We’ve got over a whole year of no Thrones action, so why not read George R.R. Martin’s epic Song of Ice and Fire books? What is the point in watching repeats of the show when you can read the fate of your favourite characters in Martin’s signature style? Trust us when we say they are as addictive as the show. You’ll find yourself at 4am wanting to read another chapter. Get your eyes off those fan forums and get your head into the books. Here’s why...

Learn about the Backstories and missing characters

Love Brienne of Tarth? How about Tyrion Lannister? Or even horrible Cersei? Well, no matter who your favourite character is, you’ll find so many backstories that develop the characters in really interesting ways missing from the show.

Cersei receives a prophecy that she is going to be killed by her own brother and that all her children will die, in much more detail than that one vague scene in the first episode of Season 5.

In the books we learn about badass Brienne’s upbringing in much more detail, adding even more layers to her intriguing character. Brienne was meant to wed three times — once to the youngest son of Lord Bryen Caron, but he died; then to Ser Ronnet Connington, who was six years older than her. On their meeting, Red Ronnet gave her a rose and told her it was all she would have of him, breaking the betrothal (ouch!). And finally, Ser Humfrey Wagstaff, who warned her he would insist she act womanly once they were wed. Though only 16, Brienne replied she would accept such a demand only from a man who could beat her in combat. In the effort, Humfrey ended up with three broken bones and a broken betrothal.

There are characters who are still alive in the books but aren’t in the TV series (spoilers!) like Jojen Reed or Barristan Selmy.

There are even characters in the books who haven’t made it to the show. Like the two Walder cousins who were wards to the Stark family in the first book. Lady Stoneheart and Edric Storm, the bastard son of Robert Baratheon who lives with Stannis. Strong Belwas, Victarion Grejoy, Left and Right, Patchface, Vargo Hoat... I could go on, but I won’t as you need to read the books to find out who these people are. Go on, go!

Go deeper into the prophecies and theories

By now you should know who Jon Snow’s mummy is. If not, you’re not a true GoT fan. If you’ve only watched the show, you had a few subtle hints but never really found out until Season 6. In the books, however, this storyline is hinted at so much more. The theories about each character that are shocking fans in later episodes have not only been known for ages in the books, but they’re also told and revealed so much better.

The reveal for R+L=J was so satisfying in the book as it had been building up to it for so long, with hints from characters and the actual history of the event, rather than a quickly glossed-over flashback.

Not to forget, the show left out even more glimpses of the past as well as the future, like when they radically altered Daenerys’s experience in the House of the Undying and kept virtually no material from the books.

How about the fact that Brienne could have a claim to the throne? The books speak of a few unaccounted for Targaryen ancestors. Allegedly, some went on to marry Tarth girls — which could eventually lead to Queen Brienne?! 

Get a fresh perspective

Did you know that instead of numerical chapters, the books are from different characters’ perspectives? From Jaime to Ser Davos to Jon to Dany, it is such an amazing way to tell a story as you become fully immersed in all of the characters through each segment. And with the story being presented as non-linear, everything is happening all at different times in order to cater to everything that’s going on.

Lose yourself in the details

The detail in these books is insane. So much so, that you feel like you’re in Westeros. The sights, the smells and the sounds are brought to life through wonderfully woven words. Each page oozes with riveting dialogue and character descriptions that are so good it’s like you’re looking at every inch of them. Martin’s manipulation of words can even make a feast sound like the most erotic thing you’ve ever read. Take this passage for example:

Sansa had never eaten snails before; Joffrey showed her how to get the snail out of the shell, and fed her the first sweet morsel himself. Then came trout fresh from the river, baked in clay; her prince helped her crack open the hard casing to expose the flaky white flesh within. And when the meat course was brought out, he served her himself, slicing a queen’s portion from the joint, smiling as he laid it on her plate. She could see from the way he moved that his right arm was still troubling him, yet he uttered not a word of complaint. Later came sweetbreads and pigeon pie and baked apples fragrant with cinnamon and lemon cakes frosted in sugar, but by then Sansa was so stuffed that she could not manage more than two little lemon cakes, as much as she loved them. (A Game of Thrones)

Doesn’t that just melt on your tongue? The immersive and diverse world is like Harry Potter and The Lord of the Rings combined and then sprinkled with real-life history.

There’s a small map preceding the story, much like most fantasy books, but you don’t even need that to know where everything is. Martin beautifully describes every inch of the land to perfection. 

Find out about as-yet unseen plot lines

I understand that you can’t fit everything into one show. But leaving out some seriously important parts are mind-boggling. The main ones to draw your swords towards is Lady Stoneheart (spoiler!). A deceased woman brought back to life to wreak revenge upon those who wronged her, only for her to remove her hood for us to discover she is Catelyn Stark. Because her throat was slit, she has to hold it together to speak. She’s a terrifying yet interesting character who we haven’t seen in the show so far.

Similarly, Coldhands, the dead ranger brought back to life by the White Walkers, was only shown in Season 7 for a mere few minutes to save the group as a deus ex machina. In the books he helps the team beyond the Wall several times and is a really interesting character the show wasted. 

COMPARE AND CONTRAST

A better way to enjoy the series more is to start the books and the show in unison, and compare and contrast the two to get the full experience.

What’s the biggest contrast we’ve found, you ask? Why it’s Sansa Stark’s story arc of course! Sansa takes the place of Jeyne Poole — Jeyne, who in the books, is disguised as Arya, is then married to Ramsay Bolton to cement their claim to Winterfell. Sansa doesn’t marry or get assaulted by Ramsay, Littlefinger isn’t trying to marry her either — instead he plans to marry her off to Ser Harrold Hardyng, heir of the Vale of Arryn. There are so many different storylines from each.

Arya meets Sam by chance in Braavos; we see Tyrion’s first battle against Robb Stark or Varys shooting Kevan Lannister after revealing he’s been working for the Targaryens all along.

Then there are the differences in appearances of characters. Did you know that Daario Naharis is meant to have blue hair? Or that Missandei is actually 10 years old? And that Ser Jorah Mormont is nearly bald but has an extremely hairy body? There are so many details that are chopped and changed for the TV series. From Tyrion’s horrifying face to the actual size of the Iron Throne, the creators had to make changes to keep actors happy and to make it a little more realistic. It is fun to think what a nine-year-old Arya would be like killing everyone! Actually, no, maybe not.

Benjamin Wodecki

(A journalism graduate from University of 
Gloucestershire, currently interning with t2)