main
side
curve
  1. In Memory of LAJ_FETT: Please share your remembrances and condolences HERE

Census The Books, Lord Of The Rings Or Games Of Thrones?

Discussion in 'Community' started by VadersLaMent, May 20, 2013.

?

Better books, Game Of Thrones or Lord Of The Rings

  1. LOTR

    47 vote(s)
    67.1%
  2. GOT

    23 vote(s)
    32.9%
  1. VadersLaMent

    VadersLaMent Chosen One star 10

    Registered:
    Apr 3, 2002
    I have read neither. Just curious.
     
  2. Merlin_Ambrosius69

    Merlin_Ambrosius69 Jedi Master star 5

    Registered:
    Aug 4, 2008
    Which do you prefer, apples or oranges?
     
  3. Everton

    Everton Chosen One star 10

    Registered:
    Jul 18, 2003
    I haven't read Game of Thrones beyond midway through CoK, but I plan on reading up to date once the current run of the HBO series has finished. Having said that, I still expect my vote to side with LotR.
     
  4. Emperor_Billy_Bob

    Emperor_Billy_Bob Jedi Grand Master star 7

    Registered:
    Aug 9, 2000
    As a fantasy literary experience, if you approach it with real enthusiasm and desire to become engrossed, LOTR is basically unsurpassable.
     
    Sarge and Merlin_Ambrosius69 like this.
  5. Point Given

    Point Given Manager star 7 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Dec 12, 2006
    Both have major strengths and weaknesses but the more relatable characters and moral ambiguity of GoT overcomes my nostalgia for for LoTF.
     
    Darth_Furio likes this.
  6. Everton

    Everton Chosen One star 10

    Registered:
    Jul 18, 2003
    If the two are going to go head to head, perhaps this poll should be placed on hold for 50 years. :p
     
    Axle-Starweilder likes this.
  7. Darth Guy

    Darth Guy Chosen One star 10

    Registered:
    Aug 16, 2002
    They're not really comparable. LotR is straight high fantasy and established the modern genre as we know it. A Song of Ice and Fire-- not "Game of Thrones," the title of the first book and the name of the TV adaptation-- is in many ways a deconstruction of tropes Tolkien established/popularized, including pointing out the flaws of a medieval setting. This is like comparing Star Trek and Star Wa-- oh, wait.
     
    Ender Sai and MrZAP like this.
  8. Ramza

    Ramza Administrator Emeritus star 9 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Jul 13, 2008
    Hmmm... overly indulgent descriptions of trees, or overly indulgent descriptions of food... Decisions, decisions...
     
  9. Darth Guy

    Darth Guy Chosen One star 10

    Registered:
    Aug 16, 2002
    BOILED LEATHER
     
  10. Slowpokeking

    Slowpokeking Jedi Master star 5

    Registered:
    Sep 21, 2012
    LotR is ancient epic story, great battle and saga, as well as the great setting and history, but the characterization is a bit too vague. Song of Ice and Fire focus on characterization and power struggle.
     
  11. Merlin_Ambrosius69

    Merlin_Ambrosius69 Jedi Master star 5

    Registered:
    Aug 4, 2008
    It's hard to assess Martin's saga as a complete work when it is, as yet, incomplete. We still don't fully understand what is going on in a cosmological or theological sense, nor do we have the benefit of looking back over the choices each character has made in the context of where he or she winds up. With Tolkien, we understand all of that much better, not only from the texts themselves but also by virtue of his voluminous letters to fans, and other explanatory or clarifying passages. With Martin we're all still kind of guessing.

    That said, I voted for LOTR because of what EmperorBillyBob wrote: "As a fantasy literary experience, if you approach it with real enthusiasm and desire to become engrossed, LOTR is basically unsurpassable." In short, I've enjoyed ASoIaF immensely, but the beauty of Tolkien's language and the indelible, mythic quality of his creations is unlikely ever to be surpassed.
     
    Sarge, laurethiel1138, MrZAP and 3 others like this.
  12. Lord Vivec

    Lord Vivec Chosen One star 9

    Registered:
    Apr 17, 2006
    This will probably come down to whether one prefers high fantasy or low fantasy.
     
  13. Merlin_Ambrosius69

    Merlin_Ambrosius69 Jedi Master star 5

    Registered:
    Aug 4, 2008
    Not really, they're both HF.

    ETA: Or are they? Let's discuss.
     
  14. Deputy Rick Grimes

    Deputy Rick Grimes Jedi Grand Master star 6

    Registered:
    Sep 3, 2012
    I never read the Game of Thrones but i would choose LOTR, more popular too
     
  15. VadersLaMent

    VadersLaMent Chosen One star 10

    Registered:
    Apr 3, 2002
    I undertsand the differences very well. It's not about apples and oranges it's popular fantasy thingy vs popular fantasy thingy. High vs low fantasy is not 100% important, this fantasy story vs that is important. LOTR unsurpassable? Well, as I post this 3 people disagree. I almost want to inject an opinion that there are a handful of gems in the rough in D&D that are incredible, and Donaldson's Thomas Covenat Chronicles is just about the best thing I have ever read in fanatsy, but I have not read the LOTR books, only The Hobbit.
     
  16. Emperor_Billy_Bob

    Emperor_Billy_Bob Jedi Grand Master star 7

    Registered:
    Aug 9, 2000
    The universe as a whole is high fantasy, but there are low fantasy tropes and character arcs.
     
  17. Havac

    Havac Former Moderator star 7 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Sep 29, 2005
    They're different series doing different things, and they're both unsurpassed at doing what they want to do. We're probably better off leaving it at that.
     
    rumsmuggler and RC-1991 like this.
  18. Todd the Jedi

    Todd the Jedi Mod and Loving Tyrant of SWTV, Lit, & Collecting star 6 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Oct 16, 2008
    As usual in random internet polls, I'll go with the one I've actually read/know anything about. LOTR it is.
     
    anakinfansince1983 likes this.
  19. VadersLaMent

    VadersLaMent Chosen One star 10

    Registered:
    Apr 3, 2002
    I should add, there is much LOTR fandom here, and much GOT fandom here. At least as far as I can see there have not been threads to match them. So, I threw them head ot head to see what folks like better.
     
  20. Merlin_Ambrosius69

    Merlin_Ambrosius69 Jedi Master star 5

    Registered:
    Aug 4, 2008
    I see what you mean. It's all subjective anyway. But if we're going to classify or define something (as a "fantasy thingy", for example), I think we should be clear about what we mean.

    Apples and oranges are both fruits. Both are a mixture of cellulouse, sugars and seeds. Both are tasty and delicious to varying degrees to varying people.

    LOTR and ASOIAF are both "fantasy thingy"s. Both are a mixture of medieval (or Iron Age) culture, arcane magic, pagan and Judeo-Christian theology, and um, dragons. Both are tasty and delicious to varying degrees to varying people.

    But the similarities end there. To name one of a quabillion differences, LOTR can be read and loved by adults, but its subject matter is not "adult".

    Hence, apples and oranges. They're very different fruits. :cool:
     
  21. Merlin_Ambrosius69

    Merlin_Ambrosius69 Jedi Master star 5

    Registered:
    Aug 4, 2008
    Depending on how you define HF and LF, I generally agree with this. Both are HF worlds within which some LF characters and tropes intermingle with the save-the-world HF stuff. On that score, though, I'd argue that LOTR is more HF than ASOIAF, if you can resist getting lost in the acronyms.
     
  22. VadersLaMent

    VadersLaMent Chosen One star 10

    Registered:
    Apr 3, 2002
  23. Merlin_Ambrosius69

    Merlin_Ambrosius69 Jedi Master star 5

    Registered:
    Aug 4, 2008
    I don't even I can't what are you huh?
     
  24. Kiki-Gonn

    Kiki-Gonn Jedi Grand Master star 6

    Registered:
    Feb 26, 2001
    I've got to go LOTR but I will say GOT (I call it that too) is the only fantasy series I've read that deserves to even step into the ring (hehe) with the granddaddy of them all.
     
  25. Slowpokeking

    Slowpokeking Jedi Master star 5

    Registered:
    Sep 21, 2012
    1 thing I don't like about LotR is it's too black/white, many characters didn't have enough personality.​