This section, out of necessity, contains a few more spoilers for Season 1 and 2 than the article up to this point. By no means will it ruin your enjoyment of GoT, but if you havent seen the first couple of seasons and prefer to go in blind, its best to stop reading here. Id like to describe some of the characters who are important in the opening act (the first couple of seasons.) They include... A hideous and stunted dwarf... who shows courage and nobility. A tall and handsome prince... who deviates between cowardice and sadism. A beautiful blonde princess... who turns out to be stronger than a savage barbarian. The finest two knights in the land... one of whom happens to be female, the other gay. A pattern emerges, that of George R.R Martin (consciously?) turning every trope the fantasy genre has on its head. Further examples can be found in the books yet to be televised, but it doesnt stop at the characterisation. Expect the unexpected may be trite, but it is in this case accurate, as our expectations are thwarted at every turn. GoT takes the best elements of the genre, dispenses with the rest, and delivers an experience which is rewarding and totally unique. Try it. Have your say in the comments section below, but be warned: it may contain spoilers.
Laurence Gardner was born in Canterbury, England. After moving around various cities during his childhood, and spending some time travelling in Europe and America, he studied English Literature at Oxford University. Since then, he’s been living abroad, teaching English, learning a range of languages, and writing in his free time. He can currently be found in Heidelberg, working as an English Tutor and Translator and studying at the University. If you liked this article, follow him on Twitter to get automatic updates on his work.
