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Fans mostly support George R.R. Martin as he criticizes book changes to House of the Dragon

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Fans mostly support George R.R. Martin as he criticizes book changes to House of the Dragon

As someone who’s spent countless hours immersed in the intricate tapestry of Westeros, I can’t help but feel a pang of sympathy for ol’ George RR Martin. The man’s labored over his masterpiece for years, and now it seems like every time he speaks up about the adaptation of his work, a storm of keyboard warriors come out swinging.

In the realm of gaming, let me share a behind-the-scenes scoop about my beloved world of Westeros. The other day, George R.R. Martin, the mastermind behind it all, penned and then retracted a blog post, stirring quite a buzz among fans like us. He was expressing concerns about HBO’s prequel series, House of the Dragon, derived from his book Fire & Blood

Martin has been in the limelight for quite some time, yet he hasn’t caused such a stir before. Recently, HBO issued a statement supporting House of the Dragon showrunner Ryan Condal, along with a podcast interview where Condal explains his adaptation choices. It’s unclear why Martin removed the blog post, but it’s plausible that the network requested it. Here’s hoping they can resolve their differences amicably, but for now, Westeros appears to be in a state of chaos

Let me rephrase that for a more natural and easy-to-understand style: This post will delve into the reactions of the online community who follow “A Song of Ice and Fire.” I’m curious to know how they feel about it

To begin with, many individuals find the situation entertaining, digging up both fresh and classic memes for the event

As a passionate fan, I’ve noticed several posts suggesting Martin might be displeased with the writers of “House of the Dragon.” While he does express some criticism towards Ryan Condal occasionally, he also acknowledges enjoying the episodes he critiques. It’s clear that he isn’t entirely comfortable with how the show has adapted his books, but these posts don’t convey the full extent of the frustration as some tweets might suggest

Over on that damage control podcast, @maksimnikiforovski2034 left a YouTube comment that tries to turn down the temperature in the room. “A reminder to everyone: GRRM praised Haelena’s magical abilities, he praised the portrayal of Viserys, and a lot of other things. He did though say that the exclusion of Maelor is something that is bugging him. He is not being rigid, but just honest,” they wrote. “Back in GOT when he was still writing an episode per season, he was very open to collaboration, and he was always happy with the product, complaining only slightly about budget restraints. What happened in season 2, was just… weird… There was no need for Alicent and Rhaeneyra to meet the way they did, and it made no sense to change Maelor and stuff.”

In simpler terms, most comments on the podcast are more critical because many people feel that the show has been weakened by certain changes made, especially in season 2. For instance, one commenter expressed their disappointment over Alicent agreeing to execute her crippled son due to a friendship with Rhaenyra 20 years ago, which they felt ruined the show for them. Another suggested that the show could be more successful if it stays truer to the book in future seasons. Lastly, a third commenter compared the ongoing drama to the rivalry between Drake and Kendrick, indicating a return to light-hearted discussion about the series

In communities similar to those based on “Game of Thrones” like r/freefolk and r/houseofthedragon, there’s a strong sense of admiration towards George R.R Martin. For instance, one post on r/houseofthedragon received over eight thousand upvotes saying, “Kudos to George R.R Martin for his excellent blog post tonight.” On Twitter, fans are expressing their praise for his blog and hoping that the show will align more closely with the original text in the future

Through past experiences, it’s crucial to remember that just because a topic is loudly discussed online doesn’t necessarily make it accurate. As a fan of ‘Fire & Blood’ and ‘Game of Thrones’, I eagerly anticipate a more faithful adaptation of ‘House of the Dragon’. This isn’t a call for blind loyalty to the source material, but rather an observation that many of the significant changes made by the ‘House of the Dragon’ team haven’t been particularly effective. The audience’s disappointment with Daemon’s Harrenhal exploits and the puzzling alliance between Rhaenyra and Alicent is evident. Conversely, the Battle of Rook’s Rest, which closely followed the book, was the season’s most successful scene. This pattern suggests that adhering more to the original story might yield better results

Simultaneously, I acknowledge that Ryan Condal and his creative team are artists with unique passions, and I don’t foresee the current criticisms impacting the show’s overall direction. However, if Condal and the crew take a moment to consider some of the constructive feedback (while disregarding the harsh remarks), perhaps they might reflect on their approach a bit. Is it truly so detrimental for them to remain faithful to the text of a beloved book?

Waiting until 2026 when House of the Dragon season 3 airs on both HBO and Max will give us a better understanding of things

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2024-09-05 23:14

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