Any hardcore Game of Thrones/Song of Ice and Fire fans?

[NekoParks]

I love this stuff even though economics tends to go over my head.

The economics of Dragons: http://www.slate.com/blogs/moneybox/2013/04/22/economics_of_ice_fire_iii_the_market_for_dragons.html

Also, Power Rankings for the women in Westeros:
http://www.slate.com/blogs/xx_facto...s_targaryen_tops_the_lady_power_rankings.html

I love these articles from Slate. Thank you so much for posting them.

 

[Cruel2BKind]

I've been working on a paper while listening to the opening theme.

I have two versions, the original, and then a kick-ass cello version that somebody posted on this thread.

 

[PennLady]

I've read the books, but don't always recall details, so -- was this faked escape attempt with Theon in the books? I don't remember. I remember him just disappearing and then reappearing, with some explanation when he came back. I think for TV purposes what they've done works well, and is perhaps even better suited to the medium, but I was wondering.

 

[Cruel2BKind]

I've read the books, but don't always recall details, so -- was this faked escape attempt with Theon in the books? I don't remember. I remember him just disappearing and then reappearing, with some explanation when he came back. I think for TV purposes what they've done works well, and is perhaps even better suited to the medium, but I was wondering.

They bring him back as 'reek' but eventually it is revealed that he is theon.

He describes that he was tortured at long length. And that Roose Bolton's bastard played mind games with him, and only amputated his fingers once he begged him to (because of the pain of having them skinned)

This escape attempt seems to fit, because the average viewing public will be confused if they pull him out of nowhere in the fifth or sixth season. This is a chance for some character development, sympathy towards the character, and just a reminder...

Hey! This dude is still alive and stuff!

 

[PennLady]

They bring him back as 'reek' but eventually it is revealed that he is theon.

He describes that he was tortured at long length. And that Roose Bolton's bastard played mind games with him, and only amputated his fingers once he begged him to (because of the pain of having them skinned)

This escape attempt seems to fit, because the average viewing public will be confused if they pull him out of nowhere in the fifth or sixth season. This is a chance for some character development, sympathy towards the character, and just a reminder...

Hey! This dude is still alive and stuff!

Yeah, I knew he came back as Reek -- I haven't forgotten everything, just a lot. I just couldn't remember this sequence from the books. I think the escape attempt was a good idea. It keeps Theon from disappearing entirely from the audience's notice, it spells out his misdeeds, and it makes him a bit sympathetic, which is something the character could use.

 

[PennLady]

Slate follow up on this week's episode, with specific attention to Varys, who I think is one of the more interesting characters.

http://www.slate.com/articles/arts/...rys_enjoys_his_moment_out_of_the_shadows.html

And episode 4 on Facebook!

http://www.happyplace.com/23374/game-of-thrones-facebook-recap-season-3-episode-4

 

[Ironiclaconic]

I've read the books, but don't always recall details, so -- was this faked escape attempt with Theon in the books? I don't remember. I remember him just disappearing and then reappearing, with some explanation when he came back. I think for TV purposes what they've done works well, and is perhaps even better suited to the medium, but I was wondering.

It was also a way of introducing Ramsey Snow later than he was introduced in the books. At least I assume that is who the treacherous little weasel was.

 

[Cruel2BKind]

Slate follow up on this week's episode, with specific attention to Varys, who I think is one of the more interesting characters.

http://www.slate.com/articles/arts/...rys_enjoys_his_moment_out_of_the_shadows.html

And episode 4 on Facebook!

http://www.happyplace.com/23374/game-of-thrones-facebook-recap-season-3-episode-4

Shit just got real.

 

[PennLady]

It was also a way of introducing Ramsey Snow later than he was introduced in the books. At least I assume that is who the treacherous little weasel was.

That seems to be the consensus even though he hasn't been named.

 

[Cruel2BKind]

Gaah. Can't we just have one nice gay sex scene? Where someone isn't going to die or be betrayed?

Or at least give us a clearer view of his dong.

Scenes on three separate occasions brought me close to manly tears.

Grey worm,
Arya trying to end Clegane,
Jaime's heartfelt naked moment.

 

[PennLady]

Well, any sex scene not done for manipulation purposes would be nice. Even Jon and Ygritte was as much a matter of him passing a test as anything. And the whole nudity imbalance is annoying. On one hand there's Ygritte baring herself to Jon; on the other, we get a battered Jaime from the back, and a gay spy who works for Baelish. Yawn.

I thought this was a great episode though. Robb is working on defeating himself, Arya went through a ton of emotions, and I was pleased to see Stannis' wife and daughter. I had actually wondered if they were going to leave that part out.

Other notable scenes were Tyrion and Lady Olenna; Jaime and Brienne; and of course, Tywin with Cersei and Tyrion. Geez, with him for a dad...

 

[NekoParks]

Gaah. Can't we just have one nice gay sex scene? Where someone isn't going to die or be betrayed?

Or at least give us a clearer view of his dong.

Scenes on three separate occasions brought me close to manly tears.

Grey worm,
Arya trying to end Clegane,
Jaime's heartfelt naked moment.

Well, any sex scene not done for manipulation purposes would be nice. Even Jon and Ygritte was as much a matter of him passing a test as anything. And the whole nudity imbalance is annoying. On one hand there's Ygritte baring herself to Jon; on the other, we get a battered Jaime from the back, and a gay spy who works for Baelish. Yawn.

I thought this was a great episode though. Robb is working on defeating himself, Arya went through a ton of emotions, and I was pleased to see Stannis' wife and daughter. I had actually wondered if they were going to leave that part out.

Other notable scenes were Tyrion and Lady Olenna; Jaime and Brienne; and of course, Tywin with Cersei and Tyrion. Geez, with him for a dad...

I agree with both of you...there were some terrific scenes in this episode. My favorite was between Jamie and Brienne.

BTW...I love this thread. I am learning so much about GoT.

 

[TheeGoatPig]

Only peripherally related, but I still thought it was worth sharing here.

 

[PennLady]

Only peripherally related, but I still thought it was worth sharing here.

Hahahaha.

And in that spirit, here is episode 5 on Facebook: http://www.happyplace.com/23526/game-of-thrones-facebook-recap-season-3-episode-5

And if you watch this video (remember this one?) you'll see some early work by Mr. Dinklage:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xat1GVnl8-k

 

[Cruel2BKind]

Hahahaha.

And in that spirit, here is episode 5 on Facebook: http://www.happyplace.com/23526/game-of-thrones-facebook-recap-season-3-episode-5

And if you watch this video (remember this one?) you'll see some early work by Mr. Dinklage:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xat1GVnl8-k

This was hilarious!

Walking dead, ghost of ned stark, millions of frustrated female fans... lol.

Love the comic from goatpig too.

 

[Cruel2BKind]

http://awesomegifs.com/wp-content/uploads/game-of-thrones-dani-burn-deal-with-it.gif

This gif makes me a happy panda.

 

[PennLady]

Does anyone know if this season has eight or ten episodes? I'm figuring ten, because the other seasons have been and also -- wow, lots of stuff to cover.

I have to admit I did not miss Bran in the last episode. Perhaps that storyline will pick up, but I found it slow going in the books as well.

I wonder if Catelyn will try to have a heart-to-heart with Robb over the ah, possible inadvisibility of approaching Walder Frey for help. In other reviews I've read, although people like the actress well enough, they don't think much or enough has been done with Catelyn's character, and they have a point.

 

[soflabbwlvr]

Does anyone know if this season has eight or ten episodes? I'm figuring ten, because the other seasons have been and also -- wow, lots of stuff to cover.

I have to admit I did not miss Bran in the last episode. Perhaps that storyline will pick up, but I found it slow going in the books as well.

I wonder if Catelyn will try to have a heart-to-heart with Robb over the ah, possible inadvisibility of approaching Walder Frey for help. In other reviews I've read, although people like the actress well enough, they don't think much or enough has been done with Catelyn's character, and they have a point.

It's ten.

 

[Cruel2BKind]

Does anyone know if this season has eight or ten episodes? I'm figuring ten, because the other seasons have been and also -- wow, lots of stuff to cover.

I have to admit I did not miss Bran in the last episode. Perhaps that storyline will pick up, but I found it slow going in the books as well.

I wonder if Catelyn will try to have a heart-to-heart with Robb over the ah, possible inadvisibility of approaching Walder Frey for help. In other reviews I've read, although people like the actress well enough, they don't think much or enough has been done with Catelyn's character, and they have a point.

Bran is BORING.

Besides, in the books his chapters were pretty much just filler. The only interesting things that happen is the near-miss at the castle in the lake and meeting the cold-hands crow. They could probably smoosh that into two or three more showings of him.

Unless they want to show us some more goddamn green dreams.

I don't know what it is, but I really can't get over how weird the Jojen kid looks. His eyes are just screwy. He has a face only a mother could love.

 

[Ironiclaconic]

Does anyone know if this season has eight or ten episodes? I'm figuring ten, because the other seasons have been and also -- wow, lots of stuff to cover.

I have to admit I did not miss Bran in the last episode. Perhaps that storyline will pick up, but I found it slow going in the books as well.

I wonder if Catelyn will try to have a heart-to-heart with Robb over the ah, possible inadvisibility of approaching Walder Frey for help. In other reviews I've read, although people like the actress well enough, they don't think much or enough has been done with Catelyn's character, and they have a point.

Except Catelyn is one of the worst characters in the books, where she is essentially a walking plot device. Need someone to do something stupid in order to get character A in place B? Cat's your girl. Need a point of view character 1000 miles away while something interesting happens? Cat will have a whim to travel. Once you cease caring about POV characters, half her purpose vanishes and all you have left is someone as stupid and rash as Cersei, but acting on behalf of nicer kids.

 

[PennLady]

Bran is BORING.

Besides, in the books his chapters were pretty much just filler. The only interesting things that happen is the near-miss at the castle in the lake and meeting the cold-hands crow. They could probably smoosh that into two or three more showings of him.

Unless they want to show us some more goddamn green dreams.

I don't know what it is, but I really can't get over how weird the Jojen kid looks. His eyes are just screwy. He has a face only a mother could love.

I admit the Bran sections in the books were not my favorite, but I think I liked them better than the TV segments. I don't know why. Perhaps it's more difficult to show what's happening to Bran visually than it is to describe it in writing. Although for me personally, I think some of my trouble with this storyline is simply that he is a young child, and rarely do I like young children as protagonists.

Except Catelyn is one of the worst characters in the books, where she is essentially a walking plot device. Need someone to do something stupid in order to get character A in place B? Cat's your girl. Need a point of view character 1000 miles away while something interesting happens? Cat will have a whim to travel. Once you cease caring about POV characters, half her purpose vanishes and all you have left is someone as stupid and rash as Cersei, but acting on behalf of nicer kids.

Again, I didn't mind Catelyn in the books. One difference I noticed in season one is that in the books, Cat is supportive of Ned becoming the Hand of the King. She wasn't so much in the TV series. She was somewhat more aggressive in the books, I thought, and again, not so much in the series. And while I'd agree there are some similarities with Cersei, I think Cat is more grounded and more realistic.

Cat knows the trouble with crossing Walder Frey, for example. Cersei would think not much of it, and/or that she could get around it with money or threats.

 

[Cruel2BKind]

Catelyn, Bran, and a lot of the dornish chapters in the 5th book just bore me to tears.

Not the dornish prince who tries to get Dany, that's just kind of pathetic, and cute.

But the Dornish princess, and the one kingsguard that she's fucking, I would just skim past those parts. They seem to have almost no real impact on the rest of the story.

 

[Ironiclaconic]

Catelyn, Bran, and a lot of the dornish chapters in the 5th book just bore me to tears.

Not the dornish prince who tries to get Dany, that's just kind of pathetic, and cute.

But the Dornish princess, and the one kingsguard that she's fucking, I would just skim past those parts. They seem to have almost no real impact on the rest of the story.

Pretty sure they are building up to something, tying in with the whole "Griff" subplot, but I agree that so far everything related to Dorne could have been cut (Six kingdoms instead of seven) and the story would be improved. I might change my mind if Martin does something interesting. Darkstar, Ariane and the Sand Snakes all have potential.

 

[TheeGoatPig]

I might miss tomorrow's episode seeing Iron Man 3...

 

[Cruel2BKind]

I might miss tomorrow's episode seeing Iron Man 3...

There is a site,

Project Freetv.

Just type that into google along with game of thrones and you can stream the newest episode.

I don't have tv, so that's what I've been doing this whole time.