SPOILERS- More questions for Song of Ice & Fire readers

[Spatula]

John is a hero, but so was Robb. I don?t buy the idea that he is Rheagar and Lyanna's child. When did Lyanna have time to have a bastard? That kind of thing is tough to keep hidden, especially for a woman of such importance as Lyanna.

Part of the reason the war that put Robert on the throne started was because Rhaegar "kidnapped" and "raped" Lyanna. IIRC, Ned's father and brother go to King's Landing to demand her return, but the king has them killed instead.

After Lyanna disappears with the Prince, she isn't seen again until Ned reaches Rhaegar's Tower of Joy at the end of the war, where's she's being guarded by the deadliest members of the Kingsguard. Ned finds her inside, where she dies in a pool of blood, after Ned promises to keep a secret for her. What was the secret? If you go back and look at Ned's POV chapters in AGOT, and pay attention to when his memory of his sister's last words ("Promise me") pop into his head... Well, see for yourself.

 

[Spatula]

Re: Re: SPOILERS- More questions for Song of Ice & Fire readers

...and the ONLY time i ever threw a book in disgust was when i thought Arya bit the bullet in Book 3.

Ditto. That was the only time I ever felt like throwing a book across the room. Although I didn't, I did stop my up-to-that-point marathon reading of ASOS for a while. I don't think a book has ever made me that angry.

 

[ssampier]

the red wedding did it for me

I threw the book down in disgust. I was thinking, this book stinks! I'm not reading anymore. Thankfully I picked it up two days later.

[Future Speculation]

I have the hunch that while King Stannis is a great guy and all (he did help save the Wall from attack), I doubt that he is Azor Ahai reborn. This is mostly due to Melisandre's meddling. I personally think she is using Stannis to get at the true AA. Also, she personally creeps me out, and I have doubts she is a red priest like she claims; her powers resemble sorcery rather than priestly magic. Of course, time will tell.

What does everyone make of Bran's third eye and what awaits him at the other side?

 

[Spatula]

Re: the red wedding did it for me

I have the hunch that while King Stannis is a great guy and all (he did help save the Wall from attack),

Only because Davos took away his human sacrifice.

I doubt that he is Azor Ahai reborn. This is mostly due to Melisandre's meddling. I personally think she is using Stannis to get at the true AA. Also, she personally creeps me out, and I have doubts she is a red priest like she claims; her powers resemble sorcery rather than priestly magic. Of course, time will tell.

We haven't seen any priestly magic, and I'm not sure there's any real distinction between priest and wizard in Martin's world. Thoros is the only other priest who has exhibited supernatural powers, and his abilities don't seem any less sorcererous. He's raised the dead, sure, but raised them in a wretched state of half-life.

I do think Melissandre believes in Stannis whole-heartedly. She tells Davos at one point of a vision that she had, one that brought her to Westeros in the first place, that she believes points to Stannis as Azor Ahai reborn. Something about finding AA surrounded by salt and stone dragons, I forget her exact words.

 

[ssampier]

Good point. I just have this feeling that Melisandre is not all what she claims to be. Maybe it's an intentional foreshadowing or just my vivid imagination, we'll just have to wait and see.

As a character, I like Davos, the Onion Knight. I can't say why. I have a feeling his days are numbered (like many of the other 'good' characters).

 

[Rugger]

*SPOILERS ALERT!!**





Okay...so I caught wind of all the GRRM love and decided to try the books out.

That was a month ago, and I just finished Storm of Swords yesterday.

Damn. I'm hooked. Thanks, all!

Book one was rough...slow going and SO many characers being thrown around. I nearly gave up a few times.

Book two was better...plots starting to weave and the body count rises.

Book three was amazing. I couldn't put it down.

The huge number of characters still bothers me a bit...but I'm getting over it, though. The sheer amount of death is staggering...but every time I swear outloud i realize it's because Martin has made me care. I tried describing the books to my girlfriend, and she happily declared that these books are a soap opera. And I gotta believe her


Back to Doc's original questions:

"1. What's your favorite small-scale combat scene? (one on one or few combatants)"

Gotta be the Viper vs Gregor...I cheered when he impaled the Mountain, and I SCREAMED when he blew it.

"2. What's your favorite large-scale combat scene?"

Hmmm... gotta say the Wall. The imagery there is SOOO damn epic...from the size of the Wall to the huge amounts of attackers.

"3. Which death scene is your favorite?"

Tywin. Hands down. That sorry SOB needed to die in an undignified manner, and did he ever. Heh.

"4. Which rivalry between two people have you enjoyed the most?"

Someone mentioned it above, but I'm looking forward to more Ceresei and Jaime tension. I'm still amazed that Martin made me WANT to listen to Jaime's POV...he painted this wonderful picture of the bastard, and then gave us his POV and made him...human. Otherwise I gotta love Arya and the Hound.

"5. Useless speculation time: Your predictions, however poorly founded, about the future of the story... or just where you'd like to see the story go."

Every major character dies, and the last chapters of the final book are blank, cause there's nobody left to tell the story

"6. If you were trapped in Westeros at the beginning of aGoT, knowing fully what was to come but you COULDN'T CHANGE it (i.e. telling Robert about "his" children before his death), what would you do? Where would you go?"

Braavos must be nice that time of year....



-Rugger
"I lurk!"