It Is Known: An Analysis of Thrones, Vol. II

The second season of “Game of Thrones” proved to be extremely controversial, both for its depiction of some rather gruesome scenes (that may or may not have been found in the novels) and for its translation process from the highly popular books. Where did the executive producers misstep, and where did they – gasp – improve upon the source material? Just what goes into the thinking behind such drastic changes, anyway? And how will these alterations impact the crucially important third season? Freelance writer Marc N. Kleinhenz is in the perfect position to examine these questions. He’s written for the biggest websites in the “Game of Thrones” community, including Westeros.org and Tower of the Hand, was the driving force behind the “Tower of the Hand: A Flight of Sorrows” anthology, and is in routine collaboration with some of the biggest names in television criticism, including Maureen Ryan from “The Huffington Post” and James Poniewozik from “Time” magazine. Containing a complete collection of Kleinhenz’s columns, two original essays exclusive to this release, and insight from Mo Ryan, James Poniewozik, and several other prominent voices, this ebook is an indispensable companion piece to the TV series – one of the few to examine both the television and literary sides of George R.R. Martin’s vast world, and to do so without any spoilers for future episodes or novels. Complete list of contents: Primers and Introductions – two concise-but-complete breakdowns of "Game of Thrones's" 8,000-year backstory, including a recap of season one It Is Known – all 10 columns analyzing the second season/book, covering the series both as an independent production and as an adaptation Anatomy of a Throne – all four columns (plus one brand-new, exclusive installment), breaking down one specific scene from one specific episode in exacting detail The Roundtable Discussions – five in-depth debates on the second (and third) season, featuring the exquisite expertise of MO RYAN (TV critic for "The Huffington Post"), DAVID BARR KIRTLEY (author and contributor to "Wired"), JAMES PONIEWOZIK (TV critic for "Time"), DOUG COHEN (author and former editor of "Realms of Fantasy"), ELIO GARCIA (co-founder of Westeros.org and co-author, with Martin himself, of "The World of Ice and Fire"), JOHN JASMIN (co-founder of ToweroftheHand.com), PHIL BICKING (founder of WinterIsComing.net), and AMIN JAVADI (co-host of A Podcast of Ice and Fire) Meditations on Being – two comprehensive essays, including one never-before-published, exploring the thematic structure of both “A Song of Ice and Fire” and “Game of Thrones"