Game of Thrones: book thread

[HarmonicGenerator]

So I finished reading ADWD on Friday, had a few days to mull it over. Over all I enjoyed it

 

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Any rumours/confirmation on whether Jon is alive or dead? I'm assuming he will be resurrected by Melisendre. There seems to be an increasing amount of 'he/she's dead SWERVE!11?' type finishes, they are getting a little predictable now, then again, I may be completely wrong and he might actually be dead. But I'm in agreement with whoever said that what's going on on The Wall is the area I'm most anticipating in the new book.

 

 

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I never thought of

 

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Melisandre resurrecting Jon

 

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but it makes a lot of sense. Good assumption! I'm thinking the Ironborn have got the right idea with "what is dead may never die"... It seems to pervade the entire series the more I think about it - the Others/White Walkers, Beric Dondarrion, not to mention

 

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Lady Stoneheart, the people who are actually trees but are still people, whatever they are, and so on and so on...

 

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Perhaps that's the message we're supposed to take from the whole thing!

[Guy Bifkin]

So I finished reading ADWD on Friday, had a few days to mull it over. Over all I enjoyed it

 

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I'm looking forward to a lot more of the Dornish in the next book, I really like them.

 

Sorry, still not convinced about Victorian and his 'my big bro is so mean to me, lets fuck the dusky woman, I'm gonna make the Dragon queen marry me because I have a horn I can't actually use, lets fuck the dusky woman, my bro is so mean to me' rinse, wash, repeat routine. A POV that I think I will continue to skim read.

 

I am really enjoying the Arya and I'm really intrigued to see what will happened to her, I do agree that they will have to cut the story down to make it work on TV otherwise it will become confusing/boring.

 

Any rumours/confirmation on whether Jon is alive or dead? I'm assuming he will be resurrected by Melisendre. There seems to be an increasing amount of 'he/she's dead SWERVE!11?' type finishes, they are getting a little predictable now, then again, I may be completely wrong and he might actually be dead. But I'm in agreement with whoever said that what's going on on The Wall is the area I'm most anticipating in the new book.

 

I hope Bran's storyline really starts to pick up too.

 

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I guess we will have to agree to disagree on Victarion! If nothing else I think he will provide the means for Danerys to get her armies to Westeros, something I

[deathrey]

Before I answer that, I just want to check, the version of ADWD that I read had a preview chapter from Winds of Winter at the end, it was a full chapter from the point of view of

 

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Theon

 

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Have you read it? And if you haven't, would you mind if I reference it?

[Ian 86]

Have you read it? And if you haven't, would you mind if I reference it?

 

I haven't read it, but I don't mind if you refernce it (although suggest you do it in spoiler tags).

 

On

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Jon.....

 

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I dont believe he is dead dead. either:

i) he's not dead and somehow survived it

ii) he's dead but warged into Ghost and therefore sort of not dead

iii) Melisandre ressurects him. Possibly after ii)

 

I'll be annoyed if he'd killed of completely because I like him! Also I want to know who his parents are, too much of deal has been of that for it to stay unanswered.

 

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On

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Arya.....

 

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I'm curious where it goes, but agree it could be a drag on TV. She has been irritating me so far this season. I'm guessing she'll head back to Westeros in the next book with an assasination target. Possibly someone that would bring her into direct conflict with Jon, Sansa,or Cat, just to make it interesting?

 

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On

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Sansa....

 

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I can see her developing into a big player before the end, and ending up being Littlefinger's downfall. Perhaps they'll reveal Jon's parentage, prove she's not his sister, and she can marry him and be Queen of the North? Which would also make him Lord of the Vale and potentially a big player in the end. She has grown on me as the story has developed.

 

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Whatever happens there needs to be a bit of a cull soon as there are too many 'major' characters at the moment for my poor brain to deal with!

[Ghostface1982]

ADWD left a few cliff hangers. I've read a few of the new chapters.

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One from Theons persepective and one from Arianne's. I've also seen a brief overerview of two Barriston chapters and a Victarion.

 

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As for happenings at the wall...

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No way Jon is dead. Would make no sense. Especially with all the hints of who his real parents are in the series. My own personal theory is. He dies, but Wargs into Ghost, Melisandre revives his body but he's comatose, cause he isn't actually in there. Then we have Jon figuring out how to get back into his own body for a bit.

 

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[Ian 86]

ADWD left a few cliff hangers. I've read a few of the new chapters.

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One from Theons persepective and one from Arianne's. I've also seen a brief overerview of two Barriston chapters and a Victarion.

 

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Dont spoil anything from them - one chapter that is included in the last book is one thing but my curiosity won't stop me looking at those if they're posted.

 

As for happenings at the wall...

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No way Jon is dead. Would make no sense. Especially with all the hints of who his real parents are in the series. My own personal theory is. He dies, but Wargs into Ghost, Melisandre revives his body but he's comatose, cause he isn't actually in there. Then we have Jon figuring out how to get back into his own body for a bit.

 

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that's pretty much what I was thinking. Maybe guided back by Bran somehow.

 

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Also we need to find out what's happened to

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Rickon. All this talk about the Stark brats has just made me remember he is off somewhere with Osha and (maybe) Davos

 

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[scotboy15]

Where is everyone reading these advanced chapters of the new book? Have they been published somewhere and are they available for download?

[Guy Bifkin]

Before I answer that, I just want to check, the version of ADWD that I read had a preview chapter from Winds of Winter at the end, it was a full chapter from the point of view of

 

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Theon

 

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Have you read it? And if you haven't, would you mind if I reference it?

 

It was included in my version of the book so I have yes. I was under the impression that, confusingly, the scene is meant to take place before the events at the end of the ADWD though.

[Ghostface1982]

Where is everyone reading these advanced chapters of the new book? Have they been published somewhere and are they available for download?

EDIT -Actually that link didn't have them.

 

Here they are...

Theon - http://archive.is/eoIl

 

Arianne - http://archive.is/2PS7R

[deathrey]

It was included in my version of the book so I have yes. I was under the impression that, confusingly, the scene is meant to take place before the events at the end of the ADWD though.

 

Ah ok, well I didn't read it that way, time wise the books have always seemed fairly linear to me so upon reading that I assumed that the letter was all lies

 

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I agree that Bolton has Mance as a captive but I don't think he has 'Arya' and I think Stannis is still alive. I think Bolton was just trying to bait Jon in to coming to Winterfell. Possibly in relation to Robb's will as he wanted Winterfell left to Jon and Bolton may have discovered this possibly. Though I think its more likely he was just trying to bait him for the sake of it.

 

There is around 5 chapters worth from Winds of Winter which have been released, I've only read this chapter so far but I need to track the others down. There is one from Arianne, one from Tyrion, part of a Victarian Greyjoy chapter and two chapters from Barristen Selmy. I enjoyed the Selmy chapters more than I expected to go ADWD so I'm looking forward to his chapters in Winds of Winter.

 

 

 

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[scotboy15]

Where is everyone reading these advanced chapters of the new book? Have they been published somewhere and are they available for download?

EDIT -Actually that link didn't have them.

 

Here they are...

Theon - http://archive.is/eoIl

 

Arianne - http://archive.is/2PS7R

 

Awesome! Thanks for that

[Ian 86]

so what did the other book readers think on the red wedding on TV knowing it was coming?

 

Personally I loved it. The only bit that slightly annoyed me was (book 3/4 spoiler)

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the stabbing of Mrs Robb. This character on TV has annoyed me a bit all the way through because she's so different to the book character (name, background, everything). But in the book she doesn't die and is pardoned by the Iron Throne because her mum is secretly friend with Tywin Lannister.

 

Whilst the death scene was great, there could have been equally good TV by making her watch it unfold. Quite a small petty difference but I think it's just that I dont like the TV character

 

Also, whilst the death of Grey Wind was quite touching, it was much more spectacular in the book as he was freed and went out in a blaze of glory taking Frey men with him - that would have been awesome, but maybe too similar to Summer attacking the Wildlings in the same episode.

 

 

[organizedkaos]

RE Red Wedding / TV and so on

 

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It was good-ish. The addition of the brutal stabbing of Talsia helped kicked things off and along with Cat going for Frey's wife worked better in terms of making you believe it might not it for Robb and Cat - that the 'big event' was the brutal stabbing of Talsia and the others would live to fight another day with a new enemy.

Felt like they really toned down the chaotic nature of the event though - they hit certain beats; Roose's armour, rains of castamere playing but in the book it really felt like there was all sorts going on and these little events start to make you realise not everything is OK. On the show it was like they did certain bits, but just one after another with little flow (that statement actually applies to the show as a whole sometimes), there was a very odd pause after rains started playing where Robb is kinda just standing there (although Cat's realisation was very well done).

Also thought this would be the perfect time to reveal Ramsey as Roose's kid which I think would have been very effective for adding to the dread. Suddenly this character who's only been seen in the torture rooms is about, interacting with the Starks buddy buddy and being semi normal (aside from gifting them some skin). I didn't mind the change in Grey Wind as it worked well as another exercise in misdirection, and linked to the wedding - you think 'finally Grey Wind will kick some arse' but no, crossbows through the window - done

 

Two things are interesting to the books going forward. One this totally debunks the Jeyne Westerling is pregnant theory (that was tenuous to begin with) and two, there was no mention of Robb's will (I think) so that suggests that won't come in again as a plot point (I guess they could just claim he wrote one when they need to)

 

Be interesting to see if this affects the show's popularity. Whilst Martin's anti-conventions shtick is fun it does cause problems (and one could argue some of the 4th and 5th books issues are due to the removal of a central conflict), especially as a lot of the casual viewers want a traditional story. I'm assuming they won't kill Joffrey next week so the lasting idea of the season (until 4) will be the Red Wedding along with Joff/Tywin gloating next episode - might put people off a bit. I'm even more sure they'll do Lady Stoneheart next week just to add some semblance of hope to the proceedings...

 

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[lanky316]

I wouldn't necessarily look at the show regarding foreshadowing in the books. While I agree with the points you'd made, this is a very different beast and with their intentions to end the whole lot at the end of seven series' they've suggested they're not adding any more "pieces to the board" which COULD mean

 

DWD

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we probably won't go too far into the Dornish plot, we probably won't have much in the way of Jon Covington or the Greyjoy scheming (we've not seen anything of them this season at all have we? Unless they're saving all the Asha stuff for the next series.

 

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and a whole host of other things. I've not looked through the book for substories to cut as there'll be quite a lot of streamlining ahead. I'm actually coming around to the idea that the TV show is going to have a completely different ending to the book series, Martin has a history of winding up the fan base and teasing them. I don't think most readers would decide not to read the last book or two just because the TV show ends in a certain way. I could quite feasibly picture a scenario wherin people lose their minds at the TV ending of X happening and then the readers find something completely different happening and their minds being blown away as they were completely new to it.

[Lion_of_the_Midlands]

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I don't think they will do Joffrey's wedding this season at all. There is a lot to clear up in episode 10 so a major event like that will need a little more time to develop.

 

As for Talisa/Jeyne Westerling: The whole arc of Robb's story is different so you can't really compare the book version and the tv version of that character.