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  1.  

    OH, YOU HATE THESE CHARACTERS AND WANT TO SEE THEM SUFFER? WELL WATCH THIS, YOU SICK FUCKS! IS THIS THE COMEUPPANCE YOU WANTED? HOW DOES IT TASTE NOW? HAHAHAHAHAHAHA

    Exactly. It made me feel bad for wanting Joffrey to die in the first place. :P

    On the other hand, I rewatched the scene in the TV show where Tyrion bitch-slapped Joffrey today. And it was sweet.

    • CommentAuthorSlyShy
    • CommentTimeAug 11th 2011
     

    Woohoo, Arya and Jaime and all sorts of other chapters starting now. I’m finally to where we left off in AFfC.

    •  
      CommentAuthorNorthmark
    • CommentTimeAug 11th 2011
     

    A couple of short videos about the special effects in Game of Thrones. Pretty cool stuff.

    •  
      CommentAuthorApep
    • CommentTimeAug 11th 2011
     

    made me feel bad for wanting Joffrey to die in the first place

    Funny. I remember my reaction to that being something like “YES!!! YES!!! THE LITTLE SHIT IS FINALLY DEAD!!! LET THE CELEBRATIONS COMMENCE!!!!”

    But maybe I’m just weird.

    where Tyrion bitch-slapped Joffrey

    And that’s what makes Tyrion awesome.

  2.  

    It’s less Joffrey, whose death is generally well-enjoyed(even though the characters who we think would be better off without him are put into worse positions than when he was alive), and more Jaime, Theon, Cersei, and that ilk. Joffrey’s comeuppance comes on the heels of his usual shitheadedness, so it’s like, yeah, take that.

    I guess you could argue that dumbfuck Quentyn too, but I dunno if we were supposed to find him grating or not.

    •  
      CommentAuthorVirgil
    • CommentTimeAug 12th 2011
     

    I guess you could argue that dumbfuck Quentyn too, but I dunno if we were supposed to find him grating or not.

    Yeah.. I was reading that and was just wondering how stupid someone could get. And the Jon Snow chapter had just happened too.. I mean come on. And I feel for Theon.

    spoilers

  3.  

    •  
      CommentAuthorVirgil
    • CommentTimeAug 12th 2011
     

  4.  

    • CommentAuthorMorvius
    • CommentTimeAug 12th 2011
     
    Spoilers for the end.



    For some reason I felt that Tyrion's chapters were rather weak. Daenerys also. I still enjoyed the book immensely but his writing does not seem as sharp as his previous books. And I still support Stannis for King. I like the guy for some reason.
  5.  

    I like the guy for some reason.

    Because he’s the true ice cold MFer.

    I agree with you regarding Tyrion and Dany’s chapters. There’s just not a whole lot of actual plot movement in either one, which is part of the reason the jump to Barristan is so great. He’s Captain Get-Shit-Done in comparison to just about everybody.

    I was also frustrated we didn’t get more Bran, because Bran’s plot seems tied more directly into the endgame than the other characters, and I wanted to learn more about Bloodraven.

    Also the complete absence of Sansa, since she made some pretty huge strides during Feast, I think. Plus I’m pretty sure she’s gonna be the one to kill the Final Boss.

  6.  

    Final Boss

    Littlefinger?

    •  
      CommentAuthorApep
    • CommentTimeAug 12th 2011
     

    Littlefinger?

    Here’s hoping it’s a ‘death-by-apprentice’ thing. That would be awesome.

    •  
      CommentAuthorRorschach
    • CommentTimeAug 12th 2011
     

    I hope LF sits on the Iron Throne by the end of the series.

  7.  

    I hope LF sits on the Iron Throne by the end of the series.

    It would certainly be a realistic ending, I guess. Even though he’s a magnificent bastard I would almost prefer him to Dany for some reason. But the guy’s been riding relatively high for a while now, so I wouldn’t be surprised if GRRM has a fall coming for him.

  8.  

    Sansa’s gonna do somebody in at some point. That dwarf lady said so.

    •  
      CommentAuthorVirgil
    • CommentTimeAug 13th 2011
     

    I agree with you regarding Tyrion and Dany’s chapters.

    Ditto, and I felt that both characters Tyrion ended up meeting and staying with through everything felt contrived. Martin has created a hugely massive world but it doesn’t always feel like it when characters just meet by chance again.

    I was also hoping Bran would finish out the book, but nothing. He has two, three chapters through the whole thing. And ditto no Sansa, I’d much rather see what she was doing instead of Daenarys. Especially since Littlefinger’s final plans in Feast must have changed some with the Boltons moving in.

    •  
      CommentAuthorKyllorac
    • CommentTimeAug 13th 2011
     

    On a completely unrelated note to the current topic, is anyone else irked at the change in cover styles? I mean, I’m one of those freaks who, if I start collecting a series, must have the covers belonging to the same set.

    I also think the new covers are… meh. Shiny is nice and all, but not when the shiny is pretty generic-looking.

  9.  

    But the original covers were so…cheesy. :P

    •  
      CommentAuthorKyllorac
    • CommentTimeAug 13th 2011 edited
     

    But they’re the ones I started collecting because there were no others. :P

    And the moral of the story is: always wait until a series is complete before collecting it.

    •  
      CommentAuthorApep
    • CommentTimeMay 26th 2012
     

    Wow. It’s been a while since anyone’s posted here.

    Anyway, there’s a bunch of video extras for Game of Thrones about the history of Westeros on youtube. They’re even narrated by some of the actors. Here’s a link.

    And on a semi-related note, I posted a comment about how Valyria is the Rome of Westeros. I am such a nerd.

    •  
      CommentAuthorTheArmada
    • CommentTimeMay 28th 2012
     

    Am I the only one who couldn’t make it past the first book? I found the characters unlikeable or in Ned Stark’s case, idiotic, the switching POV every chapter just distracting, the whole book horribly overwritten, and the sex scenes disgusting. IDK, you guys seemed to enjoy it which makes me jealous, but I just can’t stand it.

  10.  

    sex scenes disgusting

    Yep. Well, it’s all a matter of personal taste. I could see why you dislike it, but personally, I think the worldbuilding is probably the best I’ve ever seen. The characters are morally ambiguous (although towards the latter books, I think there were too many to actually care about them all) and I like the political maneuvering. The complexity makes it bulky, but in the earlier books especially, it was all handled pretty deftly.

    Personally, I didn’t enjoy book 4 as much as books 1-3, and haven’t read book 5, but that’s just my two cents’ worth.

    •  
      CommentAuthorApep
    • CommentTimeMay 29th 2012
     

    I found the characters unlikeable

    I’ll admit there are a few characters I didn’t like in the first book (namely Sansa), but I felt most of them had at least some redeeming traits, usually related to what I didn’t like. For example, I don’t likee Catelyn because of her treatment of Jon, but she treats him like that because she cares so much about her children. Personally, I really like that, because real people have faults like that.

    in Ned Stark’s case, idiotic

    Yeah, Ned was kind of an idiot. But in any other fantasy novel, he’d be the hero who inevitably wins in the end. What eventually happens to him is a good way to show that this world isn’t your typical fantasy world.

    the sex scenes disgusting

    Can’t argue with that. GRRM does write some wierd sex scenes, but I’ve run into worse. At leas they’re few and far between, and the plot never stops just so two characters can have sex.

    •  
      CommentAuthorTheArmada
    • CommentTimeMay 29th 2012
     

    Morally ambiguous I don’t have a problem with, its just the way Martin wrote them that turns me off. Also, I didn’t feel immersed, because of the insistent POV shifting and aforementioned overwrittenness, I felt like I was watching the story unfold through a thick glass window.

  11.  

    It took me a while to get into the first book, Armada. I agree about the sex scenes. There’s less of them in the second book than in the first, I think. I’ve only read the first two books so far, but I liked the second one more. I was able to get into it faster, and I liked several characters a lot better that I didn’t like before (hello, Sansa). However, I also started disliking or being bored with characters I had previously liked (Jon and Dany, though I prefer Dany to Jon).

    I can definitely see why you didn’t like it. I’m sometimes put off by the POV shifts, particularly when it jumps to someone who I don’t really care about. In the second book, I just kept waiting to get back to Tyrion and Arya (and even Sansa because more interesting stuff was happening where she was). I’m not that invested in most of the characters, but I still enjoy reading about them. I’m not even sure why I enjoy reading it. It’s weird.

    I’ve also heard that the first three books get better as they go. I can agree with it being a bit overwritten too, but I read it, I guess, because I find several of the stories that are going on to be interesting, so I keep reading. I think I just find enough things to like that the things that I don’t like (most of the things you said) don’t bother me as much.

    •  
      CommentAuthorTheArmada
    • CommentTimeMay 30th 2012
     

    I’ll try reading the second then, I’ll take your word it gets better Platypus.

  12.  

    Well, if you didn’t like the first, I would say that there’s a good chance you still won’t like the second. But you might. For both the first and second books, I found that they are much more exciting toward the end because that’s when everything starts happening all at once, and even dullish characters have stuff happening in their chapters.

  13.  
    Just a few opinions from li'l ol' me. Now, I haven't read the books so I'm just going off the TV Series:

    Season 1:
    The Positive
    - The setting is interesting and the political dynamics are intriguing.
    - The characters are diverse, interesting and generally evoke emotions of sympathy or hatred.

    The Negative
    - Barely anything actually happens
    - There's pretty much no plot whatsoever
    - Barely anything gets resolved
    - Daenarys and Jon's storylines are pretty much irrelevant and could've been cut completely and they wouldn't have affected the story.

    Season 2:
    The Positive
    - The characterisation is still strong and diverse
    - Things actually happen
    - The "Fantasy" part of this series actually begins to take effect.
    - "Blackwater", aka the best episode of the series, with no Jon Snow and no Theon Killjoy.

    The Negative
    - Jon Snow's tedious storyline and Theon Killjoy in general
    - The pacing of the "plot" is still incredibly slow (though swifter than Season 1)
    - Daenarys' story still essentially irrelevant, only somewhat tying in with Jon's storyline at last scene of the season.

    In my not so humble opinion, the series is so bogged down with so many storylines and characters that it just ... doesn't go anywhere. I'm gonna be honest, there's not a chance in hell I'll be reading these thousands of pages just to wait for the next book because yet again nothing was resolved it still plods on. I do really enjoy the characters (besides the fact that no one in Westeros is simply a genuinely nice person and isn't a raping, murdering pillaging little -expletive-) but that's it. The setting is decent enough and I do enjoy the politics.

    I'm very much aware that this is a character-driven series. There's nothing wrong with this but I like stories to have something happening other than character squabbles. It doesn't have to be an end-of-the-world plot but something more than just fisticuffs over a throne would be nice.

    I have my flame-repellant armour and shield at the ready.
    • CommentAuthorDarkes
    • CommentTimeJun 13th 2012
     
    I assume by "Flame repellant armour" you mean you aren't going to listen to what anyone else thinks?
  14.  

    I think the amour thing was just a joke because so many people here like the series and he has a slightly contrary opinion.

    @Josh
    I pretty much agree with your points, and I like the series. I do think that Ned was genuinely nice (except for the one bastard-fathering). Jon is also nice, thigh annoyingly so.

    “Blackwater” was the battle episode, right? That was the best.

    As for the books, they have similar problems to the show, but I think the book medium makes them less apparent and more tolerable. Jumping around from person to person in a book seems more natural than doing the same in a TV show. I think the show might work better if they only focused and on a couple of locations per episode (though I’d really miss Tyrion if it wasn’t his day).

    I also think your enjoyment of the books/show depends on how much you’re able to tolerate the slowness and the focus on the characters that you don’t really like (Jon is just the worst). I personally like the books more than the show (I’m on book three right now). I started reading them because I knew there was going to be a show, but I don’t know if watching the show before reading book one would have motivated to read the books.

    And Theon Killjoy is a good nickname.

  15.  

    Joshing, I actually agree with your opinion, more or less. The fact that nothing ever goes anywhere has become more of an issue for me of late, but I would still recommend reading at least the first three books.

    •  
      CommentAuthorApep
    • CommentTimeJun 13th 2012
     

    re: slow plot

    I get what you’re saying, and the books (especially around books 4 & 5). Yes, the plot does drag a bit, and for a tv series, that’s not a good thing. On the other hand, the series (books & tv) is telling one really long story, stretched out over seven books/seasons, rather than seven seperate stories. So after a while, there’s a lot of stuff that seems like filler.

    re: Jon’s & Daenerys’ story lines

    I can also see how these plots would seem irrelevant or boring – most of the action is in Westeros, and these two characters are far from the action. However, they do focus on the outside threats that everyone else ignores – Jon with the Wildlings and Others/White Walkers (remember them?), and Daenerys on, well, Daenerys and her dragons. Plus, these two plots focus on the development of these two characters, rather than how they respond to what’s going on in Westeros.

    there’s not a chance in hell I’ll be reading these thousands of pages

    This makes me sad.

    re: Theon

    I’m just going to remind everybody that GRRM managed to make Sansa likeable, and what it took to do that.

    •  
      CommentAuthorApep
    • CommentTimeJun 14th 2012
     

    Sorry to double post, but it’s been almost a day, so I figure it’s okay.

    So, what’s possibly the best thing about the tv series? It’s motivating GRRM to finish the series. Maybe that makes me a bit mean, but I don’t want to have to wait another 5-6 years for the next book.

    •  
      CommentAuthorTheArmada
    • CommentTimeJun 19th 2012
     

    You will wait 10!!!

    •  
      CommentAuthorTheArmada
    • CommentTimeJun 29th 2012
     

    Been watching the show because I like it better than the books.
    anyone else want to see Bronn kill that night that keeps hitting Sansa?

  16.  

    Ok, just blazed through books 1-4 in the past four days. Sweet baby jesus on a stick.

    WHAT THE FUCK DID I JUST READ.

    Favorite Characters: Daenerys, Tyrion, Sansa, Arya, Gendry
    Least Favorite Characters: Jon, Robb, Joffrey (YOU LITTLE SHIT), Cersei, Melisandre, Gregor Clegane, Tywin, Shae
    Favorite Houses: Stark(even though they are idiots), Tyrell (Lady Olenna. FUCK YEAH), Martell (Doran, your endgame is unexpected and brilliant)
    Also, it annoys me when there’s a one-off POV. Not the intro ones like Cressen, but in the middle of the action. I WANT MORE OF SOMEONE IMPORTANT, NOT RANDOM UNKNOWN SIDE CHARACTER WHO WILL NEVER BE SEEN AGAIN. And Jon Snow just makes me want to punch him in the face. So much.

    • CommentAuthorNossus
    • CommentTimeSep 2nd 2012
     

    I gave up on A Feast for Crows. It’s terrible. A Storm of Swords is one of the best books I’ve ever read though.

  17.  

    I made it through A Feast For Crows but was kind of dissatisfied. I haven’t picked up book 5 because it’s too time-consuming to read all the previous books and catch up. I might as well just wait for all the books to come out and then go through everything all at once. At this point, I need to know what happens.

    But yeah, books 1-3 are beyond awesome.

    •  
      CommentAuthorPuppet
    • CommentTimeSep 2nd 2012
     

    I think we should all pool our money and send WiseWillow a new keyboard. :P

    •  
      CommentAuthorFalling
    • CommentTimeSep 2nd 2012
     

    I think I only got to halfway through the third book. By then I had run out of characters I was nominally rooting for. I’ve had an easier time with the tv show simply because there’s a few more characters that are sympathetic. I somehow like Tyrion this time around, plus Tywin is somehow really awesome. Whereas in the books Tywin didn’t really factor in and Tyrion I found irritatingly self-indulgent and not at all interesting.

    But it’s a brutal world. It feels like if you distilled all the brutalness of the medieval world and strained out all the joy and beauty and were left with just the conniving and self-interest. It’s interesting. Fascinating with all the changing alliances. But it’s really, really hard to truck through. Admittedly, I got much further though this series than the Thomas Covenant series (I got as far as the main character after which I lost all interest in the character and story.)

    But there’s something that’s always bothered me about the series. I understand how people want something different than the noble white knight in shining army that cannot conceive of being evil. It’s dark and it’s edgy. But it ultimately feels like life GRRM’s world is nasty, brutish and short. But I don’t think experiencing joy and hope through pain is somehow less real. (Perhaps this is a tired comparison) But I find it interesting that the author that actually survived the trenches of WW1, lost all his childhood friends to the war, still went on to write a series that contained both sorrow, hope, loss, and victory. And so while I understand the appeal of GRRM’s grim story, I don’t agree that it’s a more realistic depiction of life like many fans will defend. That somehow a more hopeful look is more naive. I just can’t accept that a more hopeful story is less realistic.

    Having said all that, I am somehow enjoying the tv version through a fresh set of eyes. But I’m not sure I can subject myself to finishing the series. Especially if it contains more rambling plots of Daen’s excrusiatingly slow rise to power. If hers was the only story, I think I wouldn’t mind so much. But because it feels so disconnected from everything else, I just grow impatient with it.

  18.  

    But I find it interesting that the author that actually survived the trenches of WW1, lost all his childhood friends to the war, still went on to write a series that contained both sorrow, hope, loss, and victory.

    Are you talking about Tolkien now?

    But I don’t think experiencing joy and hope through pain is somehow less real.

    GRRM is realistic in ensuring that if things are set up so that bad stuff will happen, he doesn’t subject us to a weird Deus Ex Machina ensuring that the heroes get away scot-free. Which I like and appreciate. But I really do see what you mean about the brutal, everlasting darkness wearing down the reader. I’m coming more and more to the realization that writing needs some joy as well, even if only for some balance. I was reading an article the other day in the New York Times about why comedy is actually more realistic than tragedy- it was pretty interesting.

    After a while, you just get tired as hell as the violence, depression, and death never end. This is realistic, perhaps, but one way in which literature maybe shouldn’t be as honest to reality. I may be bored and depressed in real life, but I think an author should be able to give me a sense of senseless violence and events dragging on without actually dragging events on forever and boring me.

    Daen’s excrusiatingly slow rise to power

    Can we just eliminate her? I know she has the dragons and all that, but seriously, she was just a plot tumour in S2. I don’t care that she has dragons if it takes a thousand pages for anything interesting to come of it. I like that GRRM doesn’t have her just swoop in without any preparation whatsoever and rule the kingdoms perfectly and all that nonsense but…I’m still bored. :P

  19.  

    I actually really love watching Dany evolve. She can’t just WOOO I’M A FOURTEEN YEAR OLD PRODIGY WOOO into a crown, can she? She’s made mistakes, and realized it, and is trying to learn better. I cheered when she handled the situation with the Unsullied the way she did.

    As for the depression…yeah. I kept reading, and kept reading, and really wanted to know what would happen next, but at the same time, there was never any joy in it. Even Deathly Hallows still had humor and hope and good guys winning in the end, though there was death and destruction. ASoIaF? Whenever anything good happens, it’s either a trick, or the good soon perishes.

    • CommentAuthorNossus
    • CommentTimeSep 2nd 2012
     

    Whenever anything good happens, it’s either a trick, or the good soon perishes.

    That’s what I like about it.

    •  
      CommentAuthorFalling
    • CommentTimeSep 2nd 2012 edited
     

    Well I think even for story telling purposes, coming up for air either to laugh or to appreciate something beautiful actually makes the darkness, darker in contrast. The contrast can be done artlessly and then it feels contrived or schyzophrenic, but if you’re constantly trudging through the valley of despair, it’s hard to go darker. It’s the same thing with sound effects in movies. To make a really loud sound, they often half to back off the sound just before because it’s the contrast between quiet and loudness that makes it seem REALLY loud. Without having to slowly turn up the volume and shred our eardrums.

    But having said that, GRRM is dang good at what he does. I can think of few authors that routinely and heartessly murders his cast of characters and his readers continue on. I just feel that the dark dirge just drones on and on at times.

    And yes I was talking about Tolkien (which is why it may be a tired comparison for some as many authors are trying move away from his looming shadow.)

    • CommentAuthorNossus
    • CommentTimeSep 2nd 2012
     

    Sometimes while watching the show I’ve felt that it was just too much, and the good guys could never catch a break. I never felt that way while reading the books though. I actually think season 1 improved on the first book while season 2 fell off towards the end and all of Dany’s plot was completely fucked up and ruined.

    Spoilers for A Storm of Swords:

  20.  

    while season 2 fell off towards the end and all of Dany’s plot was completely fucked up and ruined.

    My favorite episode of all S2 was ‘Blackwater’. I don’t even remember what happened in the finale, but even last season the penultimate was the one I liked best. I’ve enjoyed the additional character development in the show as well for characters like Robb, but I think it’s actually applied most to Cersei. She’s still a despicable person, but not nearly as flat as in the books.

    (which is why it may be a tired comparison for some as many authors are trying move away from his looming shadow.)

    I have no problem with people moving away from Tolkien, but at the same time, there are certain things that Tolkien does (like the contrast of beauty and sadness) that can be very effective and don’t necessarily deserve to be thrown straight out. But there are other authors that do show a sense of joy and wonder in their works, and that’s something I’ve grown to enjoy more and more.

    Well I think even for story telling purposes, coming up for air either to laugh or to appreciate something beautiful actually makes the darkness, darker in contrast.

    Exactly! I can’t help but think how there are so few suicides in Westeros. Seriously, everybody’s life sucks. Even if there’s a strong, deep instinct to survive, that wouldn’t necessarily apply to every single character. At a certain point, wouldn’t you just be done? In any case, contrast of tone is necessary. I felt that the 4th book dragged on for this reason, among others. The other three had a lot of suspense and plot going on that would power you through the sheer brutality, but book 4, not so much. You just felt all connections severed and little to no purpose in going forward.

    Which may have been what GRRM was going for, in which case, all power to him, I guess.

    • CommentAuthorNossus
    • CommentTimeSep 2nd 2012
     

    My favorite episode of all S2 was ‘Blackwater’.

    You’re right. Blackwater was the best episode of the entire series imo. The finale of S2 was a huge disappointment though.

  21.  

    The best thing I think GRRM does is what I think all good stories(you know the ones I mean) that makes repeated use of character-death as a plot-shaper is that generally, none of those deaths come out of nowhere or exist for pure shock value. There’s almost always a lead-up to them, even if you don’t notice it(which most of the time, you shouldn’t on the first go-round). I’ve never had a character I like die in the story that made me say “Fuck you, George” or anything similar, just because I knew he wasn’t cheating even when he caught me off-guard.

    Also, the best character is Jaime. Jaime owns.

    Also, I can agree that books 4 and 5 are clearly the weakest. I think a lot of it has to do with GRRM being less beholden to the wills of his editors. 2 and 3 especially have awesome, tight plotting considering the scale of the story. 4 and 5 are okay and have some great segments in them, but they’re just not as well put-together as the first 3.

  22.  

    Also, the best character is Jaime. Jaime owns.

    Oh yeah, no denying that.

    I’ve never had a character I like die in the story that made me say “Fuck you, George” or anything similar, just because I knew he wasn’t cheating even when he caught me off-guard.

    Okay, I knew he wasn’t cheating, but I said ‘Fuck you, George’ anyway. I think he should still accept that as a compliment.

    •  
      CommentAuthorApep
    • CommentTimeOct 25th 2012
     

    Is anyone else excited about this?

    Because I’m excited about this.

  23.  
    I want season 3
    •  
      CommentAuthorApep
    • CommentTimeOct 26th 2012
     

    ^ Don’t we all.

    Anyway, I just finished watching season 2 (yeah, I know, I’m a bad fan, but that’s what I get for not having HBO). Much love all around, but especially for Blackwater. Valar Morghulis was great too, especially the use of mostly practical effects for the magic. Heck, I even liked Theon’s speech.

    Some new favorite characters include Jaqen H’ghar and Tywin Lannister. Loved Jaqen’s “I don’t take orders from you” attitude, and Tywin just because he’s smarter than everyone around him and doesn’t feel like putting up with people’s shit.

    The only big thing I didn’t like was the White Walker. I just wasn’t that impressed with it. Then again, it’d be hard to live up to the hype.

    •  
      CommentAuthorApep
    • CommentTimeJul 2nd 2013
     

    I guess just over nine months is long enough for a double post.

    Behold!

    That’s probably the simplest way to explain Game of Thrones I’ve ever seen.

    •  
      CommentAuthorswenson
    • CommentTimeJul 2nd 2013
     

    That actually is pretty true. I just finished rereading Game of Thrones this afternoon, and I really do have to agree with that. I keep inventing incredibly heroic ways for the characters to save the day and restabilize Westeros and defeat the Others without anybody else dying… but it ain’t gonna happen. Doom for everybody!

  24.  
    •  
      CommentAuthorPuppet
    • CommentTimeJul 2nd 2013
     

    On another note, I recently found out a friend has been reading A Song of Ice and Fire. I asked him what book he was on and he said, “A Storm of Swords.” Asked him about it a day later and he was already well into Feast. It’s just one of those book series that you simply can’t put down.

    It’s actually been a couple of years since I’ve read them. I should take advantage of this ridiculous amount of free time I have during the summer and do a re-reading…

    •  
      CommentAuthorswenson
    • CommentTimeJul 3rd 2013
     

    That’s how I was. I just had to know what happened next! And I’m pleased to see that when I’m rereading, I’m almost as fascinated all over again.

    Between my new Kindle and boring days at work, I’ve been reading an awful lot, so I might as well read ASoIaF. There’s just so much I didn’t catch the first time around! I feel I understand so much more now, even though I know I’ve still missed an awful lot.

    •  
      CommentAuthorApep
    • CommentTimeJul 3rd 2013
     

    On a mostly unrelated note, swenson, The Iron King (or “The original game of thrones” according to GRRM) is available for $0.99 on Kindle. God, I love my Kindle.

    • CommentAuthorNossus
    • CommentTimeJul 7th 2013
     

    It’s just one of those book series that you simply can’t put down.

    I put it down a couple hundred pages into book 4.

    •  
      CommentAuthorApep
    • CommentTimeFeb 5th 2015
     

    Awesome thing I found – Martin’s original letter outlining the series. It’s interesting to see how much the series changed even between that initial plan and the first book being published, let alone the fifth.

    •  
      CommentAuthorswenson
    • CommentTimeFeb 6th 2015
     

    That is indeed pretty cool.

    The whole Arya-Tyrion-Jon love triangle is freaky as all get out, but from the rest of the letter, it sounds like the characters were quite a bit different anyway… there’s no mention at all of Tyrion being a dwarf or even the unfavorite, and maybe Arya was older too?

    Not really surprised by the whole “Sansa sides with Joffrey” thing. She has almost no redeeming features in the first book. (yes, she’s a child, and I excuse her now for that, but she’s a brat the entire book) But as a massive Sansa/Tyrion shipper, I’m rather glad Martin changed his mind on her.

    And the bit about Jon’s parentage… not that we really needed more evidence, but it just goes to further imply that he’s not Ned’s son. Not saying it proves R+L=J or anything, but obviously there’s something up there.

    Anyway, it’s kind of interesting how slim the story is in the letter… there’s no mention of other families, barely any of the conspiracies… Tywin isn’t even mentioned, or the Baratheons beyond Joffrey’s surname!

    •  
      CommentAuthorFalling
    • CommentTimeFeb 7th 2015
     

    A Dothraki invasion in the second book certainly makes more sense of Dany’s inclusion in the first book. The one thing that suffered for sure in the story’s expansion is the Dany storyline. I had to put up with such a brutal culture in the first book, but then as it became clear we weren’t heading across the water any time soon, I had no pay off from gritting my way through all the rape and I lost interest in her storyline.

  25.  

    Lord help me I just started listening to the first book on audio at work