[mythicknight]

Artwork of The Wall done by some guy. Beautiful.


Anyway, wondering where all the other ASoIaF fans were at, I haven't seen a thread about it here.

The fifth book is taking forever

[King Tom]

way to long

[shoe the fifth]

this reminds me of a website I found several years ago that was all about how the world is flat. A lot of it was wierd pseudo theories and conspiracies about how the governments of the world are working together to deny it all. it was pretty funny actually.

Anyway, they said the reason that people didn't fall off the earth or find the edge was because there was a giant wall of ice that bordered the flat, disc-shaped world, but nobody knew about it because there were about 500 people patrolling it and they would kill anybody who go too close. This looks like what a giant wall of ice that borders the world should look like.

[Lamuella]

ignoring all the people not actually talking about A Song Of Ice And Fire for a moment...

I think it's the best series of fantasy novels written in the last hundred years. I honestly think Martin is a better fantasy writer than Tolkien (although Tolkien is unquestionably a better linguist and mythologist)

He makes the politics so believable, the characters so rounded. He makes me care about everybody. And then he kills them.

I know of no other writer this good at what he does. And that fifth book needs to come out soon. Now if possible.

[Czar Garrett]

Lamuella, I'll have to agree on nearly all points there.

Especially the politics and caring one.

Sometimes I think the guy is a sadist, making interesting characters that a lot of people can connect with then BAM, dead. Or disfigured.

Martin definitely has a talent for smoke and mirrors writing. You're thinking one way, then out of left field comes a (seemingly) completely random event that you don't find out its importance for another half a book.


As to where the story is eventually going, I'm still not entirely sure.

Theories with spoilers below

Spoiler

Jon Snow seems like he's going to become a truly central figure, possibly even displacing Stannis as a contender for the Throne in some way. Probably the Ice part of the series. I know the Night Watch isn't supposed to have politics, but I feel like that's going to change.

Daenrys seems like she'll also be a major figure given that she now has a handful of dragons, as well as various barbarian hordes. Possibly the Fire part of the series.

I just have no idea where any of the Lannisters will really end up. Tyrion seems like he could be around the Night Watch a lot. Jaime- who knows.

But I definitely want to see the next book out soon. Must find out what happens!

[Emperor Mccole]

I just finished re reading the series again, and i cant wait for the next one. even if the first one did sort of traumatize me .(hey, i was a munchkin way back then.)

Spoiler

also, R+L=J amirite?

[Audacity]

I am looking for a new series to start. I'll have to check this out.

Thanks,
Audy

[Ethan Smith]

Jon and Danaeris are my favorite characters.

I fear they may fight each other in the end.

edit-And the Hound. Mother$%&@er is like Snape, the Phantom of the Opera, and Darth banned member in one.
edit-And Jaime, after that whole...losing his something.
edit-And Tyrion.
edit-I hate all the other characters. Like Cersai. I like how she keeps on saying the only reason she doesn't have power is because she's a woman. No, it's not that. The reason you don't have power is because you're an IDIOT.

This post has been edited by Ethan Smith: 16 September 2008 - 10:19 AM

[VIdiot the Great]

Ethan Smith, on Sep 16 2008, 12:17 PM, said:

edit-I hate all the other characters. Like Cersai. I like how she keeps on saying the only reason she doesn't have power is because she's a woman. No, it's not that. The reason you don't have power is because you're an IDIOT.

Actually, she is probably the best strategist in the entire series. I would respectfully suggest you reread the series if you have come away with the idea that she is a stupid woman. She managed to marry a King and have the throne act on behalf of the Lannister's interests. She has also guided two of her sons to the throne.

In fact, she may well be the arranger of the most central parts of the story. She is clearly morally bankrupt, but she is not an idiot.

[Czar Garrett]

VIdiot the Great, on Sep 16 2008, 02:09 PM, said:

She is clearly morally bankrupt

If that isn't an understatement...

[Lamuella]

let me just quickly blow the minds of everyone who didn't read the last book closely enough:

Spoiler

The Hound is still alive. Brienne met him at the abbey, although she didn't know it was him

[Lamuella]

VIdiot the Great, on Sep 16 2008, 02:09 PM, said:

Actually, she is probably the best strategist in the entire series. I would respectfully suggest you reread the series if you have come away with the idea that she is a stupid woman. She managed to marry a King and have the throne act on behalf of the Lannister's interests. She has also guided two of her sons to the throne.

and now she's in the midst of throwing it all away because she thinks she's smarter than she actually is. She is being played horribly by those around her.

[VIdiot the Great]

Lamuella, on Sep 16 2008, 02:48 PM, said:

and now she's in the midst of throwing it all away because she thinks she's smarter than she actually is. She is being played horribly by those around her.

Right, but this is due to a certain habit she has picked up, not due to a lack of intelligence.

If I knew how to do the spoiler thing, I'd do it here, but you know the habit I am referring to.

[Emperor Mccole]

VIdiot the Great, on Sep 16 2008, 01:09 PM, said:

Actually, she is probably the best strategist in the entire series. I would respectfully suggest you reread the series if you have come away with the idea that she is a stupid woman. She managed to marry a King and have the throne act on behalf of the Lannister's interests. She has also guided two of her sons to the throne.

In fact, she may well be the arranger of the most central parts of the story. She is clearly morally bankrupt, but she is not an idiot.

at first she did seem intelligent, but this was because she was a brilliant manipulator, and she knew how to use the talents of those around her. once she started believing that she herself was the smart one she started ignoring her advisers and making remarkably bad decisions.

Spoiler

arming the faith, for example

[Emperor Mccole]

VIdiot the Great, on Sep 16 2008, 01:58 PM, said:

Right, but this is due to a certain habit she has picked up, not due to a lack of intelligence.

If I knew how to do the spoiler thing, I'd do it here, but you know the habit I am referring to.

its [spoiler] words here [/spoiler]

[Lamuella]

VIdiot the Great, on Sep 16 2008, 02:58 PM, said:

Right, but this is due to a certain habit she has picked up, not due to a lack of intelligence.

If I knew how to do the spoiler thing, I'd do it here, but you know the habit I am referring to.

I'd actually say that overestimating your own intelligence is a sign of stupidity.

She's in a position right now where she thinks she is smarter, stronger, and more capable than she is. This makes her dumber, weaker, and more easily led.

[Subtleknifewielder]

Lamuella, on Sep 15 2008, 11:09 PM, said:

ignoring all the people not actually talking about A Song Of Ice And Fire for a moment...

I think it's the best series of fantasy novels written in the last hundred years. I honestly think Martin is a better fantasy writer than Tolkien (although Tolkien is unquestionably a better linguist and mythologist)

He makes the politics so believable, the characters so rounded. He makes me care about everybody. And then he kills them.

I know of no other writer this good at what he does. And that fifth book needs to come out soon. Now if possible.

Since I haven;t read it, I wouldn't know. But another very realistic series is the Hell's Gate series by David Weber & Linda Evans. A truly unique blend of fantasy and sci-fi, it chronicles a disastrous first encounter between two multiversal civilizations: one a scientifically based society enhanced by people with different abilities that can loosely be labelled as psychic, and the other a society based on Magic.

There are characters on both sides you feel for, who are true heroes, and characters on both sides you can truly hate.

Anyway, enough of that. What's the first book in this series you guys are talking about?

This post has been edited by Subtleknifewielder: 16 September 2008 - 02:11 PM

[Lord Boris]

mythicknight, on Sep 15 2008, 11:23 PM, said:

The fifth book is taking forever

I agree with this and have thusly quoted it.

[Lamuella]

the first book is A Game Of Thrones. It's slow for the first 200 pages, but boy does it speed up.

[Utracia]

i haven't read "A Feast for Crows" yet, need to get on that quickly, haven't been too eager to see who is going to die in the book