The Sunset Sea in the west, the Dothraki Sea to the east, the Summer Islands to the south, and the Great Wall to the north each help lay the foundation for George R.R. Martin’s book series, A Song of Ice and Fire. In a land far, far away—well maybe it’s not that far—there is a world filled with dragons, gold and even dwarfs!
Martin’s novels, written in the mid-’90s, were transformed in 2011 to HBO’s Game of Thrones, which quickly became one of the most popular television series in the last decade. Game of Thrones’ popularity was at an all time high March 31, 2013, when the Season Three premiere accounted for approximately 6.7 million viewers—and that’s not even the biggest news.
So what makes this show so popular?
“In terms of pure writing, it’s incredible,” says Gabe Rosen, an annual desert trip staff member and avid Game of Thrones fan. “George R.R. Martin has created a completely realized world, but the show’s writers also deserve a ton of credit for sharpening the dialogue for TV.”
The true beauty of the show is its ability to attract fans that haven’t read Martin’s novels.
“It’s hands-down the best show I’ve ever seen,” junior Taylor Stember says. “A lot of times I’ll find myself staying up way too late just to get in one more episode. You could say it’s a minor addiction.”
Other CHS students share the same feelings about the magic surrounding Game of Thrones.
“It can just be so stressful at times,” senior Brandon Montes-Nguyen says. “The book jumps from character to character, and there are certain characters you want to read about, but at the same time you don’t want to leave the character you’re reading about at that moment. The show is amazing because it gives a perfect picture of a perfect book. It’s great.”
Game of Thrones certainly has many alluring qualities, but arguably the greatest is the show’s ability to create bonds between characters and viewers. After all, the show received a fairly prestigious honor recently, after being marked in Forbes as the most pirated show of the year.
“I honestly have never really spent time watching TV,” senior Charlotte Anderle says. “But I will wake up early before school and stay up late to watch episodes, just so I can see how my favorite characters are doing. My only request would be for them to add in a hot black guy.”
Hardcore Game of Thrones fans look past the ever-present drama and think about the more practical side of the characters’ lives.
“Well, if I were to be a character,” says junior Andrew Wan with a devious smile, “I would wield a Valyrian steel sword, no doubt.”
Rosen summarizes the show’s beauty perfectly: “There isn’t a wasted line on the show. The plots are beautifully intricate, and the presence of magic/supernatural themes doesn’t distract from what a fundamentally human story it is.”
The morale of the story is, next time you find yourself pondering over the pros and cons of an HBO subscription with your parents’ credit card in hand, pull the trigger…of the cross bow. Get it? Because they didn’t have guns back then.
Anyhoo, stop missing out, and start watching Game of Thrones. Remember, winter is coming.
-BARRETT BROTHERS
