DISCLAIMER - I have read the books but am only referencing the show, going to try really hard not to foreshadow.
The story arcs I am most interested in next season are
Arya – I think her journey for independence is really deep. Her growth from a tomboy envying her brothers training with swords to a leader of the misfits (Gendry, Hot Pie) now wising up about the world around her and politics (time with Tywin and the hound). She has struck out on her own and Bravoos is another new adventure, and using the coin to get there means she has ‘an endgame’ in mind. I must be the only one that was pleased she didn’t end up seeing Sansa at the Eeryie.
Jon Snow – Despite knowing nothing, I like how he has grown up since leaving the Starks and has become his own man. He has made the watch his family but has remained compassionate and headstrong. His position at the wall was also strengthening but then Stannis arrived. I didn’t want Ygritte to die, although I know why she had to, and liked the adaptation of her death in the show. The look with the EVIL RED LADY (one character I have no attachment to all) was odd.
Gendry – hopefully we see him again.
Mother of Dragons – after the heartbreaking scene of locking of her dragons away I wonder how long she will be content to ‘rule’ and not move on (which would give her dragons freedom) I’m not a shipper of her and Jon Snow but would like her to have a real relationship again, very bored of all this unrequited love rubbish. Despite that I want her to be fierce again and to be fighting for the Iron throne.
Cersai – her father has been murdered by the brother she considered to murder her mother? What is her revenge? How will she react to Jamie freeing Tyrion? With the House of Lannister now severely weakened what has she got to fight for?
I have to say I was pleased the highly anticipated ending was saved for the next season, I think I would have overshadowed everything else that happened in the finale. I could go but getting tempted to talk about things I shouldn’t.
I've only read LotR and a little of the first book of GoT, but I find it hard to accept that Tolkien knows how to drive a story forward.
Yes, I love LotR and it is the de-facto standard of high fantasy. The detail of the world - particularly beyond LotR - is HUGE. But by god those books are a slog-and-a-half to read. The first half of Fellowship of the Ring is spent on mostly aimless wanderings that do nothing to drive home the seriousness of the situation. Its practically a bunch of separate mini-adventures. There are plenty of times where the narrative slows to a crawl because of excessive detail and/or characters deciding to recite ancient poetry and songs.
Tolkien was a fantastic, first class worldbuilder. He practically invented the notion of worldbuilding. He created an epic mythical fantasy. But he does have many flaws. His heroes are often too perfect and he very definitely allows his story to meander for the sake of his greater mythology. Anyone who knows the history of Beren and Luthien - and the random talk in LotR of the Silmarils - knows that Tolkien deviates from the plot of the book, just to tell other stories that he'd obviously rather be telling.
If GRRM is worse than Tolkien for driving a story forward, I'm surprised we're still not waiting for Ned Stark to get his head cut off!
I have the unfortunate experience of enduring "A Clash of Kings" which is probably the most boring book I have read, the critics of course loved it but it's dull read and is more like a travelogue. The only exciting part is the last few chapters.
GRRM just tends to waffle for pages about the color or clothes, the size of people beards and the size of women's boobs.
The first half of FOTR is about the hobbits and how they don't take life to serious but the consequences of the own the One Ring are there from early as Tolkien wants the read to understand the change in Frodo as he takes it Mt Doom.
I have the unfortunate experience of enduring "A Clash of Kings" which is probably the most boring book I have read, the critics of course loved it but it's dull read and is more like a travelogue. The only exciting part is the last few chapters.
Is that the second book? I've heard lots of people say its the worst of the bunch.
Dinklage is great and everything but does anyone else think that, logically, Tyrion killing Tywin should pretty much be the end of his story? The show/books have got a reputation for ruthlessly killing off characters both liked and disliked, but Tyrion is getting dangerously close to being an unkillable protagonist imo.
Is that the second book? I've heard lots of people say its the worst of the bunch.
Yeah the second book. I would say it is a great read, but I only read it after I'd watched seasons 1 & 2, so knew the majority of what was coming. A feast for Crows is where it all gets pretty crap IMO. It almost feels like George won't finish any of it off at this point.
All hail her Grace, Elizabeth of the House of Windsor, Second of Her Name, Queen of the English, Welsh, Scottish, and Northern Irish, Lady of the United Kingdom, and Protector of the Realm.
All hail her Grace, Elizabeth of the House of Windsor, Second of Her Name, Queen of the English, Welsh, Scottish, and Northern Irish, Lady of the United Kingdom, and Protector of the Realm.
I think I would have liked Tyrion and Shae to have more of a conversation before their tussle, as I'm still a little unclear as to whether she was playing Tyrion all along (which I think she was) or whether she also loved him...
According to Martin the major difference between book Shae and show Shae is that the latter did love him. She's both angry and hurt at his rejection and trying to be practical - she doesn't want to ever go back to being a street prostitute. It's all a bit tragic really. He was trying to protect her but by ignoring her choices he hurt and betrayed her.
Be wary of reading the comments though, just in case.
I saw another interview with her where she said she was looking forward this year to spending more time with her friends and just being a teenager. I hope that doesn't mean she's expecting to do less filming for GoT!
I saw another interview with her where she said she was looking forward this year to spending more time with her friends and just being a teenager. I hope that doesn't mean she's expecting to do less filming for GoT!
Maybe she'll do a 'Gendry' - he was last seen in a boat wasn't he....:D
According to Martin the major difference between book Shae and show Shae is that the latter did love him. She's both angry and hurt at his rejection and trying to be practical - she doesn't want to ever go back to being a street prostitute. It's all a bit tragic really. He was trying to protect her but by ignoring her choices he hurt and betrayed her.
Show Shae wouldn't have had to go back to being a street prostitute. She was offered money, housing and servants by both Varys and Tyrion, so could have had a good life for herself overseas. And she didn't understand that Tyrion loved her so much, he knew he had to let her go for her own safety. When Varys tried to tell her that, she wouldn't listen to him. Tyrion then tried, but when she continued, he had to be blunt and untruthful about his feelings towards her. Interesting that Martin says show Shae loved Tyrion - I thought it came across that she didn't by the fact she bedded his father. Thus acting once more like a prostitute.
Please people there is another thread for book chat!!
Yes, but this is the kind of book chat I like to hear about. It's not remotely spoilery as it involves a character who is already dead and no longer impacting on future stories.
I'm never going to be visiting the book thread so this is the only way I'd get to hear about how the books and show deviate from each other which, tbh, I find fascinating.
Please people there is another thread for book chat!!
Hope you're feeling better.
I was only referring to show Shae, I have no idea about book Shae.
I do agree with Thrombin - I've always liked the fleshed out book info after things have aired on TV, but unfortunately when such discussions start, spoilers do have a habit of creeping in...:o
Please people there is another thread for book chat!!
My thoughts exactly, I've been staying away from TV forums for a year now for this very reason, but I thought I'd pop in for a look and the first thing I see in the non-book thread is loads of (albeit relatively oblique) book chat. Save yourselves the trouble of being so vague and go talk about the books in the book forum or in the spoiler thread, please, you're keeping people away from the forums.
There's nothing spoilery about discussing book Shae versus TV Shae - both are dead and have no further involvement.
For season five, there will need to be three threads. One for the TV show alone, one for the book and one for TV v book discussion. Wait, what about those that watch/ download the US broadcast and like to spoiler it ahead of the UK broadcast? Make that four threads ! It's the only way. ;-)
I was just rummaging around the GoT wiki (all info from the TV series only, just in case anyone panics!) and realised how buggered the Small Council currently is. They've only got two members, with everyone else either dead or on the run!
Seeing that Cercei appears to have totally lost the plot, I'm not sure poor Tommen has a lot of support for such a young king. I can't see his reign lasting long, unless the Tyrells oust the Lannisters completely and have him a puppet to Margery. Of course, looking back at my generally poor record of working out what happens next, I'm probably completely off on all points!
Ah, god its such a long friggin' wait to find out what happens next!
Comments
The story arcs I am most interested in next season are
Arya – I think her journey for independence is really deep. Her growth from a tomboy envying her brothers training with swords to a leader of the misfits (Gendry, Hot Pie) now wising up about the world around her and politics (time with Tywin and the hound). She has struck out on her own and Bravoos is another new adventure, and using the coin to get there means she has ‘an endgame’ in mind. I must be the only one that was pleased she didn’t end up seeing Sansa at the Eeryie.
Jon Snow – Despite knowing nothing, I like how he has grown up since leaving the Starks and has become his own man. He has made the watch his family but has remained compassionate and headstrong. His position at the wall was also strengthening but then Stannis arrived. I didn’t want Ygritte to die, although I know why she had to, and liked the adaptation of her death in the show. The look with the EVIL RED LADY (one character I have no attachment to all) was odd.
Gendry – hopefully we see him again.
Mother of Dragons – after the heartbreaking scene of locking of her dragons away I wonder how long she will be content to ‘rule’ and not move on (which would give her dragons freedom) I’m not a shipper of her and Jon Snow but would like her to have a real relationship again, very bored of all this unrequited love rubbish. Despite that I want her to be fierce again and to be fighting for the Iron throne.
Cersai – her father has been murdered by the brother she considered to murder her mother? What is her revenge? How will she react to Jamie freeing Tyrion? With the House of Lannister now severely weakened what has she got to fight for?
I have to say I was pleased the highly anticipated ending was saved for the next season, I think I would have overshadowed everything else that happened in the finale. I could go but getting tempted to talk about things I shouldn’t.
AWESOME!!
I have the unfortunate experience of enduring "A Clash of Kings" which is probably the most boring book I have read, the critics of course loved it but it's dull read and is more like a travelogue. The only exciting part is the last few chapters.
GRRM just tends to waffle for pages about the color or clothes, the size of people beards and the size of women's boobs.
The first half of FOTR is about the hobbits and how they don't take life to serious but the consequences of the own the One Ring are there from early as Tolkien wants the read to understand the change in Frodo as he takes it Mt Doom.
Is that the second book? I've heard lots of people say its the worst of the bunch.
I keep seeing this being mentioned all over the place (on TV-paced blogs, etc). I have a feeling I know what it is
I assume the filming for season five will start soon?
Yeah the second book. I would say it is a great read, but I only read it after I'd watched seasons 1 & 2, so knew the majority of what was coming. A feast for Crows is where it all gets pretty crap IMO. It almost feels like George won't finish any of it off at this point.
All hail her Grace, Elizabeth of the House of Windsor, Second of Her Name, Queen of the English, Welsh, Scottish, and Northern Irish, Lady of the United Kingdom, and Protector of the Realm.
http://www.makinggameofthrones.com/production-diary/2014/6/15/maisie-williams-reveals-aryas-red-flags
Be wary of reading the comments though, just in case.
According to Martin the major difference between book Shae and show Shae is that the latter did love him. She's both angry and hurt at his rejection and trying to be practical - she doesn't want to ever go back to being a street prostitute. It's all a bit tragic really. He was trying to protect her but by ignoring her choices he hurt and betrayed her.
I saw another interview with her where she said she was looking forward this year to spending more time with her friends and just being a teenager. I hope that doesn't mean she's expecting to do less filming for GoT!
Maybe she'll do a 'Gendry' - he was last seen in a boat wasn't he....:D
Show Shae wouldn't have had to go back to being a street prostitute. She was offered money, housing and servants by both Varys and Tyrion, so could have had a good life for herself overseas. And she didn't understand that Tyrion loved her so much, he knew he had to let her go for her own safety. When Varys tried to tell her that, she wouldn't listen to him. Tyrion then tried, but when she continued, he had to be blunt and untruthful about his feelings towards her. Interesting that Martin says show Shae loved Tyrion - I thought it came across that she didn't by the fact she bedded his father. Thus acting once more like a prostitute.
Yes, but this is the kind of book chat I like to hear about. It's not remotely spoilery as it involves a character who is already dead and no longer impacting on future stories.
I'm never going to be visiting the book thread so this is the only way I'd get to hear about how the books and show deviate from each other which, tbh, I find fascinating.
Hope you're feeling better.
I was only referring to show Shae, I have no idea about book Shae.
I do agree with Thrombin - I've always liked the fleshed out book info after things have aired on TV, but unfortunately when such discussions start, spoilers do have a habit of creeping in...:o
My thoughts exactly, I've been staying away from TV forums for a year now for this very reason, but I thought I'd pop in for a look and the first thing I see in the non-book thread is loads of (albeit relatively oblique) book chat. Save yourselves the trouble of being so vague and go talk about the books in the book forum or in the spoiler thread, please, you're keeping people away from the forums.
Seeing that Cercei appears to have totally lost the plot, I'm not sure poor Tommen has a lot of support for such a young king. I can't see his reign lasting long, unless the Tyrells oust the Lannisters completely and have him a puppet to Margery. Of course, looking back at my generally poor record of working out what happens next, I'm probably completely off on all points!
Ah, god its such a long friggin' wait to find out what happens next!