Game of Thrones

[Solo4114]

The biographies and stuff I find do tend to matter. They aren't like Tolkien's observations on geography which get a bit self-indulgent. It's the poems that I just glaze over with, and that's less to do with Martin, and more to do with my general response to poetry. Without setting it to music, it's hard for me to pay much attention unless it's specifically pointed otu to me as "DUDE. Pay attention. this is important." When you're first reading through it, Patchface's ramblings, while prophetic, make no sense. Great. so I'm in the same boat as the other characters, and he just sounds like an idiot. Super. It's only when you go back and re-read what he said (unless you just happen to remember it - which I don't) that it makes more sense.

 

[copperwatt]

Quite frankly, I've found that Martin just seems to pad his books with endless and useless observations and narrations. I can't tell you how many paragraphs I've skimmed over when they go over the history of some unimportant hedge knight's birth history and how he got knighted. Boring stuff.

This can be dangerous, plot wise, because as much as RR likes detail for just sake of color, he also likes weaving intricate consequences of decisions of "unimportant" people and events. Also, you may not find out that those details were relevant until like... 3 books later. I would be curious which backstory details you found unimportant.

That said, he spends a LOT of ink describing food and coat of arms designs.

-cw

 

[JoeG]

Agree wholeheartedly about food/family sigils. He loves going into detail about that stuff simply because it interests him, I think. I know I always get pretty hungry after any feast scene. He does make it all sound so amazing. The character/family histories, though are almost always important. Much of the history of Westeros explains the motivations for what is happening now. I mean, if you skip over the history of Robert's rebellion or the relationship of Dorne to the rest of Westeros, you're really going to be scratching your head in books 4 and 5.

To me, the fact that there is so much backstory to all of this is a big part of what makes this series, book and show alike, so great. It feels like GRRM isnt just spinning a fantastic yarn, he's telling the history of an actual place.

 

[Kerr Avon]

This can be dangerous, plot wise, because as much as RR likes detail for just sake of color, he also likes weaving intricate consequences of decisions of "unimportant" people and events. Also, you may not find out that those details were relevant until like... 3 books later. I would be curious which backstory details you found unimportant.

I'm not talking about the important families of Westeros. I'm talking about these unimportant 4th tier families that had nothing ever important happen except like one jousting match that he likes to seem to ramble on about. There were a lot of paragraphs like that in books 4 and 5. Just skimmed over them until it got back to relevant stuff.

 

[ghostryder]

Watch Saturday Night Live: Game of Game of Thrones online | Free | Hulu

 

[Scareb]

Good episode tonight. I'm really digging the one priest dude. He really kind of seems a little bit like a rock star to me. I'm also very curious about what the red lady meant when she was talking of brown, blue and green eyes. I also thought I was done hating little finger but after tonight, I realized I am looked forward to the episode in which he hopefully does).

 

[Goodwolf]

They're starting to diverge pretty widely from the books. Trying not to get too worried though, since GRRM is supposed to have a pretty good bit of input on the show.

 

[firesprite]

I'm also very curious about what the red lady meant when she was talking of brown, blue and green eyes.

Foreshadowing for later.

I really, really enjoyed this episode. They're diverging quite a bit with Melisandra, but I kind of the scenes involving her this episode.

 

[Solo4114]

The brown and the green, I think I get. Dunno about the blue.

Spoiler

I'm thinking brown is the Hound, and green is one of the Lannisters. Doesn't Cersei have green eyes?

Also, it's looking like they're condensing many characters this season. Edric Storm and Gendry seem to be merging into one character. I think this makes sense, since it's tough to keep track of all of Robert's bastards, and for television, it's easier to just have the one role doing both. Plus, doesn't Gendry basically disappear from the storyline when he, Arya, and Hot Pie discover the Brotherhood Without Banners?

 

[moffeaton]

Spoiler

Awwww, they killed off my favorite "professional sex consultant" (The RPF blocks the word *****, apparently). BOOOO

 

[Jeyl]

..... I'm going to watch the Dark Knight Rises and pretend Little Finger joined the CIA.

 

[Serenity]

..... I'm going to watch the Dark Knight Rises and pretend Little Finger joined the CIA.

If only Batman hadn't saved Joffrey in Begins...

 

[Solo4114]

..... I'm going to watch the Dark Knight Rises and pretend Little Finger joined the CIA.

You mean after his tenure as mayor of Baltimore?

 

[crabra comander]

Arya is going to be quite the badass from that bit of foreshadowing.

And is that Rob Stark storyline leading anywhere other than Hostel: Medieval Times Edition?

 

[blakeh1]

The brown and the green, I think I get. Dunno about the blue.

Spoiler

I'm thinking brown is the Hound, and green is one of the Lannisters. Doesn't Cersei have green eyes?

Also, it's looking like they're condensing many characters this season. Edric Storm and Gendry seem to be merging into one character. I think this makes sense, since it's tough to keep track of all of Robert's bastards, and for television, it's easier to just have the one role doing both. Plus, doesn't Gendry basically disappear from the storyline when he, Arya, and Hot Pie discover the Brotherhood Without Banners?

Spoiler

In A Storm of Swords, Arya met the "Ghost of Highheart", that old dwarf lady who had prophetic dreams...

She dreamed of the goat sitting alone and fevered in the hall of kings as the great dog descends on him ( Gregor retakes Harrenhal from Vargo Hoat, who is feverish after Brienne bites off his ear )

a wolf howling in grief in the rain, a clangor of horns and drums and the sad sound of a little bell (the red wedding, Robb's Direwolf)

a maid at a feast with purple serpents in her hair (the other wedding and Sansa's hairnet, which contains poison crystals)

and the same maid slaying a giant in a castle built of snow ( Sansa destroying Robert's doll )

They took the part we she tells Arya that she is a blood child and smells of death for Melissandre. I don't know if the Brown refer to the Hound. Remember her and the hound meet Polliver and the Tickler at the inn where she gets back Needle.

it's funny how much Martin sometimes gives away in his dreams/prohecies. of course it is sometimes hard to recognize them the first go around, but after reading them again you realize how much spoilers there are sometimes

 

[ghostryder]

I'm a little murky on Theon's torturer is - are we supposed to know (if we've only seen the show)?

 

[Solo4114]

Nope. I don't think so. There are some hints they've dropped, but they're kind of subtle if you don't know to look for them.

 

[blakeh1]

Yeah at this point the TV show hasn't followed the "Reek" plot line so it's not so obvious who it is to the viewers. (to be fair, I don't think it was really obvious who "Reek" really was in the book either until book 5 anyway)

The biggest hints are these...
the quote from the one soldier he shot "oh, you little *******"
in the previous season one of Robb's most known bannermen suggested someone who he knew that Robb could send to Winterfell to take care of Theon

 

[Solo4114]

As I recall, wasn't "Reek" pretty much confirmed in the 2nd book as being the character neither of us has explicitly identified yet?

 

[SmilingOtter]

And a man tied to an "X" is the sigil of a certain House.