Books: A Song of Ice and Fire [SPOILERS]
Discussion
There are a few others that are floating for Stannis and are a much better fit IMO plus I also feel they are better/stronger actors.
Mark Strong
Richard Armitage
Rufus Sewell
are some of the other leading candidates. I feel Richard Armitage has would handle the role best out of those mentioned. Very much a brooding character.
Mark Strong
Richard Armitage
Rufus Sewell
are some of the other leading candidates. I feel Richard Armitage has would handle the role best out of those mentioned. Very much a brooding character.
Richard Armitage is the guy from Spooks?
I feel thats unlikely because he is currently filming the Hobbit, but agree he would be a very good choice. Also does he currently have enough US exposure to justify it?
Mark Strong would be another I would be quite happy with. Dont really know Rufus Sewell's work
I feel thats unlikely because he is currently filming the Hobbit, but agree he would be a very good choice. Also does he currently have enough US exposure to justify it?
Mark Strong would be another I would be quite happy with. Dont really know Rufus Sewell's work
richtea78 said:
Richard Armitage is the guy from Spooks?
I feel thats unlikely because he is currently filming the Hobbit, but agree he would be a very good choice. Also does he currently have enough US exposure to justify it?
Mark Strong would be another I would be quite happy with. Dont really know Rufus Sewell's work
Rufus Sewell was in Zen last year, the best thing BBC put on the telly.I feel thats unlikely because he is currently filming the Hobbit, but agree he would be a very good choice. Also does he currently have enough US exposure to justify it?
Mark Strong would be another I would be quite happy with. Dont really know Rufus Sewell's work
richtea78 said:
Famous Graham said:
"they were slaves, a gift from one of the Magister's many Dothraki friends. There was no slavery in the free city of Pentos. Nonetheless they were slaves."
What?
Forget my post above. I'm giving up.
I never thought a TV show or film could trump a written account, but there's obviously always a first time.
You were wrong about the show when you called it derivative and predictable. I think you are also wrong about this. Either you are prone to making snappy decisions or you deliberately wanted to find something to moan about on it?What?
Forget my post above. I'm giving up.
I never thought a TV show or film could trump a written account, but there's obviously always a first time.
The books are excellent and many authors rate his work very highly. Either you have exceptionally high standards, in which case you might want to steer clear of everything written since Tolkien, or you are deliberately trolling.
As for the book...well, I didn't give up, as it happens, but gave it another chance. And it has improved (I'm now about half way through). But this time I'm relying on the story that I know is on the way. But, again, I will stand by the assertion that it contains some excruciatingly bad prose (see my examples above - as much as the latter one is decipherable, it's still dreadful). To me, it's abundantly clear that the writing is improving, but I wonder why he didn't go back and edit the initial chapters.
As for having high standards...maybe. Your example of Tolkien is quite apposite. He was a s
t writer too. But a superlative storyteller. The two do not necessarily go hand in hand, after all.ETA : I've just realised (it's been a long day), the rather amusing, and ironic, given my comments, correlation of monikers between the two writers. He's certainly living up to the early standards.
Edited by Famous Graham on Friday 1st July 01:16
Famous Graham said:
But, again, I will stand by the assertion that it contains some excruciatingly bad prose (see my examples above - as much as the latter one is decipherable, it's still dreadful). To me, it's abundantly clear that the writing is improving, but I wonder why he didn't go back and edit the initial chapters.
I'm normally a very very picky reader and will put down books that contain poor writing. It's not a criticism that I came close to levelling at the early books in the series.They do improve but, having read thousands of pages, one gets acclimatised to any author's style and may begin to overlook stylistic elements that grate.
Some of the best books I've read have been stylistically hard work at the outset - either because of an unusual perspective or assumed tone. Hugh Cook was one such author. His 'Chronicles of and Age of Darkness' series varied from book-to-book so much it's hard to credit the same author.
If you want to discuss terrible writing try the 'Tek' books from Shatner (yes, Captain 'Shoot to Kill' Kirk Shatner).
Halb said:
IainT said:
If you want to discuss terrible writing try the 'Tek' books from Shatner (yes, Captain 'Shoot to Kill' Kirk Shatner).
What, the greatest actor of our time is not also the greatest writer, you are clearly insane as well...Richtea...off with his head!
Halb, I have to say I dont particularly enjoy Tolkiens writing and thinking about it Famous Graham is probably write, a great storyteller but a st writer. Probably the same for Martin if I am honest, but both of them write such good stories that I can allow them some dodgy prose occasionally.
I have read some of Tek War stuff and it is bad but its not the worst thing I have ever read. I once read a chapter from Twilight and it was really so shockingly bad I was angry. I have read the Harry Potter books and they arent great but I can see why they may be popular, they are moderately entertaining and arent that offensive but Twilight is just horrible.
Thinking about it some more, another of my favourite books isnt that easy to read either. I love Dune and its not that great in places but again its a good story.
So Famous Graham, I apologise, you have a valid point, but I would urge you strongly to stick with the books for the story that is told.
t writer. Probably the same for Martin if I am honest, but both of them write such good stories that I can allow them some dodgy prose occasionally. I have read some of Tek War stuff and it is bad but its not the worst thing I have ever read. I once read a chapter from Twilight and it was really so shockingly bad I was angry. I have read the Harry Potter books and they arent great but I can see why they may be popular, they are moderately entertaining and arent that offensive but Twilight is just horrible.
Thinking about it some more, another of my favourite books isnt that easy to read either. I love Dune and its not that great in places but again its a good story.
So Famous Graham, I apologise, you have a valid point, but I would urge you strongly to stick with the books for the story that is told.
And my apologies to Halb, have this example of Kirks finest to make up for it
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4SK0cUNMnMM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4SK0cUNMnMM
IainT said:
The technologial progress 'issue' is one that many fantasy books with long histories don't deal with. If we look at the GRRM world it's essentially been a Medieval society for 5000 years. From there to here in reality took us 1500 years.
It's maybe not unreasonable then to say 5k years may pass if there were 'resets' to development or if drivers of progress were not present - e.g. population growth.
I recall hearing a scientist being asked something along the lines of 'if there was a major disaster that came close to wiping out the human race, how long would it take for us to get back up and running?'It's maybe not unreasonable then to say 5k years may pass if there were 'resets' to development or if drivers of progress were not present - e.g. population growth.
His answer was fairly sobering - there's only one chance to get to our current level of technology. If it all had to start again, it wouldn't be possible as all the easily accessible metal ores and minerals etc that you'd need to get to this point have been used up.
So that's how I rationalise them being stuck in medieval times for thousands of years - there may have been a civilisation prior that used up all the accessible resources, leaving them stuck. Or simpler still, not enough resources in the first place to make the jump.
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