A Song of Ice and Fire (GoT Book 1-5 Spoilers)

[red321]

I really doubt that aegon is a targ. If he turned out to be one I'd feel like George went to the well too many times if another character was said to be dead but actually isn't.

 

You think it's more likely that Jon Connington was taken in by Varys in some sort of ruse? Martin throws a lot of useless sub plots out there, but if that is really not Aegon it would almost be criminal how much time he has spent leading people to believe otherwise.

[Schildog]

If he is real, it makes Deanery's arc pointless.

[Thomas]

If he is real, it makes Deanery's arc pointless.

 

Not at all.  

 

Potential in-fighting between contending heirs in the same family is never pointless in a work that revolves around a "Game of Thrones". If Dany's arc were pointless due to somebody else having a stronger claim to the throne, then so was Renly's.  

 

It opens up a lot of possibilities that invigorate the overall Targaryen arc.  It seems pretty clear to me that this was planned from the beginning.  

 

Plus typically the Targaryen's often married within family to consolidate power. 

[red321]

Plus typically the Targaryen's often married within family to consolidate power. 

 

I was just thinking about that....I realize there has been a lot of incest in the book up to this point...but do you really think the ultimate "winner" would, in part, be as a result of that? Yes, it's a fantasy novel blah blah blah...could you imagine how some people would react though

[Schildog]

So varys and illyrio back viserys/dany despite knowing full well aegon is in fact alive?

I don't think so. He's not legitimate.

[Thomas]

So varys and illyrio back viserys/dany despite knowing full well aegon is in fact alive?

I don't think so. He's not legitimate.

 

The whole not putting all your eggs in one basket policy would seem to play here. Plus no one denies who she is so she is the still the better bet even if not the one with the most legitimate claim. Plus they in their minds they could just get married I'm sure if somehow both survive long enough to claim the Iron Throne.

[Thomas]

I was just thinking about that....I realize there has been a lot of incest in the book up to this point...but do you really think the ultimate "winner" would, in part, be as a result of that? Yes, it's a fantasy novel blah blah blah...could you imagine how some people would react though

It's certainly a possibility. 

[Schildog]

That's not accurate.

Besides my opinion on him being illegitimate, what's inaccurate about my statement?

[red321]

LOL

 

surprise of surprises, but GRRM's editor is now saying that it could be 8 books instead of 7. 

 

he is becoming robert jordan with the loss of control over the series, or he realizes there is more money in the universe.  nobody can convince me of anything different.  

 

Yup...read that snippet as well. The show will be over well before the book series at this point.

 

http://grantland.com/hollywood-prospectus/words-are-wind-george-r-r-martin-might-stretch-the-a-song-of-ice-and-fire-series-to-eight-books/

 

 

Page counts for each successive book have swelled as Martin has become seemingly incapable of not describing every stitch of clothing, foodstuff, sigil, backstory, and utterance of every character no matter how minor or short-lived. This creates an incredible, granular level of fictional-historical detail, and also makes large portions of Books 4 and 5 a major goddamn slog. 

[red321]

It is also highly likely there have been many, many heirs who have claimed the British throne who were products of incest.  Historians are divided on the subject, though even the most skeptical don't completely discount it.  

 

I realize that. I'm just referring to today's culture...regardless of history or the fact that this is a fantasy universe (a long winded one that apparently goes on forever)...I'm simply pointing out that it would ruffle quite a few feathers.

[red321]

http://www.today.com/tech/game-thrones-author-george-r-r-martin-now-twitter-2D79784041

 

Great...Martin is now on twitter...we are never going to be book 6.

 

I do get a chuckle out of Martin and a 140 character limit though

[Thomas]

Here's a distraction I don't mind! I've stayed a few stays at the sanctuary. It's a really good cause.

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/george-rr-martin-astonished-donors-710961

[Thomas]

...but they didn't even introduce lady stoneheart?

 

No real hurry on this subplot really and it might serve as a good shock at the end of next season.

[Chimi]

It seemed like the fight between Brienne and the Hound was meant to delay the Lady Stoneheart reveal.

[red321]

I thought they were going to introduce stoneheart, but I don't think it's necessary at this time. I did like how they bad Brienne and Hound meet up and fight over Arya. I think that is an advantage the show has over the books, they can cut out portions of the book that don't really move the plot forward. The Brienne wandering Westeros plotline was pointless in the books, in the show they were able to streamline it. She'll run in to Stoneheart at some point next year.

 

The Bran storyline is tedious...just some 20 yr. old being dragged around in a sled...I thought it was tedious in the books as well. At this point I think they've pretty much caught up with the books for Bran so I have no idea what they plan on having the 25 yr. old do next year.

[red321]

At this point what does he have Bran doing for the next 5 books (sic) until the shit goes down? Oh look, I'm flying...weeee. Maybe he'll use that narrative to fill in a lot of the backstory/history of the First Men, Children of the Wood, Whitewalkers, etc.

[red321]

Can't really add anything to what you said, in general I agree with you...but speaking of adaptations....

 

I'm interested to see what the Leftovers has in store. Haven't read the books so I'm hoping it isn't too biblical....Kirk Cameron isn't going to be showing up hopefully.

 

Was bummed to read HBO gave up on an American Gods adaptation, but if they don't feel the script is right that is probably a good thing. It will be interesting to see what SyFy does with Leviathan Wakes, for the most part I enjoyed the books.

 

HBO also looks like they are going to take a whack at Atwood's MaddAddam trilogy. Not sure how that is going to work the way the books are written, but that has the chance to be pretty cool.

 

http://www.vulture.com/2014/06/hbo-american-gods-what-happened.html

[Catwhoshatinthehat]

I'm going to check out the Stormlight Archive series (only thing I don't like is that it's far from complete) but any other recommendations?  Particularly any series that are completed and are 3-5 books long?  I started reading wheel of time and got 3 books in and wasn't really interested enough to keep reading.  Wasn't bad but just seemed kind of repetitive to me and at that point it wasn't complete.  

[red321]

I'm going to check out the Stormlight Archive series (only thing I don't like is that it's far from complete) but any other recommendations?  Particularly any series that are completed and are 3-5 books long?  I started reading wheel of time and got 3 books in and wasn't really interested enough to keep reading.  Wasn't bad but just seemed kind of repetitive to me and at that point it wasn't complete.  

 

That's a pretty open ended question. What do you like? Fantasy? Sci-fi? What type of Sci-fi, etc.

[Catwhoshatinthehat]

As a kid I liked reading Dragonlance novels which were geared towards a younger crowd unlike this series and from time to time I still go back and read some of the ones I kept.  In the last 12 months I read the Drizzt series which I liked then I picked up the Icewind Dale trilogy (entire series in one book) and need to finish that.  I like reading actual books and haven't made the switch to an e-reader so I go to used book stores of which there are fewer and fewer but can always find used books on amazon.  Really I'm open to suggestions and had someone recommend the Iron Druid Chronicles.  Most of the series I've read over the years have leaned towards fantasy.   

[red321]

Can't help you with fantasy, someone else in this thread most likely can.

[Thomas]

I'm going to check out the Stormlight Archive series (only thing I don't like is that it's far from complete) but any other recommendations?  Particularly any series that are completed and are 3-5 books long?  I started reading wheel of time and got 3 books in and wasn't really interested enough to keep reading.  Wasn't bad but just seemed kind of repetitive to me and at that point it wasn't complete.  

 

The Harry Dresden series? So um yeah it's at book 15 but they are certainly quicker reading than anything mentioned on this thread. But a seriously amazing series if you haven't.

[red321]

The Harry Dresden series? So um yeah it's at book 15 but they are certainly quicker reading than anything mentioned on this thread. But a seriously amazing series if you haven't.

 

What is the general idea behind that series? Amazon keeps pushing it on me, but it seemed a little..well, True Bloodish, from the descriptions.

[Catwhoshatinthehat]

Thanks for the recommendations.  I actually had the Dresden series recommended some time back but never got around to it.  Will try to especially if I can find some of the books locally.  

[Thomas]

What is the general idea behind that series? Amazon keeps pushing it on me, but it seemed a little..well, True Bloodish, from the descriptions.

Much better writing than that. Main character Harry Dresden is a private detective in the present day who happens to be a wizard. Hilarity ensues of course from human and not so human sources. The setting is quite intentionally cliche but don't judge it from that since he goes out of his way often to play off the cliches. The strength is the relationships between the characters.