Weed Lifestyle

Game of Thrones

With Season 3 off to a great start, I thought it would be fitting to give my little stony recommendation to Game of Thrones. As Game of Thrones is a book series and a HBO show, I will just speak about it generally because I cannot say enough good things about either one.

Disclaimer: when I say “Game of Thrones” I am referring to both the books and show, I will specify one or the other if appropriate.  In reality, the show is titled “Game of Thrones,” however the book series, by George R. R. Martin (GRRM to fans), is titled A Song of Ice and Fire with Book One being called A Game of Thrones. I will do my best to tout this series without revealing plot elements.

It is rare that a screen adaptation of a book goes well; even rarer when a fantasy title achieves such success. Quick, take 15 seconds and think of a fantasy title (other than Tolkien’s canon) that achieved mainstream success.  13…14…15…see? Not so easy is it?

game of thrones

Game of Thrones is categorized as “low fantasy.” That “low” is not a designation of quality. Rather, it means that the classical fantasy elements (magic, wizards, enchanted swords, miraculous healing/resurrection, etc.) are somewhat subdued in Game of Thrones. Some of those elements do pop up throughout Game of Thrones, but they are not central to the progression of the story.

Game of Thrones is at once crushingly realistic and delightfully surreal. This is series wherein the heroes can die and villains can thrive—you know, like real life. The other side of that coin is that characters who have no business being great, have greatness thrust upon them and we as the audience get to experience some equally touching and horrifying character transformation.

game of thrones

The pacing of Game of Thrones is one of its most appealing qualities. The book is not written in normal chapter format. Martin writes through the lens of many point of view characters and almost always ends with an enticing cliff hanger. One chapter will be from the perception of one character, the next will be an entirely different character. Often, the back to back chapters have nothing to do with one another so the reader is left reaching one character’s cliff hanger only to be forced to wait (sometimes very long) to find out what happened. It can be aggravating, but I’ll be damned if it doesn’t make you read faster. The show, too, leaves the viewer twitching like a meth addict between episodes.

 game of thrones

I suspect GRRM has a soft spot for society’s outcasts. Game of Thrones has a way of uplifting the cripples, bastards, elderly, and dwarves in its world. Basically, the broken, battered, defective and aged—those society deems without value—become antiheroic heroes. Conversely, the typical hero figures are very much present in Game of Thrones, but the spotlight does not tarry upon them for long.

Critically acclaimed for its historic accuracy and rich details regarding clothing and food, the visuals of Game of Thrones are simply stunning. Do yourself a favor and, even if you’re not typically into the fantasy genre, give Game of Thrones an honest chance. And of course get stoned!

game of thrones

Check out other posts from Weedist’s Great TV While High series!