George R.R. Martin novel news

[KenM]

I got it at the Westeros board, which The_lurkeR mentioned.

Link please??

 

[stevelabny]

The following post will discuss some of the previous books in the series and my take on the characters. If you haven't read the series, skip this post and go read it. While I don't intend to discuss specific spoiler plot points, you might be able to piece together certain things that have happened by my opinions on the current situation of Westeros.


I'm not necessarily a Dani fan, but I tend to like her chapters. Tyrion is fun, but also not my favorite. Jon? Its possible some of you might remember how much i dislike the boy, and consider him the villain of the series, even though others consider him the one true hero. I still eagerly await his death, but didnt expect it to happen in the next book anyway.
Bran probably is the one I consider the "good one" but as he's been too young to be interesting, I'm not in a rush to read more of him. Although sadly, no Bran means no Hodor. HODOR!

There seems to be some debate as to which book Arya will be in. I like her and think she has tons of potential, but if she winds up absent from the book, I won't mind.

I do look forward to seeing more about the Greyjoys. As I had liked Theon, and fell in love with Asha in the little we saw of her. ( I have NOT read ANY of the preview chapters in any location, although i DO know that there was a ton of Greyjoy stuff printed in Dragon)
Littlefinger and Sansa should make for interesting chapters as she has finally been put in a situation that should make her as big a player as her siblings.
Jaime was a great character but I felt that Brianne was missing a little something character-wise and was weighing down his chapters a bit.
Cersei? Recent events should make her chapters VERY interesting.

Of course, I'm a strange one. NONE of my favorites are ever main characters.
I want to see more of the Hound, Bronn, Loras, Theon, Varys, Timmett son of Timmett, Shagga son of Dolf, and all the other characters whose final allegiances will be the reason one side wins or loses in the end. Maybe I'll get lucky and the mystery POV will be Loras or the Hound. (I think/hope that the Tyrell and Martell families will have to become more involved before long)

I also want to see what happens with the new and much improved Catelyn. I hated her as much as Eddard and Jon, but her new situation makes her a dangerous piece on the board.
"In the game of thrones, you win or you die." But what the hell happens when you die and keep playing?

 

[Krafus]

Link please??

Here.

 

[Krafus]

There seems to be some debate as to which book Arya will be in. I like her and think she has tons of potential, but if she winds up absent from the book, I won't mind.

Er - why the debate? According to the posts on the Westeros board, Arya will be in ADwD. Plus, *spoilers*her first spoiler chapter shows her arriving in Braavos, which is away from Westeros*end spoilers*.

EDIT:

But what the hell happens when you die and keep playing?

You make those responsible for your death wish they'd done a better job of it.

 

[Eosin the Red]

I never noticed the "gratitious sex scenes." I know the book is graphic and not "grandma" safe but they just didn't leap out at me as overly done or overly frequent - and part of aSoI&Fs charm (IMO) is the very base human emotions (revenge, lust, greed, fanatisism) that drive the whole series. Most fiction glosses over sexuality as ocuring off stage and with little bearing on the overall story (Arthur, Lancelot, & Guinevere anyone) but really those desires are core to many great tales. Then again maybe I am a little more desensitized than most?

 

[Dr. Strangemonkey]

Good plotting, good characters, good story. I never really understood the sex scenes in the book. They didn't seem to move the plot all that often, and they're pretty gratuitous as well. Maybe they were necessary and I'm just forgetting stuff (read Swords at least 3 years ago), but they got really irritating. The useless sex scenes, I can easily skim or skip those.

Think about how much of the good plot, good characters, and good story rely on children, succession, and obsession and then reevaluate your concern with regard to the sex.

It's not just about eroticism its also about reproduction and maturity and I think the way sex is used in those books makes that point very well. Particularly in that it makes it clear that all three of those issue vary a great deal by the individual despite how the social norms enforce them.

 

[Vocenoctum]

It's not just about eroticism its also about reproduction and maturity and I think the way sex is used in those books makes that point very well. Particularly in that it makes it clear that all three of those issue vary a great deal by the individual despite how the social norms enforce them.

What did it for me was the Arya chapters. Go through and see how many of them involve some form of rape. Now, it's been a long time, so I can't really be sure, but memory wise, it started to get excessive.

 

[Steel_Wind]

I think you mean Danaerys.

In her case, sex was with her husband, with a willing hand maiden and otherwise was something men around her wanted to have with her and she was/is confused with the subject and her desires.

There was the depiction of rapine and slaughter by the Dothraki. She saved one victim from it - and paid for it with the life of her son.

In Sansa's case, she feared rape at the hands of Joffrey, the Hound, Marillion and now Little Finger. She would have done her duty with Tyrion. He didn't want that.

Arya has not been involved in sexual situations in her PoV chapters. She is still prepubescent. She was at a whore hourse, but the Hound spared her from any impact from that.

 

[Dark Jezter]

What did it for me was the Arya chapters. Go through and see how many of them involve some form of rape. Now, it's been a long time, so I can't really be sure, but memory wise, it started to get excessive.

What did it for me was the scene in A Storm of Swords when (spoiler text, don't highlight if you have a weak stomach)

Spoiler

Jaime Lannister has sex with his sister (who happens to be on her period at the time) on the alter in a church.

I'd been put off by some of the sex scenes described in the book prior to that, but that particular scene almost made me quit the entire series in disgust. I really hope GRRM tones such stuff down in future books, before the series begins to resemble a Penthouse Forum compilation volume.

 

[EricNoah]

Ah, cool, now I can begin re-reading the series. Should make for a fun couple of months! And then when the book is released, Amazon will finally ship that sucker to my friend Andy (I bought it for him for his birhtday like 3 years ago).