South Africa - The phenomena around Game of Thrones has been slow building, stemming back to 1996 when author George R R Martin started his series of fantasy novels A Song of Ice and Fire with his first book, A Game of Thrones.
More than 20 years later the TV show adaptation on the books, Game of Thrones, will debut its seventh season of the acclaimed series.
Set in an ancient fictional world, Game of Thrones centres on the backstabbing, manipulation and political intrigue as many characters vie for the crown that rules the seven kingdoms within the world. The world of Game of Thrones also includes deadly dragons and White Walkers - a supernatural humanoid which are a massive threat to mankind who dwell outside the Westeros.
Illegal pirate downloading site, BitTorrent revealed that 2016 marked Game of Thrones’s fifth straight year as the most illegally-downloaded show. The show has received numerous awards which has made helped it become such an iconic TV show.
Thrones has also dealt with it’s fair share of criticism given the explicit sex scenes and the violence in the show, but the gritty take on the fantasy novels have made it a cultural phenomenon.
The show has two seasons left with Season 7 to debut in the US on Sunday July 16, and set to air a few days later here.
The Cape Argus will be posting online content for Thrones enthusiasts. Check www.capeargus.co.za for more online Game of Thrones content, and follow of #GOTforDummies on social media.
Cape Argus