Some of those are crazier than others, and some remain mysteries even after 4 books. (Can't say which are which, of course.) Read the first book for sure, then decide whether to tackle A Clash of Kings.

Getting the books!

I bought the set on amazon for $22

I usually watching the tv show/movie first to enjoy the surprise and then reading the books after. That was my plan but. I'm already a third of the way through the 2nd book so I guess that isn't going to happen. No will power whatsoever.

For those about to embark upon the books (which I highly recommend) don't just skip Game of Thrones because you watched the show already. The book has a ton of stuff in it, especially in backstory, that the show did not.

Oh and here's the box-set on Amazon for $20.
http://www.amazon.com/George-Martins-Thrones-4-Book-Boxed/dp/0345529057/ref=sr_1_1?t=slickdeals&tag=slickdeals&s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1308503754&sr=1-1

If you're a student, you can get Amazon Prime free for a year with a .edu e-mail address, which gives you free shipping. That is, if they're still doing this.

[This message has been edited by Ag20?? (edited 6/20/2011 1:43p).]

Next book comes out in July and I just read it took him 6 years to write it, oy vey!

I'll add the books to holiday wish lists and if it happens it happens, otherwise I'll ride the show :-)

Yes, if you think it's tough waiting a year for season 2, imagine waiting for up to 6 years between the books. The wait has been longer than that for some characters because not all of the POV characters were in "A Feast for Crows".

Just ordered the books

Also, gendry is that dude Chris from the british show skins..good actor

quote:

---

Chill nerd. Who cares? You know who I'm talking about.

---

laughing my ass off at that.

Didn't I read somewhere that at the pace Martin's going he's probably gonna die without finishing the series? That would kind of suck.

the problems he encountered when writing the 5th book won't be there, or at least won't be nearly as prevalent, as when he writes the final two books. he's stated many times that he knows how the series will end, the reason that the past couple of books took him so long was that he had so many different story threads needing to meet together. i think he'll be able to pick up at a decent pace once he dives into book 6.

it's not like he's super old either, he's only 62

Set is $20 at Costco.

Those dragons did look cool. At least we now know how to hatch a dragon egg.

Anyone know if the witch was lying about the baby looking like a dragon?

I was wondering that too.

Did Daenerys really crap out a dragon as a baby or did the witch say that so Jorah wouldn't stop her from killing the baby? If she did **** out a dragon the good thing Drago was a veggie or else I imagine he would be PISSED!

Also, when the dragon's hatched did it require humans being burned, Daenerys to be in the fire with them, or just incubated by fire?

***Maybe minor spoilers in response to texican***














It's been six years since I read the last book, so I could be way off on this stuff (I was surprised by a lot of things that happened in the show just because I'd forgotten about it), but if I remember correctly the "magical" things in the Song of Ice and Fire are never really explained in detail. They just kind of happen.

What I mean, is that in a lot of fantasy series there is a "magic system" that is explained and has set rules that the reader learns of and therefore knows what is possible and what to expect. Martin is more of a throwback to the Tolkein kind of magic. Like Gandolf, you know that there are some characters that can perform magical feats, you just don't really ever know what feats it is that they can perform.

I'm sure there are many who have puzzled a lot of the things out from careful readings and whatnot, but from what I remember the mystical in this series has to this point remained pretty much mystical.

But, at the same time, the magical aspects of this story are always fairly subdued (at least for a fantasy series, anyways).

[This message has been edited by bendover (edited 6/21/2011 12:18a).]

OK I know finales have cliffhangers, but nothing whatsoever was resolved:

1. You can point to Drago, but hes been worthless for 3 episodes now.

2. Nothing new about the Baratheons.

3. Who gives a sh-t if people call Rob "King of the North"? Its a civil war and you have no credibility if you lose. By moving ahead with the title, the Baratheons have no reason to join the Starks' rebellion. Joffrey (by blood) may be a Lannister, but by title/right he is a Baratheon.

4. Couldnt give us anything north of the wall? Not even Snows uncle?

sorry if already been discussed, but how does the Imps dad get to just appoint him hand of the king? Shouldnt joffrey be the one making that call?

Tywin, his dad, was appointed the Hand by Cersei or Joffrey but he's busy fighting so he sent Tyrion, his son the Imp, to take his place til it's over

***** minor spoilers, maybe, if you're overly sensitive or jerky *****





We never learn if Miri Maz Dur (the magi) was lying about Dany's baby, but it seems likely that she was telling at least half of the truth. Vile, evil blood magic was going on in that tent, and MMD warned Dany to keep everyone out of the tent. When Jorah brought Dany into the tent, her baby was exposed to the magic.

Regarding the dragons, there are little hints throughout the book and the TV adaptation that Dany is impervious to high heat. She comes to the conclusion that the eggs will hatch if the heat is high enough. MMD's death was the final ingredient (only death can pay for life.) GRRM has stated in at least one interview that Dany's immolation scene was a unique magical event, perhaps guided by the gods or ancient prophecy. bendover's take on magic in the series is right. In fact, magic in the books is generally a dark force, or at best chaotic (in the old D&D sense of the term.)




***** all clear *****

As far as dark magic goes, ya'll ain't seen **** yet! Second season will rock your face off!
It's been said many times before, but anyone that doesn't want to wait until Spring 2012, should get the books!

POTENTIAL SPOILERS (but not really)

with regards to the "magic", there is a lot of speculation about the way it works. apart from the general make-up of the world itself (2 large continents, narrow sea in between), we don't know at all about the actual cosmology of the world Martin's created. from the show alone we know about the "old gods" of the north and The Seven in the more southern areas of Westeros, but you learn in the books of many more, some with powerful followers (one of them in particular takes a huge role in book/season 2)

however, it's never really confirmed if the gods are real at all. various characters seem to draw power from the gods in different ways, but it's never made clear if it's some sort of divine intervention, actual "magical" ability, nature's randomness, or not magic at all.

probably doesn't clear anything up, but the key thing to take from my post is that magic is not really explained and the sources of supernatural events aren't either

Is anyone concerned about HBO staying committed to this show? What is hot now may not be all the rage by the time the last book is here and time is given to film the season. Does this season's success force GRRM to complete the series sooner rather than later?

None of the completed hour-long HBO blockbusters (or big budget) have made it past 6 seasons to date:

Sopranos
Deadwood
Six Feet Under
Entourage (only one season left but its number 7 and a half hour duration)
Rome
Big Love
Sex & The City
The Wire
Carnivale

True Blood isn't complete yet with the fourth season about to begin and the author still writing books.

So which model is more sucessful? The 6 max seasons formula or the series that aren't complete yet like ASOIAF and True Blood?

[This message has been edited by Koala Infestation (edited 6/21/2011 10:06a).]

quote:

---

Arya will try to escape the capitol and the forces of the Lannisters disguised as a boy, in the company of a bunch of recruits to the Night's Watch (including one of the ******* children of the late king Robert)

---

I didn't make the connection to Robert's illegitimate son when watching the show. Knowing it now, it will be interesting to see what kind of relationship develops between him and Arya.

I'm another non-reader who is very seriously considering getting the books. A year is just too long to wait for this incredible story to continue.

[This message has been edited by MSFC Aggie (edited 6/21/2011 11:27a).]

I find it hard to believe that guy hasn't read any of the books either.

As far as HBO's commitment to the series, I can see things being ok for the time being. Book#5 is about to come out, and at the end of book#4, Martin makes the point that books 4 & 5 were supposed to be one, big book, but split them in two. Choosing to give the complete story on half the characters as opposed to half the story on all the characters. Book#5 essentially happens, during the same time frame as #4. If so, you could conclude that book #5 has been written for some time now, and he's spent the last few years working on book 6. That would give Martin until the end of season #5 or 6, to have the 7th book completed.

Sure I'm speculating, but then again, I'm a "glass half full" kind of guy.

MSFC....where was that quote you just put up from? I'm pretty sure it has a spoiler in it.

Nevermind...I re-read it and realized that I had misread it the first time.

From page 23

Was that the prediction that started the whole 'who has read the books and giving away spoilers' discussion a few pages back?

I think that sort of speculation started much further back on this thread, whether it was posted or not.

quote:

---

MSFC....where was that quote you just put up from? I'm pretty sure it has a spoiler in it.

---

Like I said, this thread is going to get spoiled because of the acts of one big d-bag.

So, I'd caution to read at your own risk from now on.

No spoiler.....it was from the season finale review link that ac04 put up on page 23. There's nothing in that link that is spoilers.

http://www.hitfix.com/blogs/whats-alan-watching/posts/game-of-thrones-fire-blood-reviewing-the-season-finale

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qYNeT2nzEgA&feature=player_embedded

I'm obviously a non reader, but thought it was very evident that the guy with Arya at the end was the basturdd of Robert fwiw.