Inside HBO's Game of Thrones, Seasons 3 & 4

Available now from Gollancz Publishing
Author C.A. Taylor 

TV is a complex business to say the least, but in the case of a show like Game of Thrones (GOT) the complexities are magnified. From the use of computer generated images to the various locations and huge cast managing this behemoth must be a difficult task. Yet from the forward of Inside Game of Thrones by David Benioff and D.B.Weiss you get the idea that this is as much as passion project as it is an ordeal. They (I say they as they are always credited together in their responses) chat casually to the author about various facets of the show from its inception as a book adaptation to their favourite scenes. This helps set the scene for what feels like an informal tour of the making of the show.  The Author had access to various cast and crew members other than the Double D’s and she has made great use of the quotes helping to give the book this backstage feel.

The contents of the book not only looks at each episode of Seasons 3 and 4 but starts out by looking at some of the themes that tie the whole show together namely the opening credits, theme tune and the locations that help to give the show just a dramatic backdrop. These sections are interspersed with a short interview with Bryan Cogman and Chris Newman, unfortunately both these sections are very brief and I would have loved to learn more about the writing process and the producer’s role but in keeping with the rest of the book a quick look is all we get.

This quick look idea will be either the making or breaking of the book in my opinion. As an armchair guide it helps to give the show some context and a voice to the players involved in the show at large, it is not however a detailed a Westeros that some may yearn for. In covering two seasons in one volume this is to be expected but what you get is still a great look at the show.

The rest of the book is split between the two seasons but in a twist (well it is GOT) you don’t get the usual chronological look at events that you would usually find. Instead we look at themes the first and probably best illustration of this is Part One; Beyond the Wall, The major episodes of series 3 are covered such as the epic episode 6 “The Climb” but summaries of the episodes are broken up with tales from a variety of sources including “Filming the Direwolves” and “A brief history of Dragon Glass”. I love this structure as it feels sections have a natural conversational flow instead of a rigid narrative dictated by the episode list.

There is another facet to this book that I have yet to mention and that is the imagery. The chapters are filled with photos some like the feast scene at the Red Wedding you will know and others are more from a behind the scenes perspective. The images are of high quality and give you a sense of where you are in the story of a Game of Thrones.

Overall this is a great coffee table book; it has delivers information in short sharp bursts and is a lovely companion to the series. However if you are looking for an encyclopaedia of Westeros then you may need to search out another source.