Comparing Song of Ice and Fire and WoT

[bgrishinko]

So, this may be a thread somewhere else on DM right now, maybe not.

 

I'm looking for a good reference/blog post/opinion forum that can break down the pluses and minuses comparing WoT and Song. I want to see how people think they compare in a constructive manner. People that enjoy both series. Can someone point me in the right direction? If not, let's talk about it right here.

 

The Game of Thrones TV series has finally got me to buckle down and start reading... well... Game of Thrones. I really enjoyed the series and have been impressed while reading how close the show and the book were. This topic is not about that.

 

What I've noticed are the differences in this and WoT.

 

WoT feels epic and world shattering. Ultimate Good vs. Ultimate Evil sort of stuff. Legends in the making. Also drawn out and wordy and at times repetative. WoT characters are my peeps, they will be with me for life and seem all but invincible. Even if life sucks for people after Tarmon Gaiden, at least our heroes saved all the world from complete destruction and annihilation. Reality wasn't destroyed, that is still a victory.

 

Song feels more realistic and grounded. People die. There are awesome characters and awesome motives, but having finished the first book, I don't see where all this is going except stories about people fighting each other and Winter eventually coming to make life miserable for decades along with the weird stuff in the North. Even though there are "good" guys and "bad" guys, I feel more like I'm reading a stylized fantasy version of a world history. Where is the epic goal? If all of Westeros gets united then what? They survive Winter? Then they break down into waring again? Why do I care?

 

Now again, I haven't read past Book 1 of Song, so there is that... Maybe that big goal comes later.

 

Thoughts?

 

Also, if this topic already exists... kindly point me in the right direction. :)

[Talya]

I have read both series. I like them in totally different ways. In some ways WoT is more romantic and has a nice feel about it. SoIaF is more gritty, much more of the times that you would compare the two with for our world. Also i thought the characters in SoIaF are actually have more depth to them. The PoV of the characters are much more what people are likely to think that the more fairy tale like of WoT. I'm not saying one is better than the other, because I like both, they give me different feelings and I get different things out of them. If I'm honest though I do slightly prefer the realism of SoIaF. But there are times when I don't want it and want the softer side of life.

 

not really and plus and minus, as I think that some of things I have mentioned would be pluses and minuses for both depending on what you like. WoT does have the more epic feeling to it, it is vast, not only in characters but the history and world as well. SoIaF is much more intimate and more inward focusing on the drudge of life.

[mcs0083]

I agree with most of what Talya said. Both series are equally entertaining to me, they just go about it differently. However, you are right in the assumption that you haven't "bought in" to SoIaF yet because you've only read the first book. What it is (to me at least) is a huge set up with shocking endings to the various story lines.

[Talya]

Talking of the TV Game of Thrones, I did have to warn the guy at work about not getting too attached to characters, lol. He is also reading the books now.

 

I also have a friend that doesn't like this business about authors killing off main characters. I view it differently, things just don't always go to plan, and sometimes too much "things going right" loses it's touch!

[mcs0083]

Exactly Talya. And that is part of what makes aSoIaF way more realistic to me then any other fantasy series.

[Puny]

About the killing I agree to a certain point... but for me the deaths are beyond a point of shock. They actually bore me now. Which character is gonna die now? There is a fine line in killing of characters and imo both RJ and GRRM fail. RJ for killing off too few and GRRM for killing of too many. If Tyrion dies Ima burn my books.

 

I like the grittiness of Fire and Ice, the characters are multidimensional... hm, reading Fire and Ice seems more real, reading WoT is like reading an epic saga but I like them both very much. Wot more then aSoFaI. I dk, they are very different from each other but I like them both. I think I´m more emotionely invested in WoT though. But that may be because I have read GRRM in awhile. I´m waiting until he gets so more books out.

[HeadAche01]

Then there's good news, new book of SoIaF comin out this month HELL YEAH!

 

But I like them both very much, though I feel that the characters are more real in SoIaF, and personally I don't really feel that Martin cuts of too many head figures, though some in book 4 shouldnt have died imo.

 

Probably I can type more for ages, but I don't really feel like it now.

[raitora]

I haven't completely caught up to the latest book in either series, but here's my thoughts. I enjoyed WoT immensely up until about the 4th or 5th book. After that the only reason I kept reading was to read about what happens to the characters, because when I get into a series, I'm usually in it for the long haul if I like the characters a lot. With WoT that was Mat, Rand, Logain, etc. I wanted to see relationships start, and I wanted to see how some of the spoilers I'd read about previously happen in the book. I stopped about 1/4 of the way into book 7 because it got a bit slow going... but partly also because this is around the time GoT/ASoIaF started piquing my interest a lot more. (also Perrin is just... whiny)

 

I'm 1/3 of the way into Clash of Kings now (2nd book of ASoIaF) and loving it. Compared to WoT, I find I'm liking this series not just because of the characters, but the diversity of personalities, and the events that happen to them. Arya, for example. I won't spoil those who have only seen the tv show or only read book 1, but she gets up to some interesting stuff. Characters that made minor appearances in the first book/series are gonna play more major roles in the future.

 

I'm not sure if Martin kills off too many characters - because well, in war, people die - but I definitely agree that Jordan kills off too little.

[Puny]

I haven't completely caught up to the latest book in either series, but here's my thoughts. I enjoyed WoT immensely up until about the 4th or 5th book. After that the only reason I kept reading was to read about what happens to the characters, because when I get into a series, I'm usually in it for the long haul if I like the characters a lot. With WoT that was Mat, Rand, Logain, etc. I wanted to see relationships start, and I wanted to see how some of the spoilers I'd read about previously happen in the book. I stopped about 1/4 of the way into book 7 because it got a bit slow going... but partly also because this is around the time GoT/ASoIaF started piquing my interest a lot more. (also Perrin is just... whiny)

 

I'm 1/3 of the way into Clash of Kings now (2nd book of ASoIaF) and loving it. Compared to WoT, I find I'm liking this series not just because of the characters, but the diversity of personalities, and the events that happen to them. Arya, for example. I won't spoil those who have only seen the tv show or only read book 1, but she gets up to some interesting stuff. Characters that made minor appearances in the first book/series are gonna play more major roles in the future.

 

I'm not sure if Martin kills off too many characters - because well, in war, people die - but I definitely agree that Jordan kills off too little.

 

 

I dk, maybe I´m whiny cause he kills of some chars I like... still I think you can create drama and tension without killing a char. What I do love about GRRM is that he can take a char you hate and make you if not love him then understand and respect him. The people in his world and not black and white, they have lots of layers.

 

* does the happy 400th posts dance. Tainted salty liquorice cookies for everyone!*