This year I have become a devotee of the Song of Fire and Ice series of books and watched the TV series Game of Thrones. While I’ve admired much of the acting in the film I find  I still prefer the books and I am looking forward excitedly to when the God of the Reserve List pops up the next title I have requested.

I’m not usually a fantasy fan but the standard of writing and characterisation has me hooked. Even the vast number of characters and settings which make me regularly check the maps and the “House” information at the back of the book seems a reasonable part of the experience. The film on the other hand focuses on some key events and characters and skips over the detail of why and who and when that I find satisfying in the book.

Has anyone else had this experience with Song of Fire and Ice/Game of Thrones? In the wider scheme of book reading and movie adaptation I don’t have any set opinion. Sometimes the book is the thing and the film disappointing, sometimes the film really brings the book to a new life and sometimes they seem to be perfectly partnered – enhancing each other, especially when the film respects the characterisation and dialogue of the book.

For those of you who like the whole book into film thing – you can keep up with what is due to be released via our excellent Read the book then see the film . If you want to find out if anyone has ever made a film of a book you are reading try our Books into film.

Song of Fire and Ice has generated a considerable fan following. Geekandsundry have an interview with George R.R. Martin (if you want to skip directly to the interview it is 6 minutes in) in which he comments on the television programme and how it visualised his story.