10 Things From Game of Thrones That Only Make Sense to Book Readers

HBO MAX’s Game of Thrones brought George R.R. Martin’s fascinating world to life, but like any adaptation, it had to cut and simplify many aspects of the original A Song of Ice and Fire books. Some of these missing or altered details are minor, but others fundamentally change the way events, characters, and Westerosi culture are understood. Book readers know the rich lore behind these concepts, but show fans might have a difficult time understanding the depth of certain events the showrunners just hinted at without explaining them, making certain moments in the show feel incomplete, contradictory, or lacking impact. Here are ten things from Game of Thrones that only make full sense to book readers.

10. The Reeds and Their Connection to the North

The Reed family, particularly Meera and Jojen, play an essential role in Bran Stark’s storyline, but the show drastically downplays their importance. The Reeds are Crannogmen, a unique group of people, who live in the swamps of the Neck and are fiercely loyal to the Starks. Meera and Jojen’s father, Howland Reed, was one of Ned Stark’s closest friends and the only survivor of the famous battle at the Tower of Joy, where Jon Snow was born.

The show includes Meera and Jojen but fails to establish the deep bond between the Reeds and the Starks or their cultural significance. In the books, Crannogmen are known for their mystical abilities, guerrilla warfare, and rumored connections to the Children of the Forest. Howland Reed is also believed to hold quite a few secrets that could shake up Westeros, but since he never appears in the show, much of that intrigue is lost.

9. The Guest Right Explains Why Red Wedding Was Such an Abomination

The Red Wedding is one of the most shocking betrayals in Game of Thrones, but its horror would have been even greater if the concept of guest right had been clearer. In Westerosi culture, when a host offers bread and salt to a guest, it creates an unbreakable bond of hospitality. Killing someone after they have accepted the guest right is considered one of the worst sins imaginable, angering gods and men.

Book readers know that violating guest rights has dire supernatural consequences. Old Nan tells stories of lords who broke guest rights and were cursed forever. Even the Freys fear this taboo—after the Red Wedding, their lands become plagued with bad luck, including mysterious deaths and omens. The show makes the Red Wedding a strategic betrayal, but in the books, it’s not just treachery but an abomination that may bring divine retribution.

8. The True Significance of Harrenhal

Harrenhal is the largest castle in Westeros, but its importance goes beyond its size. Built by King Harren the Black, it was supposed to be an indestructible fortress—until Aegon the Conqueror and his dragons burned it to the ground. Ever since, it has been considered cursed, with every family that takes possession of it meeting a terrible fate.

The show uses Harrenhal mostly as a backdrop, but in the books, it looms over events like a specter. Many believe the castle is haunted. Its history is filled with betrayal, misery, and eerie occurrences. Arya Stark’s time there as Tywin Lannister’s cupbearer is just one of many unsettling stories tied to the doomed fortress.

7. Coldhands: Who He Is and Why He Is the Way He Is

The show introduces Benjen Stark as a half-undead ranger who helps Bran and Meera escape from the Wights and later saves Jon, but in the books, the character known as Coldhands is far more mysterious. While this enigmatic figure assists Bran beyond the Wall, there are clear distinctions between Coldhands and standard undead wights. He has blackened hands, wears the remnants of Night’s Watch clothing, and cannot pass through the Wall, hinting that some magic binds him. In Game of Thrones, Benjen mentions that briefly, but it’s such a throwaway line that most don’t even remember later when Dany’s dragons surprisingly pass the wall. The captured wight also survives the crossing, making the magic in the show somewhat flexible.

Fans have long speculated that Coldhands is actually a long-dead member of the Night’s Watch—possibly even the legendary Night’s King (who is not the same character as the Night King) himself. The show’s choice to merge Coldhands with Benjen Stark oversimplifies the mystery and removes one of the more intriguing supernatural elements of the books.

6. The Lore and Prophecy of the Prince That Was Promised

In the show, the prophecy of the Prince That Was Promised is mentioned briefly, mainly via Melisandre and her mistaken belief in Stannis Baratheon, and later, when Melisandre goes to see Daenerys, but nothing comes of it. Book readers know this prophecy as one of the central mysteries of the story. It speaks of a legendary hero who will be reborn to save the world from darkness, often linked to the figure of Azor Ahai.

The books provide layers of lore surrounding this prophecy, including the idea that the prophesied figure must wield Lightbringer, a magical sword forged in blood, and they have to sacrifice a loved one to bring the dawn after the Long Night. Different factions have different interpretations, with Rhaegar Targaryen believing it referred to his lineage, while Daenerys sees signs pointing to herself. The show ultimately drops this storyline without resolution, leaving book readers with far more material to speculate about.

5. The Throne’s Policy of Targaryen Exceptionalism

Throughout Westerosi history, rulers have adopted the idea that Targaryens are somehow above the laws of the land, particularly when it comes to marriage, succession, and governance. Unlike other noble families, Targaryens engaged in incestuous marriages to “keep the bloodline pure” to preserve the Dragonlord gene and often bent or ignored Westerosi traditions to maintain power.

The show acknowledges this to some degree but doesn’t fully explore how deeply ingrained it was in their rule. Book readers know that the Targaryens maintained their grip on the Iron Throne partly because of this perceived exceptionalism, which allowed them to justify actions that would have destroyed any other dynasty.

4. Grey Worm’s Fatal Fate Because of the Butterflies on Naath

At the end of Game of Thrones, Grey Worm sails to Naath, Missandei’s homeland, seemingly to live in peace and to protect her people. However, book readers know that this is a death sentence. Naath is infamous for its deadly butterflies, which carry a disease lethal to all non-native people. Foreigners who stay there for too long inevitably succumb to illness.

The Game of Thrones TV show presents Grey Worm’s journey as a bittersweet ending, but in the books, it would be seen as a tragic irony. Without Missandei to guide him, Grey Worm likely wouldn’t know about the island’s hidden danger, making his hopeful departure a rather doomed one.

3. The Taboo of Kinslaying in Westeros

Murder is common in Westeros, but killing a family member is considered one of the greatest taboos. The gods supposedly punish kinslayers in mysterious ways, and society views them with particular disdain. This makes characters like Ramsay Bolton and Euron Greyjoy even more monstrous, as they openly embrace the act but suffer no real consequences in the TV show. Ramsay dies at the hands of the Starks. Euron’s coronation on the Iron Islands would have been perceived as a major crime since he murdered his brother, but the Iron Islanders seemed to be completely fine with that.

The show downplays this belief, but in the books, it’s a critical part of Westerosi culture. Even Tywin Lannister, ruthless as he is, would not want to become a kinslayer. In A Storm of Swords, Jaime and Tyrion have a conversation about Tywin’s potential actions after Tyrion has been arrested for suspicion of murdering Joffrey. Jaime says, “Father is not a forgiving man,” and Tyrion replies with:

While Tywin would love to get rid of Tyrion, he does not want to be known as a kinslayer.

2. Bastards Should Have No Claims to a Throne

The show bends the rules quite a bit regarding bastards and inheritance, especially in Jon Snow’s case. In the books, being a bastard—especially an unacknowledged one—completely disqualifies a person from inheriting any land or titles. Even legitimization by royal decree does not necessarily make them a viable heir. The Northerners would never have declared Jon King in the North, no matter how much they liked him. In the books, Jon is still dead after his brothers of the Night’s Watch stabbed him, but it seems highly unlikely that Jon will eventually be named King in the North.

1. Targaryens Are Not Naturally Immune to Fire

One of the show’s most famous moments is Daenerys surviving Khal Drogo’s funeral pyre, reinforcing the idea that Targaryens are immune to fire. However, book readers know this isn’t true. Daenerys’s survival was a unique, magical event, not an inherent trait of her bloodline. In the book, it says: “The fire was hers, she had paid for it with her pain, her flesh, and her faith. It had taken her fear, taken her doubts, taken all that was Daenerys Stormborn and left only the unburnt.” As George R. R. Martin stated in 1999:

In the books, several Targaryens—including Viserys— die from fire, proving they are not naturally flame-resistant. The show’s depiction of Daenerys as completely immune simplifies a much more nuanced magical phenomenon that applied to one particular event. In A Clash of Kings, when Dany tries to grab a hot brazier, she actually does burn her hands, opposite of what they showed in the show. Each of these details adds layers of meaning to the story that casual viewers might miss or misunderstand. While Game of Thrones delivers many unforgettable moments, book readers know that Martin’s world is richer with lore and history that may unfold in The Winds of Winter.