My impressions of a Game of Thrones, book 1.

[trickofthedark]

I read the first book out loud to Meesto over many evenings. I read it out loud without having read it to myself first or having seen the TV show. My impressions were basically this:

Comments

[heavenscalyx]

I have no interest in reading the books or seeing the show, but it continues to be interesting to watch people's reactions to them.

Also, I can't see the name Drogo without picturing a hobbit.

[isiscolo]

Hee, please continue!

I have read all five (so far) books but haven't seen any of the show yet.

[akycha]

Well, if I hadn't already decided not to read the books based on several reviews, this one would certainly have decided me against them.

Writers who are fixated on sex workers and rape creep me right the fuck out. I mean, that's a part of the id which should stay hidden, thanks. And yet! It's so acceptable for these to decorate all sorts of genre fiction!

[trickofthedark]

Yeah. And I came to this book and TV show fresh, having read/heard no reviews at all except that the author was 'the American Tolkien'. ...Since when does 'American' mean 'whores!torture!whores!' ?

[sweetevangeline]

I am totally up in the air about these books. I think the fact that the people I know who ARE REALLY INTO THEM OMG are all dudes and I'm hearing...less approving commentary from ladies might settle me. I know that's a fairly cut and dry way to present the issue but it's really been my experience and that's so non-typical, usually my friends are a pretty random sampling. Reactions to this are less random and, really, I think I'll give them a pass.

[trickofthedark]

I knew nothing of any feminist critiques of the books/show when I picked up book 1. I'd just heard the author was the new American Tolkien, and I was all excited and open to a grand epic experience. And then.... Ugh.

Reactions to this are less random and, really, I think I'll give them a pass.
You won't be missing anything.

[borgseawolf]

Funny, among my friends the reactions are pretty much opposite...

[trickofthedark]

Really? How strange. Your male friends all disapprove of the misogyny in Game of Thrones, and your female friends like GoT? Hmmm. Are your friends all single and hoping to appear cool to each other? Do your female friends all generally hold feminist views and this is just a bizarre one time instance of them adoring misogynist media, or is there someone in the group who will shame them as prudes if they step out of patriarchal lock-step and say what they really think? You never know, there might be something funny going on behind the scenes.

[borgseawolf]

Season two is even worse in terms of whoring and sex issues. That amounts to pretty much half of the plot.