OFFICIAL Game of Thrones Thread

Originally Posted by imageWIS

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Whoa, whoa, whoa... wut? One is a completely made up story, the other one is based on real history which led to a complete forking of the development of the western world, and really mankind as a whole.

Also, eating a raw horse heart and pouring melted gold as a 'crown'

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HBO's Rome was about as based on Roman history as Indiana Jones was on Nazi history.

Originally Posted by imageWIS

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Whoa, whoa, whoa... wut? One is a completely made up story, the other one is based on real history which led to a complete forking of the development of the western world, and really mankind as a whole.

You are an idiot.

Originally Posted by holymadness

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HBO's Rome was about as based on Roman history as Indiana Jones was on Nazi history.

was it really?

i read wikipedia as i watched the series. i thought most of it was accurate except for certain parts that were made up, but still followed holes in history. eg like who the father of caesarion was.

i learned a great deal about roman history just from following along in wikipedia


if you could provide a thorough critique of the series or link to one i'd be very happy

Originally Posted by indesertum

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was it really? i read wikipedia as i watched the series. i thought most of it was accurate except for certain parts that were made up, but still followed holes in history. eg like who the father of caesarion was. i learned a great deal about roman history just from following along in wikipedia if you could provide a thorough critique of the series or link to one i'd be very happy
Rome follows the tried-and-true formula of choosing a historical period and some historical personages and interspersing them throughout a largely fictional story in order to lend it gravitas and verisimilitude. In that sense it's no different from series like Sharpe's, Horatio Hornblower, or even Shakespeare's histories. It followed the basic chronology and even got some of the details right (like painted buildings), but it's not a vehicle for learning about history. As you pointed out, though, it can be a good way to get people interested in history and compel them to seek out other sources of information. Anyway, that it not why I think it's a bad series (it was just poorly written, in my opinion), but since Jon. wanted to argue that its basis in fact was the reason why it was so wonderful, I thought I'd burst that little bubble. Conne's was probably the better reply.

Originally Posted by Connemara

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You are an idiot.

Quoted for irony.

Originally Posted by holymadness

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HBO's Rome was about as based on Roman history as Indiana Jones was on Nazi history.

You see the word based was in italics, yes? As in like every movie / TV show massive liberties (for dramatic effect) are taken in regards to history (from Spartacus to Amadeus, et al). But the people and the greater framing of the events did actually occur. Did they completely miscast the actor placing Cicero? of course. Are the time frames pretty off base in order to more quickly tell the story? Sure. Does anyone know anything about the two centurions other than they were mentioned in the briefest passing by Caesar in his Commentarii de Bello Gallico? No. But to compare Rome to a complete work of fiction about a made up world is really an incorrect comparison.

Originally Posted by holymadness

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Anyway, that it not why I think it's a bad series (it was just poorly written, in my opinion), but since Jon. wanted to argue that its basis in fact was the reason why it was so wonderful, I thought I'd burst that little bubble.
No I did not, you just assumed that so that you could make a farcical argument. The only bubble burst is that of your assumption.

Conne's was probably the better reply.

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That automatically lowers your credibility.

Can someone post a pic of Daenarys' boobs so we can get off this ****?

Read the books, and the series is definitely doing it justice.

Originally Posted by Saltricks

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Read the books, and the series is definitely doing it justice.

+ ******* 1

Originally Posted by HRoi

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Reading the books helps keep the hundreds of characters straight. There's an appendix with everyone and how they're all related to each other. HBO has done a remarkable job keeping the characters likeable or at least ambiguous - which I think is deliberate and perhaps the whole point. At this point in the series there isn't a single clear cut villain except for Jeoffrey and that Mountain dude. Maybe Jaime Lannister comes close too.
I haven't read the books, but having watched the series so far, and extrapolating from it, I imagine the books don't really have "heroes" and "villains" in a morally absolute way. Rather, this series takes a more Machiavellian and almost Nietzschean view of things. This is a world in which there are no "good" and "evil," or "good guys" and "bad guys." There are only winners and losers, the players and the played. It's no coincidence that the word "Game" is in the title of the series (and one of the books). Everyone is playing the game. Some are playing it with relish. Some are playing it reluctantly. Some don't want to play it, and as such, they become pawns for those who opt in. Some play it willingly, but are just plain bad at it. And so forth.

Originally Posted by Don Carlos

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I haven't read the books, but having watched the series so far, and extrapolating from it, I imagine the books don't really have "heroes" and "villains" in a morally absolute way. Rather, this series takes a more Machiavellian and almost Nietzschean view of things. This is a world in which there are no "good" and "evil," or "good guys" and "bad guys." There are only winners and losers, the players and the played.

It's no coincidence that the word "Game" is in the title of the series (and one of the books). Everyone is playing the game. Some are playing it with relish. Some are playing it reluctantly. Some don't want to play it, and as such, they become pawns for those who opt in. Some play it willingly, but are just plain bad at it. And so forth.

Totally agree with the second part. Agree with the first part as well, but with reservations. It's not so much that there are no good guys/bad guys etc, just that GRRM doesn't impose his morals on the character. Therefore the good guys don't all wear shining platemail and have lustrous blonde hair, and the bad guys don't all have greasy black moustachios.

Question on Ep. 7.

Can someone explain the attempt on Danys life and especially Ser Jorahs part in it? Shortly before, he said he would search out the merchant captain and see if he had any messages for him. Then a small boy shows up, telling him that "the Spider sends his regards, you've been pardoned worldwide, you can go home now."

At this point I got the impression that Jorah knew something was up, and went to rescue Dany...?

Originally Posted by delakingois

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Can someone explain the attempt on Danys life and especially Ser Jorahs part in it? Shortly before, he said he would search out the merchant captain and see if he had any messages for him. Then a small boy shows up, telling him that "the Spider sends his regards, you've been pardoned worldwide, you can go home now."

At this point I got the impression that Jorah knew something was up, and went to rescue Dany...?

I know not everyone's doing it, but can you please use spoiler tags? Not all of us have been able to watch the early release of episode 7...