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[bengraven]

One of my theories that was called "wild" and "stupid" by two different posters ended up 100% true. It's about the identity of a mysterious character.

I'll save my told-you-sos for after you all finish it. haha

 

[yacobod]

I've only read like 5 or 6 chapters of ADWD and I'm already dreading the wait until The Howlands of Winter. That book is clearly gonna be ridiculously good.

ya me neither, hopefully that book will be filled with zombie on zombie action. gregor-stein vs undead cat (the stoneheart) vs Robb-wind vs Un-Snowjon vs Coldhands. re-title it the walking dead winds of winter.

 

[Nesotenso]

I am worried about getting my order from Amazon Prime on the 12th. My order hasn't shipped yet. Anyone else in the same situation ?

 

[Emerson]

I am worried about getting my order from Amazon Prime on the 12th. My order hasn't shipped yet. Anyone else in the same situation ?

I can't tell you what will happen, but Prime in my experience almost always ends up shipping overnight. If so it'd ship Monday.

 

[BlueTsunami]

I wonder if I'll be able to walk into a store on the 12th and pick up a copy

 

[Dresden]

I wonder if I'll be able to walk into a store on the 12th and pick up a copy

You can probably just go into a Wal Mart and find a stack.

 

[Puddles]

Since Part 5 of the book isn't available, it looks like I'll get up to Page 605 on 4chan and then wait a few days. Thankfully it'll only be 2-3 days by the time I get there.

I'll probably be reading the Kindle version on my Droid Charge, haha.

That 4chan guy really pulled the ultimate troll, posting 605 pages of a 1k page book and then stopping there.

 

[06nbarnhill]

Ok so I downloaded the first book on my Nook.

Massively dissapointed in that I don't feel like I am getting ANY more info from the book than the show.....I quit 1/4 the way though because its easier to just rewatch the show -.-

Is there a specific book I can start on that will pick up where the season left off? Or are they just enough different than the books that I would be totally lost having not read the whole first book?

 

[Puddles]

Ok so I downloaded the first book on my Nook.

Massively dissapointed in that I don't feel like I am getting ANY more info from the book than the show.....I quit 1/4 the way though because its easier to just rewatch the show -.-

Is there a specific book I can start on that will pick up where the season left off? Or are they just enough different than the books that I would be totally lost having not read the whole first book?

A Clash of Kings is the second book.

Seriously, you're going to be confused by some shit though. You may not feel like you're getting anything more, but you will if you continue with the 1st. Plus reading the book helps you to keep all those characters straight.

 

[KingK]

Ok so I downloaded the first book on my Nook.

Massively dissapointed in that I don't feel like I am getting ANY more info from the book than the show.....I quit 1/4 the way though because its easier to just rewatch the show -.-

Is there a specific book I can start on that will pick up where the season left off? Or are they just enough different than the books that I would be totally lost having not read the whole first book?

First, get out of this thread NOW and go to the TV show thread that has marked spoilers, before you accidentally spoil yourself in here.

As for your question, the first season of Game of Thrones ended exactly where the first book ended. Clash of Kings is the second book that starts right where that left off. You really should just finish the book though. There's a lot of smaller details, and even a few somewhat significant characters, that get left out of the show. You may be confused if you just jump into Clash of Kings.

 

[ZephyrFate]

Ok so I downloaded the first book on my Nook.

Massively dissapointed in that I don't feel like I am getting ANY more info from the book than the show.....I quit 1/4 the way though because its easier to just rewatch the show -.-

Is there a specific book I can start on that will pick up where the season left off? Or are they just enough different than the books that I would be totally lost having not read the whole first book?

Oh, trust me, you'll get info that wasn't in the show.

 

[Nix]

So...I finished the first book, and didn't exactly see what all the craze is about. It's certainly intersting, if you take into consideration the premise, but isn't it just a standard fantasy? Can anyone elaborate on why it's so good before I go ahead and buy book two?

 

[Puddles]

So...I finished the first book, and didn't exactly see what all the craze is about. It's certainly intersting, if you take into consideration the premise, but isn't it just a standard fantasy? Can anyone elaborate on why it's so good before I go ahead and buy book two?

How much standard fantasy have you read?

 

[Dresden]

Historical fiction + fantoosy

i like to call it historicaltoosy

 

[Kuro Madoushi]

So...I finished the first book, and didn't exactly see what all the craze is about. It's certainly intersting, if you take into consideration the premise, but isn't it just a standard fantasy? Can anyone elaborate on why it's so good before I go ahead and buy book two?

You...you shut your dirty fucking mouth!

 

[Puddles]

I need the last 300 or 400 pages of this book.

That 4chan guy is truly the Troll Above All Trolls.

 

[HarryHengst]

So...I finished the first book, and didn't exactly see what all the craze is about. It's certainly intersting, if you take into consideration the premise, but isn't it just a standard fantasy? Can anyone elaborate on why it's so good before I go ahead and buy book two?

you haven't read much fantasy, have you?

 

[ZephyrFate]

So...I finished the first book, and didn't exactly see what all the craze is about. It's certainly intersting, if you take into consideration the premise, but isn't it just a standard fantasy? Can anyone elaborate on why it's so good before I go ahead and buy book two?

What is 'standard fantasy' to you? Because A Game of Thrones is far from that.

 

[Blazed]

Ok, I really tried but I can't wait for tuesday anymore X_X. I'll appreciate it if someone can send me the link to the leak, i'm going through some serious withdrawals here =(, thanks in advance.

 

[Larsa]

Re-reading A Feast For Crows for the second time in preparation of Dance and Septon Meribald's speech about broken men is still my favorite thing in the book and a perfect example of why I consider Feast to be just as good as A Storm of Swords. I actually really appreciated the slower pace after ASOS and the tour through Westeros showing the effects of the war on the common people

 

[bengraven]

Holy shit you guys, seriously, Dance is better than Storm.

I'm saying it now, 250 pages into it, DANCE IS BETTER THAN STORM.

Mysteries and mysteries being solved finally after 15 fucking years. Including the ONE big fan theory I thought was pure bullshit and most of us did as well, but is in fact totally true.

MASSIVE SPOILER:

Spoiler

"The prince that was promised" is still alive...remember the House of the Undying and you'll know who I'm talking about. Tywin wasn't as thorough as he thought.

LIGHT SPOILER: Now I see what the first review meant by

Spoiler

more people returning from the dead than dying themselves

 

[QuiteWhittle]

Mysteries and mysteries being solved finally after 15 fucking years. Including the ONE big fan theory I thought was pure bullshit and most of us did as well, but is in fact totally true.

MASSIVE SPOILER:

Spoiler

"The prince that was promised" is still alive...remember the House of the Undying and you'll know who I'm talking about. Tywin wasn't as thorough as he thought.

Not necessarily. Just two words:

Spoiler

Mummer's Dragon

 

[bengraven]

Not necessarily. Just two words:

Spoiler

Mummer's Dragon

That could be, as well. I've wondered who that "heraldry" is. But considering it's protector, I think it's not literal...but maybe.

I'll keep reading.

Edit:

Spoiler

Mummer = Varys. Dragon = Aegon. He's not a fake dragon, he's a dragon that's protected by a mummer, Varys.

Possibly?

 

[petethepanda]

I can easily avoid Pixar teasers/trailers/ads for a whole year, but damn, it's getting tough to not highlight spoilers in here, gotta get my ass offline before it's too late.

Edit: You know what sucks about the internet? I'm normally not one to speed through media as soon as it comes out, but for this, I'm definitely going to be reading it faster than I read the previous books (which I picked up a few years ago) just because I don't want to accidentally get spoiled somewhere online.

 

[QuiteWhittle]

Spoiler

Mummer = Varys. Dragon = Aegon. He's not a fake dragon, he's a dragon that's protected by a mummer, Varys.

Possibly?

Never thought of it that way. That makes a lot of sense.

 

[Basileus777]

ADWD spoilers.

Spoiler

As dumb as I thought pulling Aegon out of a hat was at first, I ended up liking it because he and Connington did the sensible thing (as opposed to criminally retarded Dany) and actually went to Westeros. I would have hated it if Aegon ended up as another Dany suitor like Quintyn Martell. Quintyn is the worst character in the book, and I cheered when he met his fate.

 

[bengraven]

Never thought of it that way. That makes a lot of sense.

I want to believe.

But what Tyrion said to him brought back another memory of Games:

Spoiler

The baby's face was smashed in...that tricky Spider!

ADWD spoilers.

Spoiler

As dumb as I thought pulling Aegon out of a hat was at first, I ended up liking it because he and Connington did the sensible thing (as opposed to criminally retarded Dany) and actually went to Westeros. I would have hated it if Aegon ended up as another Dany suitor like Quintyn Martell. Quintyn is the worst character in the book, and I cheered when he met his fate.

Dammit, the first part of your spoiler made me go "yeah, totally" but then I read the second part and I'm not there yet. haha fuck. Oh well, let's me know not to invest much into him - not that I was anyway.

But yeah, I liked it, despite hating the fan theory and discounting the theory as bullshit and retarded if true. In the end it's actually kind of cool how he did it.

 

[Dresden]

MY ORDER HAS FUCKING SHIPPED

YEAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

 

[Puddles]

I thought, as many did, that the Meereenese knot was just GRRM trying to get Dany out of Westeros. I always thought he could have just skipped the whole thing by just having Dany say "fuck it" and leave.

How wrong I was. It's so much more than that. No wonder this book took forever to write.

Spoiler

The Meereenese knot is basically the whole point of the book, 605 pages in. EVERYONE is trying to get to Dany. It looks like it's going to culminate in a massive battle at the city.

 

[PhoenixDark]

Still hasn't shipped for me. I'm not worried though!

For those who are reading/have finished, are there any big battles? That Werthead review has me excited for some

 

[Puddles]

Still hasn't shipped for me. I'm not worried though!

For those who are reading/have finished, are there any big battles? That Werthead review has me excited for some

I've only read the first 605 pages. However:

Spoiler

There seem to be at least two HUGE battles about to begin.

 

[Basileus777]

Dammit, the first part of your spoiler made me go "yeah, totally" but then I read the second part and I'm not there yet. haha fuck. Oh well, let's me know not to invest much into him - not that I was anyway.

Sorry about that. I should have been more discreet with stuff from later in the book.

For those who are reading/have finished, are there any big battles? That Werthead review has me excited for some

Spoiler

There are no real big battles. One might have happened off-screen, but you don't learn for sure what happened.

I thought, as many did, that the Meereenese knot was just GRRM trying to get Dany out of Westeros. I always thought he could have just skipped the whole thing by just having Dany say "fuck it" and leave.

How wrong I was. It's so much more than that. No wonder this book took forever to write.

Spoiler

The Meereenese knot is basically the whole point of the book, 605 pages in. EVERYONE is trying to get to Dany. It looks like it's going to culminate in a massive battle at the city.

Complete book ADWD spoilers.

Spoiler

It's too soon to tell about this because the Merenese Knot isn't done with in ADWD. Hell, only Quentyn Martell actually reaches Dany and Dany ends up farther from Westeros than where she started off.

 

[Nix]

What is 'standard fantasy' to you? Because A Game of Thrones is far from that.

I've read alot of books that deal with fantasy, and even some comics, etc, that are interesting, but don't usually have much in the way of characterization and devolve with subsequent entries. So I'm just wondering if it gets better from book 2 onwards.

 

[Emerson]

I've read alot of books that deal with fantasy, and even some comics, etc, that are interesting, but don't usually have much in the way of characterization and devolve with subsequent entries. So I'm just wondering if it gets better from book 2 onwards.

It does get much better, but... what you're describing is so inaccurate to describe the first book. Lack of characterization? What?

 

[Nix]

It does get much better, but... what you're describing is so inaccurate to describe the first book. Lack of characterization? What?

That wasn't really describing the first book. That was more of a generalization of the fantasy genre, where it supplements characterization with ideas and concepts. I was just trying to ask if all the books after are better or worse.

 

[Emerson]

I think most people would agree that 3>2>1>4, with some variation for people who love AFFC. I like it but still think the others are better.

ASOIAF is really not standard fantasy. It's incredible. I really don't know how to describe it otherwise.

 

[Dresden]

It has the beats of good historical fiction with elements of fantasy. That's always been my take on it.

 

[Basileus777]

ASOIAF is clearly in the fantasy genre. Being well written doesn't make it something different. It's a high fantasy series set in a secondary world with magic and numerous fantastical elements. A lot of what Martin does with the books is playing off of things others have done in the genre.

It has the beats of good historical fiction with elements of fantasy. That's always been my take on it.

Eh, there really isn't anything historical about ASOIAF. Something like Guy Gavriel Kay's books blur the line between fantasy and historical fiction, but Martin's world is just a secondary world fantasy.

 

[ZephyrFate]

That kind of gives the impression that ASOIAF is more fantastical than it actually is, though. I would not call it high fantasy by any means.

 

[Basileus777]

That kind of gives the impression that ASOIAF is more fantastical than it actually is, though. I would not call it high fantasy by any means.

It's a fantasy story set in a fictional world. It is explicitly a fantasy story, and it reads like one. The whole series is based around the notion of variable seasons that can last for years, which is clearly a magical phenomenon. The kingdom was founded by a guy with dragons. There are ice demons, giants and mammoths, wights and Children of the Forest, faceless men, direwolves and skinchangers. There are prophesies, visions and resurrections. There are magical spells, techniques, and shadow babies. There are magic swords and magical/alchemical explosives. The castles are fantastic: many would be flat-out impossible to build in real life.

I'd say that's pretty fantastical. And that stuff is integral to the plot, not some extraneous world building. ASOIAF isn't really low on magic once you get beyond AGOT.

 

[Haly]

Prophecies, zombies, dragons, lesbians, lost magic, "elves", East vs West.

Nearly everything that makes up the archetypical Tolkienesque fantasy. Except Orcs and dwa--... Just Orcs!

 

[Emerson]

I don't see the point of this debate when everyone knows exactly what was intended to be said. While there are plenty of fantasy elements, this is not Wheel of Time or any other "high fantasy" series.

 

[Basileus777]

I don't see the point of this debate when everyone knows exactly what was intended to be said. While there are plenty of fantasy elements, this is not Wheel of Time or any other "high fantasy" series.

The fantasy genre doesn't consistent solely of books like the Wheel of Time. There's this strange idea that just because a book is well written or has well developed characters, it doesn't belong in the fantasy genre. High fantasy is fantasy set in a secondary world, ASOIAF clearly qualifies for that. It's not even Harry Potter or the Dresden Files which pretends to take place on Earth, or one of Guy Gavriel Kay's books that's a historical setting with some names changed.

/shrug

Kay's work is much more 'traditional' fantasy than ASOIAF, from what I've read. ASOIAF's earlier focus on the more mundane aspects of its setting along with a character-focused approach to storytelling in a genre dominated by concept fiction makes it feel more like historical fiction. It's still fantasy, of course.

Well Kay likes to take real historical settings and use them wholesale for his books. IE the Lions of Al-Rassan is basically medieval Spain and it heavily deals with issues between Christians, Jews, and Muslims. He uses different names, but it's clear that it takes place in Al-Andalus.

 

[Dresden]

Eh, there really isn't anything historical about ASOIAF. Something like Guy Gavriel Kay's books blur the line between fantasy and historical fiction, but Martin's world is just a secondary world fantasy.

/shrug

Kay's work is much more 'traditional' fantasy than ASOIAF, from what I've read. ASOIAF's earlier focus on the more mundane aspects of its setting along with a character-focused approach to storytelling in a genre dominated by concept fiction makes it feel more like historical fiction. It's still fantasy, of course.

 

[Emerson]

The reason people are using the historical fiction analogy is because it's one GRRM likes to use himself. I don't think anyone is actually denying that ASOIAF is fantasy. Regardless of what label you want to give it, it is less fantastical than the majority of books in the genre. I don't think that's debatable, and I don't think anyone really tried to say anything besides that.

 

[Basileus777]

The reason people are using the historical fiction analogy is because it's one GRRM likes to use himself. I don't think anyone is actually denying that ASOIAF is fantasy. Regardless of what label you want to give it, it is less fantastical than the majority of books in the genre. I don't think that's debatable, and I don't think anyone really tried to say anything besides that.

Well, my point was that ASOIAF isn't really lacking in the fantastical department. It doesn't have mages throwing fireballs around (they're just raising people from the dead and doing other magic), but the premise of the series itself is built around magic and things of a fantastical scale.

ASOIAF is different because of quality, there are plenty of other fantasy series with similar or even lesser amounts of fantastic elements.

 

[sooperkool]

i cant take it... somebody lea me to the link please.

 

[Haly]

When I think historic fantasy I think Novik and her Temeraire series. Which is just "what if history had DRAGONS" and nothing else. No mages or prophecies or elves or whatnot.

 

[Puddles]

Sorry about that. I should have been more discreet with stuff from later in the book.

Spoiler

There are no real big battles. One might have happened off-screen, but you don't learn for sure what happened.

Complete book ADWD spoilers.

Spoiler

It's too soon to tell about this because the Merenese Knot isn't done with in ADWD. Hell, only Quentyn Martell actually reaches Dany and Dany ends up farther from Westeros than where she started off.

Seriously?

Fuck this book then.

Spoiler

You're saying I read AFFC and 600 pages of this one for no fucking payoff?

 

[Puddles]

It's a fantasy story set in a fictional world. It is explicitly a fantasy story, and it reads like one. The whole series is based around the notion of variable seasons that can last for years, which is clearly a magical phenomenon.

I don't think it has to be magical. It just means that it takes longer for the planet to tilt on its x-axis than it does to compete a trip around the sun.