Is there anyone who's read George R.R. Martin who isn't waiting impatiently for April 17? There is nothing more exciting than HBO (the network that brought us Rome, John Adams, Deadwood, The Sopranos...) taking the reins on a new series based on Mr. Martin's Game of Thrones. Not only will we have the opportunity to actually see these brilliant books interpreted for the small screen, but the production may help to dynamite book five from the limbo where it has apparently been floating aimlessly for the past five years. My assumption is that Mr. Martin is hoping to rival the 22-year project that was Stephen King's Dark Tower series. After suffering quietly through those 22 years, I'm happy to report that I came late to the GoT party, just starting the series within the past couple years. Unfortunately, Mr. King has apparently used up all of my patience. I've been trying to drag out book four so that I don't finish it until book five is available, but that's just making me crabbier...
So, in summary, three and a half awesome books, with a series upcoming on HBO in less than a month. George R.R. Martin is apparently involved in the project, so that certainly bodes well for readers. (Unless, horribly, we've all misinterpreted his work and are served something completely different on the screen!!) The only concern that I have (well, the only serious one...) is in the casting of the children. Most of the children have pretty important - even major - parts in the books, and part of what makes the story so compelling is that we are presented with children (usually behaving admirably) in appalling situations. A lot of the connection to these characters is on a very emotional level as we "see" them being forced to deal with things that children of their ages should never have to face. I'm afraid that, by casting several of these parts with older actors, the sympathy...empathy...even horror we feel for the characters may be muted or lost. The three characters that concern me the most, based on the cast photos, are Robb Stark (15-16), Jon Snow (15-16) and Daenerys Targaryen (14-15). All three of the actors are over 20, with the oldest being 24. In the case of both of the boys, there should be a noticeable difference between them and the men that they lead. Part of the appeal and heroism of both characters is that they are forced to step into roles that they shouldn't be expected to assume, due to their young age. The casting of Daenerys can probably be more easily excused, simply because the demands of the role might be inappropriate or uncomfortable for a younger actor. The cast photo of Emilia Clarke is not horribly off target from how Danys is described in the book, but I'll reserve judgement for now based on the fact that there is generally a big difference in appearance between a 14 year old girl and a 20 year old woman...
In spite of these reservations, I remain both optimistic and excited, and can't wait for April 17 to roll around, giving HBO the opportunity to laugh in the face of my concerns and prove me so very wrong.
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