Game of Thrones

     George R. R. Martin's Game of Thrones series is quite popular, especially when you consider that the series was made into a hit HBO series. As always the books are way better than the acted out version. Now don't get me wrong folks, I have gotten kind of addicted to the show as well, but they cut out some of what I would consider major symbolism.
     The book is about the prestigious people in a mythical realm where kings rule, dragons are long since extinct, loyalty is expected (though rarely acquired), money talks and courage is revered. The reader gets to see how people claw their way to the top in this game of thrones because though obvious, it's nice to be a king. Each chapter follows a different person, but it's clear from the beginning that the Stark family are the protagonists and it seems to be them against the world. They are honor bound and loyal to a fault. Who could think that loyalty and honor would be a bad thing, but where manipulation can get you to the top, nobility can get you killed.
     Wolves play a large part in the book as they are the sigil for the Stark family. In the beginning of the book the Stark sons happen upon a batch of dire wolf pups who are to young to go on their own and clinging to a dead mother. Dire wolves are much more impressive than the average wolf both in size and intelligence. When the boys see the pups they instantly fall in love and though Eddard Stark, the father, would see them killed. Jon, his bastard son, convinces his father that they represent his family as there is a pup for each of the children and they boys bring the five pups home with them. Each pup takes on the personality of the child that rears them. I feel that this whole part of the novel was glossed over in the television series and being an animal lover I was disappointed. I was also surprised that there were a couple of scenes in the show that weren't even in the book and I believe that the effect is that the audience has some sympathy for Cesei, the King's wife, when in fact the book makes it seem like she is a horrible, wicked woman beyond the reach of sympathy.
     All this being said, as I stated previously, I do really like both the book and the show. I think the key is to go into each without expecting them to be the same. Though this book is fantasy I keep seeing pieces of The Pillars Of The Earth which is a historical fiction by Ken Follett so this is a book I may recommend if you like this series.