posted
I think she's already been betrayed for love. I'm pretty sure he and Dany are going to wind up married, happy, and ruling over a united Westeros.
Posts: 37449 | Registered: May 1999
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quote: I'm pretty sure he and Dany are going to wind up married, happy, and ruling over a united Westeros.
In this series?
Hmmm, you might be onto something. At this point, it would actually be quite surprising to most of us if the ending is a happy one, and Martin loves surprising us!
Edit: and I have to wonder about the popularity boost these books have gotten in the, how long has it been, five years? since the last book was published. The word of mouth is just amazing. I've gotten well over a half dozen people to read the series personally I think these books are just going to get more and more popular as it gets closer to the conclusion.
Posts: 5656 | Registered: Oct 1999
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posted
I'm looking forward to this book, as are most of us who have been reading this series. I am thrilled to read more about the Iron Islands and Dorne. I see great potential in the Dornish storyline, with all the characters down there we haven't met, their power and the fact that they won't support the Lannister's now. The Riverlands will be fun, I love the lightning lord and his crew. His feelings about his "life" make him an interesting character. Nobody mentions them much in these threads, but this book should include Littlefinger and Sansa in the Eyrie as well, right? That isn't the north or east. Also, the Hound oughtta be alive somewhere.
My favorite characters are Tyrion, Davos, and Arya, but I think a book without them in it will be good. Meet new people, see new POV's, and keep me from focusing on the characters I like the most.
Really, at this point the book could have been anything at all and I would be excited for it.
posted
I just finished re-reading Storm of Swords. I am in awe at Martin's skill.
Let me tell you a little story. When Belle and Jaime Lannister met, she didn't like him. Even before he pushed Bran out the window - she knew he was trouble. No one is that beautiful, that noble-looking, and truly good at heart.
So, I made the mistake of being so disgusted with him I didn't read his POV chapters all that closely. I rushed through them in order to spend more time with characters I cared about. This time, in order to prepare myself for AFFC, I went through ASOS very carefully, ALL of it.
It's just wrong of you George, to make me hate someone so viciously and now make me care for them.
I am convinced now that Jaime is on the path to Redemption. He will find it, when he kills his sister. And then he will die, because of his statement that he and Cersei will leave the world together as they entered it together. I think Brienne will be with him when he dies.
It will be at the end of the series though, and he will have very important parts to play. I'm not so sure that he won't be part of the force that defeats the Others. The dragon has three heads. Could you imagine a force led by Dany, Jon Snow, and Jaime Lannister? Who needs a sword hand when mounted on the back of a dragon?
Here's why I know he's on the path:
1. He went back for Brienne. He was on his way back to his sister and everything he cared about, and he went back for her.
2. He defied his sister and his father when they wanted him to leave the Kingsguard.
3. He took over the leadership of the Kingsguard and actually led them. He proved himself a skilled commander.
4. He gave Ice (what's left of it) to Brienne.
I was thinking about the dragons. Drogon is black - Jon Snow is a brother of the Night's Watch and dresses all in black. Viserion is gold and cream, right? A white cloak over golden armor - Jaime Lannister.
I can't make the green of Rhaegal fit though, so it probably is just a foolish theory. Unless it's Dany's identification with her brother Rhaegar, that will make her choose to ride him.
Anyway, probably nothing, the dragon's colors may be nothing more than coincidence.
posted
I can’t wait for A Feast for Crows, I‘ve even destroyed my lurker status to post in this thread.
At first I was disappointed to find out that many of my favourite characters will not be in this book but thinking about it I’m glad as it will give me a chance to get to know some of the others. I’ve tended to rush through some of the newer characters in order to get back to my favourites.
Apart from the obvious favourites (Arya, Jon) I like Daenerrys, she has grown from being a little girl controlled by her brother to a young woman taking control of her own destiny.
I both love and hate that main characters can die, it makes the series unpredictable, but it is shocking when someone you thought was important is suddenly gone.
Posts: 169 | Registered: Aug 2005
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posted
I just started reading this series a couple months ago because this web site and Ornery was talking about how great the books are. . . and they are even better than I imagined. When I read that OSC told Martin that he would have to be his bodyguard so that he could make sure the series got finished, I knew it would be great. I have since read four other books by Martin which have also been great, especially Tuf Voyaging.
What I have noticed the most about the series of Ice and Fire is that everyone is far more ambitious and ruthless than other characters in other stories, which makes the little justice there is so much sweeter.
Ultimately I think that the defining line in the series is said by the master of secrets (the "spider" as I can't remember how to spell his name) when he asks (and I paraphrase), "What happens to the common people when kings and lords play at their game of thrones?" Even the "good" lordly characters still look down on those whose station is beneath them, and do not consider the common folks lives as valuable. I suppose Jon is the true hero in the book as others have pointed out, but isn't it so hard to tell who and what he should be fighting for?
Moral clarity in a world of twisted motives is clearly the missing element in this series, which makes it so great in my opinion. I don't think I have ever fallen so deeply into a world or characters, and the fact that the books are so character driven are really what make me so thrilled by them. I have never felt so much admiration and loathing for a character at the same time. Most authors cannot achieve redemption of such "evil" characters, and I'm not sure Martin is going to redeem Jaime or others, but I don't care; these people seem more real than any others I can remember, and their lives and deaths mean almost too much to me.
I literally will read everything I can find of his. His short stories still haunt me. I especially loved his vampire story on the Mississippi river boat in "Fevre Dream". Anyway, he will never do what Robert Jordan is doing because he is not event driven like Jordan is; because there is nothing uninteresting or delayed about how he describes the lives of the characters he portrays. Let us all pay homage to one of the greatest authors of our time. Posts: 231 | Registered: Apr 2005
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posted
I know we only have to wait until November, but now that a real relase date has been posted, it seems like the book can't come out soon enough. I hate waiting sometimes. Plus I've already re-read the first three this summer so I just have to wait...
Posts: 194 | Registered: Feb 2005
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quote:Thank heaven. I was afraid I was going to die before he got it done. (George has told me that he intends to outlive me, so I should stop worrying about whether he'll die before he finishes.)
quote: Anyway, probably nothing, the dragon's colors may be nothing more than coincidence.
I don't think so. I'm actually betting that one of the dragons goes very, very bad and has to be "put down."
Posts: 37449 | Registered: May 1999
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WARNING: THAT'S THE OFFICIAL *SPOILER* THREAD, DO NOT OPEN IF YOU DO NOT WANT TO SEE SPOILERS, EVEN SOME FROM BOOK 4.
Edit: My first post in there has so many typos and spelling mistakes, its painful for me to read it. In my defense, I was in a hurry!
Posts: 5656 | Registered: Oct 1999
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posted
I hope the unpredictability of the series continues. There's been some hints and prophecies of what's to come (most of which I didn't "get" until I read about them on threads here). I hope that by the time the last book comes out that it's not going to be totally obvious that a,b,c,d,e,f,g,h,i, and j are gonna happen. (Like the way that it looks like some stuff is sure to happen in the 7th Harry Potter book.)
Posts: 2911 | Registered: Aug 2001
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quote: Am I the only one who, when he needs an ASOIAF fix, rereads the Tower of Joy dream sequence?
Somehow, after reading the books for the first time, I completely forgot about that scene. Upon re-reading the books I realized that that scene is perhaps the most moving of the series so far.
Posts: 194 | Registered: Feb 2005
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posted
I found that interview to be really annoying. The guy really only asked about Jon, and while I like Jon, there are other questions too. Grrrr. If I sat down with Martin, my questions would be much much better.
posted
Tom, didn't one of the excerpts foreshadow some problems with one of the dragons?
The one where the farmers were bringing their complaints to Dany and one of them had bones that....er....were'nt sheep bones?
Posts: 14428 | Registered: Aug 2001
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posted
Yeah, the excerpt says it's from A Feast For Crows, but they're actually Dany's first three chapters from A Dance With Dragons now that the novel's been split. And they do, indeed, deal with the trouble Dany's having with the dragons.
George read one of those chapters at WorldCon last week.
Posts: 5264 | Registered: Jul 2002
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posted
Are you sure Frisco? I read the first five pages or so during lunch and it has nothing to do with Dany. My impression was this is the intro to A Feast for Crows. It happens in Dorne nowhere near Dany.
posted
? -- how'd you get the sample? Did the store have them sitting there, or did you have to ask for one? Was it a regular bookstore, or comics/SF store, or, or, or...
(i.e., I wanna get one!!!)
Posts: 2911 | Registered: Aug 2001
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posted
The UA Bookstore has them sitting out in a display, along with many copies of the books with their new-style covers, which I don't like.
Posts: 3932 | Registered: Sep 1999
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posted
Oh, another excerpt would be cool. I know that the intro is going to be the chapters that were bundled up and published in Dragon magazine as Arms of the Kraken, and it covers the unfolding events on the Iron Isles.
I haven't read anything abour Dorne, though I know George has done some readings from there at cons I haven't attended. Go get more copies! Posts: 5264 | Registered: Jul 2002
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posted
I read the Captain of the Guards excerpt at Barnes and Noble the other day. It was quite interesting. Introduces some characters. If anyone else has read it I'd like to hear some speculation on what "game" the fourth Sand Snake is playing and what it entails. I have some ideas, but I'll wait for more people to read it.
posted
Parsimony, I really have no clue as to what the "game" Doran Martell referred to is. I would be really interested in what you have to say about it.
And if I'm lucky, I'll be able to get the UK edition earlier -- I'm going over to Germany soon, and might be able to snag a UK edition if German bookstores carry it... Posts: 2911 | Registered: Aug 2001
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posted
You never write, you never call, I can't even remember the last time we made hate... What's a girl supposed to do, plaid? Wait for your hate forever?
Javie hates me in ways you never could. We're getting divorced in a few months. I'm sorry, big guy. There'll be someone out there who'll hate you as much as I once might've. And you'll hate them too. Just go, weep, and start the healing by re-introducing yourself to the joys of hate. Dry your tears, put in a Republican vote or two... and move on with your life.
Posts: 3293 | Registered: Jul 2002
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posted
From the review on Amazon (by Publishers Weekly)
Spoilers if you don't want to know who's story is covered in A Feast for Crows
. . . . . . . . .
quote: As the book begins, Brienne of Tarth is looking for Lady Catelyn's daughters, Queen Cersei is losing her mind and Arya Stark is training with the Faceless Men of Braavos; all three wind up in cliffhangers that would do justice to any soap opera. Meanwhile, other familiar faces—notably Jon Snow, Tyrion Lannister and Daenerys Targaryen—are glaringly absent though promised to return in book five.
posted
Eddie, I'm going to assume that "never hating me more" means that you only have a mild crush on me now .
Posts: 5656 | Registered: Oct 1999
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posted
Remember Paris, Lalo? Remember Sacre Coeur? When you spat in my face, and pushed me down the steps? Good times, Lalo, good times.
And what about Xavier? Will HE drag your name through the tabloids? Will HE argue over custody? Will HE set fire to Stupid White Men and thrust it down your pants? I don't think so, Lalo. Damnit, you're STILL the man I hate, and I'm not letting you go that easy, Lalo.
Posts: 2911 | Registered: Aug 2001
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posted
Ok, Jon Snow is my favorite alltime character excepting Eddard. I am going to seriously miss him and Dany. Though seeing as he is Dany's brother/cousin not really sure, they will in the Targaryen way get hitched.
Jon will then take Drogon, the black dragon with him and the nights watch to burn the Others to little tiny cinders.
Stannis and Melisandre will continue to kick some wightish ass with an army of R'hollor worshipping wildings.
Bran will become a full warg and raise the north, starting with the Umbers Mallisters etc, when they are getting beaten, Howland Reed will finally leave the marshes and come to there rescue. Bolton will die.
Bran, rider of the green dragon will toast the Iron Islands.
Arya will personally kill off the rest of her list.
The Sandsnakes will raise dorne, highgarden will burn.
Loras will kill Jaime.
Tyrion will join up with Brienne, hunt down Littlefinger, rescue Sansa. The Eyrie will rise for Sansa and Tyrion. Sansa will grow to love Tyrion.
Dany will conquer the dothraki, and meet Arya in braavos.
posted
I saw a woman reading the UK edition at the student union today. I nearly beat her up and stole it, but managed to control my impulses long enough to walk away.
Posts: 3932 | Registered: Sep 1999
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quote:Originally posted by Carrie: I saw a woman reading the UK edition at the student union today. I nearly beat her up and stole it, but managed to control my impulses long enough to walk away.
That was foolish...if there was no one else around, no one could hear her screams. . .
I read that chapter, and liked it, although I saw it comming. I will have it the first day it is availible here in the US. Posts: 15082 | Registered: Jul 2001
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posted
Just think how great the *next* book will be though. And it's halfway written already! I wonder how long it will take him to finish it?
Anyone know if he still plans to call it A Dance of Dragons, or if he's going to be using that for a title a little further down the road?
Posts: 16059 | Registered: Aug 2000
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posted
I would imagine that would be a later book...it would be a great title for a second to last, or even a last, book. Posts: 15082 | Registered: Jul 2001
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I think these books are just going to get more and more popular as it gets closer to the conclusion.
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Some of these are even signed!![[Cry]](graemlins/cry.gif)
It's just wrong of you George, to make me hate someone so viciously and now make me care for them. ![[Hail]](graemlins/hail.gif)
GRRM
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Plus I've already re-read the first three this summer so I just have to wait...
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