See the illuminating results of a Game of Thrones/Song of Ice and Fire survey
A while back, we told you about a survey created by Redditor CreganGlenn that targeted fans who had both seen Game of Thrones and read A Song of Ice and Fire, with questions about favorite POVs, whether the show had adapted them well, and more. The results of that survey have been released, and provide some insights into the diversity of opinion within the fandom.
One of the most telling questions was the first: Did fans discover the series through the books or the shows?
The number of respondents who started with the show is more than double those who were book-readers before the 2011 series premiere of Game of Thrones. A Song of Ice and Fire already had a sizable fanbase by that time, but HBO helped it explode.
Even with small drop-offs from book to book, most of the respondents have read every novel in the Song of Ice and Fire series, but far fewer have read the many spinoff books. Game of Thrones, on the other hand, maintains viewership throughout each season. It’s easier to watch a season of TV than it is to read one novel, I suppose.
And what character POVs do fans most enjoy reading?
No surprise that the witty Tyrion Lannister tops the favorite POV pile. What about the minor POVs?
Everybody loves Barristan Selmy, who really shines in A Dance with Dragons. I’m a little surprised that Areo Hotah, the Camera that Rides, is so unpopular.
We also have characters fans wish had POV chapters, with mysterious characters like Petyr “Littlefinger” Baelish and Varys leading the pack.
And here, we have which characters fans think were best-adapted by HBO.
Eddard Stark (Sean Bean) is the clear winner here. That’s spot-on—the show told Ned Stark’s story with minimal changes. Also, notice how few votes Dornish characters like Ellaria Sand and Doran Martell got. It’s no secret that many fans haven’t much enjoyed the show’s trips to Dorne, and now we have the data to back it up.
Which characters from the novels do fans wish the show hadn’t omitted? Not surprisingly, a certain Lady takes a clear lead.
Is anybody that shocked? Every season, fans (myself included) hope for a cameo from Lady Stoneheart. Some of us are still waiting. Never forget.
Finally, respondents contemplate the best medium for George R.R. Martin’s work and what spinoffs they’d like to see.
If you want to take the survey, head here. You can burn through the ten pages of questions in about five minutes.
Do you think these results accurately reflect the Game of Thrones / A Song of Ice and Fire fandom? Let’s discuss.