Get transported into the world of George R.R. Martin's fantasy series with the first pictures from the set of the HBO adaptation.
Fantasy geeks have known how engaging Martin's stories have been since A Game of Thrones was first published back in 1996. He's written three more books since then which only extend the awesomeness of the gritty saga of knights and kings all vying for control of the Iron Throne. To be honest, I never thought I'd see a theatrical adaptation of Martin's tale, but the success of the LOTR films opened a lot of doors. When I heard HBO was considering a TV series, it seemed that would be the best way to dramatize all the inter-weaving plots and complex storylines that make A Game of Thrones so great. Casting Peter Dinklage as Tyrion Lannister and Sean Bean as Eddard Stark gave me even more confidence that the show would actually work. The photos released by HBO have cemented my feelings; this show is going to rock.
Jon Snow (Kit Harington) with his brothers of the Night Watch.
It's funny how reading about characters in a novel can give you a general picture of what they look like, but seeing someone else's interpretation match up so perfectly with the source material can firm that image in your brain. A little voice goes off in your head, "Oh so that's what they look like." Looking at Eddard Stark as the Hand of the King meeting with who must be Grand Maester Pycelle makes me feel like I'm looking at what Martin wrote. Dany Targaryen as the noble exiled in a savage land is spot on, and Jon Snow looks like the plucky young teen that he is. Even Mark Addy as Robert Baratheon is perfectly portly and I love the fact that the hedonistic King looks like he's picking a wedgie in the picture.
Dinklage is the perfect choice to portray Tyrion. Having worked with the diminutive actor in New York, I can tell you that he acts almost exactly like the Imp: cold, sarcastic, but harbors a deep desire to belong. I look forward to Dinklage bringing Tyrion Lannister to life, and I hope the show lasts long enough to see him enter the spotlight in the third season. Martin has hinted that the show will follow the plot of the books, with a each volume becoming a ten or twelve episode season.
Yeah, suffice to say that I will ordering HBO when A Game of Thrones debuts in the Spring of 2011.
Here's hoping that the next book comes out before then. I know you've been busy, George, but come on. It's been five years. Get writing!