It also strikes me that there must be more to the story of the Wall holding back the Others, because in the dead of winter, it shouldn't be too hard for an undead force to fross the (near?) frozen waters of either the Bay of Ice in the west (past Westwatch-by-the-Brige - westernmost fort on the Wall) or the Shivering Sea in the east (near Eastwatch-by-the-Sea - easternmost fort). The Others are definitely showing intelligence, and it's not like they need to worry about supply chains.
A Dance with Dragons discussion (SPOILERS!)
- Thread starter Krug
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It also strikes me that there must be more to the story of the Wall holding back the Others, because in the dead of winter, it shouldn't be too hard for an undead force to fross the (near?) frozen waters of either the Bay of Ice in the west (past Westwatch-by-the-Brige - westernmost fort on the Wall) or the Shivering Sea in the east (near Eastwatch-by-the-Sea - easternmost fort). The Others are definitely showing intelligence, and it's not like they need to worry about supply chains.
True - if the wall was holding the others and the wights back, it would seem the Night's Watch is only there to stop the wildings, since theoretically the wall could not be breached by the undead.
However, the Night's Watch has the 3 horn blasts signaling Others (1 blast for rangers returning, two for wildings and three for The Others)
I just hope GRRM can write the last two books in a more timely fashion than the previous two. I had to re-read the entire series this year just so I could remember all the characters, since it had been a decade since I read A Storm of Swords. If he goes beyond 2013 or 2014, I'll probably have to do that again. (Jorah Mormont, Jeor Mormont, Aly Mormont, Maege Mormont... I had forgotten that Ser Jorah was the son of the Old Bear. Heck, I had forgotten Jamie had become likeable it had been so long.)
I'm confident the wait won't be as long. A few years still probably, but not the wait we had for Feast and Dance.
I'm of the opinion that the reason the last two books took so long was because of Martin's "last minute" shift - ie, the pacing for all the events changed once he decided to forgo the infamous "five year gap". Thet're big books, so would have taken a while anyways, but that change required him to rethink almost everything, and likely added tons of time by itself.
Upcoming books shouldn't have that problem, at the very least.
OK, I have a question as well. I re-read the end of Selmy's last chapter. The trebuchets from the besieging Yunkai were flinging corpses. Were those the corpses of the hostages, including Dany's beloved Daario? Or, were they people just killed by the Pale Mare, and the Yunkish were hoping to spread disease & discord within Meereen?
Or both?
(BTW, Selmy rocks - I hope he gets a death worthy of a knight...fat chance, but I can hope.)
Or both?
(BTW, Selmy rocks - I hope he gets a death worthy of a knight...fat chance, but I can hope.)
Wednesday Boy
The Nerd WhoFell to Earth
I had both thoughts for what bodies were being thrown by the trebuchets as well. I haven't re-read it but didn't Selmy feel dread like the bodies spelled the end of the city? That made me think they must have been corpses killed by the pale mare.
I think it was the Green Grace that expressed horror, but it wasn't clear if it was in response to her proposal and sending the hostages back via trebuchet... or the diseased corpses. They could be attacking as well, possibly hearing of Selmy's upcoming attack.
Wednesday Boy
The Nerd WhoFell to Earth
Ah, gotcha. I couldn't remember if there was a "Bodies?! The horror, the horror!" tone or a "Bodies?! Now the city's doomed to catch the plague." tone.
I always figured it was corpses of pale mare victims.
Remus Lupin
Adventurer
See, and I simply assumed they were the bodies of the hostages.
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