Game of Thrones (Season One)

This TV series is based on A Song of Ice and Fire - a series of books by George R. R. Martin. I read the first, Game of Thrones. It took me a long time to finish. I think I was mostly intimidated by the length (800 pages), and I kept taking breaks. I read the last 250 pages in just a few days, as I started to get into the characters. I never would have thought I would read the next one. But I think I will. I am pretty invested in the characters now.

The first season of the TV series (10 episodes) is based on the first book. This is very convenient, as I do not believe I will watch the second season until I read the second book. I found myself drawn into the on-screen world. The acting and effects are great. The plot is following the book exactly, down to the dialogue of the characters. I am not surprised that it is going to take 10 hours to bring the book to life. The actors and actresses are how I pictured the characters. I think I would have cast Lady Stark as more of a beauty, but I'm starting to see her inner strength already. Also, Arya is prettier than Sansa, which is definitely counter to the book.

The gore is a little hard to watch, but unavoidable for a true telling of the story.

Midnight's Children

It's been 3 years since I read this book. I wasn't crazy about it, I thought it was a little slow. The movie did a good job of taking the high points and leaving out the "extra". I believe the plot followed the novel closely, as I remembered most of the major events. I thought the acting was great, and the main character had a sweetness about him. I'm not sure if this film was ever even released in the US. It looks like it won some awards in Canada. But I would give it a thumbs-up. It captured the heart of the book without the slow development.