If I were to read Game of Thrones

[Canz]

I know some of you may think this is sacrilege, but if I were to read GRRM books, knowing that I've watched all three seasons, where should I start approximately?

I seriously dislike reading knowing whats going to happen in the future so books number 1 and 2 are out of the question. Is starting with book number 3 the correct choice or should I go with 4?

Thanks

 

[Xela]

Start on number 1 if you'd actually like to understand the intricacies. I can guarantee you that you remain ignorant to an awful lot of subtle yet important detail by simply watching the show. They cut out virtually all prophecy or dream sequences, which have grave importance to the series (like finding out why it's titled A Song of Ice and Fire, or Jon's parentage, or countless more examples). Every event and character in the books has been simplified for the show. For instance, the Battle of Blackwater Bay involves a massive chain that traps Stannis's troops, a forest engulfed in flames, traitorous King's Landing merchants being flung from catapults at Stannis's men by Joffrey, a more complex battle at the gates, a rickety bridge built by the scorched, burning, and slowly sinking warships of Stannis that a number of characters do battle on (Tyrion included; he leads the charge upon his horse, cutting down men that are crossing from one side of the river to the other as arrows rain down and the river is green with fire), etc. That battle in the first season where Tyrion simply gets hit in the head and wakes up after it's over? Yea, it's in the books and he actually fights desperately in it. Why would you want to miss stuff like that? The show has also taken liberties to cut a number of highly interesting secondary and tertiary characters that make the major tentpole moments more impactful (like virtually all of Robb Stark's bannermen that actually fight to the death to attempt to save him during The Red Wedding; it's not a simple massacre as the show would have you believe). Furthermore, they have killed off characters prematurely, one's that are alive and kicking still at the end of the fifth book (like Jeyne Westerling, Robb's actual wife in the books, not that fabricated Talisa crap; there's also more detail in her heritage, her family is from a lesser Western house that owes its fealty to the Lannisters and her mother helped to orchestrate The Red Wedding against her daughter's will, and likely more to come in her story).

You are absolutely cheating yourself out of the story's mastery by beginning after the first book. And it would be highly foolish to begin on book 4, the show only covered up to about the 60% mark in the third book. You'd be missing an awful lot of incredibly shocking moments (on a level with The Red Wedding, especially in terms of what they mean for the characters involved and the trajectory of the narrative). Moreover, you'd be missing all of the incredible foreshadowing, sense of dread, and more nuanced character arcs that make these moments so much more effective on the page by not starting at the beginning.

tl;dr If you're a fantasy writer (which I'll safely assume because you're on this site), you owe it to yourself to start from the beginning. The show doesn't do the books justice in any way.

 

[C Hollis]

I tend to agree. If you skip the first two books you miss out on a lot. You get to know the characters better for one. I believe it would be interesting enough even knowing some grand event was approaching.
With that being said, the Red Wedding happens in book three around 60 or 70% through.

It has been several years since I read the books and I just picked up book one again this week.

 

[Steerpike]

I agree as well. If you're going to rely on the TV series, you're probably best off just waiting for future episodes and watching it. If you're going to read the books, you're much better starting off with the first one or you're going to miss a lot.

 

[Canz]

Alright, I guess I'll pick book one up from the store tomorrow. Thank you guys.

 

[Xela]

Alright, I guess I'll pick book one up from the store tomorrow. Thank you guys.

Awesome! You will not regret it.

 

[kayd_mon]

If you like the show, I can't imagine you not liking the books. However, you already know the two most shocking things that will happen, if you've seen all the episodes. I personally haven't, but a friend of mine gives me a call and asks me if stuff he just saw on TV was in the book or not.