A Martin Refresher Course (SPOILERS!)

Remove all ads!

OK, boys and girls, I can't find my damn books! I just purchased AGOT again because I wanted the Sean Bean cover and couldn't wait for the library to gimme a damn copy, but since I just lost my job in a miniature Game of Thrones, I can't buy them all again, and the library is being all douche-baggery about things and not anteing up. So answer a few questions for me, please -- I'll spoiler them just in case some people don't read thread titles:

Spoiler

We know that Jon Snow is actually the offspring of Rhaegar Targaryen and Lyssa Stark, brought up by his uncle Eddard* under the guise of being Eddard's bastard son. My question is, I know it was hinted a little bit in the first book when Eddard remembers Lyssa forcing him to make a promise, but IIRC it was made much more clear in a later book -- WHERE?? please remind me.

Spoiler

There has been some discussion that Eddard isn't actually dead, in that Arya looked away and Sansa didn't recognize the tar-dipped head on the spikes -- has there been any other intimations that Eddard is still alive?

Spoiler

How much do we know about the Others -- are they pissed off Green Men? Or something completely different? Why TF is it obsidian of all things that can take them out -- is it the infusion of Fire into Stone sort of idea?

* And an unspoilered one: How in the hell did Martin get "Ned" from "Eddard"? There's no frigging "N" in the name!

 

It was never made blatantly clear iirc but there were plenty of hints and innuendo.

Eddard is afaik after reading all the books three times at least, utterly and totally dead.

We don't know much about the others, at least I havent been able to gleam much about them. Pissed of green men could be something but considering that Sam hangs out with what I understand to be one they do not seem to be a unified evil force. Just "different".

How do you get Jim from James?

I think you could find everything you want to know here: http://www.westeros.org

 

Also,

Spoiler

does anyone else get the idea that Bryndyn Tully (the Blackfish) is gay? His refusal to marry points in that direction, though being gay is by no means the only explanation . . .

 

I think you are thinking too much into stuff pal. Are you one of these conspiracy theorists always knock about?

The only thing I'm certain of, that hasn't been said yet, is that Sandor Clegane is definitely NOT dead. He's far too cool to go out like that.

 

@LKD

Spoiler

I think that the Blackfish being gay is quite likely. Mind you it took me my second read through to realise Renly and Loras Tyrell were gay so my gaydar may be a bit off

 

LKD....

Spoiler

LKD, I thought much the same way about the possiblity of Eddard still being alive. Martin left it open, but was very good about hiding the fact.

 

Hell yea.
Though he seems to have lost any will for wanton slaughter.
TBH, i find much in common with the Hound and Jaime. Both wonderful character developments.

If Eddard rises from the grave, now 5000 pages or so later, i'll be rather disappointed. Let death be less than final (no, Others don't count) and Song loses much of it's charm. What, he had "amnesia" the past few years? please.

As far as i gathered, Others and green men were somewhat of an adversary. Think Britain prior to christening, it always seemed a similar feel to me. I may well be wrong though, it took me 3 reads to clue Jon Snow's lineage, so...

Also, i may be talking out of my..here, but wasn't the struggle between God of Light (Melisandre's big bwana) and God of the Others described as since time immemorial?
That'd mean he was strolling around lighting stuff on fire when the green men were around. And i gather that they didn't like fire very much, being treehuggers and all.

 

Not sure how trustworthy it is, but Martin's website is tating the exact release date of his next book.

Hopefully it will choc full of wars, killing, backstabbing, manipulating and of course, DRAGONS! About friggin time....

 

Spoiler

I think that sandor clegane was the gravedigger that brienne encounters when they go to the island in book 4 looking for sansa. When the priest tells her that he buried sandor along the riverbank, she asks him "so he is dead?" the priest replies "he is at peace". He never straight out says he is dead, i dont think(i'm old though, i may have forgotten some)

 

Yeah, it is pretty clear what is going on with Sandor.

 

July 12!! Red Letter Date in my iPod! Gonna be at the bookstore at 9:30 on the nose. May even cancel class!

 

Rec'd tehe newest Martin output in the mail yesterday. My Father's Day present from my girls. I will be up all night reading tonight.

 

I'm reading A Storm of Swords now. I have like 100 pages left in it. Through out the whole series the POV chapters that I have enjoyed the most have been Arrya, Jon, Davos, Tyrion and Bran. The others have been hit or miss even Miss Dany I find that her chapters are either really entertaining or they drag on between Bran and Tyrion.

Spoiler

As such I have recently read both the Red Wedding and the murder of Joffery. Both were shocking moments that I loved. Especially the death of Jofferey. Although I feel that death was much to kind for him.

 

I enjoyed watching the little bastard die as well. The little (VERY little) liberal in me wonders, though -- did the little guy even have a chance? I mean, his erstwhile father never showed much interest in him -- the one time he tried, Cersei squelched it -- had Joffrey been taught at an early age that you don't eviserate kittens, maybe things would have gone differently.

His biological father (though he never knew) also never spent any time with him. There were good political reasons for that, but still, who was there to show him how to be a good man? All he had was Cersei, and she was and is a horrible person, not to mention dumber than a sack of hammers.

Ben, I am glad to welcome a fellow Albertan to the boards. If you haven't read Feast for Crows yet, don't let the negative hype fool you -- it's a fascinating story and a good read. And of course, my feelings on Dance with Dragons are already on record.