Game of Thrones: Rains of Castamere

[Visions of Khas]

I never expected many happy moments in GoT, but after last night's episode I'm glad I was mistaken! Man, after the dark, foreboding tone from the entire season up to now, it was nice for a change of pace with this light-hearted episode.

I'd just like to point out that:

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[TheEconomist]

Oh man, I'm even more behind now. I had every intention of roughly following the TV series by reading the books and then watching the show, but I watched the first season without reading the first book which makes reading the second book incredibly awkward. I kept having to wiki names from the book to see their faces from the show to see who they are.

I've also gotten stuck in the Wheel of Time which I picked up out of nostalgia for the old classic fantasy formula. I am about the finish the first book in the next few days. Better than I thought but it's no Ice and Fire. Although I hear it gets better.

But, to stay more on topic, its definitely a depressing series. Eddard Stark's death was especially surprising since I couldn't reconcile the difference between the book being a fantasy epic and a main character actually dying

[DemolitionSquid]

Having never read the books, all I can say about this episode is HOLY FUCK.

[TheEconomist]

They should have a manga version soon for you, Squibb.

[DemolitionSquid]

Assuming that was a Katawa Shoujo jab, in which case I'll reiterate I enjoyed the game for its writing and characters - the same reasons I enjoy GoT. If it was a Walking Dead-esque Telltale game with an all obviously non-Asian cast I would still enjoy it because of those factors.

Less likely, assuming it was an insult implying I'm dumb and require pictures to understand whats going on... you know nothing Jon Snow.

[Hawki]

I've also gotten stuck in the Wheel of Time which I picked up out of nostalgia for the old classic fantasy formula. I am about the finish the first book in the next few days. Better than I thought but it's no Ice and Fire. Although I hear it gets better.

Gradius is probably better to ask, though I did decide to bite the bullet and start reading The Great Hunt recently. Overall, of the initial chapters I've read, I've found it far more compelling than book 1. Probably due to the following factors:

-I've had time to look up wiki stuff and get a better sense of the characters.

-As the second book effectively re-introduces characters over time, it's easier to get back into them, or at least their roles (personas not being that deep).

-I commented way back that WoT struck me as LotR fanfiction, or AR/AU writing. Still, the meeting of the Aes Sedai and their internal squabbles early on in the book is something unique to WoT itself (more or less), and that's interesting to read.

So, overall, I'd say book 2 is better than book 1. Could just be me though. Both are long books and I've fallen into the pattern of reading a single long novel, reading lots of shorter ones, then starting a long one again.

As for A Song of Ice and Fire, general comments (which include book spoilers), so be warned.

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I give the writers credit for keeping the Red Wedding's shock value, even though I knew it was coming, and while it's on a much smaller scale than in the books (e.g. the Frey forces don't charge the Northerners in the open, likely due to budget), they replaced that with intimate brutality. Heck, probably even more brutal, what with Bolton stabbing Robb ("compliments from the Lannisters"), Talisa being killed in a certain spot (I know I'm in the minority here, but I actually like Talisa's character - far more than Jeyne, who in the books is still alive) and holy shit, the acting. Michelle Fairley (the actress who plays Catelyn) did an amazing job. Her face, her wails at the end, how she just didn't have it in her to flinch after having her throat cut...excellent).

On the other hand, I can't help but be cynical about the future. This is the same problem I have with the books, and that's because Martin has played this card too often. Ned Stark dies suddenly, fine. Robb and co. die suddenly, fine. After that though, it's lost its impact. Joffrey dying, meh. Tyrion killing Tywin, satisfying, but hardly shocking. Jon being backstabbed (literally), meh. I like his character, but you can't expect to keep playing the same card and expect to get the same result. So as satisfying as it might be to see show Joffrey be poisoned, or Tyrion shoot Tywin while the latter's in a bath, the show would have to do something extraordinary to give me the punch the books were meant to have.

Which, after this episode, they might be able to. Time will tell I guess.

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[TheEconomist]

Both are long books and I've fallen into the pattern of reading a single long novel, reading lots of shorter ones, then starting a long one again.

I have a similiar schedule, but also tend to switch genres, Fantasy, then Sci Fi, then "real life" and back again.

This is kind of off-topic though. Maybe there needs to be a "What Are You Reading?" topic. I've read about fifteen or so books recently, maybe someone would like to talk about them

[Visions of Khas]

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I see what you mean about diminishing returns with character deaths. The murder of Joffrey and Tywin will help attain a sense of vengeance with the audience, but still leave them hollow and lacking true closure with having so many characters die and an entire arc end in so brutal a fashion. But Joffrey and Tywin will soon be replaced by the Boltons, so we're simply trading them out. (Or trading down, seeing as how Ramsay Snow is worse than Joffrey.) The only other impactful death, then, will be Robb Snow -- though I suspect his won't be a permanent death. We still have his parentage to explore, as well as certain other aspects to resolve.

In other news, Arya's just gotten word.

[Hawki]

This is kind of off-topic though. Maybe there needs to be a "What Are You Reading?" topic.

I'll start a topic.

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That's true, to an extent. Certainly I like how the show handled Roose Bolton (not so much Ramsay), how he's built up as an ally, perhaps a friend of Robb in season 2, has some iffiness in season 3 (releasing Jaime, which probably raised eyebrows with those who hadn't read the books), and then attends the wedding personally, smirking at Cat. "Yeah, that's right Mrs Stark, they're playing The Rains of Castamere, yeah, I'm wearing chainmail, I know that you know that I know something's about to happen, and you can't do anything to stop it."

But even that being said, I'm still in the point where I'd like to see antagonists and protagonists succeed/be killed in different ways. Perhaps Theon (now Reek) could be spared execution by Stannis, taking revenge on Ramsay. Perhaps Jon could survive his backstab and lead the Night's Watch to victory, having some epic duel with a White Walker. Perhaps Dany could sit on a throne (in Essos or otherwise) and perhaps Tyrion could get to rule over Casterly Rock while Cersei rots in a dungeon. I know these are all cliche ideas, but cliches work for a reason. Start using an anti-cliche too much and it becomes a cliche in itself.

[Visions of Khas]

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... Hawki, you haven't read the whole series yet, have you?

Martin himself said the overall ending, while it won't necessarily be a happy one, will be "bittersweet". Which is the best kind of ending, in my opinion; like a good book, each character needs a firm beginning, middle and end, and this involves death. I've heard so many complaints of character resurrections, and now so many of permanent character deaths. Treating characters as books in themselves is one of the strengths of Martin's writing, coupled with his defiance of expectations and tropes.

All that aside, I loved the interaction between Arya and the Hound, it was beautiful and quietly funny.