Thursday, February 7, 2013

Read/Watch: The Game of Thrones dilemma

I recently started reading the Game of Thrones series and I am absolutely savouring it. Now that I have a basis of comparison, I realize how pitch perfect the adaptation of the first book was to the first season of the HBO show. I am fully up to date with the show which is two seasons in, with the third season  starting on March 31st. I am giddy with anticipation! But here is my dilemma; once I read the first and second books to catch up with the show, should I stop and wait until I have finished the 3rd season before I start the third book?

Normally the answer to this is easy because with movie/book adaptions, I prefer to read the book first. This way, I can imagine what the characters and scenery look like in my own head before seeing how someone else envisioned it. But with a serialized show like GoT, I am having a hard time deciding which version I want to treat as the 'master' version. The show is just that good. Knowing that GoT is my absolute favourite show on TV right now, I am torn about whether or not I want the read ahead and ruin the surprises that will come with each episode. I was told that the story veers so much in the second season that I probably won't have to worry about plots being ruined, but I will undoubtedly be making comparisons throughout the show. For example, during the break between the first and second seasons of The Walking Dead, I went on a blitz and read all of the comic books without really thinking it through. This put me way ahead of the show and I'm guessing this made for a frustrating experience to watch the show with me (I know Marc, I know). I have no ability to restrain myself from constantly comparing my interpretation to what is on the screen. Com-puls-ive.

Does this sound totally neurotic, or are there other bibliophiles out there that struggle with the same (first world) problems?? It's like I'm trying to pre-empt my own idiosyncratic behaviour. I have a few hundred pages to read before I make my decision, but I'm leaning towards waiting until after the third season is over...

BTW, if you respond to this, PLEASE don't ruin any of the story lines, spoilers and Heather don't mix!!

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