The Kingsroad

Tonight brought the second episode of HBO's Game of Thrones series, and already the story is picking up speed. I continue to be satisfied with the adaptation from the book. It has been around 10 years since I last read A Game of Thrones, so anything being excised for time isn't strongly weighing on my mind.

I'm watching the series with someone who hasn't read the book, which is adding an interesting layer to the whole thing. As soon as an episode ends, I find myself thinking, "ooo, I can't wait until they get to this plot development and I can see your reaction to it!" Basically, there's a saying I've heard a few times in relation to particularly good books: "I wish I could read it again for the first time." Watching this series with someone "uninitiated," if you will, is as close as one can get to reading the book again for the first time, and I'm finding the series an absolute thrill so far for that reason alone.

But there's plenty else to commend it. I've been very impressed with the cast so far. Peter Dinklage is stealing the show as Tyrion, as expected. Less expected is how solidly many of the child actors are performing. I want to grab hold of Sansa and shake sense into her just as much as I did reading the book. I'm just as excited for scenes with Arya. And now that Joffrey had a more significant role -- he didn't even speak last week -- I find him even more perfectly cast; he's just such a tool!

I'm hard pressed to pick a favorite scene this week, though I found plenty of contenders. For sheer visceral thrills, the assassination attempt on Bran was compelling. But I also loved some of the dialogue-driven scenes, such as Tyrion's further conversation with Jon Snow, or Cersei's duplicitous visit with Catelyn in Bran's bedchamber.

At least with the series, I only have to wait one week for more, unlike the books themselves.