George R.R. Martin novel news

[Dagger75]

[sblock] I still think The Hound is dead. I don't know what you are all looking forward to. [/sblock]

I would love a PoV chapter for Bronn. He was one of the coolest "background" characters. I just hope Syrio pops up again.


And really the only chapters I had a hard time reading where Bran's. I didn't mind Sansa or Caitlyn.

 

[Rhialto]

[sblock] I still think The Hound is dead. I don't know what you are all looking forward to. [/sblock]

I would love a PoV chapter for Bronn. He was one of the coolest "background" characters. I just hope Syrio pops up again.


And really the only chapters I had a hard time reading where Bran's. I didn't mind Sansa or Caitlyn.

[sblock]You're waiting for the return of Syrio, and you're snorting at the people who think the Hound is dead? [/sblock]

But I'm happy he's finished--sorta...

 

[Lord Pendragon]

My two bits regarding the sex in the series:

Some have claimed that the sex scenes are "trivial to the plot" and therefore excessive and gratuitous. While I agree that they're mostly trivial to the plot (save Cersei and Jaime at the beginning of GoT, of course), they aren't trivial to the story. In nearly every instance, the sex scenes furthered atmosphere, characterization, or theme.

Take the rapine present in many of the army scenes. For me, it served to reinforce the realization that these are not the armies of Lord of the Rings or Braveheart or First Knight. That these aren't the clean, whitewashed armies you see in much fantasy, that march across the plains without stripping the land of food and raping whenever they can. The rape told me that these were dirty armies. Sure, GRRM drives this point home in other ways as well, but the rape is a part of that.

Tyrion's sex scenes helped characterize him as much as his political intrigues, maybe more. I could see him falling in love with Shae, and I could see her not falling in love with him.

Likewise the blunt, disturbing nature of Cersei and Jaime on that altar showed me a lot about their relationship. It also served to slightly repulse me viscerally, which by that point the mere reality of their incest no longer did. I was shocked into remembering just how twisted their sexual relationship is.

Even Dany's scenes with Khal Drogo revealed a lot about Dany's state of mind.

Really, the only sex scenes that I didn't feel showed me a lot were the scenes between Dany and Irri. And one could make a decent case that those serve to emphasize female sexuality in a thematic sense. To drive home the sexual motivations that all people--male and female--are driven by.

I have a slight problem with the POV style. Whenever GRRM puts in a new POV, you end up symathizing with that character. The Storm of Swords paperback had a preview from Feast for Crows, a Chersi POV. I have not read it, but I think reading her POV will detract from the character a bit. We need "good" bad guys. If he starts a Chersi POV, you might end up liking her.

Have you read any Guy Gavriel Kay? He's infamous for writing novels with no villains.

 

[Dagger75]

[sblock]You're waiting for the return of Syrio, and you're snorting at the people who think the Hound is dead? [/sblock]

But I'm happy he's finished--sorta...

Yup, thats exactly what I'm doing.

 

[Endur]

[sblock]The Hound has to kill the Mountain. Its what has to happen. Ideally, the Hound has to save Sansa from the Mountain. Which requires the Mountain to get better first, of course.[/sblock]

[sblock] I still think The Hound is dead. I don't know what you are all looking forward to. [/sblock]

 

[Endur]

Huh? He had villains all over his novels.
Fionvar Tapestry: Lots of villains.

Song for Arbonne: Two major villains, although one comes close to being redeemed and several minor villains.

Granted, Guy Gavriel Kay does make his villains look like human beings, but that doesn't change that they are villains.

Have you read any Guy Gavriel Kay? He's infamous for writing novels with no villains.

 

[Lord Pendragon]

Huh? He had villains all over his novels.
Fionvar Tapestry: Lots of villains.

I can't really speak to this one. I've tried reading it a couple times, and found it unreadable every time. Sad, since I know it's GGK's favorite of his own works. :\

Granted, Guy Gavriel Kay does make his villains look like human beings, but that doesn't change that they are villains.

No, it's more than that. You mentioned one book. Let me give you a few more to consider.

Tigana: *spoiler tagged by request*

Spoiler

The "villain" is a sorcerer-king who cursed an entire country and stole it's name. Why? Because they killed his beloved son in battle. Was he an evil man? Not at all. Indeed, he's so noble that a woman from Tigana who spends years infiltrating his regime winds up unable to take her revenge on him. He loved his son, and struck out against the people who killed him. It was a harsh revenge, but arguably more merciful than many other things he could have done.

The Lions of Al-Rassan: Who was the villain here? Roderigo, fighting for his people? Or Ammar, fighting for his?

Sailing to Sarantium: Again, where's the villain? The Emperor?

Plenty of characters come into conflict with each other. Plenty of characters have selfish motives, but just as many have noble ones. Yes, there are antagonists. But I stand by my assertion that for the bulk of GGK's works, there aren't any villains.

 

[JoeBlank]

Hey Lord Pendragon, any chance you can spoiler your summary of Tigana? It is one of my favorites, but your description reveals a little too much for those who have not read the book.

 

[Endur]

Spoilers for Guy Gavriel Kay novels Tigana and Lions of Al Rhassan
[sblock]
Tigana: The Sorcerer-King was close to redemption, but he was a villain when he was younger. He chose to conquer nine countries to create a second kingdom. Conquest is villainy. Perhaps not Chaotic Evil, but certainly Lawful Evil.

Other villains in Tigana ... the rival sorceror-king, the Queen in the South, various lesser players in the story. Yes, they are "human" villains, but villains nonetheless.

The Lions of Al-Rassan ... neither Roderigo nor Ammar. The villains were their rulers who sent them out to die.

etc.
[/sblock]

 

[Lord Pendragon]

Spoilers for Guy Gavriel Kay novels Tigana and Lions of Al Rhassan
[sblock]
Tigana: The Sorcerer-King was close to redemption, but he was a villain when he was younger. He chose to conquer nine countries to create a second kingdom. Conquest is villainy. Perhaps not Chaotic Evil, but certainly Lawful Evil.

Other villains in Tigana ... the rival sorceror-king, the Queen in the South, various lesser players in the story. Yes, they are "human" villains, but villains nonetheless.

The Lions of Al-Rassan ... neither Roderigo nor Ammar. The villains were their rulers who sent them out to die.

etc.
[/sblock]

Suffice it to say, we disagree about the nature of these characters. Or perhaps the nature of villains. I certainly disagree with your comment that conquest is villainy.