Arriving In Westeros; or, I Just Started the Song of Ice And Fire Novels

[Solid Snake]

I am very disappointed that the Blackfish does not appear where he is supposed to appear in the HBO show.

[Magus]

They figured since his only appearance would be a two minute scene to say hi to Catelyn as she rode to the Eyrie it would save money and make it easier to cast the part for later seasons to just wait until season two to introduce him. Basically if they show him in season 1 they have to find that actor again for season 2, 3, etc...unless we forget what they look like by the time they show up again. Like I kind of doubt that Beric Dondarrion will be the same dude they showed in that one scene in season 1 for like two seconds, but maybe he will be...kind of weird that they never showed Thoros of Myr either. It would have been easy enough in that scene to be like "I charge you, Beric Dondarrion, with hunting down Gregor Clegane and bringing him to justice" and then Thoros of Myr going "I too shall help Ser Beric with his quest", etc.. People are probably going to be rather confused as to who he is when all he got in the entirety of the first season was a mention by Cersei or somebody, I forget who...then again that is true of a lot of characters, I guess.

As for Dany I'd say you automatically have at least six episodes worth of stuff to go over, which is probably about as much as was in this season (I don't think she was in every single episode, only most of them, but I can't remember), between wandering through the desert, introducing us to Qarth and its factions, the Warlocks, the prophecies in the house, meeting Belwas and Arstan, etc.

[Red Fighter 1073]

So apparently GRRM is coming to a Barnes and Noble near me in Massachusetts for A Dance With Dragons book-signing, which is pretty damn rad, considering the fact that I never seem to see cool shit like this happening. Not sure whether I'll go because I've only just started Clash of Kings, and I hate waiting in lines, but still cool nonetheless =)

[Satan's Onion]

Still workin' on Storm of Swords, partly 'cos I've been busy and partly 'cos I'm too antsy for Dance with Dragons to concentrate on Westeros for very long.

A minor realization: All the Lannister kids (Tywin's kids, at least, although Joffrey fits in here too) have significant impulse-control issues. Jaime channels his into swording things until they fall down and mouthing off at Brienne, Cersei's apparently incapable of making anything like a rational decision regarding men or marriages (including but by no means limited to Jaime), and Tyrion just can't stop himself from saying totally hilarious, awesome, and completely true things that still end up being the wrongest thing he could possibly say at that moment.

Actually, now I think about it, Tyrion sort of got the best of that particular character flaw--or that flaw was tempered by the fact that he's not physically capable of swording his problems away like his older brother. His talking has gotten him out of as many predicaments as it's gotten him into; but you can't un-fuck or un-sword a dude.

[Kim]

Without reading the thread for fear of spoilers, just thought I'd mention that apparently Martin is now planning the series to be eight books long instead of seven, or so I hear. Dunno how much this is actually news but hey.

[Solid Snake]

Originally Posted by NonCon

Without reading the thread for fear of spoilers, just thought I'd mention that apparently Martin is now planning the series to be eight books long instead of seven, or so I hear. Dunno how much this is actually news but hey.

...If that's true, now I'm certain we'll never see the ending, or at least an ending written by Martin. =/

EDIT: Never pre-order a book from Borders, people. BORDERS IS EVIL

[Odjn]

Jesus shithead ADWD wasn't worth the wait. It's good, but not that good.

[Solid Snake]

Originally Posted by Odjn

Jesus shithead ADWD wasn't worth the wait. It's good, but not that good.

DO NOT SAY SUCH LIES
...I will not tolerate them
I will not tolerate you breaking my heart Odjn

[Magus]

I enjoyed the book but Martin's inability to have even a partial conclusion to things has chafed ever since the end of A Clash of Kings which while clearly a book in need of five more sequels has a clear climax. This book's climax appears to be set for the beginning of the next book ( the battle for Meereen with Daenarys leading Khal Jhoqo's Dothraki down on the Yunkai'i rear, with some Tyrion maneuvering to get the Second Sons on her side), which is kind of silly...Martin probably would have needed a mere 150 pages to bring this to a great conclusion, and if it couldn't be had by adding more to it due to length, vast swathes could have been cut from it. It is padded as hell (especially in regards to Theon. We get it Theon, Ramsay cut your dick off. We don't need to hear you talk about your state of affairs for entire chapters at a time).

THAT BEING SAID, I enjoyed it and it has certainly whet my appetite for the concluding volumes.

Originally Posted by NonCon

Without reading the thread for fear of spoilers, just thought I'd mention that apparently Martin is now planning the series to be eight books long instead of seven, or so I hear. Dunno how much this is actually news but hey.

That is a gigantic twisting of his words. He said, "Seven kingdoms, seven gods, seven books--seven books would be the perfect number. But you never know. I won't know until I'm partway through the next one" in a recent interview (paraphrasing, as I can't remember the site that had it).

There MIGHT be eight books but it is incredibly far from set in stone and doesn't seem to be what he'd prefer. In fact he seems intent on making sure it reaches at least seven books by padding the length, if this book is any sign of it.

[Solid Snake]

Originally Posted by Magus

That is a gigantic twisting of his words. He said, "Seven kingdoms, seven gods, seven books--seven books would be the perfect number. But you never know. I won't know until I'm partway through the next one" in a recent interview (paraphrasing, as I can't remember the site that had it).

There MIGHT be eight books but it is incredibly far from set in stone and doesn't seem to be what he'd prefer. In fact he seems intent on making sure it reaches at least seven books by padding the length, if this book is any sign of it.

"...And the Riverlands!"
...There, that's his excuse if there's eight. :P