Since there is no book forum, I thought I'd write this here. My favorite books of all time are George R.R. Martin's Song of Ice and Fire series. I dare you to pick up A Game of Thrones and put it down... its a blast. And it's not just a fantasy book... it's a political thriller with some really adult themes.

I found out awhile ago that they are turning this into a series on HBO. They are editing the pilot now. I really hope it does well and I'm glad its HBO doing it. You can't do 800 page books in a 2 or 3 hour movie. And you can't talk about some of the stuff on over-the-air TV. So this format suits it very well. The pilot isn't set to air until 2011, but I can't wait. Here is something I found on the subject:

"HBO programming chief Michael Lombardo says the dailies for highly anticipated fantasy series "Game of Thrones" look "fantastic" and the project looks very strong for a series pickup.

"Everything looks fantastic," said Lombardo, who's become a fan of the George R.R. Martin books upon which the project is based. "The director got great performances. Unlike a lot of projects like this, everything was shot on location. It has such a rich texture that it looks more expensive than it actually was."

The network spent $5 million-$10 million on the pilot to bring castle Winterfell to life. Lombardo says executives are "sitting on pins and needles" waiting for a rough cut in two weeks.

"The fantasy is so incidental, it has a very adult tone," Lombardo said. "You forget it's fantasy while you're watching it, and that's what I love about it."

The pilot will employ some CGI, for backgrounds, the story's "direwolves" (a mixture of real animals and CGI) and dragon eggs.

Also, like in the books, each family in the story will have its own color pallet for clothing and armor.

If all goes well, Lombardo said, "Game of Thrones" will be on HBO in spring 2011 -- "March or April."

"I would be surprised if it doesn't [get greenlit]," Lombardo said. "It has everything going for it.""

Cannot wait for this. By far and away the best fantasy books written. Yes even better than Tolkien. The only problem is the guy is taking 5 years between books now and he doesn't look to be in the best of health.

The casting is pretty good and I can't imagine HBO not green-lighting at least one season if not 2. IF it makes it to season 3 and Storm of Swords I have no doubt this would be as big a hit as Sopranos. The Red Wedding would blow people's minds.

Some more info from someone dedicating a blog to it: http://winter-is-coming.blogspot.com/

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Tolkien kinda sucks...

better than the Dragonlance Series? better than Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time?

I'll have to check these books out...

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@audioidkid

I never read Dragonlance series - is that the Drizzt one?

Makes Jordan look like a hack to be honest. I read the first 5 or 6 WOT books and gave up on the series. I promise if you read Game of Thrones and can get to page 100 you will become a fan. The first 100 pages are hard - a lot going on and a lot of characters. Also the story is told from different points of view which took a bit to get used to - each chapter is someone else's POV. Once you get through that and the names start clicking it all falls into place and it is a great ride. I have read the first 3 books in the series 6 times each. The 4th book I just finished a third read through. Book 5 is supposed to be out this year... which is what has been said every January since 2005...

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the Drizzt stuff is a Forgotten Realms series by R.A. Salvatore.....also, VERY good.

Dragonlance Chronicles series and Legends series are what got me into fantasy.
Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman.
I think Robert Jordan was a genius. How do you cover 2 months of time in 11 books!!!

alright, well I will take your guys advice and bust through these books in 2010.

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@audioidkid

You'll be happy you did. The writing style is unique and the character development is amazing. He's the only guy that can make 700-800 pages fly through. I also like setting up the chapters as being told from one person's point of view. And I also like (semi-spoiler alert) the fact that he has no qualms about killing off main characters.


George R.R. Martin makes Robert Jordan look like... well... look like George R.R. Martin's Bitch.

Doug right on the money Dragonlance is the shit and if they got their heads out in clear air the movies would blow LOtR out of the water.

I also highly recomend the Dresden Files, bonus set right here in Chicago. Great series just keeps on getting better.

Drizzet ,at least the first 4, I read are awesome reads.Some Scary stuff with a capital S.

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When I am stuck and need to figure something out I always remember the Immortal words of Socrates when he said:"I just drank what?"

chas,
I've been meaning to get to those Dresden Files books. I've been slowly making my way through this list:

http://www.bestfantasybooks.com/top25-fantasy-books.php

As you can see, A Game of Thrones is on top of the list. And the Dresden Files are on there too. I also really liked the Amber Chronicles by Roger Zelazny... kinda weird, but really good.

#1: A Game of Thrones (George R.R. Martin)
#2: The Malazan Book of the Fallen (Steven Erikson)
#3: The Name of the Wind (Patrick Rothfuss)
#4: Tigana (Guy Gaveriel Kay)
#5: Lord of the Rings (J.R.R Tolkien)
#6: The First Law (Joe Abercrombie)
#7: The Wheel of Time (Robert Jordan)
#8: The Farseer (Robin Hobb)
#9: The Darkness That Comes Before (R. Scott Bakker)
#10: Mythago Wood (Robert Holdstock)
#11: Jonathon Strange & Mr. Norrell (Susanna Clarke)
#12: His Dark Materials (Philip Pullman)
#13: Lies of Locke Lamora (Scott Lynch)
#14: Chronicles of Thomas Covenant (Stephen R. Donaldson)
#15: American Gods (Neil Gaiman)
#16: Earthsea Cycle (Ursula Le Guin)
#17: Abhorsen Trilogy (Garth Nix)
#18: A Sword of Shadows (J.V. Jones)
#19: Memory, Sorrow, Thorn (Tad Williams)
#20: Acacia (David Anthony Durham)
#21: Magician: Apprentice and Magician (Raymond E. Feist)
#22: Heroes Die (Matthew Woodring Stover )
#23: The Dark Tower (Stephen King)
#24: Dresden Files (Jim Butcher)
#25: Amber Chronicles (Roger Zelazny)

Not that this list is the end-all-be-all... I thought those Robert Jordan books were trash.

the Drizzt "thousand orc's" trilogy is really good...

Chas, Could you imagine Kit sitting on Skie as she kills Sturm with the dragonlance?!?!?!
or when Flint dies? or Tasslehoff Burrfoot and Fizban running around...looking for his hat.
Raistlin's golden skin and hourglass eyes!!!
OMG that would be fkn amazing...

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@audioidkid

George R. R. Martin's series is very good, I started reading that with the Terry Goodkind Sword of truth series. Both started good but Goodkind started to ramble. Jordan's series was good for the first 7 or 8 books but then got kinda lame. I also really enjoy Jim Butcher's Dresden's File series, they are about a private detective in Chicago who also happens to be a wizard very cool.

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Terry Brooks wrote a great series. "The Magic Kingdom of Landover"
also
the "Shanara" series is AWESOME. The Sword of Shanara and the subsequent books are what got me into fantasy...then Dragonlance.

and he wrote the Phantom Menace book.

http://www.terrybrooks.net/index.html

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@audioidkid

I asked Weis and Hickman at Gencon after that book came out why they had to Kill off Sturm, They both said basically war is hell. Yeah all that stuff would be killer. Flint buying it on screen would kill me.

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When I am stuck and need to figure something out I always remember the Immortal words of Socrates when he said:"I just drank what?"

We have a greenlight. Awesome!!

http://winter-is-coming.net/

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It's about time. Hopefully book 5 will be complete by the time that airs.

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ritalin + diddlin' + country fiddlin' = ?

nice. i best get to reading these.

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@audioidkid

A Dance With Dragons will be published by Bantam on July 12, 2011.

I'll believe it when I have the hardcover in my hands, but its good news nonetheless.

http://shelf-life.ew.com/2011/03/03/dance-with-dragons-date/

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ritalin + diddlin' + country fiddlin' = ?

Finally picked up "A Game of Thrones". Looking forward to it.

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I just finished A Game of Thrones and am about halfway thru the second book. Now I have to talk the wife into getting HBO, I tried to show her the trailer for the series but it received a 'meh'.

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You need to get her to an eye doctor post haste! Obviously her vision is awesome-impaired.

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