Winter is coming...

[Ⓐaron]

I think it's his first time reading them.

Done with the book.

Spoiler: General thoughts, may be considered spoilerish but I've tried to keep this light on details

I think the decision to split some of the material off to the next book kind of hurt. It sort of felt like the whole thing was building to a large number of confrontations that never really came, and large number of important characters' plotlines in the books end up with their fates completely uncertain.

That said, it's still a strong book. I would not rank it as high as ASoS but I think my initial placement of it at second may end up holding overall. But it frustrated me. Gods it frustrated me. But mostly in a good way, and I had a similar reaction to every other book in this series.

Spoiler: Less general thoughts, seriously do not read if you have not finished

Spoiler: I'm fucking serious

I liked Kevan, even if he was serving a bunch of people who were complete and utter dicks King's Landing is well and truly fucked without him. Which, of course, was exactly the purpose of killing him off. The Targaryen loyalists could not have pulled off a better masterstroke and the King's Landing chapters in the next book are going to be hugely interesting to read through. Mostly for the feeling of schadenfreude. I did not expect Pycelle to bite it though. It's pretty apparent that he was nowhere near as incompetent as he attempted to portray himself as being, but then again the Targs have Varys on their side so if anyone could have seen through the feeble old man disguise it's him.

It's frustrating to have absolutely no idea whether Jon, Stannis, Mance, Jaime, Asha, or Theon survive, nor really even any clue what happened to a lot of them (although Jaime's fate has been pretty heavily hinted at, but I'm pretty sure the hints given us are deliberately misleading). I'm sure at least some of them survive but we'll probably have no idea which. It's also frustrating that we learn a bit more about Davos and Bran's quests and then get absolutely no word about the plots. I'm glad we met the three-eyed crow and the children of the forest, but that was a third of the way through the book. I was hoping we'd get a glimpse of Skagos and Rickon this book as well, but alas. I was also annoyed that the plot in Meereen left off at a giant cliffhanger. The battle the entire book had been foreshadowing is forestalled off to the next book. I'm sure it'll be epic, but come on.

I want someone to do to Ramsay Bolton every inch of what he did to Theon and countless others. Ramsay is an even more loathsome character than Joffrey was. It would give me no greater pleasure than to have Theon be the one who engineers his undoing. I did not think I would ever find myself feeling that empathetic for Theon, but that was by far one of the most harrowing sequences I have ever read any character going through. If you can't find it in yourself to feel for him after that you're as cold as Stannis. I'm not terribly fond of Roose Bolton either, and nothing he does will ever make him anything less than a complete monster, but he's more a character I love to hate the way Tywin was. He's an interesting character who's clever and full of possibilities and even, strangely, regrets, while Ramsay Bolton is just a flat-out villain with no redeeming qualities.

That said I'm pretty sure Ramsay's letter was a fake. I can't imagine GRRM having Theon, "Arya", the banker, Asha, and Stannis all meet up only to be killed. But I want to know what actually happened. If anything he's probably woken the direwolf by writing that letter, since there's no way Jon would've been provoked to lead a host of free folk down to Winterfell without it. Jon's fate may be up in the air but I expect that won't stop people from going down there even without him.

I find myself feeling kind of ambivalent about Victarion, but compared with almost everyone he means to fight against, he is by far the least of many evils.

Aegon is a baller. I foresee great things for him in the future.

Spoiler: Chapter index; these are quite spoilerish due to information contained within the titles and I would not click on them before finishing the book

Spoiler: Again, I'm dead serious here

1. PROLOGUE (VARAMYR)
2. TYRION I
3. DAENERYS I
4. JON I
5. BRAN I
6. TYRION II
7. THE MERCHANT’S MAN (QUENTYN I)
8. JON II
9. TYRION III
10. DAVOS I
11. JON III
12. DAENERYS II
13. REEK (THEON I)
14. BRAN I
15. TYRION IV
16. DAVOS II
17. DAENERYS III
18. JON IV
19. TYRION V
20. DAVOS III
21. REEK (THEON II)
22. JON V
23. TYRION VI
24. DAENERYS IV
25. THE LOST LORD (JON CONNINGTON I)
26. THE WINDBLOWN (QUENTYN II)
27. THE WAYWARD BRIDE (ASHA I)
28. TYRION VII
29. JON VI
30. DAVOS IV
31. DAENERYS V
32. MELISANDRE I
33. REEK (THEON III)
34. TYRION VIII
35. BRAN III
36. JON VII
37. DAENERYS VI
38. THE PRINCE OF WINTERFELL (THEON IV)
39. THE WATCHER (AREO I)
40. JON VIII
41. TYRION IX
42. THE TURNCLOAK (THEON V)
43. THE KING’S PRIZE (ASHA II)
44. DAENERYS VII
45. JON IX
46. THE BLIND GIRL (ARYA I)
47. A GHOST IN WINTERFELL (THEON VI)
48. TYRION X
49. JAIME I
50. JON X
51. DAENERYS VIII
52. THEON VII
53. DAENERYS IX
54. JON XI
55. CERSEI I
56. THE QUEENSGUARD (BARRISTAN I)
57. THE IRON SUITOR (VICTARION I)
58. TYRION XI
59. JON XII
60. THE DISCARDED KNIGHT (BARRISTAN II)
61. THE SPURNED SUITOR (QUENTYN III)
62. THE GRIFFIN REBORN (JON CONNINGTON II)
63. THE SACRIFICE (ASHA III)
64. VICTARION II
65. THE UGLY LITTLE GIRL (ARYA II)
66. CERSEI II
67. TYRION XII
68. THE KINGBREAKER (BARRISTAN III)
69. THE DRAGONTAMER (QUENTYN IV)
70. JON XIII
71. THE QUEEN’S HAND (BARRISTAN IV)
72. DAENERYS X
73. EPILOGUE (KEVAN)

I really need to read the Dunk & Egg stories so I can appreciate

Spoiler: minor spoiler

the twist shown in Bran's second chapter. It would mean a lot more to me if I had any idea what Lord Brynden's historical rôle was.

 

[Ⓐaron]

Post on NeoGAF, huge spoilers, do not read if you have not finished the book. Plus my reactions.

Spoiler

Spoiler: Seriously, don't read this if you haven't finished

So many thoughts. Pounded it out in a couple days and still letting it stew. Much to think on, and much may change in a reread, but (full book spoilers):

Regarding cheers and jeers character archs:

Favorites:

Tyrion, whole arch. Completely stole the show, I thought. He took on the same role as Arya in Storm, or Brienne in Feast, but in a completely different world. And he was perfect for it. This is the character who wanted to follow in the footsteps of his missing uncle and see the lands across the narrow sea, and who went to the wall because it was there, but had never been allowed to leave Westeros. I loved seeing the journey and sights slowly brought him back, and how we saw how horrible and cruel the lands of Essos could be. In a way, he’s the moral compass of the entire story – he reminds us of what’s at stake should Dany leave the bay to the slavers.

Theon, whole arch. Amazing writing. Also a slow recovery story, but in much more dramatic terms. Ramsay did not need to be solidified as much more of a villain, but bloody hell, mission accomplished. GRRM’s love of repetitive thoughts (“rhymes with ___” and “remember your name)” were much more powerful here than they typically are, as they give us an up close look at Theon’s mindfuck. I am probably more inclined to be sympathetic to Theon anyway, as I’ve always found him more pitiful than villainous. It was lovely to see him slowly remember who he was, albeit sad and painful. Also Mance’s elite spearwife storm troopers were kind of awesome.

Jon Snow, final chapter. This one was satisfying because you could feel the noose slipping around him the entire book. He really wasn’t often wrong (though his plan to lead an expedition to hardhome was probably too ambitious), but he pushed too hard, too soon, and had too few allowances for the men who weren’t able to move at his speed. Marsh and Yarwick were good men, as he said, yet he did nothing to make it appear as though he may think of them that way. Sent away his friends, took in the wildlings too quickly, walked to close to the line to Stannis, and jumped over it with his last act. It was still kind of shocking, though he should have known better. Really, from the second Ramsay’s letter arrived, this chapter has you on tilt.

The wolves. Arya, Bran, and Manderly. Arya’s and Bran’s chapters were obvious – deeper glimpses into the complexity of the world we’ve seen hints about since GOT. Wyman Manderly…the north remembers. He and Doran Martell would be great friends, I think.

Aegon VI. As stupid as I thought the baby Aegon theories were, I really liked this kid. We spend all this time thinking about Dany’s Targaryen invasion, and here we have another play hidden all along. I don’t recall Doran’s exact words, but it was something like “we prince’s make such plans, and the gods make cruel japes of them all.” But the truth is, I like the Gold Company, I like Connington, and I like baby Aegon. I wish the best. I also love that at the end of the say, we’re still ultimately just watching the schemes of Varys and Littlefinger.

Worst bits:

Dany was utterly useless. She did nothing, did nothing, walked into traps, and did nothing. Let the Yunkai’I walk all over her. Bent over for the Harpy. Etc. Etc. Etc. I have some hopes that this will end satisfactorily, but not much. Last chapter was not interesting, particularly, even for what it was trying to do.

Quentyn. Why did we even need him?

The Stannis arch, ending with the pink letter, sans battle. Really, the problem with this book is that it’s just incomplete. Build up to the battle of Winterfell, battle of Meereen, no satisfying ending. For the first three books having such clear beginnings and ends, and the whole point of the split being to get a full story in, this was horribly unsatisfying. A lot of the King’s Landing POVs didn’t move stuff forward that much anyway.

Prediction for the future:

Jon – I imagine we haven’t seen the last of him, thought it would be nice. The AA possibility, the kiss of life possibility, the warg escape…it would be nice if we were rid of him though. More interesting will be the story behing the pink letter, and why Ramsay felt it necessary to provoke Jon.

Dany – Had to remember who she was, which could mean one of two things. 1) She is Westerosi, not Ghiscari, and sets sail. 2) She is fire and blood, not a peacemaker. I hope, for the second. From the Dothraki sea to Quarth to Slaver’s Bay raids to this farce, she’s demonstrated that she’s actually useful and interesting when she brings fire and blood, and otherwise dull. I would love to see our expectations of Dany sailing to Westeros turned, and Westeros is left to Aegon VI, and Dany is, after having made a few scratches, left to chew the ugly core of slavery out of Essos. This means in addition the breaking the Ghiscari coalition, stopping the Dothraki from taking hostages, taming the pirates of Southros, and liberating Voltanis and perhaps the other free cities. I thought Tyrion’s chapter in Voltanis was particularly telling. The slaves there pray for her.

I do not agree about Jon being boring, and I don't think Dany's chapters were a complete waste but some of them were pretty painful to read. I also don't think the Stannis arch on the whole was a weak link, but I agree completely about the fact that the whole book is buildup with no release. That said, I think I agree with most of the rest of the post.

 

[Cookie Monster]

Are you re-reading the others, or is it your first time reading them?

I read the first book. The others were spoiled for me, but I never read them. So I'm trying to finish the other three before I start Dragons.

 

[Ⓐaron]

I want to smack whoever wrote that Wikipedia plot summary. There is a huge spoiler from the last hundred pages that literally no one will see coming in the fourth sentence of the summary. People reading the plot summary are going to expect each section to be in at least rough chronological order.

 

[Ⓐaron]

Spoiler: A Dance with Dragons

Spoiler: Jon's last chapter, major fucking spoiler, SERIOUSLY DO NOT CLICK if you have not read almost the whole fucking book and/or do not want informed speculation on what happens in book six

Someone on the Penny Arcade fora pointed out that the Prince That Was Promised was prophesied to be born "beneath a bleeding star". Ser Patrek's sigil is a five-pointed star, and he certainly was bleeding. Jon's probably dead, but Melisandre will probably revive him in the next book.

 

[Tifabelle]

I have a question. I just want a yes or no answer though. No elaborating XD

Spoiler: Game of Thrones or Season 1 end

Do we ever find out who Jon's mother is? I realized today that likely the only two people that knew (Robert & Ned) are dead by the end of the book/season. The only other person I imagine would know is his actual mother (if she's still alive). Just yes or no please.

Or is it said in the first book/season if someone else knew? I get the impression no one did because Ned never spoke of her. Even Robert couldn't remember her name.

Thanks

 

[Cthulhu]

I have a question. I just want a yes or no answer though. No elaborating XD

Spoiler: Game of Thrones or Season 1 end

Do we ever find out who Jon's mother is? I realized today that likely the only two people that knew (Robert & Ned) are dead by the end of the book/season. The only other person I imagine would know is his actual mother (if she's still alive). Just yes or no please.

Or is it said in the first book/season if someone else knew? I get the impression no one did because Ned never spoke of her. Even Robert couldn't remember her name.

Thanks

Spoiler: Short answer, no spoiler based on both my knowledge of books 1 - 4 and general consensus

No.

I've heard various theories though, and people saying there's hints about it dropped in the book. I'm not sure if his appearance in the TV show is supposed to be a hint either.

@thread, on the one hand I want to buy the book. On the other, it's expensive as fuck (compared to Amazon etc) around here, and I'm only halfway book two (on my second read-through, and I seem to have forgotten most except the general stuff. Just passed the wedding, which was kinda lame because I knew what was going to happen, ).

 

[Tifabelle]

Wait to buy it when you're ready to read it. Maybe the price will go down

 

[Ⓐaron]

I have a question. I just want a yes or no answer though. No elaborating XD

Spoiler: Game of Thrones or Season 1 end

Do we ever find out who Jon's mother is? I realized today that likely the only two people that knew (Robert & Ned) are dead by the end of the book/season. The only other person I imagine would know is his actual mother (if she's still alive). Just yes or no please.

Or is it said in the first book/season if someone else knew? I get the impression no one did because Ned never spoke of her. Even Robert couldn't remember her name.

Thanks

Spoiler

There isn't really a way to give a "yes" or "no" answer because it isn't spelled out in the books, but there are a number of passages that only make sense if Jon's parents are two specific people.

Spoiler: more detailed answer

That said, Sean Bean has all but confirmed that Ned Stark isn't Jon's actual father. At least one still living person in-universe does probably know who Jon's parents are: Howland Reed, who is the only surviving member of the events at the so-called "Tower of Joy". Thus far he hasn't actually appeared in the books (and Martin has confirmed that he will never be a viewpoint character because he "knows too much"; the only other two characters he has ruled out for that reason are Littlefinger and Varys), but his daughter and son Meera and Jojen will be introduced in book/season two. The wet nurse Wylla may also have knowledge about who Jon's parents are, although she may have just been told to lie about his parentage without being told the truth. In any case, Jon's likely mother appears to have died in childbirth and his likely father died before he was born.

If you want to know who Jon's parents probably are, check this. I don't think it has any spoilers for later books because it's talking about events from the backstory, but it may reveal elements of the backstory that haven't been revealed yet. There is an even more detailed writeup that goes into more detail about the textual justifications here, but it has spoilers for books two and three.

Spoiler: major ADWD spoilers, do not click if you haven't finished the book

Spoiler: I'm serious

This reminds me that there's another good reason Jon probably hasn't been Killed Off For Real; there isn't a good reason for anyone to reveal who his parents are to anyone other than him. I wonder how George is going to contrive to bring Howland Reed and Jon Snow together though. Maybe he'll show up at Winterfell when Jon finally does march south.

Spoiler: More ADWD spoilers; if you're halfway through the book you're good

Spoiler

I also have a possibly crackpot theory theory that Ashara Dayne did not actually give birth to a stillborn child. More likely she gave birth to the child that was switched with baby Aegon. She has already been described as having "Targaryen-like features" if I am not mistaken (she had their fair hair and violet eyes, for example), and she was quite loyal to the Targaryen cause, so it would make sense for her offspring to be able to pass as Targaryens. This would also provide a more believable justification for her throwing herself off a tower in grief.

 

[Ⓐaron]

Spoiler: ADWD spoilers

From PA:

Spoiler: Penultimate chapter spoilers

So, Dany bleeding and specifically mentioning it wasn't her time of the month was kind of odd.

What was that prophecy again?

"When the sun rises in the west and sets in the east," said Mirri Maz Duur. "When the seas go dry and mountains blow in the wind like leaves. When your womb quickens again, and you bear a living child. Then he will return, and not before."

(page 931) "The grass was paler than she remembered, a wan and sickly green on the verge of going yellow. After that would come brown. The grass was dying."

You know, the grass of the dothraki sea.

Quentyn is from house Martell. Their sigil is the sun. He rose in the west(eros) and died, or set in the east

If someone can find a reference to mountains blowing in the wind, I think this is solid.

From NeoGaf:

Spoiler: Fourth to last chapter spoilers

It's quite obvious Jon's not really going to be dead. GRRM left too many clues. Plus his stabbing scene fulfills the prophecy of Azor Ahai.

“It is written in prophecy as well. When the red star bleeds and the darkness gathers, Azor Ahai shall be born again amidst smoke and salt to wake dragons out of stone.”
--Melisandre, SoS, pg. 289

The star is the sigil of the knight being killed by the giant, his blood running on his clothes. The darkness is the coming winter. The smoke is coming from Jon's wound when he pulls out the dagger, and the salt is represented in the tears of Bowen as he stabs Jon. I found all this on the Westeros forums, not on my own, but it still seems pretty clear. Plus with all the emphasis on wargs living on in their animals, I think there's no way Jon is actually dead. How he comes back is another question though. Also it's completely within the realm of possibility that he survives his wounds, people have survived worse in this series.

 

[Ⓐaron]

The NYT is reporting that ADWD has singlehandedly revived bookstore sales. The store has been noticeably busier this week.

 

[Cthulhu]

I wonder if those big sales are entirely due to the TV show, or just partially and the following of the previous books were good enough.

 

[Ⓐaron]

Probably a bit of both, although it appears the TV show has been a pretty big influence on sales. According to another article which I already posted, the series had sold 4.5 million titles before this year; it has sold an additional 4 million this year. Though I'm not sure I'd attribute that all to the TV show; some people might have just wanted to catch up for ADWD.

 

[Ⓐaron]

Comment from Tower of the Hand concerning a major spoiler event at the end of the book. Do not read unless you are less than fifty pages away from the end.

Spoiler

Spoiler: I'm ded serios

Here are my arguments as to why Jon is inside Ghost, in no particular order. Boldfacing is mine.

1) Killing Jon now is bad storytelling, and major characters don't die off without serving a point. Ned's death started the entire War of the Five Kings. Robb and Catelyn's death ended the threat of the Northmen and turned her into Lady Stoneheart. Tywin's death propelled Tyrion overseas. There hasn't yet been a POV character off by "himself" (meaning no other POVs present) who just dies.

If Jon dies, not only is his story (parentage? Dany's vision of the flower in the wall of ice? the Others?) left incomplete, but there's no one to pick it up after him. The events of Ned's death carried into Arya and Sansa chapters, but who could continue Jon?

2) The prologue featured Varamyr Six-skins and warging into other bodies near the time of death. It stands to reason that Jon, as he becomes more capable of his abilities, is able to transfer his consciousness into Ghost.

3) Jon's first chapter begins with a wolf dream. This warrants a large quote:

"The wolf dreams had been growing stronger, and he found himself remembering them even when awake. Ghost knows that Grey Wind is dead. Robb had died at the Twins, betrayed by men he’d believed his friends, and his wolf had perished with him. Bran and Rickon had been murdered too, beheaded at the behest of Theon Greyjoy, who had once been their lord father’s ward … but if dreams did not lie, their direwolves had escaped. At Queenscrown, one had come out of the darkness to save Jon’s life. Summer, it had to be. His fur was grey, and Shaggydog is black. He wondered if some part of his dead brothers lived on inside their wolves."

4) Jon's third chapter ends with an ominous quote: "Jon rose and climbed the steps to the narrow bed that had once been Donal Noye’s. This is my lot, he realized as he undressed, from now until the end of my days." Ironically true. His death frees him from his oath to the Watch, but he's not truly gone.

5) In yet another Jon chapter, when Melisandre is talking to Jon about Ghost, she exhibits a strange control over Ghost, and hints at power and joining:

"“You think so?” She knelt and scratched Ghost behind his ear. “Your Wall is a queer place, but there is power here, if you will use it. Power in you, and in this beast. You resist it, and that is your mistake. Embrace it. Use it.”

"I am not a wolf, he thought. “And how would I do that?”

"“I can show you.” Melisandre draped one slender arm over Ghost, and the direwolf licked her face. “The Lord of Light in his wisdom made us male and female, two parts of a greater whole. In our joining there is power. Power to make life. Power to make light. Power to cast shadows.”"

We shouldn't interpret this simply, where male plus female equals a force greater than the sum of its parts. She tells Jon of a power in him and a power in Ghost, and makes a hint of joining together to get power to make life. In other words, Jon + Ghost = new life.

This is supported by Melisandre asking about Ghost in Jon's final chapter, because she wants to be sure he's close enough for warging, because...

6) Melisandre saw this happen. Not only did she see the assassination coming ("You would do well to keep your wolf close beside you. Ice, I see, and daggers in the dark. Blood frozen red and hard, and naked steel. It was very cold.”) but she also saw how he escapes it:

"The flames crackled softly, and in their crackling she heard the whispered name Jon Snow. His long face floated before her, limned in tongues of red and orange, appearing and disappearing again, a shadow half-seen behind a fluttering curtain. Now he was a man, now a wolf, now a man again. But the skulls were here as well, the skulls were all around him. Melisandre had seen his danger before, had tried to warn the boy of it. Enemies all around him, daggers in the dark. He would not listen."

I'm rushing this a little to get the reply in, but intend to flesh this out in more detail with additional supporting evidence. Zed's dead, baby, but Jon ain't.

Spoiler: More ADWD stuff

Spoiler: If you're read Jaime's first chapter you're good to read this

So Brienne is alive. It seems apparent that the word she shouted at the hanging was "Sword," and we're supposed to think she took Jaime to Stoneheart. Which was no doubt her intention. I'm not sure this is really what will end up happening, however. There seems to be at least a slight amount of foreshadowing indicating that her character arc will need to lead her towards being an oathbreaker as well. We shall see what happens in a few years.

 

[Ⓐaron]

EW interview in which Martin talks ADWD and drops some hints about TWOW. I may have posted this before; I can't even remember now.

 

[Dana Scully]

Finished this on Sunday.

Spoiler: major ADWD spoilers for the whole book

Spoiler: last warning

ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME YOU GIVE US ONE CHAPTER OF JAIME AND BRIENNE AND THEN NEVER ACTUALLY RESOLVE IT I'LL HAVE BEEN WAITING 10 YEARS BY THE TIME YOU FINALLY GET AROUND TO IT GEORGE FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU

okay now that that's out of my system

I agree with what you said Aaron about how the book feels, overall, unresolved. That's not to say it wasn't excellent, but it was like a book full of pro-foreplay without any actual sex. What happens with Mereen? What happens with Cersei and Gregor? With Stannis and Bolton and Ramsay and Theon and Asha? Bran? Rickon? Davos? JAIME AND BRIENNE?

That aside -

I agree that I don't think he's killed off Jon. One way or another he'll be back. I felt sorry for him throughout the book - he tries so hard but ends up fucking himself over.

As soon as I read that one line when Davos is meeting Manderly in front of his court - the one where it goes something like 'for a moment Manderly looked at the Frey as if he was a cockroach he wished to squish under his boot' - I knew that the dude was playing the Boltons and Freys like a fiddle. I was like FUCK YEAH FAT MAN DAMN STRAIGHT THE NORTH DOES NOT FORGET.

Theon's arc was probably the best arc in the entire book. It was absolutely horrifying, and while I loathed him in the other books I was cheering for him and his very gradual redemption in this one. Simply phenomenal writing. If Ramsay were to literally DIAF I would cheer.

I'm still not convinced Aegon is really Aegon, but I'm very curious to see how the Golden Company will attempt to take Storm's End.

Dany. Oh, Dany, wtf happened to your backbone. I appreciate she's between a rock and a hard place but fuck, she really got walked all over in this book. Still, that last chapter of hers makes it look like she and Drogon are going to tear shit up in the near future, with a whole khalasar at her back. Also, I really don't trust Daario. Like, at all. I think he's gonna come back to bite her in the ass (unless he's one of those corpses getting flung at the walls right now).

Tyrion's arc was just awesome, hands down. Will be interesting to see how Dany reacts when they inevitably cross paths.

I was rather surprised Quentyn died, tbh. I thought he'd have a bigger role to play yet. But I guess that's why you don't fuck with dragons.

Assassin!Arya is always fun to read. I'm very intrigued to see just how much power she ends up getting, though it's pretty clear that she just can't let go of Arya so I'm guessing she won't be able to gain all the power of the Many Faced God.

 

[Ⓐaron]

For those who have finished ADWD, I recommend this thread. Definitely do not open it until you have finished it, because there are lots of huge surprises in this book and this has information going up to the end of the book.

It's also speculated that

Spoiler

Jon's raven saying his full name may have been due to Bran warging it.

 

[Ⓐaron]

if you haven't watched at least the first three seasons of Lost or read at least half of ADWD you will not get this, but there's really no way anyone could consider this a spoiler

 

[Ⓐaron]

New interview, lots of spoilers.

Spoiler

Spoiler: seriously don't click this unless you're past at least page 913

http://shelf-life.ew.com/2011/07/21/dance-with-dragons-shocking-twist-g/

 

[Cthulhu]

if you haven't watched at least the first three seasons of Lost or read at least half of ADWD you will not get this, but there's really no way anyone could consider this a spoiler

I'm spoilered in that there's a Penny, a pig, and the pig is not hers .

Related: Lost was shit in the end.

 

[Roger]

Just finished it last night.

Spoiler: major ADWD spoilers for the whole book

Okay, I have to admit, I kinda resented Arya and Cersei getting multiple chapters when we yet again have no idea what is going with Bran or Davos. Bran stopped getting chapters half way through Book 3, it's gonna be too late to build up the idea that he actually IS important next book.

Kevan seemed a little too competent compared to how he was portrayed in previous books but it was just for one chapter.

Jon's story of digging himself a nice grave was better then Ned's. He didn't look as stupid and he seemed more deserving of it as well.

Disappointed that Quentin didn't get to do a whole lot.

 

[Ⓐaron]

Interview with Daniel Abraham about the forthcoming comic adaptation of A Game of Thrones

 

[Cthulhu]

That's just terrible, .

 

[Zee]

Spoiler: AFFC random babbling

okay i have to run soon but i needed to get some random thoughts out:

• BRIENNE GOD NO YOUR FACE
• Marg please get a POV chapter already I love you
• Cersei's chapters are fucking amazing and she's still at the top of the list for me she's just SO WELL WRITTEN. I have no idea how they're going to translate some of the stuff she goes through in the show half as well -- her thoughts while she's fucking Taena are just so...sad
  
  I mean she's still this terrible person but to actually see her breaking down from the inside and what got her there is just...damn.
• oh god littlefinger get away from Sansa just GET AWAY
• I want Dany to set fire to every ignorant fucker that's after her dragons and her vag
• More Sand Snakes please??
  

 

[Cookie Monster]

Haven't gotten through all the books, but I heard there's a possibility Jon Snow could be a Targaryen. Is that an actual possibility or just a load of bullshit?