It's no easy task diving into George R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire book saga upon which HBO's Game of Thrones is based. After five books and thousands upon thousands of pages, it can be a little intimidating get started.
One must presume it is for that exact reason publisher Harper Collins has released a new Game of Thrones book app aimed at attracting lovers of the award-winning show to the original source material. Called A Game Of Thrones: Get into the Books, the app boasts a number of features that allow users to dive deep into the world of the books and show.
For example, users can search themes or specific events to bring up relevant passages from the books, without having to slog through thousands of pages. If one really wanted to, it seems like you could skip all the five-page long food descriptions and jump straight to all of the book's most heartwrenching, shocking moments. It's not exactly clear how much of Martin's book is available via the app, though Martin himself has always published multiple chapters of his novels on his website for fans to enjoy.
The app also comes with built in spoiler protection. Simply select which books from the series you've read and how many seasons of the show you've watched and the app will automatically filter out spoiler filled content from your searches.
But does letting users read major moments from the books really encourage them to rush out to the nearest book store and pick up a copy? If they've already watched the show, curious fans may still be interested in checking out how an event like the Red Wedding went down in the books. Now with the click of a button they can read the source material, without having to buy a copy. That is likely the opposite effect that Harper Collins wants, but that is certainly what the app will be used for.
The app still looks to be useful for even those who are 100 percent up to speed on the books and show as a one-stop resource as well. It features in-depth maps and information of the various lands and characters that populate the world of Westeros. If a long-time fan wants to look up a passage from the books quickly, this app gives them the power to do so, without having to go find their paperback copy of A Storm of Swords.
Game of Thrones fans (or the Game of Thrones curious) can download the app now on the Apple App Store.
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