Summary
Game of Throneshas become one of HBO Max’s most successful series,iconic for its narrative and its charactersalike. Even so, it departs from its original material while exploring the universe of George R. R. Martin, choosing to alter the development of its plot and characters so drastically that they often lose strength and relevance in the story.
Things the books do better than theGame of Thronesshow include preserving the universe’s enriching details, where the nuances of its conflicts remain an open book for readers, who can search for understanding instead of receiving something pre-defined. With its adaptation limited, George R. R. Martin’s magic is diluted and simplified to fit a screen.
10Aegon Targaryen’s Omitted Plot
The Character Would Have Been A Real Threat And Added Depth To The History Of Westeros
Ignored by the HBO Max series,Young Griffith posed a direct threat to Daenerys Targaryen during her rise to the Iron Throne. He claimed to be the son of Rhaegar Targaryen and Elia Martell, both believed killed during The Sack of King’s Landing. By excising the character, the show not only shortened the list of claimants to the throne but also simplified its storyline.
In the books, George R. R. Martin explores the ambiguity of the claim because Aegon’s origins cannot be verified, reinforcing that power lies where men believe it resides. His absence also reduces Varys’s impact in seeking an ideal ruler, causing him to leap from Daenerys to Jon Snow in the HBO Max series.
9The Disaster In Dorne
One Of The Most Complex Kingdoms Was Never Explored In The Hbo Max Series
By discarding the political complexity of Dorne in theGame of Thronesadaptation, this storyline becomes another case the books handle better than the HBO Max show. One such mistake involves the weakening of Dorian Martell, prince of Dorne, whoconspires for two decades against the Lannistersin the books, seeking revenge for Elia’s death.
Arianne Martell, the prince’s daughter, was also removed, in the books she manipulates every player to crown Myrcella Baratheon as princess of Dorne. Whereas the show pursues a poorly developed revenge plot, the books delve into the region and its figures, focusing on political intrigue rather than direct threats.
8The Lost Richness Of The Greyjoys
The Story Of The Greyjoys Remains One Of The Books’ Greatest Strengths
With the Greyjoy storyline poorly handled byGame of Thrones, it becomes yet another element the books explore better than the HBO Max adaptation. In the books Euron Greyjoy ranks among Westeros’s most frightening and enigmatic characters, yet the show reduces him to a carefree pirate caricature.
The simplification reaches beyond that characterto other Greyjoy family members,such as Victarion, who vanish from the HBO Max storyline. Turning Euron from sorcerer to pirate highlights one of the show’s worst tendencies, an aversion to the ambiguous, uncanny magic that permeates theGame of Thronesbooks.
7The Depth Of History, Magic, And Prophecies
The Show Failed To Dive Into The Rich Context Found In The Game Of Thrones Books
Within its vast territory, the depth of Westeros reaches far beyond geography and politics in theGame of Thronesbooks. Flashbacks to the past enrich the experience, leaving consequences alive in the present narrative and expanding the reader’s grasp of the world portrayed.
The show tries to reference these events yet fails to convey their weight inside its narrative. Prophecies also play a crucial role in George R. R. Martin’s books, but the series cuts and simplifies such visions, reducing their impact. The same occurs with magic, softened in tone, illustrated by the omission of Lady Stoneheart, for example.
6Lady Stoneheart’s Striking Absence
One Of The Most Iconic Characters Is Completely Absent From The Hbo Max Series
Regarded as one of theHBO Max show’s most brutal deaths,Lady Stoneheart illustrates another element the books handle better than theGame of Thronesadaptation. Killed during the Red Wedding, Catelyn returns as a monstrous creature driven by revenge against the Freys, Boltons, and Lannisters in the books.
In the books the character catalyzes the Brotherhood Without Banners’ shift into a death squad, subverting its original ideals. In the show, Catelyn’s story ends at the Red Wedding, as the writers sever ties with George R. R. Martin’s material and block exploration of further plots.
5Jaime Lannister’s Distorted Redemption
Loved In The Books, The Show’s Mistake Was Ignoring His Character Development
Viewed as one of George R. R. Martin’s finest arcs, Jaime Lannister attains redemption in theGame of Thronesbooks. He begins as a villain, yet losing his hand sparks growth that shapes him into one of the saga’s strongest characters. The show instead chooses an ending that reverses that journey, having him return to Cersei and die.
InA Dance with Dragons,Jaime burns Cersei’s plea for aidand rides toward Brienne, symbolizing his break from his former self. This moment marks yet another aspect the books handle better than the show, highlighting its failure to grasp the growth of a character beloved by the saga’s fans.
4The Tragedy Of Stannis Baratheon
One Of The Books’ Strengths Is How They Explore The Psyche Behind His Tough Choices
Convinced of his right to the Iron Throne, Stannis Baratheon stands among the strongest claimants to kingship in theGame of Thronesbooks. The show portrays him as a cold religious zealot willing to sacrifice his own daughter for victory, reducing his qualities under a simplified narrative.
In the books, Stannis inspires loyalty; his men remain at his side even when his choices appear dubious.He also distrusts Melisandre’s magicand resents relying on her, a thread barely explored in the HBO Max series, making him another element better realized in the books than on screen.
3Tyrion Lannister’s Diminishment
The Game Of Thrones Books Dive Deep Into The Character’s Intelligence And Its Many Layers
Regarded as one ofGame of Thrones’ finest characters, Tyrion Lannister appears far darker in George R. R. Martin’s books. Haunted by his father’s death and by his lover Shae, he turns to drink and grows far more bitter than the show, which recasts him as a wittier figure, allows.
In the final seasons ofGame of Thrones, Tyrion fails as Daenerys’s adviser, leading to his downfall. He even trusts Cersei, who betrays him repeatedly, and offers strategically poor counsel, actions his book counterpart would never contemplate, highlighting another storyline undermined in adaptation.
2The Depth Of The Psyche
One Of The Books’ Greatest Achievements Is Their Wide Range Of Compelling Storylines
The strength of theGame of Thronesbooks lies in narratives told through limited points of view. This technique deepens immersion by exposing fears, thoughts, and even prejudices of characters, explored more thoroughly yet less reliably.
Cersei’s chapters illustrate the method best, as she interprets events andobsesses over the valonqar prophecy,while Jaime wrestles with his broken oath and memories of the Mad King. The visual, streamlined medium of the HBO Max series cannot translate such interiority, which the books explore to full effect.
1Violence With Purpose Vs. Gratuitous Shock
Based On Character Development, Violence Is One Of The Books’ Most Effective Storytelling Tools
Known for brutality across both mediums,Game of Thronesdiverges from its books in depicting violence. In the novels, violence serves thematic goals or character development, whereas the show seems to prioritize shock in order to keep audiences engaged. This difference distances the adaptation from the source, which handles the nuances of extreme events more effectively.
One of the most notable contrasts appears in Daenerys and Khal Drogo’s wedding night, where he is gentle and patient in the book, yet the show depicts violent intercourse that alters the protagonist’s course. That change casts a strange tone over her arc of resilience and empowerment, exemplifying the foremost thing the book achieves better than the television adaptation.
