Musings on a A Song of Ice and Fire [SPOILERS]...

[Tsyr]

Care to expand upon that? I think she has a ruthless streak to her, or maybe it's just arrogant pride, but she does seem to care (or at least, seems to want to care) about others.

See, I don't think she really CARES about anything (Excepting the dragons), except in that by presenting a caring image, she gains support for her cause. I think the ruthless streak is the true face of her personality.

 

[WizarDru]

See, I don't think she really CARES about anything (Excepting the dragons), except in that by presenting a caring image, she gains support for her cause. I think the ruthless streak is the true face of her personality.

I tend to think Daenrys isn't really emotionally mature enough to fully make such subtle distinctions. I think that she cares, on an irrational, immature level. I think she does care, but I also think that she doesn't fully empathize with anyone in a truly adult manner. I think she's a confused teenager who's had a harsh life and has gotten an awful lot of power awfully fast, and while she has a backbone of steel, I don't think she's really all that savvy, just charismatic. I think when her forces meet up with the Greyjoys fleet, she's going to be in a world of hurt, and a lot of people are going to end up dead.

 

[Tsyr]

I tend to think Daenrys isn't really emotionally mature enough to fully make such subtle distinctions.

I've met far too many 5 to 10 year olds who are VERY skilled at presenting exactly the face they think they need to to get what they want to fully buy that...

 

[WizarDru]

I've met far too many 5 to 10 year olds who are VERY skilled at presenting exactly the face they think they need to to get what they want to fully buy that...

I didn't say she couldn't be manipulative. However, speaking of the perspective of a father and an uncle, I can tell you that maintaining such a facade day-in and day-out for hourse, let alone months, is pretty much beyond most 5-10 year olds.

 

[stevelabny]

I still think Jon Snow is the LEAST likeable character and the one most asking for a beating. Whines constantly about his duty, than abandons all logic and friendship to do his duty so he can look all noble.
And even though I'm firmly on the Rhaegar+Lyanna=Jon bandwagon, which would make him the central character of the series, I still hope right after he gets his moment of glory, any two-bit character with a sword cuts him down and says "You know NOTHING Jon Snow" as they spit on his corpse.

But thats just me :-D

But one comment to Celtavian: Cersei will definately be more of a sympatheic character in her own POV. The mindless-masses ALWAYS are much easier on someone when they can see it from their eyes. Look at Jaime. Most readers talk about despising Jaime UNTIL he got his POV, and now some go as far as to call him a tragic hero. I don't know why the average person can't ever see a situation from the viewpoint of the "bad guy" otherwise, but thats the way its always been. This is my favorite part of the series though, that if you look hard enough, you can see every side of every story, whether you have a POV or not.

 

[Pants]

I recently finished this trilogy. It was very well written with a compelling plot and interesting characters.

Welcome to the fanbase.

Eddard Stark: An honorable, extremely stubborn, naive man with little notion of how to engage in feudal politics. I don't think he deserved to die, but he definitely killed himself. He was a true fool.

Robb Stark: Too young to lead. Made some very serious and sad mistakes because of his youth that led to the loss of a war he might otherwise have won. A tragic character whose death was sad, and yet utterably expected. He definitely was Eddard Stark's son.

I've heard a lot of people claim that Martin kills off characters for no reason whatsoever and then they proceed to cite Robb and Eddard as examples. However, when I'd look at the situation, I'd come up with the very same belief. The both of them made terrible, terrible mistakes and they died because of those mistakes.

Jon Snow: A good son. Loyal to his family. Jon Snow really survived a tough ordeal with the wildlings and proved himself a worthy leader. Hopefully Martin won't suddenly decide Jon Snow must die and kill off the one truly likeable character in his series.

Next to Tyrion, my favorite character in the series.

Bran Stark: A young boy surviving tough times. Bran never really came into his own during the trilogy, and I have high hopes that we will some interesting things from Bran in future books. I think the continuation of his story is the one I most anticipate.

Like others, I found Bran's story the slowest and, at times, the most boring. However, the way that his story ended at A Storm of Swords really made me want to read more and more. I'm dying to know who/what Coldhands is. Some think he's Benjen, but I seriously doubt that.

Rickon Stark: Not enough to go on. I'm hoping the boy shows up as some hardcore war trained in the wilds shaggy hair and a huge wild dire wolf at his side.

I foresee that Rickon will have a very dark road ahead of him.

Stannis Baratheon: For some reason, I really like this guy. I like his sense of justice and duty and his grim determination. The man doesn't abide fools and asskissers. It's fairly obvious that he probably isn't the champion of Rh'llor (probably going to be Jon Snow), but I still like him. I will enjoy seeing the continuation of his story.

I just hope that he grows out from under Melisandre's influence at some point.

Tyrion Lannister: My favorite character. I found his witty jibes amusing and the way he played so many people against each other was masterful. A very well-written character full of depth, probably the deepest character in the story. When he finally killed Shae and his father, I knew then that Martin had a very developed sense of justice. "A Lannister always pays his debts."

I hope Martin has good things in store for Tyrion. I see him making his way to Dorne and finding refuge there for killing Tywin since justice was promise. I hope he finds Tysha.

Greatest character in the series, if only for the humor value. Pretty much every chapter of Tyrion's is a delight to read. He's cunning, smart, but he has his weaknesses and even though he knows his weaknesses, he still can't help but fall prey to them.

Sandor Clegane "The Hound": A loyal soldier who truly understood his place in life. I didn't like this guy after he killed Mycah the butcher boy. Martin did a masterful job of turning a soldier thug into a sympathetic character.

I really think he loved Sansa as much as a man like him is able. He was for so long consumed by his own rage that he knew little else besides killing to make give him purpose.

The scene where Sansa sang him the song during the Battle of the Blackwater and he began to cry was so well written, I actually felt myself choking up.

I hope he is not dead. Even though his brother Gregor is presumed to be dying, he still has business with Gregor.

As much as I'd love to see Sandor kill Gregor, I don't think it will happen. Gregor is f-ing dead, at least that's how the end of A Storm of Swords seemed to imply. However, I wouldn't be surprised if maybe Gregor came back wight-ified and then Sandor got to kill him. Imagine a Gregor Wight, smarter than the regular Gregor, but even more vicious and mean.

Beric Dondarrion "The Lightning Lord": I was really expecting more than an undead knight with all the hype surrounding Beric Dondarrion. But it sure did explain how he had supposedly died so many times, and yet kept fighting the good fight. I'm hoping they take some serious vengeance on those bastard Frey's. I really want something nasty to happen to the Late Lord Walder Frey, the old man has it coming.

Frey is dead. Even if no one kills him, he's far too old to last much longer. I foresee him dying in A Feast for Crows in some way (probably in bed) and then House Frey will tear itself apart in a succession war. Good riddance.

As for Beric, I'm more interested in seeing what the end result of all of these ressurections will have. Even though I don't think he's Azor Ahai Reborn (that's Dany), I'm wondering what his purpose in the grand scheme of things is.

He just seemed too cliche. I hate unbeatable warriors, and he should have died many times. I wish that the viper had won the match.

Yeah, but with his status at the end of the last book, even though Oberyn lost, the Mountain didn't really win at all.

A couple other characters that merit mentioning are the kings advisors. I don't really remember their names but I think they included among others, Varys and Littlefinger (is this Petyr Baelish?). I'm talking about the guys who work for the hand of the king. What are their names? They are as influential as any.

Didn't see anyone answer this but here are the current members (that I remember):
Varys 'The Spider' - Master of Secrets (can't remember the exact title)
Petyr Baelish 'Littlefinger' - Master of Coin
Grand Maester Pycelle
Jaime Lannister
Mace Tyrell

There are a bunch of other characters that served on the council at various times:
Renly Baratheon - Master of Laws
Janos Slynt
Oberyn Martell
Barristan Selmy

But one comment to Celtavian: Cersei will definately be more of a sympatheic character in her own POV. The mindless-masses ALWAYS are much easier on someone when they can see it from their eyes. Look at Jaime. Most readers talk about despising Jaime UNTIL he got his POV, and now some go as far as to call him a tragic hero. I don't know why the average person can't ever see a situation from the viewpoint of the "bad guy" otherwise, but thats the way its always been. This is my favorite part of the series though, that if you look hard enough, you can see every side of every story, whether you have a POV or not.

Actually, I only started liking Jaime slightly after he lost his hand and when Brienne started wearing off on him. I love the scene where he's in the Tower of the Kingsguard and he is reprimanding Blount and Trant for being useless fools. Once he gets back to King's Landing and he actually starts trying to be a TRUE Kingsguard (trying to wipe away the whole 'Kingslayer' name), that is when he truly changes.

 

[ASH]

I love these books. I really liked Arya.. There was something very real about how she reacted to things. Very much like a child trying to stay alive. I hope that she comes back as some great swordswoman.. I also hope she comes back with Dany.

Dany's first few chapters were great, but all the chapters in the last book I found to be kind of boring. I still like the character a great deal. I just can not wait until she gets to where she is going.

Jon Snow is a great character. He is a man of the wall. Not of the wildlings...He had NO loyalty to them what so ever. He lied to them to stay alive, slept with Yigrette to stay alive, and the memory of Yigrette will haunt him forever. I am anxious to see how his character will change. I also believe that he is the central character in the books.

I also really like Tyrion. Jamie has a way's to go to redeem himself, and I dont know if he ever can, but he is going in the right direction.

 

[Vocenoctum]

I thought all the Lannister kids including the grandkids stopped being who they were when Tywin Lannister was present. The man was used to absolute control and would have it no other way. I thought it was very realistic that even Tyrion felt "small" around his father.

I can understand it, but as the chapters are written from his POV, I think his behavior change should have been noted. It still doesn't sync well with me, but I do acknowledge that it's a personal thing. It diminished the character for me that he didn't even think of such things, let alone do it.

I remember feeling this way when Eddard Stark completely brushed Arya off when she was telling him what she heard below the castle, the two men conspiring to get rid of Robert. Eddard Stark was already suspicious, and it seemed too stupid for even him to ignore what his daughter had heard.

The whole Dire Wolf thing just resonated with me as a big "how can they ignore it" plot point. I accept that Eddard Stark knew he was going into a dangerous situation, but he seemed blind to everything else while doing it.

Oh, and I hope Arya becomes an assassin, gets her wolf back, and really gets revenge

I really wanted Robb's wolf to have escaped, so it could ravage the place and really terrify the whatstherenames. I hated it when Catelyn was returned, due mostly to my "every Catelyn chapter is stupid" feeling.

 

[ConnorSB]

Well, Martin has said that there will be no more Catelyn chapters. She'll be around, she just lost her POV.

 

[Hypersmurf]

Well, Martin has said that there will be no more Catelyn chapters. She'll be around, she just lost her POV.

Sounds like a petition's in order!

Braaaaa-ains...

-Hyp.