Differences between books and TV series - Season 2

The following is a list of differences between Season 2 of the television show Game of Thrones and the second novel of the A Song of Ice and Fire series, A Clash of Kings.

The North Remembers

 * The book starts with Cressen's chapter on Dragonstone, which is also different than Cressen's storyline in the show. In the book, Cressen receives a message from the Citadel first, then Shireen Baratheon visits him. After that, he meets Ser Davos, then he visits Stannis and tries to convince him to not accept the Lord of Light. Cressen then appears at the feast where he is humiliated by Stannis' wife Selyse Florent. Then he tries to poison Melisandre and dies in the process.
 * In the book, Stannis doesn't receive the letter from Eddard saying that he is heir, because Tomard was killed before he could deliver it. The letter is intercepted by Cersei and used as evidence of Eddard's "treason". Stannis knows about Robert's children not being true born heirs long before Eddard, as he had first taken these suspicions to Jon Arryn, and they had been investigating it together.
 * Melisandre is not cruel to Cressen, it is Stannis' wife Selyse doing the mocking. She also realises Cressen's plan and tells him he doesn't have to do it.
 * The poison Cressen uses is not hidden in his Maester's chain, in the novels, but is hidden in a pouch in his sleeve.
 * Maester Cressen dies several days before Stannis allows Melisandre to burn the statues of the Seven, which does not happen on the beach.
 * The show starts with Joffrey's tournament, which is the third chapter in the book (the Prologue's storyline is altered in the series, the second chapter was moved to the first season).
 * Sansa is at the tournament when the scene opens in the show. In the book she is escorted there by Ser Arys Oakheart who shares court gossip.
 * Sandor Clegane does not fight in Joffrey's name day tourney, he is dismissive about the poor quality of the competition.
 * The tournament in the book is a joust competition with horses and lances and takes place in a small tourney ground set up inside the keep walls as the city and surrounding land is too dangerous. While in the series, they compete in a fight with blunt weapons on the walls of the Red Keep.
 * In the book Ser Dontos arrives late, chasing his horse (which he is too drunk to mount), and only wearing the top half of his armor as he is nude from the waist down. Joffrey orders a barrel of wine for him to be drowned in (as opposed to having it poured down his throat as happens in the show), but Sansa dissuades him the same way she did in the show.
 * In the novels, Daenerys follows the Red Comet, where in the series she is heading in the opposite direction.
 * Daenerys' silver horse doesn't die in the Red Waste. So far, the mare is still alive and well.
 * In the series, Craster's Keep is shown to have a wall of sharpened stakes surrounding it, where in the novels it is described as having only a small earthen dike around it.
 * Tyrion does not bring Shae to the Tower of the Hand, he hides her in a manse outside the Red Keep in the city. To visit her Tyrion goes to Chataya's brothel, takes Alayaya to a room, goes through a secret door into a tunnel, that goes to a stable where he puts on a disguise, and then he rides to Shae's manse.
 * Neither Robb Stark nor Jaime Lannister is a POV character in the book A Clash of Kings (Robb is never a POV character in any of the books). So the scene where Robb Stark and Grey Wind confront Jaime Lannister in his cell and talk about bannermen, incest, and Bran's accident never takes place in the book.
 * Robb sends Cleos Frey with his terms to King's Landing. Cleos Frey is Tywin Lannister's nephew and Jaime's first cousin, son of Genna Lannister and Emmon Frey. There is no Alton Lannister in the novels.
 * The scene where Cersei tells Petyr that "power is power" does not happen in the novels.
 * The scene where Cersei slaps Joffrey in the Throne Room does not happen in the novels.
 * It is Cersei who sends the Gold Cloaks out to kill all of Robert's bastards, not Joffrey.
 * In the series the Gold cloaks under the command of Janos Slynt go to the brothel to kill the baby Barra, and when his man will not carry this out, Slynt takes the baby from her mother Mhaegan and does it himself. In the books Barra's mother who is unnamed fights them and is killed along with the baby, the murders being carried out by Allar Deem, one of Gold cloaks.
 * The scene of Tobho Mott being interrogated does not occur in the books. It is not explained how the Gold Cloaks knew that Gendry is in Yoren's caravan.

The Night Lands

 * Littlefinger never has a conversation with any whore about the slaying of Robert's newborn bastard. Ros is not even a named character in the books.
 * Yara is named Asha in the novels. Her name was changed to avoid being confused with the wildling Osha.
 * Later, Yara pretending to be "Esgred" does guide Theon through Pyke, but she is not in Pyke when Theon arrives. It is Theon's Uncle Aeron Damphair, priest of the drowned God, that greets him at the harbor, baptises him almost immediately, and provides context as to what has transpired since Theon became a ward of the Starks, while he takes him to the castle.
 * The Gold Cloaks that attempt to arrest Gendry are met at an Inn in the novels.
 * Arya does not reveal her identity to Gendry until much later in the novels.
 * The meeting where Varys reveals he knows Shae's identity takes place in an inn in the city outside the Red Keep's walls, shortly after she enters the city and before Tyrion finds a manse for her.
 * The warning Jeor Mormont send to King's Landing is not only a letter, but also a Wight's severed hand in a jar still twitching delivered by Ser Alliser Thorne much later in the book.
 * Bronn is not made Commander of the City Watch. That role is filled by Ser Jacelyn Bywater, he is the one to arrest Janos Slynt at Tyrion's dinner. Slynt having been named to the small council and made Lord of Harrenhal, gives a list of six men as possible replacement for him to head the Gold cloaks. This list is given to Ser Jacelyn to be rounded up to go with Slynt by ship to the Wall, with special reference to Allar Deem (killer of baby Barra) for the captain to be told that it would not be an amiss if a wave washed him overboard.
 * Salladhor Saan was recruited long before in the books.
 * In the show, Matthos is shown being King Stannis' scribe, in the book it is his younger sibling Devan who is Stannis' squire, who is taking reading lessons, and is encouraging his father to convert to the religion of the Lord of Light. In the book Matthos is Davos' first mate.
 * The scene where Stannis and Melisandre make love is not shown in the novels.
 * It is never said in the books that Selyse is sickly, weak and shut away in a tower, nor that she ever gave birth to stillborns.
 * It is Doreah, not Rakharro, whose dies in the Red Waste in the novels. She dies of a wasting sickness, while Rakharro is still alive in the books.
 * It is Jon Snow, not Sam Tarly, who rescues Gilly from Ghost. Ghost doesn't corner Gilly because she is carrying dead rabbits in the book. Gilly set up a rabbit hutch and Ghost breaks into it killing the rabbits. Gilly yelling at him results in her being cornered, and Jon has to come shoo Ghost away.
 * The scene where Edd, Grenn, and Sam talk about women doesn't happen. Sam is not shown talking to Gilly, but he has given her his black cloak so she can go to talk to Jon without anyone knowing that she is one of Craster's wives.
 * The scene where Craster sacrifices his son to the Others is never shown in the novels. It is instead explained to Jon Snow by Gilly.

What is Dead May Never Die

 * While Bran does confer with Maester Luwin about the interpretation of his dreams, in the book most of these exchanges happen between Bran and Jojen Reed, a young man from the marsh who also dreams "in green." (This is meant to delineate between real dreams and those that are premonitions)
 * Craster never expels the Night's Watch from his keep in the novels, they leave of their own accord.
 * The scene where Sam gives Gilly a thimble never happens in the books.
 * The scenes with Renly, Loras and Margaery never happen in the books. In fact, the relationship between Loras and Renly is never shown in any of the novels, though it is sometimes implied.
 * Balon Greyjoy's war council is also attended by his brother Victarion, who has yet to appear in the series.
 * The scene where Theon is baptized happens in the novels the moment he sets foot on Pyke.
 * The books do not reveal if Theon ever considered to warn Robb of the imminent invasion of the Ironborn.
 * Shae does not become Sansa's handmaiden in the novels, instead serving Lolys Stokeworth, though much later in the book. She is not moved to the Red Keep as handmaiden until after the city riots and fires make it too dangerous.
 * The scene where Tyrion tests Pycelle, Varys and Petyr happens slightly differently in the books. He tells Varys that he plans to offer the Martells gold, land, a seat on the small council, and to foster Prince Tommen in Sunspear.
 * The battle between Yoren and his recruits and Amory Lorch is different. Yoren and his charges are holed up in a small stone keep and refuse to open the gates. Lorch attacks them without any reason or provocation. A protracted battle takes place, with the same result. Arya is captured by Ser Armory Lorch and his host of Lannister men after Yoren is killed, however, in the books, Arya, Gendry, Hot Pie, and a few others escape the assault. Only later when Gendry is caught and Arya and Hot Pie fail in a rescue attempt are they captured at a small seaside village by Ser Gregor Clegane and then taken to Harrenhal. Arya's true sex is revealed on the march to Harrenhal (as there is no privacy for rest room breaks) and not by Tywin Lannister (who she never meets).

Garden of Bones

 * In this episode, Robb meets Lady Talisa, which starts a budding romance. In the 2nd book, this character does not exist. Rather, this character is intended to be Jeyne Westerling, daughter of Lord Gawen Westerling from the Crag. After Robb marches west to defeat the Lannisters at the Crag, he disappears from the book only being referred to in messages from ravens until he returns to Riverrun already married to Lady Jeyne. She is not a battlefield healer, but she does nurse Robb back to health after he takes an arrow to the arm storming the Westerling castle.
 * Notably the biggest difference between the book and show is Arya's role during her stay at Harrenhal. In the show, Tywin reveals her gender and believes her intelligent, and even brings her into his tower to serve him as his cupbearer. There transpires many scenes between her and Tywin. However, none of this occurred in the book. Arya serves in various roles while at Harrenhal, working for varying people, but never for Tywin. Going by the name "Weasel" she works for the steward at Harrenhal and much later she is cupbearer to Roose Bolton.
 * It is actually Varys who suggests the whores for Joffrey in the book, not Bronn. In addition, the scene where Joffrey brutalizes Ros and the other whore never unfolds. It is unclear if this suggestion is ever acted on.
 * The Battle of Oxcross is never shown in the book, only mentioned.
 * Boros Blount also tortures Sansa alongside Meryn Trant. Tyrion is also accompanied by Chella in the Throne Room. In addition, Sansa's beating is toned down in the TV series. In the novel, she is also stripped naked, which was removed from the series as the character was below the required age set by UK decency laws.
 * Kovarro does not appear in the books. Jhogo is the third Bloodrider, but he does not appear in the series.
 * In the novels, Danaerys takes up residence in an abandoned walled city for a time. There they eat fruit and drink water and regain much of their strength. They are not desperate to leave this city for Qarth, though Daenerys' followers do believe the abandoned city to be haunted.
 * In the novels, Danaerys is brought to Qarth by Xaro Xhoan Daxos, Pyat Pree and Quaithe. The three meet Daenerys in the red waste, being brought to her by Jhogo, one of her three bloodriders. They have come to see the dragons and invite her to Qarth. Once there, they are immediately let into the city, without the events at the gates from the series. The city residents warmly welcome Daenerys and her followers, with Drogon clearly visible, and no one asked about the dragons.
 * Petyr is not sent to Renly's camp in the books. He does treat with the Tyrells, but only after Renly's death and long after Catelyn departed.
 * Catelyn and Littlefinger never saw each other again after their meeting at King's Landing, where he lied to her about the dagger. In any case, Catelyn had no way to know about his part in Eddard's downfall.
 * Catelyn does not receive Eddard's bones at Renly's camp, only when she returns to Riverrun later in the novel.
 * ​Arya adds Polliver's name to her prayers because he took Needle from her, not because he hit a prisoner who begged for food.
 * ​Qarth has three walls in the novels, thirty, forty and fifty feet high respectively, each intricately carved with scenes of animals, warfare, and lovemaking.
 * In the book, the sentence "a naked man has few secrets, but a flayed man's got none" is not said by Roose Bolton but by "Reek" (Ramsay Snow).
 * In the series the shadow Melisandre is seen to birth by Davos happens outside Renly's camp and precedes his death. In the book there are two shadow assassinations. The birth Davos witnesses is the second one when it is sent to kill Ser Cortnay Pentrose in the castle of Storm's End. He has to row Melisandre into a cavern under the castle as there are protective spells built into the castle walls.

The Ghost of Harrenhal

 * The shadow, in the books, slits Renly's throat, cutting through his steel gorget "like cheesecloth". In the series, he is stabbed in the back while he is not wearing any armor.
 * Brienne does not kill any of Renly's Kingsguard in the books. She cuts off the arm of unnamed soldier and perhaps kills another who entered the tent with Robar Royce and Emmon Cuy.
 * One major difference from the novels is that Loras did not believe that​ Stannis killed Renly, he believed that Brienne killed him.
 * Stannis and Davos do not discuss what transpired in the cave in the books. In fact, Stannis had no idea that Melisandre created the Shadow.
 * Davos did not lead Stannis' fleet into battle. It was led by Ser Imry Florent, Stannis' brother-in-law.
 * The Iron Islanders sail longships, not galleys.
 * Theon is given command of eight longships in the book. In addition, his uncle Aeron Damphair is sent to watch over him.
 * In the novels, Dagmer Cleftjaw is a famed reaver and captain, not Theon's first mate. His appearance is also drastically different. The cleft-jaw from where he gets his name was caused by his being hit in the head with an axe. He recovered but his mouth and jaw were split, making his smile terrifying.
 * The Tickler is not the first name Arya speaks to Jaqen in the series. It is one of Gregor Clegane's soldiers, Chiswyck, who relates a terrible story of an innkeeper's daughter raped by Ser Gregor and his men.
 * The Fist of the First Men is much different than in the books, being a cliffside rather than a hill surrounded by the Haunted Forest.
 * Jon Snow only leaves with Qhorin and his group much later in the book.
 * The ranging force of the Night's Watch does not consist of 400 men as Qhorin mentioned, but 300 men, 200 from Castle Black and 100 from the Shadow Tower.
 * Qhorin suggests to send search parties not in order to kill Mance Rayder but to find out what is the power the Wildlings were looking for at the Frostfangs.
 * Daenaerys' dragons only breathe fire at the end of the book. She has to cook their food for them.
 * In the books Daenerys in Qarth dresses in the manner of a well dressed woman of Qarth, which consists of dresses that leave one breast bared. Ser Jorah cannot help staring at her chest, but Xaro despite his constant declarations of love and marriage proposals, seems more interested in his many good-looking male slaves.
 * Pyat Pree never uses the tricks from the series in the books.
 * Daenerys doesn't learns about Ser Jorah's feelings in the second book.
 * Quaithe does not warn Ser Jorah in the book.
 * Qhorin asks for Jon to come with him to scout the Skirling Pass.
 * Daenerys is informed of Robert's death by a sailor Jorah met on the docks. In the series she is told by Xaro.

The Old Gods and the New

 * The scene where Luwin sends a raven to warn of the attack is not shown in the book. Luwin is not a POV character, but he does tell Bran that he was able to send off one raven.
 * In the series, Dagmer is Theon's first mate and second in command at Winterfell. In the books, Dagmer is the master-of-arms at Pyke that Theon grew up calling uncle. Dagmer never comes to Winterfell. Theon sends him from the Stony Shore to Torrhen's Square with the diversionary force that draws Ser Rodrik away. He does not return to Winterfell but stays Torrhen's Square.
 * In the series, when the people of Winterfell are brought together for Bran to officially surrender, Farlen, the kennel master, is shown insulting Theon. He is beaten with a club and ordered to stop. In the books, it is Mikken the blacksmith who begins yelling insults, and he is killed for his defiance.
 * In the series, Rodrik Cassel is captured coming back from Torrhen's Square. He spits on Theon, and Dagmer tells Theon that he must be executed, or Theon's men will lose respect for him. In the books, the one who spits on Theon is Benfred Tallhart, a former friend of Theon's who was ambushed, by Theon and his men, at the Stoney Shore. It is Theon's uncle Aeron Damphair who tells Theon to order him executed, and he is ritually drowned.
 * Rodrik Cassel is not killed when Winterfell is taken, and he is not killed by Theon. A messy execution carried out by Theon does happen, but with the kennel master Farlen, much later. Farlen is killed because Theon needs to blame someone for the deaths of three Ironborn who where with him when the two miller's sons were killed, so that they can't tell anyone that the heads on the spikes are not Bran and Rickon. The true killer is Reek (actually, Ramsay Snow in disguise), a man found prisoner at Winterfell when Theon captured it.
 * Ser Rodrik Cassel is killed by Ramsay Snow while he is besieging Winterfell.
 * Theon does accept Osha as a fighter in the book, demanding only that she swears loyalty to him, and she does. He never sleeps with her.
 * Roose Bolton is not the one to deliver the news of Theon's betrayal to Robb. In fact, Roose Bolton does not meet up with Robb in the second book. He commands the northern footsoldiers of the eastern shores of the Trident.
 * Roose does not suggest to send his bastard son to retake Winterfell. At that point, Ramsay is held prisoner at Winterfell, disguised as Reek, and has no way to contact his father.
 * Petyr never meets with Tywin at Harrenhal. In fact he never sets foot in Harrenhal, being aware to its curse.
 * Amory Lorch is not Arya's second name spoken to Jaqen. It is Weese, an understeward who frequently beats her.
 * Amory Lorch is not killed by Jaqen: after Roose Bolton takes over Harrenhal, he and Vargo Hoat have Lorch thrown in to the bear pit, where he is torn apart.
 * There is no mentioning in the books that Jaime has a reading disorder.
 * Myrcella doesn't cry when she is sent to Dorne. In fact, she comforts Tommen, who is crying.
 * In the series, Sandor saves Sansa from being raped and carries her to safety. Tyrion thanks him as he walks away. In the books, the royal procession that is attacked by the mob were all on horseback. Sansa is not nearly raped. A man tries to pull her off of her horse, but Sandor cuts his arm off. Sandor brings her to safety riding double on Sansa's horse. No-one thanks him. Sandor in the books, then goes back out into the mob to find others who are missing, but also to locate his own horse.
 * In the series it is Sansa who is nearly raped. In the books, Lollys Stokeswoth is raped by dozens of men behind a tavern, and becomes pregnant. Shae later becomes her maid.
 * Jon Snow kills the wildling sentries much later in the book. In addition, it is only Jon and Stonesnake who kill them. Qhorin and the others arrive later.
 * One of the Wildling sentries that Jon kills is Orell. Howver, some of Orell's spirit remains in his eagle.
 * Qhorn does not tell Jon to kill Ygritte, but leaves it to Jon to decide her fate "you must do what needs be done".
 * Jon simply lets Ygritte go and continues on with Qhorin and his sworn brothers.
 * In the series, Irri is killed when Daenerys' dragons are stolen. In the book, Daenerys' dragons are not stolen and Irri does not die in Qarth; she remains in Daenerys' service.

A Man Without Honor

 * Theon was sleeping with a tavern wench named Kyra, not with Osha, when he wakes and realizes that he can't hear the wolves howling in the godswood. The wolves were confined there when Shaggydog got violent. He tells a guard to check and is then told the Stark boys have escaped.
 * In the books, Farlan the kennel master of Winterfell leads the hounds tracking Bran and Rickon after his daughter is threatened to get his cooperation. In the series, Theon has brought his own master of hounds.
 * In the books, when Bran and Rickon escape with Hodor and Osha, the two Reed siblings are with them. They don't go to a farm, they only go to the woods leaving an obvious trail, then backtrack, sending the wolves on to make a trail for the dogs. Theon and his men don't go to the farm either. Reek (actually, Ramsay Snow in disguise), a prisoner at Winterfell that Theon freed, leads Theon to a mill to find two unnamed kids that take the place of Bran and Rickon.
 * In the series, the entire burned bodies of the children are hanged on either side of the main gate. In the books, the bodies are brought in dressed in the clothes of Bran and Rickon, but the heads have already been removed and tarred, with the faces peeled off. The bodies are thrown on a fire and only the heads are put onto spikes on the castle walls.
 * Shae does not help Sansa dispose of her bloody sheets, nor does she threaten a maid, nor does the Hound appear in this scene in the book. Shae is not her maid, and Sansa tries to burn her sheets and mattress by herself, filling the room with smoke, which attracts attention and what happened was reported to Cersei.
 * Jaime's brief escape does not happen in Robb's camp. In the book, Jaime is held at Riverrun in a tower room. Tyrion sends four Mummers disguised as Lannister guards to escort Cleos Frey (who is replaced in the series by Alton Lannister) with peace terms. Their true purpose is to free Jaime. One is an impressionist who pretends to be Edmure Tully and gets them to open the gate; unfortunately for them, the real Edmure Tully chooses that moment to be returning from a brothel in town and the escape attempt fails. Jaime is recaptured and kept in the dungeons afterwards.
 * Jaime was a squire for Lord Sumner Crakehall, not for Barristan Selmy; he never had any squire named Brian; when he took part in the campaign against the Kingswood Brotherhood, he was fifteen years old, not sixteen; and he never competed against Balon Swann.
 * Jaime does not kill Cleos Frey (who is replaced in the series by Alton Lannister). In fact, Jaime has never killed any of his kin. Cleos is killed much later by outlaw archers, when travelling with Jaime and Brienne to King's Landing.
 * In the book Tywin Lannister is not at Harrenhal, so he does not talk to Arya about legacy, and he has no idea that she can read. Arya works as cupbearer to Roose Bolton instead.
 * The conversation between Tywin and Arya does not occur in the books. Tywin's comment to Arya that she should say "m'lord" rather than "my lord" if she wishes to pose as a commoner, is based on a similar comment of Roose Bolton to "Reek" in the novel A Dance with Dragons.
 * In the book Catelyn doesn't meet Jaime this early in the story. She meets one time with Jaime in the dungeons of Riverrun. In the show they take the dialog of this one scene and make two scenes, with Catelyn meeting alone with Jaime the first time and with Brienne the second time much later.
 * In the book Catelyn and Jaime make an agreement to only speak the truth, she tells him about the war and what is happening to the Lannisters. Jaime, who is also getting increasingly drunk on the wine Catelyn had sent to him, confesses many things: that he is Cersei's lover; that he is the father of Cersei's kids; that he attempted to murder Bran by pushing him from the window. Jaime denied that he or Cersei or Tyrion had anything to do with the catspaw assassin. Catelyn believed him, since he had no reason to lie in that matter after admitting he pushed Bran. To Catelyn's question about the dagger, Jaime said that Littlefinger had lost it to Robert, not to Tyrion. Only then Catelyn realized that Littlefinger had lied to her about the dagger, and that Tyrion was innocent. Jaime also told Catelyn how the Mad King had executed Ned's brother and father, before adding his own personal anger at Ned; Jaime rages that Ned should have thanked him for avenging his family.
 * Lord Rickard Karstark does seek revenge on Jaime Lannister, but it is for the killing of his two sons killed at the Battle of the Whispering Wood, not one killed in a failed escape attempt. In the book Torrhen Karstark was never Jaime Lannister's guard as he was already dead in battle by Jaime's hand. The sentence "Any man who steps between a father and his vengeance asks for death!" was said by Rickard much later, in different context.
 * Jon Snow let Ygritte go and returned to the rangers, so their scenes walking around and them talking about freedom and sex didn't happen.
 * Before encountering the Wildlings, Qhorin gives Jon instructions to join them, and do whatever they demand of him.
 * Jon Snow and Qhorin are cornered, but never captured by the Wildlings.
 * Pyat Pree never kills the Thirteen in the novels, nor is he allied with Xaro Xhoan Daxos, nor does he kidnap Daenerys' dragons to lure her into the House of the Undying. She goes there of her own accord.

The Prince of Winterfell

 * The cache of dragonglass weapons is discovered by Jon Snow and Ghost much earlier in the novel, the first night they spend at the Fist, not by Grenn. It contains blades, dozen knives, leaf-shaped spearheads, at least 200 or 300 arrowheads and old broken warhorn. Jon makes daggers for himself, Grenn and Mormont. He gives Sam the old warhorn, a spearhead and a dozen arrowheads, and passes the rest out among his other friends for luck.
 * Asha (Yara in the series) does bring reinforcements for Theon, but only 10 soldiers. Also, Dagmer Cleftjaw is not at Winterfell, he is besieging Torrhen's Square.
 * Luwin is aware that the Stark boys are alive, but is not aware that Osha is hiding with them in the crypts.
 * In the books, the prostitute that Cersei captures is Alayaya, not Ros (who is not a character in the books). In addition, Tommen had been moved to Castle Rosby north of King's Landing long before Stannis arrives, but is captured by Tyrion's sellswords. Tyrion threatens to harm him if Cersei harms Alayaya, "the beatings and the rapes included." To make the threat worse, he says that he'll do that himself. The scene ends with Tyrion having the upper hand.
 * Arya never asks Jaqen's help to escape, nor to kill Tywin Lannister. Instead, she uses his name to help her free a group of Northmen being held by Ser Amory Lorch.
 * Robb's scene with Talisa talking about his engagement and his father never happens with her nor with anyone else.
 * Robb does not send any force to free Winterfell. He does not make any offer of surrender to the Ironborn who occupy Winterfell.
 * Davos is not made Hand of the King in A Clash of Kings, but much later.
 * Robb does not arrest his mother Catelyn in the book. Desmond Grell, the castellan and master at arms of Riverrun did confine her in her father's bed chamber for forms sake (only after she gave her consent to), after she helped Jaime escape, but when Robb returned, he forgave her, stating that she made that mistake out of love. Robb had himself acted rashly, in breaking his marriage pact with the Freys by marrying Jeyne Westerling (who is replaced by Talisa in the series).
 * Brienne isn't seen escorting Jaime to King's Landing until the third book.
 * Jaime never tells anyone that there are three men in the kingdoms who might have a chance against him in battle.
 * Tyrion and Bronn don't argue in the book about Bronn not wanting to wear a gold cloak. Bronn is not Commander of the City Watch, that is Ser Jaclyn Bywater. Bronn is in command of Tyrion's private army of hired sellswords. He has not rounded up or gotten rid of all known thieves.

Blackwater

 * In the book, Tyrion collects all of the armorers in King's Landing and orders them all to forge one chain link each. He collects them and has them linked together under the surface of Blackwater Bay. Once the majority of Stannis' fleet has passed the hidden chain, it is raised, creating a wall for the warships, preventing them from escaping once the wildfire has been released.
 * Varys and Tyrion never discuss the tunnel systems in the book, and Varys has long since told him how he was made a eunuch.
 * Cersei never obtains essence of nightshade from Pycelle, or anyone.
 * The room where Cersei and the highborn ladies gather for the battle is different. In the book it is akin to a small banquet hall. They are also guarded by several sellswords in Lannister armor, not just Ilyn Payne.
 * It is Osney Kettleback, not Lancel, who delivers the first message to Cersei.
 * Shae does not speak to Cersei or Sansa during the battle.
 * The Hound holds a knife to Sansa's throat, after throwing her on the bed, when in her room and has her sing him a song, then leaves.
 * It is Ser Loras older brother, Ser Garlan Tyrell, who wears Renly's armor in the battle.
 * For a full list of the differences between the battle in the series and that of the book, see the "In the Books" section of Battle of the Blackwater.

Valar Morghulis

 * Tyrion has half of his nose and a part of his upper lip cut off by Mandon Moore, not just a gash across his face.
 * It is Maester Balabar, not Pycelle, who first visits Tyrion.
 * Shae does not visit Tyrion while he recuperates in the book.
 * Stannis is not seen in A Clash of Kings after his defeat.
 * Stannis never attacks Melisandre physically, though he threatened to kill her if she ever lied to him. He never admits in the books that he had anything to do with Renly's murder.
 * Talisa is not a character in the books, Robb instead marries Jeyne Westerling and news of the wedding does not reach the reader until the subsequent book A Storm of Swords. He doesn't talk to Catelyn about breaking his marriage contract.
 * The Northern army besieging Winterfell is commanded by Rodrik Cassel in A Clash of Kings.
 * Theon did not immediately dismiss the suggestion of joining the Night's Watch. In the book, he is seriously considering being stationed at East-Watch-by-the-sea with a ship of his own to captain. He had almost talked himself into doing it when events outside changed the situation.
 * Dagmer was not in Winterfell in A Clash of Kings, and did not betray Theon. He went to Torrhen's Square as a diversion, and so far he is still there. Theon is not knocked out by his own men and given to the northern army, but by Ramsay Snow.
 * Wex is Theon's squire and is twelve years old. In the show no such character appears, and the name is only announced in the speech as one of the Ironborn (which one is never pointed out).
 * The House of the Undying is a flat, one-story building in the book rather than a tall tower.
 * In the books, Daenerys comes to consult with the warlocks. She is brought by Pyat Pree, given Shade of the evening to drink, and is told that she must enter alone, while Ser Jorah and her bloodriders wait outside. In the show she is magically brought into the tower, separating her from Jorah and Kovarro.
 * The visions Daenerys receives in the series are different from the novel. She does not meet the Undying Ones and receives no prophecies about her future in the show.
 * In the book, the dragons had not been captured but Daenerys had brought Drogon into the House of the Undying with her, and he does save Daenerys from the warlocks by burning the Undying Ones when they try to trap her.
 * In the series, Pyat Pree tries to imprison Daenerys, and her three dragons free her by setting him on fire. In the books, Drogon is the only dragon present and while he does kill the undead warlocks and set fire to the House of the Undying, he does not kill Pyat Pree. Pree is outside when Daenerys emerges and, in a rage at the destruction she has caused, he vows revenge on her.
 * Xaro Xhoan Daxos and Doreah are not locked in a vault by Daenerys in the books. Xaro does not betray Daenerys and no vault is mentioned. Doreah has long been dead, having died of a wasting sickness in the Red Waste. Xaro appears in the next books, though his role is very minor.
 * Daenerys does not plan to buy a ship with Xaro's looted goods in the books. Daenerys and her people do not loot Xaro's house and three ships have been sent to her by Magister Illyrio to return her to Pentos.
 * Bronn visits Tyrion's sickbed, not Varys.
 * Sam was inside the camp and not with Grenn and Edd when the White Walkers and the Wights arrived. The Wights attacked in the dead of night, not during the day.
 * In the book, Jon Snow is immediately forced to fight Qhorin when they are caught by the wildlings at the mouth of a cave; they are not led away first, but Qhorin does strike the first blow. Qhorin's last word is simply "...sharp", not "we are the watchers on the wall".
 * In the book Qhorin's leg was torn apart by Ghost, allowing Jon to kill him.
 * Ros and Varys' scene in the brothel does not occur in the books; Varys is not a point of view character and Ros was made up for the show, a compilation of various prostitutes.
 * Jaqen H'ghar leaves Harrenhal shortly after he helps Arya free the captive Northmen in Harrenhal, before she and her friends escaped. She never sees him again afterwards.
 * Maester Luwin wasn't stabbed by Dagmer in the books, though he did sustain a grievous wound by Ramsay Snow's men during the Sack of Winterfell. He is overjoyed to see Bran and Rickon, as he never visited them in the crypts. He knew that Bran was alive because he noticed the leg muscles of the corpse dressed in Bran's clothes.
 * Luwin doesn't tell the, to go to the Wall to Jon. In the books Luwin is not sure which route is safe, but does advise them to split up and take different roads.
 * Gendry and Hot Pie weren't with Arya when she said goodbye to Jaqen. In the book Arya says goodbye to Jaqen at Harrenhal, long before the escape. Arya arranges the escape herself.
 * Jaqen doesn't kill the guard at the gate. Arya distracts him and slits his throat. Arya, Hot Pie, and Gendry leave on horseback.
 * Margaery wasn't in King's Landing during the second book, but arrives there in the third novel, A Storm of Swords​.
 * Tywin Lannister's horse doesn't defecate outside the throne room. It defecates right at the foot of the Iron Throne.
 * Loras Tyrell doesn't ask the reward of Joffrey marrying Margaery. Ser Garlan Tyrell, Loras' older brother, does that in the book. Loras Tyrell asks to join Joffrey's Kingsguard, and his wish is granted.
 * It is not Littlefinger but Dontos Hollard who explains sansa that Joffrey's betrothal to Margaery Tyrell would not stop him from having his way with her, and promises to take her home.
 * Brienne and Jaime did not meet three Stark soldiers, although they did find women hanged by Stark loyalists, but when Brienne climbs the tree to cut the bodies down, she spots a soldier filled boat that has been sent after them from Riverrun, and they must flee leaving the women unburied. Their escape down the river is much more exciting and dangerous in the book. They travel with Cleos Frey, a cousin of Jaime, whose role was loosely filled by Alton Lannister in the show.