By C.A. Taylor, David Benioff, D. B. Weiss, and George R. R. Martin
Gollancz, out now
All you need to know about the two most recent seasons of Game of Thrones
Television series and book series have very different story-telling requirements, and that’s become increasingly clear as the adaptation of George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice & Fire has continued on HBO. Characters on the small screen aren’t quite the same as they appeared in the book – their fates differ or their backgrounds have been altered. That’s meant that although the HBO series has hit a number of the touchstones of the book sequence, it’s charted its own path more and more, effectively at times becoming an alternate take on the same history.
Taylor’s book – with contributions from the producers – charts the production history of the two recent years, and tackles some of these issues, profiling characters as they appear on screen, rather than in the books, and providing histories that may at times be at odds with what you know from the novels.
In addition to the fascinating in-universe material, there’s also plenty on the making of the show, including concept art, discussion of the location filming, and (something that I always think deserves more coverage than it gets) the musical choices.
Verdict: An engrossing peek behind the curtain. 9/10
Paul Simpson
Click here to order Inside HBO’s Game of Thrones II: Seasons 3 & 4 from the HBOShop Europe
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