# Watching Game of Thrones? Did you read the book(s)? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 26, 2011, 12:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/watching-game-of-thrones-did-you-read-the-book-s/583271 "2011-05-26T12:43:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2011, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/watching-game-of-thrones-did-you-read-the-book-s/583271/21 "2011-06-06T22:26:37Z")
I am one of those people who usually like books much better than movie adaptations, and I had never heard of the series before, so I decided to watch it blind. I am really enjoying this TV series a lot. I suspect that if I ever get around to reading the books, I’ll start finding faults. ---
**Author:** ![Omniscient](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omniscient/32/3290_2.png) [@Omniscient](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omniscient)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2011, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/watching-game-of-thrones-did-you-read-the-book-s/583271/22 "2011-06-07T01:24:37Z")
> [@jayjay](#): > > I need to explain my poll answer, since it’s a case of “This is the closest option but not quite right.” > > I chose “Read the books but not enjoying the series” only because I don’t get HBO and we can’t really afford a premium channel at the moment. I did see the first ep because it was on during a free preview weekend. So by “not enjoying” I really mean “not watching”. > > I am, however, following along on episode threads, since I DO know the story and I enjoy reading other people’s reactions. I’m capitalizing on alternative options. I just ordered the books today because I decided I liked the story enough to want to learn more. By next season I suspect I’ll be in a different category. ---
**Author:** ![Waenara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/50afbb/32.png) [@Waenara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Waenara)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2013, 8:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/watching-game-of-thrones-did-you-read-the-book-s/583271/23 "2013-05-11T08:39:33Z")
I saw Season 1 and part of Season 2 before I read any of the books, and I loved the show. I’m busy with school and I have a ton of other books I’d been planning to read, so I was planning to keep watching the show and maybe read the books in a couple years (or after all the books are published). But then I was on the bus one day and a few [del]assholes[/del] teenage boys sitting near my on the bus were discussing _huge_ explicit spoilers from Book 3. So I figured, I might as well read the books. I haven’t finished all the books yet (just started Book 5). It’s interesting, because I’m watching the tv show with my brother. He owns the first three books, but hasn’t read them yet because he wants to see the show first and remain as unspoiled as possible. He doesn’t even like to talk about his speculations about how the show will develop in front of me, as he’s worried he’ll get spoiled by my reactions to his speculation (even if I neither confirm or deny them). I get a lot of fun out of watching the show with him and seeing his reactions to events as they unfold. ---
**Author:** ![NorthernBiker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/50afbb/32.png) [@NorthernBiker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NorthernBiker)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2013, 11:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/watching-game-of-thrones-did-you-read-the-book-s/583271/24 "2013-05-11T11:34:32Z")
I read all the books, when they originally came out, so its been many years. Any outrage I’d have had over HBO trimming subject matter is muted, since I don’t remember much detail of the first books. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/watching-game-of-thrones-did-you-read-the-book-s/583271.md?page=1)