14 Game of Thrones characters who were better in the books
4. Stannis Baratheon
In the books, Stannis Baratheon is not quite the rigid, duty-bound king obsessed with obtaining his birthright that he is on the show. He’s a puzzle of a man who walks a thin line between morality and pragmatism, often forcing readers to question what true leadership really is. His relationship with the Red Priestess Melisandre isn’t just a straightforward alliance. It’s a complicated affair in which religious fanaticism often clashes with Stannis’ own skeptical views. George R.R. Martin wrote him as a character severely torn between his unyielding sense of justice and the grim realities of war, which gives us a Stannis who can sacrifice family for the realm but will still question the morality of his actions.
Stannis on the Game of Thrones TV series feels somewhat flattened by comparison. Stephen Dillane does a magnificent job embodying the stern, unyielding character, but the layers are missing. TV Stannis is much more easily manipulated by Melisandre, his grim sense of humor isn’t present for the most part, and his deep internal debates are simplified into smaller choices. Of course, the show had limitations like time constraints. But for fans of book-Stannis, it’s hard not to feel that he deserved to be written closer to how he was in the novels.
5. Doran Martell
Doran Martell isn’t just the wise and wheelchair-bound ruler of Dorne that we see for a short time in the show: he’s a strategic mastermind with a long-range plan. While the show depicts him as indecisive and ineffective, the books paint a very different picture. In the novels, Doran is a man who’s been playing the long game orchestrating revenge for the brutal death of his sister, Elia Martell. He’s not reactive; he’s calculating, waiting for the stars to align so his family can reclaim its lost honor.
What’s so fascinating about Doran is that his calm and composed exterior hides a resolve of pure steel. The Sand Snakes, his children and nieces, often mistake his caution for inaction in the book, only for him to reveal just enough of his plan to remind everyone that he’s been steps ahead all along. Doran Martell shows us that patience and planning can be every bit as thrilling as the swing of a sword or the roar of a dragon. It’s a real shame we didn’t get to see this version of him onscreen, but the books are there for anyone who wants to meet the real Doran Martell.