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Quick Hits: GRRM & McKee speak, bloggers blog, Sky promotes

Filed Under: Press

For those tired of the political conversation, have a look at some Thrones news from the past week:

  • MTV has another interview video up, this one with George R. R. Martin. He doesn’t talk about Thrones in this clip, just about the books and how he has the ending in mind already.
  • Adam Serwer, blogger at The American Prospect, talks about why he is excited for Game of Thrones.
  • View London has an interview with Roxanne McKee, who plays Doreah. She answers a couple questions about Thrones at the end of the interview.
  • Los Angeles Times blogger Carolyn Kellogg asks if people will read the books first or watch the show.
  • Sky Atlantic has started to promote their stable of HBO programming and has billboards and posters across the UK with characters from shows such as Boardwalk Empire, True Blood, and yes, Game of Thrones. Photos of these ads have popped up on Twitter from JoseMajoras, DocFourFour and even our Renly, GethinAnthony.
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Have you already read all the books and/or don't care about spoilers? You can reveal all the spoilers in the comments with the click of a link below.

75 Comments

  1. triffidfarmer
    Posted January 23, 2011 at 9:07 am | Permalink

    Was on the bus the other day when I saw a poster for Sky Atlantic with Boardwalk Empire being advertised. I thought it was a pity it wasn’t Game of Thrones. But then lo, five minutes later there was a GoT board with Sean Bean on it. Was pleasantly excited.

      Quote  Reply

  2. Hear Me Roar
    Posted January 23, 2011 at 9:49 am | Permalink

    It’s a nice situation, this with Sky Atlantic ads, they can slowly ease us into the time when original HBO GoT posters are designed and put up :)

      Quote  Reply

  3. reedgirl
    Posted January 23, 2011 at 10:09 am | Permalink

    How do I get people to watch this show? I have family and friends who like crap tv…

      Quote  Reply

  4. Mirax
    Posted January 23, 2011 at 10:10 am | Permalink

    Hello, hello! Long time lurker, first time poster…

    As for the Caroline Kellog question – with my friends, now that it is closer to air time for GoT, I’m actually not recommending the books, mostly for selfish reasons. I want to watch the episodes with them and see the looks on their faces when all the craziness begins to happen. Also, while I absolutely adore the books, I’ve noticed that when I read a book series before seeing it on tv or as a movie, I am much more likely to be disappointed with changes. Whereas if I read the book(s) afterward I don’t have nearly as hard of a time enjoying them as separate entities.

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  5. Ellen
    Posted January 23, 2011 at 10:27 am | Permalink

    Yea! Back to GoT news. Thanks for getting back to business, guys.

      Quote  Reply

  6. Andrija Andrew P
    Posted January 23, 2011 at 10:40 am | Permalink

    Uuuum I have a question and since I am currently in the middle of Boston Legal viewing marathon I would be much obliged if someone could tell me where does the HBO stand with regards to DVD releases.. I mean how much time do you have to wait for a series to become available on DVD? Do they ship them here to Europe and then distribute them to their various branches or do u have to order them from the Colonies directly?? Thnx in advance

      Quote  Reply

  7. aaron
    Posted January 23, 2011 at 10:41 am | Permalink

    reedgirl: How do I get people to watch this show? I have family and friends who like crap tv…    

    luckily i know enough people that i can point in the right direction. i’ve been turning people on to the books for years. something tells me it may be a little easier to have them watch an hour on tv that it has been to get them to read the 98042 pages in the first 4 books. 8)

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  8. Ninepenny
    Posted January 23, 2011 at 10:49 am | Permalink

    Sky Atlantic are also promoting the show at cinemas.

      Quote  Reply

  9. Entropy
    Posted January 23, 2011 at 10:56 am | Permalink

    I’ve bought 5 Game of Thrones books over the years recruiting some fans and now have a tiny posse impatiently waiting till April. I have one friend though that hasn’t finished the prologue yet and I gave him a copy in 09′. He’s excited for the show.

      Quote  Reply

  10. Posted January 23, 2011 at 11:30 am | Permalink

    Entropy,

    Ditto on this. My ASOIAF crew steadily expands like ripples in a pond….

    Also, I was wondering if anyone else had considered what the box art might be for the DVDs when they’re released? I mean, I know it’s extraordinarily early to be bringing that up (especially when we don’t have a hell of a lot of images to choose from), but out of what we’ve seen so far, does anyone have a favourite pick?

    Personally, the image of the Iron Throne by itself seems too obvious for me, though I do think one of the lead characters (probably Ned or Robert) sitting in it in the darkness a la previous trailer would look pretty amazing.

      Quote  Reply

  11. Rob O Sevens
    Posted January 23, 2011 at 12:53 pm | Permalink

    I work at large retail book store in Ontario and Ive been hounding my bosses to get a large quantity of Game of Thrones in before the HBO cover release (which is late march for us) I tell them not only is it an amazing book its the next big HBO thing so its going to sell. I have to push and prod to get 10-15 books a month and they are gone within days of arrival.
    SO Im doing my part in the recruiting process haha

      Quote  Reply

  12. Posted January 23, 2011 at 1:19 pm | Permalink

    I’ve been lucky to be surrounded by friends and workmates who are receptible to my praise. My boss and one of my best friends (who also works with me) are fans of the books and through our talks I/we have gotten at least a handful of others at work to be interested in the TV-series (of which 1 has started reading the books as well). My highly visible extra screen (with various GoT-desktops) has also helped since I try to keep it clean from programs :)

    If HBO were to give me a t-shirt I’d happily be a wandering sign-post for the show :)

      Quote  Reply

  13. Grinbomb
    Posted January 23, 2011 at 1:25 pm | Permalink

    Andrija Andrew P: Uuuum I have a question and since I am currently in the middle of Boston Legal viewing marathon I would be much obliged if someone could tell me where does the HBO stand with regards to DVD releases.. I mean how much time do you have to wait for a series to become available on DVD? Do they ship them here to Europe and then distribute them to their various branches or do u have to order them from the Colonies directly?? Thnx in advance    

    The Last couple of years HBO has been realeasing the DVD/Blueray verieons of their shows just before the next season of that show starts. In other words if we get a season 2 and it premieres middle of April next year then we’ll probably seen the DVD’s in early April or late March.

    That’s for North America anyways (we’re not colonies anymore you may be interested to know). I don’t know when any other release dates in the world are.

      Quote  Reply

  14. Grinbomb
    Posted January 23, 2011 at 1:39 pm | Permalink

    Grinbomb,

    ah damn it, *Versions*

    edit button please?

      Quote  Reply

  15. DH87
    Posted January 23, 2011 at 2:27 pm | Permalink

    Steve Hugh Westenra,

    I think as powerful as the throne image is for many of us, they will go with an image featuring one or more actors. Unfortunately, most box art is a cheesy amalgam of several highly retouched images, seems to me.

      Quote  Reply

  16. Jake
    Posted January 23, 2011 at 2:46 pm | Permalink

    What? No Tea Party discussion in this thread? Here, I’ll start…

    The Tea Party ________. Fill in the blank. (I kid, I kid…please, let’s NEVER have a political discussion on this site, EVER, again. I beg of you all.)

      Quote  Reply

  17. Posted January 23, 2011 at 3:03 pm | Permalink

    Right now I have about 5 copies of A Game of Thrones lend out to various people. (and yes I’m generally made fun of for having that many copies…). My friends have been resistant (although one of their mom’s got completely hooked), but my brother’s friends have taken the bate, and we discussed the first book for a good 3 hours last week. It was REALLY hard for my brother and I to sensor ourselves, since one guy was still reading Thrones and the other had just finished it.

      Quote  Reply

  18. Posted January 23, 2011 at 3:26 pm | Permalink

    Phoenix_torn,

    That’s the hardest part– censoring oneself. I have this one friend who is a terminally slow reader, though she loves the books. She’s been on the first third of ASoS for about three years. Because it had been so long since I’d read them, we’d try and talk about it and it would be difficult, because I’m always confusing events from ACoK with those in ASoS. I’d really have to make sure I caught myself before giving away important plot points.

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  19. Posted January 23, 2011 at 4:03 pm | Permalink

    Steve Hugh Westenra,

    Right? We started talking about casting so I brought out the art book. He open it an screams THE EGGS HATCH!!!???!! I knew the would but…but…Gah! Take it away!!

    At this point I have no idea what happens in book 2 or book 3. My brother (who hasn’t read the books in years) spent most of the night going “I want to say something but I don’t think I should…”

      Quote  Reply

  20. FlayedandDisplayed
    Posted January 23, 2011 at 4:11 pm | Permalink

    reedgirl,

    That other thread that mentions what to watch has some great shows in it. What you need is a show that has a strong story arc, interesting characters and perhaps the shock and awe factor. Dexter is episodic enough that it’s not such a stretch to sit down to, so is Firefly or the Westwing.
    If babysteps are needed then an even more episodic show with less of a story arc but still strong characterisation is called for. Castle, Chuck even (if you must) NCIS. If they are already watching one or more of those they ought to be able to ‘go up a level’.
    If they are into historical drama you could hit them with a miniseries like John Adams.
    It kinda depends why your friends watch crap tv. is it because they don’t want to think, just relax with a laugh after a stressful day? is it because they are time poor and too lazy to organise recording a show? do they buy tv series on dvd? You can always attack this issue like any peer group problem, get the leader(s) on side and the sheep will copy.

      Quote  Reply

  21. Posted January 23, 2011 at 4:24 pm | Permalink

    Yeah, my town has a few Sky Atlantic posters up. Was disappointed just to see BOARDWALK EMPIRE and MAD MEN ones, but then at the main train station there was an absolutely huge GoT one with the Sean Bean/Maisie Williams/Wilko Johnson picture.

    Didn’t see any on the tube when I was in London yesterday, but I’m told they are around as well.

      Quote  Reply

  22. Strong Belwas
    Posted January 23, 2011 at 5:18 pm | Permalink

    I liked the Adam Serwer article about how the moral complexity in GoT mirrors that in The Wire. D&D should play that angle up in interviews, instead of that now-partly-disavowed “Sopranos in Middle Earth” quote. For one thing, it’s completely accurate – Martin frustrates your desire to label people as good or bad by having the “bad guys” do things that you approve of, while the “good guys” end up doing some crazy s*** in their own right. And this is exactly what happens in The Wire.

    For another thing, The Wire is a great show that HBO viewers are familiar with, and so that’s the kind of thing that will draw people in. “A fantasy show, but almost entirely without magic, and with the moral ambiguity of The Wire” actually makes for a great summary of what GoT is about, and does so in a way that will get noobies interested. I’d watch that show!

      Quote  Reply

  23. Posted January 23, 2011 at 5:32 pm | Permalink

    Phoenix_torn,

    Ahaha, that is the best reaction ever.

    I think for me, one of the main things was that I’d forgotten if Joffrey died in book 2 or 3. I was sure it was in 2, and so I thought she must have read that. I managed to be vague enough not to give it away– but oh how I wanted to discuss that moment of glory with her. ):

      Quote  Reply

  24. seanathin
    Posted January 23, 2011 at 5:48 pm | Permalink

    I suspect we will see season 1 disks around Christmas, they wouldn’t pass up that opportunity to hold them till season 2.

      Quote  Reply

  25. aaron
    Posted January 23, 2011 at 8:42 pm | Permalink

    Steve Hugh Westenra: Phoenix_torn,Ahaha, that is the best reaction ever.I think for me, one of the main things was that I’d forgotten if Joffrey died in book 2 or 3.I was sure it was in 2, and so I thought she must have read that. I managed to be vague enough not to give it away– but oh how I wanted to discuss that moment of glory with her. ):    

    i just re-read the series for the 4th or 5th time and i still think things happen way earlier than they do. as the 2nd book was getting closer and closer to ending i kept thinking to myself “there’s no way such and such can happen, there’s not enough time.”

      Quote  Reply

  26. Andrija Andrew P
    Posted January 23, 2011 at 10:00 pm | Permalink

    Grinbomb,

    splendid, hope they will continue the practice, and not disappoint us.. Ah terribly sorry for the colonies part, been spending some time with the upper crust at my boarding school and it sort of stayed with me even after all these years..

      Quote  Reply

  27. Fire And Blood
    Posted January 23, 2011 at 10:44 pm | Permalink

    Adam Serwer’s article is excellent. Really, one of the best ones I’ve read. If I weren’t already looking forward to Game of Thrones, this would sell it to me.

    Fantastico!

    On the subject of Roxanne McKee… she already has a legion of fans, which is good, but hers is actually one of the roles I still have minor doubts about. I don’t know if I can put it succinctly, but she seems to come off … a little modern? I don’t know if that’s exactly the right word. Just out-of-place maybe. I’ve only seen flashes of her thus far, so I can’t give any kind of final judgment, but she hasn’t sold me 100%.

    Or maybe I’ve just seen her too many other places. Dunno!

      Quote  Reply

  28. Grinbomb
    Posted January 23, 2011 at 10:49 pm | Permalink

    Andrija Andrew P: Grinbomb,
    splendid, hope they will continue the practice, and not disappoint us.. Ahterribly sorry for the colonies part, been spending some time with the upper crust at my boarding school and it sort ofstayed with me even after all these years..    

    Hehe, no problem. I didn’t take any offense personally, I just though it was funny to still refer to us as colonies. Anyways I’m from Canada, which is still ruled by the crown, so we’re not even technically an independent country.

      Quote  Reply

  29. Posted January 23, 2011 at 10:50 pm | Permalink

    aaron,

    I had much the same experience. So much insanely intense stuff happens in the last fifty pages of ACoK that it’s hard to believe it works so well and doesn’t feel rushed.

      Quote  Reply

  30. Posted January 23, 2011 at 10:52 pm | Permalink

    Fire And Blood,

    I think it’s her face (and yes I realize this sounds completely ridiculous). But in all seriousness, when I first saw that photo of her in the cast gallery I had much the same reaction. I’m guessing that, ultimately, it won’t matter though, as she’ll look quite different in costume and with makeup, etc.
    She does kind of look like a hip young thing wandering around from club to club though.

      Quote  Reply

  31. Fire And Blood
    Posted January 23, 2011 at 10:57 pm | Permalink

    Steve Hugh Westenra,

    Right, maybe that’s it. She’s sort of Gossip Girl-y.

    There was one girl, way back when … back when those audition tapes were leaking out (good times) … A blonde (I forget her name) who’d sent in a Doreah tape who literally seemed the perfect balance of expert know-how and eyes-lowered respect. I saw her and was like, THAT’S Doreah!

    But I can’t fault HBO for going with a woman who already has a decent-sized following.

      Quote  Reply

  32. Posted January 23, 2011 at 11:01 pm | Permalink

    ALSO (and apologies for the long string of replies and comments and replies and comments) I was thinking a couple of days ago about the interviews we’ve seen recently, and how interesting it will be to hear the actors speaking more specifically about their characters and the plotline. Inevitably, because the series hasn’t aired yet, the questions they are asked are fairly peripheral or general.

    I’m really looking forward to reading what Aiden Gillen has to say about Littlefinger, what Michelle Fairley thinks of Catelyn and (in relation to the somewhat hijacked thread from earlier) what Gethin Anthony and Finn Jones have to say concerning Renly and Loras. We’ve heard snippets here and there about Tyrion, Cersei and Daenerys, but I’m itching for a truly meaty interview about the characters (and especially the secondary ones, as their motivations are a little cloudier for readers, who won’t have seen their inner thoughts the way we have Tyrions, Ned’s, etc).

      Quote  Reply

  33. Posted January 23, 2011 at 11:04 pm | Permalink

    Fire And Blood,

    I really wish I’d been following this blog then. I’d only just come across it when the casting was being done and didn’t check it regularly. I saw a few videos, but most of them had been removed from their respective sites after I arrived on the scene.
    That sort of insider relationship is one of the things I’m most looking forward to with a potential season 2, although given that they may well start preliminary casting before it gets an official greenlight, we may not see as many videos of that kind of thing.

      Quote  Reply

  34. Posted January 23, 2011 at 11:12 pm | Permalink

    Steve Hugh Westenra,

    You missed some good times (and some interesting arguments).

    I’m looking forword to more character interviews too. Some fans has drastically different interpretations of characters and it makes me wonder what the actors themselves are thinking. Once the show airs I’m sure FaB could get the boys over on twitter to spill some of their thought…?

      Quote  Reply

  35. Posted January 23, 2011 at 11:14 pm | Permalink

    and by the spelling/grammar of that sentence, it seems I should go to bed…

      Quote  Reply

  36. Posted January 23, 2011 at 11:20 pm | Permalink

    Phoenix_torn,

    Yeah, I bet it was quite a bit of fun back then. I checked George’s journal everyday for new announcements and clues, but I didn’t really post anything anywhere until quite late.

    And that WOULD be pretty amazing. It’s great that so many members of the cast are so enthusiastic, and really seem to enjoy interacting with the fans, etc. I mean, obviously they get something out of it too in that many of them are up-and-coming actors, but even so…there are definitely some very cool people amongst the cast.

      Quote  Reply

  37. Posted January 23, 2011 at 11:29 pm | Permalink

    Steve Hugh Westenra,

    It’s going to be weird when the show hits and won’t just be our little thing anymore.

      Quote  Reply

  38. Posted January 23, 2011 at 11:31 pm | Permalink

    Phoenix_torn,

    So true.
    And while it will be great for the series and I will be happy that so many more people will probably be picking up the books, there’s also something sad about it as well. I feel like it will change the atmosphere of this site a lot when the show finally airs.

      Quote  Reply

  39. furrever
    Posted January 24, 2011 at 1:58 am | Permalink

    I’m proud to say that I’ve introduced three coworkers to the books this past year so far and all three are now looking forward to the HBO series. It remains to be seen if all three of them will subscribe to HBO or wait for the DVDs to come out. None of them get HBO currently.

      Quote  Reply

  40. Caedes
    Posted January 24, 2011 at 3:57 am | Permalink

    I’m not greatly mistaken if I say that over a hundred people have read the books by my direct, or indirect advice.
    I was one of the first to read them in my city (oviedo), a borrowed “Game of thrones” from a friend in Madrid, that I read in one day (yes, the whole book). And I begun my own advertising campaign, that had includes even co-workers as unlikely to read them as middle-age women.
    Maybe that’s why I felt a little cheated when I couldn’t get the books signed when GRRM was here in Semana Negra. I’m not a celeb fandom person, but it still stings a little htat minor detail.

      Quote  Reply

  41. jeand'arc
    Posted January 24, 2011 at 4:34 am | Permalink

    And I begun my own advertising campaign, that had includes even co-workers as unlikely to read them as middle-age women.

    Caedes,

    Gee, ageist and sexist much?

      Quote  Reply

  42. Caedes
    Posted January 24, 2011 at 5:45 am | Permalink

    jeand’arc,

    It was never my intention. But you have to admit that 50-ish women are not the main fantasy fans out there. That’s another proof of the book’s quality, and that if the initial bias is broken, the show can be a huge success.

    Sorry if I’ve offended someone, buy seriously, many people are much too eager to be ofended.

      Quote  Reply

  43. silverjaime
    Posted January 24, 2011 at 5:47 am | Permalink

    Sorry – no time to read the thread, but has anyone noted this review?
    http://www.shadowlocked.com/201101241328/opinion-features/game-of-thrones-winter-is-coming.html

      Quote  Reply

  44. silverjaime
    Posted January 24, 2011 at 5:53 am | Permalink

    Caedes,

    Not eager to be offended at all – as I’m sure you won’t be if I say you sound like a typical young arrogant male! Maybe your observation is correct – but you can only observe this in your own immediate vicinity. Lots of my friends are avid fantasy readers, female, middle-aged or not! Try not to generalise from a particular observation.

      Quote  Reply

  45. mimi
    Posted January 24, 2011 at 6:23 am | Permalink

    jeand’arc: Caedes,Gee, ageist and sexist much?  Quote  Reply

    What IS the average age of the fans? any way to find out?
    I am a 59 year old grandmother. I’ve been a huge fan since GoT was first released.
    Several of my friends in their 50′s are fans.
    My daughter-in-law and son-in-law are in their mid thirties and are fans.
    My 84 yr old father likes it too.

    I read WIC almost every day. And, yes, I can tell most of you are younger than me…;o)….but you are all SO entertaining!!! You make me smile!

    I laughed out loud when I saw a pix of WIC. He’s so young and so cute!
    This series spans all ages methinks.

      Quote  Reply

  46. Caedes
    Posted January 24, 2011 at 6:26 am | Permalink

    silverjaime,

    Ok, I’m really glad to be wrong and see that fantasy fans are much more widespread than I thought!!

    And, for what is worth, I am a big Jane Austen fan!! Not so young (35).

      Quote  Reply

  47. mimi
    Posted January 24, 2011 at 6:40 am | Permalink

    Caedes: silverjaime, Ok, I’m really glad to be wrong and see that fantasy fans are much more widespread than I thought!!And, for what is worth, I am a big Jane Austen fan!! Not so young (35).  Quote  Reply

    g-r-o-a-n. What I’d give to be 35 again….*sigh*.

    Check your assumptions guys/gals.

    This happens a lot. I retired from a national lab. Since I’m a gray-haired woman, everyone assumes I was a secretary or some such (nothing against that!!). nope. I was a mechanical drafting tech. People assume and label. A friend of mine is 55 and a cute tiny woman. She’s a technical editor.

    Check your assumptions!!……..;o)

      Quote  Reply

  48. Luana
    Posted January 24, 2011 at 6:56 am | Permalink

    But you have to admit that 50-ish women are not the main fantasy fans out there.

    Caedes,

    How do you know that 50-ish women aren’t the main fantasy fans out there?

    Maybe FaB should put up a poll to investigate the demographics of GoT fans.

      Quote  Reply

  49. Posted January 24, 2011 at 7:17 am | Permalink

    I’m 26 now. I started reading these books back when I was 19 and living with my (now ex) girlfriend in Seattle. Have been a fan of the genre since high school. My dad (early sixties) and step mom both love the series too, for what that’s worth. I think that, clearly, fans come in all ages and sexes.

      Quote  Reply

  50. mimi
    Posted January 24, 2011 at 7:24 am | Permalink

    Luana: Caedes, How do you know that 50-ish women aren’t the main fantasy fans out there? Maybe FaB should put up a poll to investigate the demographics of GoT fans.  Quote  Reply

    Do you think that most of the people who post here are in their 20′s or 30′s? That might make it seem that it’s the most common age for GoT fans. Betcha only a very small percentage of fans even read these posts……

    Tell us your age, fans! I’m curious……..

      Quote  Reply

  51. Posted January 24, 2011 at 7:35 am | Permalink

    The age range of GoT fans varies immensely, though there appears to be a strong number in the 20s and 30s. At fan meets over the years typically the oldest person will be in their 50s and the youngest will be around 20, sometimes a bit younger.

    Part of this is due to GRRM’s pre-existing fanbase: people who were fans of GRRM in the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s before ASoIaF will obviously be older. However, they now make up a smaller proportion of the fanbase. I think the fanbase average has probably gotten younger as the series has gone on longer.

    One thing that does seem to remain steady is that the male-female fan divide seems to be locked at around 50-50, maybe even skewing slightly in favour of women. That’s odd considering the demographics of other fantasy fanbases: only Pratchett and Jordan in my experience appeal to women in the same manner. Erikson and Bakker’s fanbases are overwhelmingly male, OTOH.

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  52. Posted January 24, 2011 at 7:42 am | Permalink

    Did we miss the anniversary last week? 16 January marked the 4th anniversary since HBO optioned GAME OF THRONES in the first place. Amazing we’re now at the end of the process and just a few weeks from transmission :)

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  53. Posted January 24, 2011 at 8:03 am | Permalink

    I was about fifteen when I started to read the books. I’m almost twenty-two years old now. ASOIAF was my first introduction to GRRM as an author. (And as my picture shows, I am most definitely female.. =)) I think that the books appealed to me on a very basic level when I was younger: fantastic story, great female leads alongside strong male leads, engaging details and the vivid quality of it coming alive in my head. We’re some years onward from my first ASOIAF-experience now and I can say that the things that drew me in back then are still the ones that draw me in today. I am beyond excitement for it to come alive on screen!

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  54. Hear Me Roar
    Posted January 24, 2011 at 8:54 am | Permalink

    Adam Whitehead,

    I mentioned it in a tweet then … four years, yes. Can hardly believe it :) we’re close now, really close!

      Quote  Reply

  55. Chris
    Posted January 24, 2011 at 9:04 am | Permalink

    Cool that we’re all the way to billboards now.
    But does it really have to say “staring Sean Bean?”
    Because… well… somewhere along the way… ummm…
    I would think pushing the ensemble angle would be a much more… umm… long-lived… way to do it.
    How about “Starring Dr. Feelgood’s Wilco Johnson?”
    C’mon, that guy looks scary and… well… you won’t have to change the billboards in just a few months.

      Quote  Reply

  56. OhDanyBoy
    Posted January 24, 2011 at 9:19 am | Permalink

    Chris,

    Well, first, the season will star Sean Bean. It’s not hard to see that Ned is the main character of book 1.

    Second, I doubt the billboards will be up at all around the end of the season’s airing.

    Third, they will probably run a new campaign for the second season.

    Fourth, I would be fully in favour of a campaign centred around good ol’ tongueless Ilyn. ;D

      Quote  Reply

  57. marzman
    Posted January 24, 2011 at 9:35 am | Permalink

    I am a 33 male and I guess I fit into the slightly nerdy category. How do I know that? I get almost every joke and reference of Big Bang Theory ;-)

    Though I don’t know exactly when I was introduced to ASOIAF, it must have been over a decade ago by a very close friend of mine who knew exactly what kind of fantasy I enjoy. Boy, was he right!!!

    But it took me a while to get into it. I can still remember the moment I got hooked. It was the scene when Cersei and Ned meet in the godswood of King’s Landing and Ned asks whether Robert regularly hits her. When I read that it just made bang in my head and I started to understand that Cersei was not just the evil queen but rather a believable character with damn good reasons for doing what she is doing. The rest is history, as they say.

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  58. OldGran
    Posted January 24, 2011 at 10:53 am | Permalink

    Caedes,

    You must be an excellent salesperson! I don’t think even one person has read the books on my recommendation and I have told everyone in my family,co-workers and total strangers in book stores. I have found that most people are too “busy” to get into a huge 1000p book. These folks will watch a TV show,however, if they have HBO, or get the DVD when it comes out.
    As far as older middle aged women not reading fantasy, you are right. I would say I am not a syfy/fantasy person as a rule. There are a few exceptions such as Tolkien, Neal Stephenson. (I just picked up a copy of The Diamond Age, or a Young Lady’s Illustrated Primer, but have not started it yet)
    I am excited to see GOT on HBO. I will turn 70 on April 17! How cool is that?

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  59. Posted January 24, 2011 at 11:00 am | Permalink

    Season 1 does star Sean Bean :) For Season 2 they can probably say Peter Dinklage & Lena Headey, given how central they are. By Season 3 maybe Emilia Clarke and Kit Harington will be well-known enough to carry the ‘starring’ tag. Otherwise Charles Dance, who should be in a lot of it.

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  60. Posted January 24, 2011 at 11:43 am | Permalink

    I’m a 25 year old girl and started reading these books when I was about 15 (wow…that was ten years ago…). I’ll say I’m a pretty geeky person and love comics and science fiction, but find it REALLY hard to read fantasy books after ASOIF because for me nothing really stacks up.

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  61. Caedes
    Posted January 24, 2011 at 12:42 pm | Permalink

    OldGran: Caedes,
    You must be an excellent salesperson!    

    Not so much, according to previous bosses I had!! :-)
    It’s all in the sheer greatness of the books. And it was an easy audience: fellow geeks, D&D players, board game addicts and the like. The real surprise for me were the two fellow co-workers, which in the end loved it!

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  62. Posted January 24, 2011 at 12:44 pm | Permalink

    Luana,

    That would be fascinating, actually. I mean, it would be severely biased, obviously, to people who frequent this site/the internet at all, but even so. It would be kind of cool to learn a bit more about the people whose comments I read everyday. (:

    I am a twenty-four year old man and read the books when I was twenty-one. Someone in my Russian class lent them to me when I complained to her that most fantasy coming out just seemed derivative to me. I’ve since hooked my father (56), three of my friends (24), the parents of a friend (~60, ~61), the father of my friend’s ex-girlfriend (wtf??), who is probably around sixty, the ex-girlfriend (28) and the list goes on….
    I definitely don’t think there’s an age-cap to enjoying these books. I’m sure I would have loved them when I was younger, for instance, as well.

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  63. Abendstern
    Posted January 24, 2011 at 1:42 pm | Permalink

    Actually I am no longer recommending ASOIAF to friends or family, because I do not want them to go through the same waiting hell like I have. And I am only waiting 7 years now. Well I may show them the series.
    By the way I am 27 and female and I know lots of female fantasy fans.

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  64. Posted January 24, 2011 at 3:44 pm | Permalink

    The ending is only in his head? He doesn’t have it written down somewhere?

    I don’t know, shouldn’t he have an “in case of emergency – open this box and read this” sort of thing? Who knows what might happen. Take a precaution.

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  65. Posted January 24, 2011 at 4:13 pm | Permalink

    I’m 29. I started reading when I was about 20, and I’ve got maybe half a dozen other people hooked.

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  66. Posted January 24, 2011 at 4:15 pm | Permalink

    Male, by the way.

    In addition to those I’ve introduced to the books, I have several friends who don’t really read looking forward to the series.

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  67. mimi
    Posted January 24, 2011 at 4:22 pm | Permalink

    OldGran: Caedes, I am excited to see GOT on HBO. I will turn 70 on April 17! How cool is that?  Quote  Reply

    That is VERY cool! What a terrific bday gift for you!

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  68. Posted January 24, 2011 at 5:11 pm | Permalink

    mimi:
    That is VERY cool! What a terrific bday gift for you!    

    I so agree with you!
    For what is worth I’m 20 years old and i started and ended reading these books in the second half of 2008. I was so obssessed, then i found this site, and got even more obssessed if possible. Cool journey.

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  69. mcguffin1899
    Posted January 24, 2011 at 7:47 pm | Permalink

    My best friend reads a lot of books, but mostly Tom Clancy-knock off crap. I kept emailing him and talking to him about reading ASOIAF, but he kept telling me he didn’t like fantasy. I told him if you had to read one fantasy series, you should read these. He still wasn’t convinced. Finally, one day, I tricked him into meeting me in a Barnes & Noble. I practically shoved the book in his hand and made him buy it.

    At the beginning, I would email him about what he thought of the book. It was early in AGOT, and his thoughts were mostly: I don’t like how one family is all good and one family is all bad. I don’t like how the knight who’s all burnt is so stereotypically bad. I just indulged him (without giving him spoilers) and knew all his assumptions were going to be turned on its head.

    Of course after he finished AGOT, he went through all the other books rather quickly. Now his favorite character is Tyrion and he’s eagerly anticipating the HBO series along with me.

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  70. silverjaime
    Posted January 25, 2011 at 9:03 am | Permalink

    marzman,

    Well I get all the jokes as well!! …but I did do physics and I have 3 teenage sons….

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  71. Tysnow
    Posted January 25, 2011 at 12:02 pm | Permalink

    Maisie’s mum recently sent this awesome photo to not a blog. Thought you might enjoy Maisie meets Arya (as the title for the post on George’s blog suggests).

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  72. Posted January 25, 2011 at 12:59 pm | Permalink

    Lovely pic, I hope we get some hi-res versions of the posters soon. Hey, the Thread That Must Not Be Named sure messed me up: I thought “Who’s the gorgeous woman behind Ned?” and it was Jory.

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  73. sjwenings
    Posted January 25, 2011 at 1:47 pm | Permalink

    Tysnow,

    Very cute. This whole thing must be like christmas x 10 for her!

      Quote  Reply

  74. Not Enough Letters
    Posted January 31, 2011 at 7:44 am | Permalink

    Hi, I was wondering if anyone had seen The Kings Speech. My brother is an extra and was in one of the photos in entertainment weekly (Big ginger beard, badly fitted helmet) My mum seen this film and was convinced she saw Kris in it. can anyone confirm if there is a trailer of Game Of Thrones in the Kings Speech? I don’t know if that movie is my cup of tea and would only pay up if the trailure was there!

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  75. Winter Is Coming
    Posted January 31, 2011 at 8:17 am | Permalink

    Not Enough Letters,

    I’m guessing what she saw was the trailer for Sky Atlantic, which features clips from Game of Thrones. You can see the trailers those clips are pulled from on our videos page.

      Quote  Reply

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