ping
As is the case in most circumstances, the books are much better than the movies.
That said, Game of Thrones has been called Lord of the Rings for grownups. I think it’s true to a point.
I guess the question is with regard to the video versions.
A very different question from which book is better.
To address that, should be noted that Martin is merely building in a genre Tolkien created, which I’m sure Martin would be the first to admit.
Have been a huge Tolkien fan for 50 years. Have probably read LOTR an average of once/year since the age of 7. The themes and ideas in it have influenced me greatly.
Tried reading GoT when it first came out. Got maybe three books in and gave up.
GoT is inarguably more “realistic” in its portrayal of human character than LOTR, but I got tired of the unrelieved anti-heroism. Honor and duty were the basis of society in medieval times, and those who violated them too egregiously paid a steep price. Dishonorable nobles found it difficult to get their vassals to follow them with any enthusiasm.
Did not get any of this from GoT. There was exactly one truly honorable character, and Martin bumped him off quickly. Nobody every paid a price for dishonorable behavior.
In medieval times, many men, not all and not necessarily most, but many men fought and died for what they saw as their honor. Projecting modern attitudes towards honor into a medieval society turned me off of GoT.
Possibly it got better after I gave up. :)
Both are just a lot of BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH talking, boring , you could take all of the episodes of Game of Thrones and compress them down to one episode ,OH same goes for that Vikings snooze fest
The JRRT body of literature is allegorical in many aspects: at its heart, a reflection on life and death, woven in, the Christian doctrines of redemption the struggle between good and evil, the afterlife, those who watch over us, strength in the spirit life, etc. JRRT was heavily influenced by Old Norse myths, yet also Arthurian, Celtic and Norman. He was intent to reconcile Christian and philosophical traditions of his day with ancient mythological heritage influential in Britain. The result is a body of literature far richer than the silver screen can portray.
I never read the GOT series nor other literature by GRRM. I did try to watch the series but there were to many beheaded victims for Mrs FE to allow the video to play for long. GRRM has a reputation as a brilliant man with a vivid mind, and he is a prolific American writer. I would like to know more about what influences him - certainly he has unlocked the key to Hollywood and the appetite of audiences today. All the “kids” (trainers at the gym, friends of my children) are GOT fanatics.
Both franchises stand alone and the similarities between them are few and far between, so which one is better? It’s subjective at best, but The Lord of the Rings was a unique and distinct piece of story telling from a master in the art and it is considered by many to be the original modern fantasy work. Pretty much all of the fantasy genre novels from authors that have come afterward, owe their existence to J.R.R. Tolkien and his middle earth creation.
Game of Thrones is soap opera. As is Mad Men.
LotR has the ring of authenticity about that GoT will never have. Tolkien modeled his world on medieval society as it actually existed, while Martin’s is just a shallow facsimile populated by soap opera characters. It shows in the silly names he chose for his cities: King’s Landing? Winterfell? Why not just name them “Capital City” and “Northern City” and be done with it.
Game of thrones is porn. Take out the porn and few would be watching.
GOT is vaguely with the realm of possibility without having the baggage of different mythological creatures as heroes.
I have nothing to compare LOTR to ... I have never read or watched, and have no inclination to either read or watch, any portion of GOT.
"Fellowship" started something wonderful and it was my favorite of the three. I didn't mind the necessary changes to keep the story moving and to add dramatic tension at the end. Ended on a positive, hopeful note.
Game of Thrones, the show, got me to read "A Game of Thrones", the book, which had been on my shelf for a few years, having had won it in a book raffle. Had I read it when it originally came out, I might not have picked up the second book. Lots of good stuff in the book, but there didn't seem to be an ending. Yes, it's a series, but the book still needs an ending, and this one seemed no closer to tying up the storylines. Everything across the Narrow Sea seemed for naught or rather nothing mattered except the last page or so. Yes, events had to happen, and the twists were questionable, but did we need to slog through it all?
I enjoyed Peter Dinklage and have "hated" Charles Dance since I watched "Bleak House". As for the rest... not much to say without spoiling things for curious people reading this thread.
Lord of the Rings
Game of Thrones
BAH!
Harry Potter for the win!
I have to say absolutely that LOTR is better. I only watched 5 minutes of GoT and had to turn it off when they cut to a scene of two queers just finishing up, still hot and sweaty. Yuck. I do not want to see that stuff.
Can you tell I'm just a little bit of LOTR fan? lol
GOT is just porn. Laughable to compare them.
Martin and Tolkien are quite different. That said, Tolkien is a giant...Martin is maybe the better of many to following his footsteps.
A great work of literature vs trashy erotica