10 Game Of Thrones Scenes WAY More Brutal In The Books
You don't want to know what Ramsay got up to in the books.
In the early 2000s the Lord of the Ring film trilogy proved that audiences were eager for stories told in a world of swords and sorcery.
Almost a decade later, television studios were ready to take the leap on the fantasy genre. Up until Thrones, fantasy had not been a viable genre for a television series, but that soon changed.
The adaption of George R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire series was wildly praised for shedding fantasy in a new light. No longer was the genre merely for children and nerds; it could be filled with political scheming, engaging plot lines and adult themes - Game of Thrones was a cultural phenomenon unlike anything else we've seen on TV.
Later seasons were riddled with criticism. The most glaring critique being that the show strayed too far from the source material. However, in some cases audiences were lucky it did. The show didn't shy away from depicting violence, murder or even rape, but if many events had been shown as George R.R. Martin had written them, it would have been a far darker viewing experience.
10. The Battle Of The Fist Of The First Men
While all the political scheming and ill-advised squabbling was taking place in the southern realms of Westeros, the true enemy was approaching from the north. The looming threat of the Walkers was only teased at, before we eventually got a glimpse of their army during the final episode of season two.
Season three opened with the tattered remnants of the Night's Watch hopelessly pitting their way back to the Wall. The audience was never shown the horrors inflicted on the Night's Watchmen, but it was revealed they suffered a devastating attack by the Walkers.
In the book we see the full horror of the undead assault. The event is told from the perceptive of Sam. He witnesses the undead swarm over the defences and overrun the camp. Frozen in fear, he watches a giant undead Ice Bear tear the head from a Brother, and sees a panic-stricken horse kick shatter a man's skull. Eventually Lord Mormont orders the survivors to mount up and make a break for it, Sam among them. Many Whites cling to the fleeing horses, disemboweling the shrieking animals, and pulling men from their saddles.
In the show around 100 Brothers escaped the initial assault, in the books it was less than 60.