'Game of Thrones' on HBO HD *** WARNING - Spoilers allowed *** - Page 21

I started book 2 again today as well. As well as picking up more as I go along it's also nice to be able to fill in the blanks when it comes to the series.

While I'm a fan of the series, I find the books disappointing. I get a big kick out of the posters on the non spoiler thread that hope that things will move along in dramatic fashion. Grrrm writes at a snails pace and in 5 books, I doubt that more than 6 or 9 months have passed. I'm not saying that some of his scenes aren't epic, but I do think, along with several other authors writing epic fantasy, that they really should get on with it. Wrap it up and go on to the next great idea. All Grrm's characters are so dark or gray...and...once you've got the jist of the inpredicable outcome for each character, it's just a drinking game as to who's left standing...if he ever finishes...JoHn Snow and Daeneyris is my prediction.

I started reading the series after christmas, am now about 20% into DWD...I've got to admit though that after what happens to Anya in book 4 I said enough and put the book down. Eventually went back though.

I like the books as well as the series but still can't deny that Martin can't or won't move the plot along. The plus side, though, is that his characters keep getting deeper and more interesting; also, his action scenes are exciting and well told.


See above. Despite my reservations about Martin's pacing or lack thereof, I have been enjoying rereading Book 2. I am still trying to decide when to kickoff rereading Book 3. Right now, I am inclined to wait until shortly before Season 3 of the TV series begins.

Since you quoted me, I can only think your post is a response to mine. Thats making me confused, because I made no mention of pacing or anything else critical of Martin's skill as a writer. Yeah, he seems to have lost his way a little in the fourth book and he seems to think he's being paid by the word, he rambles so much sometimes But still there are large portions that hold me spellbound, so absorbed in the story that I can't put the book down. Its where the story goes that made me briefly stop, namely Arya's last POV chapter. I know spoilers are allowed but since others may just be reading the series now, and you already have, I won't mention the details. But coming on top of everything else that has happened to the Starks and their followers, it seemed a little much. Plus Arya seemed to me to behave out of character, based on how she had acted before. I hope you know what I'm referring to because I'd be very interested in your reaction to that section. I've enjoyed and been helped by your other comments on the books.

I believe I know what you are talking about but it didn't bother me. What Arya had done before made what she did in Book 4 entirely consistent with her character, I thought. To put it gently, Arya is dangerous.

As noted in earlier posts, Martin's failure to move the plot along much from book to book has frustrated me but I have loved them anyway. I have now reread Books 1 and 2 in the A Song of Ice and Fire series and intend to reread the last three as well. Given Martin's record of slow production, I suspect that I will have reread all 5 books long before Book 6 is published.

gwsat:

I thought about that but decided you were probably talking about

Ah, that explains it. Haven't reached that part yet, but this is one time I don't mind being spoiled thanks gwsat. What you mentioned didn't bother me. I like seeing Arya kick butt

***CRAZY SPOILERS*** thru book 5 ADWD



I think the story is actually starting to significantly move forward at the end of book 5. Mostly with Young Griff and The Golden Company kicking ass in The Storm Lands. Ser Loras Tyrell is currently at Storms End and this will draw Mace Tyrell out with his own host and since he is the current hand of the king that basically makes this a royal action. This will lead to Dany finally heading to Westeros to meet up with her nephew. Tyrion was successfully able to trick young griff into heading across the narrow sea prior to meeting up with his Aunt. Tyrion will then convince his new friends to head across and meet up with Young Griff's host because The Second Sons need to join up with them if they want any chance of getting the gold promised to them by the "rightful lord of Casterly Rock".

This next part has so many possible outcomes that i honestly have no idea how this will happen. Im not even sure if i agree with what i have laid out next because i can poke plenty of holes in it. Here goes....Little finger has probably been waiting for this as well and will rally the Vale and possibly the Riverlands (due to Blackfish) behind Sansa and Harry the Heir to reclaim Winterfell from the Bastard of Bolton. I'm worried how that will work out with Stannis currently operating in the north. This might cause some serious problems or be a saving grace once you throw Rickon Stark and White Harbor into the mix.

It doesn't stay that way for long tho thanks to the powers of the old gods. Kind of conflicting if you ask me if she was able to pass the test by using an old gods power.

Because of the TV series, I knew that I wanted to reread Books 1 and 2 but hadn't decided about Books 3, 4, and 5. Our recent discussions of the books, though, has convinced me to go ahead and reread the last 3 soon. I was amazed by how much more I learned as a result of rereading Books 1 and 2 and by how much I have forgotten about the last three. I think a solid knowledge of the series' many characters and their convoluted backstories adds immeasurably to my enjoyment of the TV show.

I think the backstories of each character leads to the emotional appeal of each character.

Topic title edited.

It's more than that...we also have been talking about a song of ice and fire as a series and not just the tv show

Just finished watching this week's episode and was blown away. The job the writers have done in tightening up the storyline while remaining faithful to the characters has been remarkable. I have loved how bright and knowing Margaery Tyrell has been depicted as being. I have also enjoyed how clearly the show depicts just how evil the thoroughly creepy Melisandre is. This is really good stuff!

The edit of the title was administrative in nature, only for consistency.

As long as everyone is OK with the direction the discussion is going, it's fine to branch off. Especially in a topic where the program content is not original and where spoilers are allowed.

The guy playing Tywin Lannister just owns the screen every time he's on. It was great how he bitch-slapped around the Mountain's men with just a few choice words and realized that Arya was a girl with just a glance.

The non-spoiler thread will be popcorn-worthy this week.

Great comments, I agree totally. I'm beginning to suspect I've never seen the written word brought to life onscreen better than what this series is doing. As good as the books are, the show might actually be improving on the storyline. Not that I want to open a can of worms by comparing the two. Just that it bodes well for the future of the series. I'm finding I have complete trust in the showrunners to make a series worthy of the source material. By the end of the episode I'm almost giddy And man, what an ending!

Charles Dance - He's been that good for a long time http://www.imdb.com/media/rm2590686720/nm0001097

My fav scene was his introduction last year when he guts and skins a deer while berating his son.

I'm just wondering, how if Tywin knows she's a girl, how he doesn't eventually figure out exactly who she is. And what would happen if he did?

I know this will be an incredibly unpopular fannish opinion, but I honestly wouldn't mind if Arya's story went in an entirely different direction in the TV show. It is so dark and depressing, with so many times that she is so close to getting back to someone in her family. It makes The Hunger Games look like a day at Disneyland by comparison.

Somebody will have to tell me about it. I unsubscribed from the non spoiler thread because I could never predict when the spoilerphobes would strike next. I was glad I did it because doing so contributed to my mental health, not to mention my digestion.


That's an interesting point of view but if the show's writers rewrote Arya's story, it seems to me, they would have to rewrite Tyrion and Jamie's stories too. Recall, some pretty bad things happen to both of them as the saga moves on. I hope the writers man up and tell the story pretty much the way Martin wrote it.

It's not just the darkness of her story that makes me wish for a different path, it's that she's so very young, and so much of her journey is internal... I just wonder how it plays on screen.

They wouldn't have to rewrite Jaime or Tyrion's stories. It's impossible to tell how much Arya's current circumstances impact what happens in books 6 or 7, but part of the reason why her story's a reasonable candidate for a different TV path is that she is so isolated from the other major characters for much of it.


Yeah, well, I knew it would be an unpopular opinion I am not advocating softening the story as a whole, btw.

That makes sense. Arya is more isolated than any of the books' other POV characters. Also, she is the only one of them to appear in all 5 of the books, so even Martin might change her direction in Books 6 and 7. Anyway, I think we agree that Arya is a tough, self-reliant little girl, the ultimate survivor.

Heh...I know it...I got my hand slapped earlier this season when people were complaining about Theon's time on the ship to Pyke and how it felt gratuitous. I commented that the scene played out much longer in the book and was important to Theon's character development. That apparently ruined the sense of suspense for many. :facepalm:

At any rate, there's a whole lot of disgust and confusion over Melisandre's live birth and what it all means.

On a separate note, I feel this was one of the strongest episodes to date for one key reason -- there is very, VERY little cause for optimism in Westeros. Life truly and dearly sucks for the population, regardless of your standing. This episode, more than any previously, really sends that home as you see all your favorite characters look quite helpless.

My wife was absolutely heartbroken at Arya's plight, but I told her that this absolutely makes Arya stronger in the end...same for Sansa.

It will definitely be interesting to see how her story plays out in the show. I'm guessing they are going to highlight those subtle bright spots in her story and downplay some of the darker moments. Based on the preview for next week, it looks like they are quickly moving into the Jaqen storyline. I'd call that a bright spot for Arya. Only with Game of Thrones would I classify triple-murders as a "bright spot".

I also loved the scene at the end where the gates of Qarth open up. Not only did the Edenesque contrast the desert beyond, but also all of Westeros. Maybe Dany wouldn't be so eager to get to Westeros if she knew how bad it sucked!

Never watched Dexter did ya?

By the time the series gets to book 5 or 6, the actress that plays Arya will be around 30.