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By his admission the Meerenese Knot was his big problem with ADwD, yet he's solved it by casting Dany even farther away from Westeros. It's kind of ironic that he panned the Lost finale, because I can't see him tying up every loose plot point in two books. At this point I have no idea who of the main characters are going to make it to the end of series. More questions raised than answered in ADwD.
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Jul 6, 2011 10:05
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| # ¿ Apr 25, 2024 15:33 |
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Feast doesn't suck. For those who read the series as the books came out it was a bit of a shock when none of the "main" characters got chapters. The writing is still good, the character development good for those it focuses on. The problem with the Brienne chapters is that her endeavor is fruitless at the get go, and is somewhat boring in truth. Don't skip it, imo.
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Jul 7, 2011 10:34
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I wonder what his motivation for making such comically evil villians like the Boltons was? He's always about sympathetic portrayals and such, and here he presents Sauron level baddies. I think the Boltons will eventually get their comeuppance in the future. Maybe it's an aesop on how you can't just do things for the evulz and expect to rule effectively.
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Jul 10, 2011 02:08
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To clarify, I didn't mean the Boltons were a world-shakingly evil force bent on domination, I just meant they were evil without any real reason. To wit: "Lex Luthor took 40 cakes. And that's terrible."
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Jul 10, 2011 10:13
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Angry mutterings aside, my biggest gripe with Dance is that I now have no loving idea where the series is going. I think Jon is gonna be the undead Azor Azhoi, resurrected by Melisandre, but I have no idea what part Dany is going to play. Maybe she'll be stabbed in the heart to make Lightbringer? And Varys' mysterious motivations are getting tiresome. At this point I kind of hope he's just an angry little man who's trying to gently caress the world over cause they cut off his balls. What reason does he have to be a Targareyn loyalist? Is he aware of the prophecy, despite his supposed hatred of magic? At least Littlefinger's motivations are known, he's in it for the ginger jailbait.
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Jul 11, 2011 23:50
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After one drat chapter I feel bad for Quentyn Martell. He's the gooniest of royalty.
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Jul 12, 2011 07:55
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Duke Nukem Forever, Chinese Democracy, and A Dance With Dragons. What's left on the eternal vaporware list?
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Jul 12, 2011 12:36
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I still really don't get the stupid prejudices that the Night's Watch holds towards the wildlings. I think if I was an Isrealite facing a Palestinian and we both saw a zombie, we'd kill the zombie first and then kill each other.
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Jul 13, 2011 11:55
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Hahaha I feel really bad that the most emotion I felt for Quentyn Martell was to laugh at how absurdly stupidly he died.
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Jul 13, 2011 15:56
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I like how in Melisandre's chapter she basically admits she has no loving idea what she's doing. From a reader perspective it's darkly humorous. She's basically playing the apocalypse by ear.
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Jul 13, 2011 16:14
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*Maester Phil is not a qualified Maester; his leechings are done for entertainment purposes only.
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Jul 13, 2011 17:39
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Victarion's chapters felt kinda shoehorned in. Not a lot of meat in his parts of the book. People say they dislike Tyrion's sections. I liked them because we got to see the ridiculousness of the Yunaki "soldiers". Out of curiosity, was there ever a culture that fought primarily with mercenaries and slaves? That seems a recipe for disaster on the battlefield.
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Jul 13, 2011 17:52
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I think Barristan is going to die of dysentery, it would be a sadly ironic end to a man who wants to go out fighting. Flinging diseased corpses was a standard tactic back in the day, but I think this way it makes it personal. So what's Dany's disposition assuming she ever makes it to Westeros? Khal Jhoqo's horde (maybe), Victarion's fleet, 1 dragon, the Unsullied, and a dwarf with a talent for flipping mercenaries. I guess the 6th book will be about her finally getting her rear end to Westeros, and everybody dying cause they have no food, while the 7th will be about Bran forming a tree megazord to fight a giant Hodor wight. This is of course idle speculation because these books are never coming out.
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Jul 14, 2011 02:57
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I think he might run into another Meerenese knot here for TWoW, this time in the form of resolving Sansa's plot. I can't fathom how Littlefinger will factor into the current political situation, especially with the return of Aegon. I get that Aegon is the mummer's dragon, so this means GRRM has been planning this for years. Convoluted plotline to say the least.
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Jul 14, 2011 11:40
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There's been a few candidates proposed for Jon's parentage. The other is a dornish servant girl named Wylla. But after so many years of R+L=J, I'd be more shocked if it wasn't the case.
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Jul 14, 2011 16:30
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This is a really minor point, but why didn't Jon tell his subordinates about the loan he took out with the Iron Bank? That seems to me like it would appease them moreso than sorta lying about selling barbarian gold. Not that it mattered in the end, just something that makes me scratch my head.
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Jul 15, 2011 02:31
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Am I alone in hoping Varys dies horribly? I mean I didn't really feel that bad for Kevan Lannister, but seriously, the "for the realm" bullshit is tiring. Unless he's got some super secret prophetic knowledge, his plans have hosed up the ASoIaF world more than anyone else's. Also, I'm with the maesters, kill all the loving dragons. 
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Jul 16, 2011 12:33
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Anyone possibly think that the fact that Ramsay, not Roose sent that letter means that Roose is dead? Roose would of most likely not been so impulsive, regardless of if they won against Stannis or not.
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Jul 16, 2011 15:56
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Ixian posted:It could just be that I'm stupid, because I honestly don't see where any of this comes from. We get one brief allusion to Aery's possibly fondling Joanna during the bedding (which isn't all that out of place anyway in this world; we've gotten like 6 descriptions of Westoros bedding customs now, and that sick gently caress Ramsay aside they all involve a bunch of drunks ripping the clothes off the bride before chucking her in to the bedroom. In this world that sort of conduct seems to be more or less accepted). That does not lead to "he hosed her, they had an affair, those are Aerys kids, blah blah blah". GRRM is a real big believer in Chekov's gun. Book 4: "The Golden Company may have broken their contract with Myr." A nice bit of fluff to make the world seem alive right? Six years later...Hi Jon Connington and Aegon Targaryen! I think the secret Targ stuff is annoying, but considering the precedent, I'm not going to discount it.
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Jul 16, 2011 18:23
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The Blackfyre thing seems like it has even less evidence than the secret Targs. I don't fault them for grasping at straws concerning Varys' motivation; he's frustratingly mysterious. I really hope it's something totally unrelated to heritage, if but to subvert expectation. Or he gets stabbed and just whispers "For the realm..." and expires so we never know.
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Jul 16, 2011 19:26
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Mystery knight at the tournament at Harrenhal who defended Howland Reed's honor. Leading contender for identity is Lyanna Stark. In ADwD news, who thinks the Harpy is the Green Grace? Let's Scooby Doo this poo poo.
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Jul 16, 2011 20:45
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Perhaps I don't know good literature, but I found the Bran chapters boring. I think it's because I like this series for its character interactions rather than the mythology, and oddly enough for a fantasy series, don't enjoy the parts with overt fantastical elements. I really can't explain why but I think my favorite chapters were Connington's. I guess I'm just eager to see where that story goes.
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Jul 17, 2011 16:44
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I wonder if Marwyn is going to get a PoV in TWoW. Christ there's so many concurrent plots running in this series. How the hell does he keep track of them?
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Jul 17, 2011 18:42
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Slackarius posted:the Ides of Marsh. My first reaction upon reading this line was to groan loudly, then to secretly hope this catches on in the fanspeak. Ugh and bravo.
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Jul 17, 2011 21:26
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This is a sort lemoncakes esque question but do people actually eat lampreys? Lamprey pie seems to be a perennial favorite on either side of the Narrow Sea.
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Jul 18, 2011 18:03
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lapse posted:Anyone have any ideas why Val acts so weird about Greyscale? Dormant virus waiting for a suitable carrier? Dunno. In unrelated news, was the ending of War of the Worlds revolutionary for its time or did HG Wells not know how to end it? And suddenly...GERMS! THE END
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Jul 19, 2011 15:56
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About greyscale, it really is a fantastical disease. When Connington hacks that one guys arm off, sparks are said to show, like metal on metal. I don't someone can get that callused in real life. Besides that, fantasy leprosy equivalent.
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Jul 22, 2011 00:01
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To be fair, this is one of the few fantasy series I've read that describes the problems of large scale war effectively. Supply lines, food shortages, disease, etc. The fixation on food should come as no surprise considering the author, but dysentery has been the bane of many an army. It's actually appropriate, Danaerys last chapter notwithstanding.
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Jul 22, 2011 00:26
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I imagine I'm skirting the line of Bad Thread nostalgia, but why, psychologically, psychologically, sociologically, etc. does war=rape? I get that violence and sex are primal instincts, but i really don't see heightened adrenaline/fight-or-flight responses leading to an erection. Then again I've never been in war, so what do I know?
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Jul 22, 2011 01:30
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I wish this series used title drops, because I like stupid poo poo like that. Cursoesque one liners. Tyrion to Tywin at the end of GoT: "It looks like we're setting up for a clash...of kings!" Or Dance: Barristan about Quentyn: "The poor lad dared to pick a dance with dragons, and paid the price." I like this because if you say "A Song of Ice and Fire" to anyone who doesn't enjoy fantasy, you get funny looks. Small wonder they named the TV series Game of Thrones.
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Jul 22, 2011 13:14
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If nothing else, Dany would go down from a historical perspective as having hosed up the economy of the whole world. Half the cities in Essos depend on slaves for productivity, Westerosi, Bravosi, Summer Islanders, etc. trade with those cities. Slave trade stops, world shipping is hosed, Free Cities can no longer afford to buy off the Dothraki. Dany hosed up the whole continent of Essos. Good for her!
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Jul 22, 2011 20:06
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If you remember wights attacked Bran and Co just outside of the Children of the Forest's cave, implying, at least to me, that the Others are against them as well. Fire, ice, and nature maybe?
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Jul 24, 2011 00:29
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Mance Rayder PoV anyone? Considering how ADwD subverted my expectations of where the plot was going, my personal crazy theory is that the person who will finally meet Howland Reed will be Mance, when he escapes Winterfell and hides in the swamps of the Neck.
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Jul 28, 2011 05:14
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EC posted:I'm surprised people complain about the repetition of certain phrases in the book (You know nothing, where do whores go, floppy ears, blood of the dragon, lamprey pies, etc), but I haven't seen anyone complain about the annoying rear end prayers to the Red God or whatever the gently caress. I don't really skim books, especially not these, but goddamn did I get tired of hearing all of that poo poo about light and fire and blah blah blah. Well these are prayers, which are generally repetitious anyways, as opposed to phrases the entire continent of Westeros apparently knows and uses at the drop of a hat. If the core tenet of your religion is " the night is dark and full of terrors", I imagine that will be worked into a few sermons here and there.
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Aug 3, 2011 16:35
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Argali posted:"Look, capybaras!" I suddenly have a desire to see dire capybaras worked into the series.
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Aug 4, 2011 15:09
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I'd be somewhat disappointed if he didn't attempt to humanize the Others in some fashion. Every other faction, mystical or otherwise has had some characterization, but they remain the same Seelie-esque fae since GoT. They don't necessarily need to be made sympathetic, but reasons beyond being ¡loving EVIL! would be nice. One of my favorite things about Dance was how Melisandre and presumably the rest of the R'hllor priesthood are basically making this poo poo up as they go. Some much for the mysterious sorceress. It's all a farce, possibly a mummer's.
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Aug 7, 2011 23:10
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VaultAggie posted:The Blackfish? I wouldn't think he'd be able to get through the riverlands, through the Neck, and into Winterfell, especially with the onset of winter. I assumed he was going to head to the Vale, probably by ship since the passes would be snowed in. Not sure what amount of news Riverrun was getting during the siege; he may not know Lysa is dead. Even so, he's got the most friends in the Vale, if the Lords Declarant were any indication. I never thought much of the second murderer, I always assumed it was meant to mirror Theon's inability to manage the keep when he took Winterfell. May be another subplot, god knows we don't have enough. *sarcasm*
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Aug 8, 2011 06:02
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Regardless of motivation, did Jon really even have a choice in the matter? The Watch remains neutral and all that, but this is RAMSAY BOLTON. That psycho would probably attack the Wall given half a reason, imagined or not. And he does, in the form of Jeyne Poole. So the only way for the Watch to survive, literally and politically, would be to kill Ramsay and come to an accord with the Northern lords, which would probably happen, given the Boltons great PR skills. What's doubly ironic is that with Kevan dead and Connington in the south, the only possible reprisal the Watch could face is from the Boltons. I imagine come the spring if everyone isn't a wightsicle, no one in power would really care if the Freys and Boltons died with the help of a "neutral" organization. Plus, even if they did send someone up there, unless it was Lord Blindy McStupid, it shouldn't take much convincing for them to go "Yup, we're under attack by ice zombies." In conclusion, Bowen Marsh is a really loving stupid character.
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Aug 11, 2011 05:26
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I'm not going to totally discount it, but I really hope he doesn't take it in the warging direction. He'll have to generate so many contrived situations to make that work it'll be painful to read. The resurrection, whole no less hokey, frees him of that pesky "Until my death" clause of the oath, so he can go do whatever after that. Plus it gives Martin the opportunity to turn him into an rear end in a top hat ala UnCat.
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Aug 11, 2011 05:51
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| # ¿ Apr 25, 2024 15:33 |
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If it's crazy fan theories we're after, I've got one. Martin uses Chekov's gun with a lot of his characters/places. Mention a name twice, it's important somehow. Apparently I was the only one in the world who thought "...the Golden Company has broken their contract with Myr." was just a way to flesh out the world. Going in the other direction, greyscale got a lot of face time in this book, regardless of Connington's impending death. I think Connington is gonna be an apocalyptic carrier, spreading a grayscale plague across Westeros, or possibly more localized to the Stormlands and Dorne, loving up Aegon's invasion plans.
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Aug 11, 2011 06:05
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