounded at how good an adaptation the series has been (I’ve only seen the first 5 episodes). My take on some issues already raised: **Casting** - While not all of the cast exactly fit my vision of the characters after reading the books there’s nothing too jarring, I’m not bothered by the casting of Catelyn, I didn’t get the impression she was \*that \*great a beauty in the books. I find the aged Hodor more of a shock. Most of the cast have been excellent - especially Aiden Gillen and Peter Dinklage. **Scale** While it would be awesome seeing 40,000 Dothraki screamers/Half of King Landing at the tournament etc I haven’t been too disappointed with what we’ve been given. As mentioned above by someone else though, I hope the budget can be stretched to do some of the big battles to come justice. Am I right in thinking the first large battle in the book is Tyrion’s leading of the mountain tribes as part of his father’s force? Or is that in the next book? **Additions** Mostof the additions have added rather than detracted from the series so far. However some are a bit lame in my opinion, particularly Theon’s dalliance with Ros. **Subtractions** The most glaring for me is the almost total removal of religion. While I suspect this is an attempt to keep things managable for the non-book reading audience it does take away a considerable dimension. The different religions add real depth to the setting in my opinion. How will the series deal with the Brotherhood without Banners and Melisandre’s powers I wonder. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2011, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-noteable-differences-between-the-book-and-the-show-so-far-chock-full-of-spoilers/583205/49 "2011-05-27T02:17:05Z")
> [@lisiate](#): > > **Additions** Mostof the additions have added rather than detracted from the series so far. However some are a bit lame in my opinion, particularly Theon’s dalliance with Ros. I think Ros helps the show meet its HBO ENQ\*. There’s no other real purpose for it that I can imagine. - Expected Nipple Quota ---
**Author:** ![lisiate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f05b48/32.png) [@lisiate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lisiate)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2011, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-noteable-differences-between-the-book-and-the-show-so-far-chock-full-of-spoilers/583205/50 "2011-05-27T02:26:34Z")
Indeed, and a fine job she does of it too. ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2011, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-noteable-differences-between-the-book-and-the-show-so-far-chock-full-of-spoilers/583205/51 "2011-05-27T02:28:18Z")
> [@Stoid](#): > > I haven’t read the books, so I’m just asking questions: > > Is there going to be a lot of supernaturalness? It seems hinted at, but so far pretty grounded. > > Am I supposed to like Tyrion, does he turn out to be a good guy? Cuz I love him. (I have a thing for Peter Dinklage, who is WAY the hottest dwarf I’ve ever seen or HEARD in my life…I’d do him no problem.) > > I read somewhere that winter will last FOUR DECADES??? Ummm…well, alright, it’s just a story, but I like some degree of believability: in the books is there any attempt to explain how animals, much less people, survive four decades of winter without any plant life? Are all creatures carnivorous, similar to the oceans (which of course do have a smattering of plant eaters but really it’s mostly big animals eating smaller animals.) [spoiler]Magic exists, but it’s a bigger deal in the later books as the dragons come to the fore. Not so much for the first books. Magic in general is seen as a faded art/power that really fell off a cliff when the last of the dragons were killed. Magic, to the exist it exists is, (at this point) quite weak. The only place (at this stage) with lot of supernatural type creatures is the wilderness north of the wall. Tyrion is good and bad. He’s mostly sympathetic, but takes no prisoners (literally) if he thinks he been fucked over. We have not seen his mean/vengeful side yet, but it’s there. He is a Lannister. IIRC I think the normal winter/summer “seasons” are 8-12 years or so each. They are hinting that this one will be longer and harsher than (near term) past winters, and may be a prelude to a substantial long term climate change for the colder where the savages, beasts and demons of the north will take over the land[/spoiler] ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2011, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-noteable-differences-between-the-book-and-the-show-so-far-chock-full-of-spoilers/583205/52 "2011-05-27T02:42:41Z")
> [@lisiate](#): > > **Subtractions** The most glaring for me is the almost total removal of religion. While I suspect this is an attempt to keep things managable for the non-book reading audience it does take away a considerable dimension. The different religions add real depth to the setting in my opinion. How will the series deal with the Brotherhood without Banners and Melisandre’s powers I wonder. I dunno…they haven’t gone much into the _nature_ of the religions of the Seven Kingdoms, and the godswoods and septs have gone (almost) entirely unused, but there’s enough stuff in the background - they’re polytheistic, there are two sets of gods, both still actively worshipped - that the contrast with Melisandre’s religion will make sense. (I haven’t gotten to the Brotherhood Without Banners, yet, so can’t say anything about that.) ---
**Author:** ![lisiate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f05b48/32.png) [@lisiate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lisiate)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2011, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-noteable-differences-between-the-book-and-the-show-so-far-chock-full-of-spoilers/583205/53 "2011-05-27T02:53:13Z")
The BwB also follow R’hllor. I guess we’ll see in the next season (seeing as Thoros of Myr hasn’t really appeared yet). ---
**Author:** ![Merijeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f05b48/32.png) [@Merijeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merijeek)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2011, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-noteable-differences-between-the-book-and-the-show-so-far-chock-full-of-spoilers/583205/54 "2011-05-27T13:12:33Z")
> [@lisiate](#): > > The BwB also follow R’hllor. I guess we’ll see in the next season (seeing as Thoros of Myr hasn’t really appeared yet). Yeah, but seeing as how he should have appeared twice so far (Tournament melee, leaving with Beric) I wonder what’s going on there. He own’t be huge, but he will be significant. I hope they’re not going to tinker with it too much. -Joe ---
**Author:** ![DigitalC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ebca7d/32.png) [@DigitalC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DigitalC)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2011, 1:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-noteable-differences-between-the-book-and-the-show-so-far-chock-full-of-spoilers/583205/55 "2011-05-27T13:16:56Z")
He did get mentioned once by Jamie when he was talking with Jory about the Greyjoy Rebellion. ---
**Author:** ![Merijeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f05b48/32.png) [@Merijeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merijeek)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2011, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-noteable-differences-between-the-book-and-the-show-so-far-chock-full-of-spoilers/583205/56 "2011-05-27T13:27:37Z")
> [@DigitalC](#): > > He did get mentioned once by Jamie when he was talking with Jory about the Greyjoy Rebellion. I’d noticed, which means that he hasn’t been cut out completely. Now that he’s missed those scenes I’m trying to think about when he’ll reappear. When’s his next appearance in the books? I’m pretty sure that the BaB doesn’t show up in GoT and it might not even be till..SoS? -Joe ---
**Author:** ![DigitalC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ebca7d/32.png) [@DigitalC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DigitalC)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2011, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-noteable-differences-between-the-book-and-the-show-so-far-chock-full-of-spoilers/583205/57 "2011-05-27T13:43:14Z")
Well i am not entirely sure he was in any scenes. It is mentioned that he wins the melee, it is known that he went with Beric, but we don’t have any actual scenes depicting either of those things. ---
**Author:** ![Enilno](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/58f4c7/32.png) [@Enilno](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enilno)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2011, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-noteable-differences-between-the-book-and-the-show-so-far-chock-full-of-spoilers/583205/58 "2011-05-27T13:50:24Z")
> [@Tengu](#): > > I dunno…they haven’t gone much into the _nature_ of the religions of the Seven Kingdoms, and the godswoods and septs have gone (almost) entirely unused, but there’s enough stuff in the background - they’re polytheistic, there are two sets of gods, both still actively worshipped - that the contrast with Melisandre’s religion will make sense. (I haven’t gotten to the Brotherhood Without Banners, yet, so can’t say anything about that.) Well the Faith of the Seven is monotheistic, analogous to Christianity, but with seven aspects of god instead of the Trinity. I like the symbolism, with the prism and 7 colors from 1 representing the aspects. ---
**Author:** ![Merijeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f05b48/32.png) [@Merijeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merijeek)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2011, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-noteable-differences-between-the-book-and-the-show-so-far-chock-full-of-spoilers/583205/59 "2011-05-27T14:47:39Z")
> [@DigitalC](#): > > Well i am not entirely sure he was in any scenes. It is mentioned that he wins the melee, it is known that he went with Beric, but we don’t have any actual scenes depicting either of those things. Huh. Thought I remembered from the book Ned either asking him to go along or him volunteering while he was in the throne room. Ah well. -Joe ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2011, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-noteable-differences-between-the-book-and-the-show-so-far-chock-full-of-spoilers/583205/60 "2011-05-27T17:24:00Z")
> [@Enilno](#): > > Well the Faith of the Seven is monotheistic, analogous to Christianity, but with seven aspects of god instead of the Trinity. Not so’s you’d notice without getting well into the details of religion, though, really. It’s always god_s_ that are invoked, when the religions of the North and South are compared it’s Old Gods vs New Gods (or nameless gods vs named gods). For all intents and purposes, unless you actually are a worshipper of the Seven it’s a distinction you’re never likely to see while actually in Westeros, and it’s little clearer to a reader of the books, IMO. (And one gets the feeling even among the followers of the Faith, most seem to think of them as plural.) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-noteable-differences-between-the-book-and-the-show-so-far-chock-full-of-spoilers/583205.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-noteable-differences-between-the-book-and-the-show-so-far-chock-full-of-spoilers/583205.md?page=4)