A Game of Threads.

[GameWizard001]

I'm very excited to start reading the books when this season ends.

I'm actually more than aware of all of the backstory. My girlfriend, best friend, and a few others I hang out with all read the books and are very into it, and they talk about the lore so much. The lore is almost more interesting than the books themselves.

I agree with you half way with that thought of the lore being more interesting. In this particular stories case, there are plenty of characters all on their own who offer plenty of good interesting moments. There are very few dull moments for me in this series. For me, Sansa as a character doesn't become interesting until midway of book 3 going into 4 and a bit of 5 (cause most of that book she has like 1 or 2 chapters I think. Can't recall, only read it once and been meaning to reread them all. Maybe I'll just start at 4 and work my way from there).

But I will give you that the lore, the backstory, the history of the series is just as good as the story being told.

I loved two moments actually from the books, saying spoiler now if you don't wish to know before hand:

Spoiler

First moment was with Ned Stark in the dungeons, the Black Cells they call them for only the most heinous of criminals. This is where Hitler, Bin Laden, Stalin, Ted Bundy, or Charles Manson would be placed if they were from Westeros. During his stay there he was dreaming about his sister Lyanna who died during the war he and Robert fought against King Aerys, The Mad King. It was at a place called the Tower of Joy, Prince Rhaegar's sort of private getaway/summer home. It was there that she was being kept. Kept a prisoner or a guest, it isn't said for certain. One person thought it was prisoner, others a guest. Anyway, it was there he went with I think 6 other guys including his friend Howland Reed. This would be Jojen and Meera Reed's father, the two that are helping Bran travel North.

There Ned and the 6 others fought 3 of the Kingsguard; Arthur Dayne, Oswell Went and Gerold Hightower Lord Commander of the Kingsguard. Of the 7 that fought those 3, only 2 lived. Ned Stark and Howland Reed. Ned didn't go into details about it and other details said it was because of Reed that Ned was even alive at the end of that fight.

The other lore/tale/backstory was told by the Reed children about how their father and Bran's father first met, which I'm sad they haven't yet told that story in the show. The books had them do it before they crossed under the Wall. But there is still time yet before they reach journey's end to tell it. I could go into the details but I don't recall it all except in patches so I suggest reading the books and you'll read it in the 3rd book, A Storm of Swords.