MY NEW OBSESSION: GAME OF THRONES (all of it)

Ok, I know. I generally do not “do” series. I have been chastising myself about being not “artistic” enough. But I have to do this, I really do. I got into Game of Thrones pretty early. First season. I watched a single episode and I was hooked. Completely hooked. Not only did I watch all the episodes with semi-religious fervour, I failed to withstand the withdrawal and started on the books as well – something I never do. My boyfriend is still sticking to “doing one or the other” and therefore is starting on the books but is steering clear of the series – for now. For now.

I know that anyone who hasn’t categorically been living under a stone has dipped their toe in this and made their judgement but then again, there are quite a few who have not. And I want to get those stragglers. Because seriously, you have no idea what you are missing.

Now, the story of Game of Thrones is a little hard to qualify and explain. Honestly. It is convoluted, complicated and nail biting. It takes place in an alternative universe, in a world where knights and chivalry still exist, as do magic and dragons. But men are still, fundamentally men. And that means things like politics, intrigue all still exist. The story starts with Eddard Stark, a man of honour and justice, becoming “hand of the king” – his Prime Minister if you will. Eddard does not want this rise to power but the king is a childhood friend he cannot refuse. And just as he suspects it will, his new position means the discovery of many secrets, secrets Eddard simply cannot ignore. Here the story begins but wither it goes, discover for yourself. I might add at this point, in the spirit of a tagline, that so many thousands of people simply cannot be wrong.

I mean they can. But not in this particular instance. The good thing about this series that it casts its net really wide. I mean, there is just about enough chivalry and magic to assuage the fantasy fans but at the same time these are, in a sense, incidental. The main bulk of the story reads like a political intrigue basically. It’s just that the political backstabbing takes place in more Medieval times. Oh and the stabbing can sometimes take quite a literal sense. I have watched this series with bated breath, the cliff-hangers are absolutely first class and the acting, the general artistic performance, well... Suffice to say the whole thing carried me away so much that I had to invest in the books and then read them to find out what happens next. Now that, is saying something.