like sands in the hourglass, these are the games of our thrones ...

Both book and television spoilers lurk within ...

A Dance with Dragons, the fifth novel in George R. R. Martin's epic A Song of Ice and Fire series, was published in 2011, after a five-year gap between it and the previous entry, A Feast for Crows. The series started with A Game of Thrones in 1996. The series has had an interesting evolution. Originally intended to be a trilogy, Martin soon realized that his fictional world of Westeros and beyond was expanding and would require first, four, than six, now seven, and possibly even eight books to complete. As the time between the published novels stretches, his devoted readers fret that their author may never reach a conclusion. After completing A Dance with Dragons I can understand some of the reader-panic. In his latest entry the world and its characters have continued to expand. How can Martin possible polish off this series in just seven books?

Dany (played by Emilia Clarke in Game of Thrones) with her dragon, Drogon

I discovered Martin and his world like many, after watching the first season of Game of Thrones on HBO. A huge Sean Bean fan, I was shocked when the axe fell and ended both his character Ned Stark, the presumed "hero" of the show, and any expectations I might have been harboring of where the narrative would take me next. As soon as the first season ended I dove into the books — A Game of Thrones, A Clash of Kings, A Storm of Swords, and straight through until A Feast for Crows. In the meantime, I had purchased A Dance with Dragons not long after it came out, and even read a few chapters before I set it aside. I wasn't ready to get to the end of whatever Martin had written so far.

When the second and third seasons of the television show aired, I was, I thought, prepared for what would be depicted onscreen. But show runners David Benioff and D. B. Weiss have managed to add a few twists and turns of their own, especially in the recently ended fourth season, to keep both book readers and the "Unsullied" jumping. Once the fourth season recently ended it finally seemed like a good time to pick up the threads of the story and see where Tyrion and Arya and Daenerys and Jon Snow and all the others were headed next. I got those answers. Sorta.

If you browse Amazon or any other site that reviews A Dance with Dragons the number one complaint is that nothing happens, that Martin is treading water. At a glacial, even soap oper-like pace. There are a lot of pages devoted to ships traveling on the sea. Slowly. It's not an incorrect critique, if what one was hoping for was a lot of physical movement of the main characters, like pieces on a chessboard. Martin may be playing chess, or cyvasse, as Tyrion does, but with a different, longer game in mind. Which is why I think that to truly sum things up, he'll need three more books. Hopefully we can all get there.

Martin may spend what some consider an inordinate amount of time describing what his characters are eating and how they are dressing, but can anyone deny that they don't know the difference between conditions at The Wall versus Meereen or the Dothraki sea? He also manages to get in quite a bit of backstory, to expand on what happened before the first novel took place, the motivations of people that are casting long shadows on their younger generations. And the horrors of war, and difficulties of governing, which could easily be compared to some very contemporary problems and issues. I will admit that I didn't necessarily need to be reminded multiple times of Meereen's many-colored brick pyramid walls. But I think Martin may have acquired the same problem with his editors that plagued J.K. Rowling towards the end of her Harry Potter series. They don't cut a damn word.

Reek (Alfie Allen) gives his master Ramsay Snow (Iwan Rheon) a close shave

Some characters may seem to have evolved only slightly in A Dance with Dragons, but appearances may be deceiving. Let's examine.

Daenerys. The Queen of Meereen and all her other numerous titles, is still in the east, and seems no closer to getting to Westeros, which is very frustrating for readers. As she likes to say (a lot) she is just a young girl. This young girl does spend a lot of time mooning over a certain sell-sword named Daario, but when the goings get tough outside her adopted/conquered city (plague, famine, attack from many enemies), she doesn't take the easy way out as all her advisors want her to do, but stays put and tries to make a better life for her people. She even agrees to marry the noble Hizdahr, someone she neither trusts note ives, because she thinks it will bring peace. And towards the end of the book she finally gets to do what I had been waiting, hoping for for ages — she hops on her dragon Drogon's back and takes flight. Truly the Mother of Dragons, Daenerys may be temporarily a bit lost in the Dothraki Sea, but she will still be a force to be reckoned with.

Tyrion. His chapters may have been the most frustrating for readers (and Martin). A fan favorite, how are we supposed to feel about him, after he has killed his father and his lover and fled, presumably in search of "where whores go"? Martin's answer was to send him on a circuitous journey, teasing us with his reaching Daenerys to join her council. But he never really does. Instead he meets another Targaryen no one knew was still alive, also interested in taking the Iron Throne, gets captured by Jorah Mormont, then both are later sold into slavery where he meets a female (and fairly annoying) performing dwarf. As always Tyrion uses his considerable wits to get them out of that predicament, but what next? Another cliffhanger.

"You know nothing, Jon Snow" (Kit Harington)

Jon Snow. His character showed the most growth. He had to contend with King Stannis, his Red Witch Melisandre, and his Queen and her court while simultaneously trying to breach a peace with the Wildlings. A decision that was most unpopular with his men of the Night's Watch, Jon let the Wildlings not only cross to their side of The Wall, but allowed some to don the black cloaks of the Night's Watch. Heresy. Jon understands that the old prejudices must be set aside if they are truly going to survive the winter that is coming, and the Others and otherworldly threats that lurk beyond the Wall. At the same time, he can't seem to let go of his allegiance to his old home of Winterfell, and a decision to try and defend the castle opens the door for his men to pull a Caesar-style execution move. Or did they? Cue Melisandre and the Lord of Light's magic in 3,2,1 ...

Those are the three central characters of the narrative at the moment, but there was a lot more going on as well, with Arya, and Bran, and Asha Greyjoy, but most especially with Reek, now back to calling himself Theon. Theon has become a fascinating character, one which I never expected to sympathize with. When we first meet him in A Game of Thrones he was clearly a callow youth. Some might even have called him a jerk. It comes as no surprise (except to the Starks) that he became Theon Turncloak. But Martin threw Theon and his readers for a loop when he introduced an even more vile character in the form of Ramsay Snow, the Bastard of Bolton. Ramsay tortured, castrated, and mutilated Theon, turning him into the sniveling Reek. The unpleasant Reek gave us a view into Ramsay and his father Roose Bolton's doings (much like his sister Asha functions to show us what Stannis and his army are up to). But once Ramsay takes Winterfell in A Dance with Dragons, Reek slowly transforms back into Theon. His memories of his childhood there and his vists to the weirwood tree (and possible coaching from greenseer Bran) restore, at least mentally, his manhood. A character I used to loathe reading about, Theon has become one of the most interesting characters in the series.

A Dance with Dragons visits King's Landing for just a few chapters, which may have worked better in A Feast for Crows, but why quibble? Cersei is as awful (and fun to read about) as ever. Her uncle Kevan had a slam-bang chapter of his own, which featured another favorite face from the past, Varys. But these brief visits are just previews of the next book, The Winds of Winter. And there, lies the rub, of course. Martin has such a way of making us interested in his characters, that one can't help but be frustrated when one nears the end of the massive tome and realizes that just ten more pages aren't going to reveal what happens next to Tyrion, Daenerys, or in a way-too-short tantalizing peek, Jaime and Brienne (!) So here we sit, hoping for scraps and previews that Martin is posting on his blog. And maybe rewatching select episodes of Game of Thrones until The Winds of Winter comes out. This year? Next year?

quote of the day

"A reader leads a thousand lives before he dies. The man who never reads lives only one." George R. R. Martin, A Dance with Dragons

I already shared this quote from the author my twitter, but I think it bears repeating. It really jumped out at me in the 1000+ page novel. I will share my thoughts about (finally finishing) the book tomorrow, but just wanted to remind myself and anyone who's listening, about the power of the written word.*

Don't provoke him, people

* Although Martin seems to have little respect for spoken words, as he has multiple characters spout often (and oftener), "Words are wind."

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game of thrones: a very special father's day episode

spoilers ...

Game of Thrones wrapped up its fourth season in Sunday with one of its most slam-bang episodes of any season, "The Children." Showrunners D. B. Weiss and David Benioff upped the ante this season, ensuring audience thrills and surprise whether one has read George R.R. Martin's books or not.

Things picked up right where last week's "The Watchers on the Wall" ended — with Jon Snow (Kit Harington) heading, unarmed, beyond The Wall, into the Wildling's camp, in search of their leader, Mance Rayder (Ciaran Hinds). The tension was ramped up — would Jon make it out of the camp alive — And never quite let up throughout the rest of the episode, even when the action shifted to King's Landing; to the Riverlands; to way, way beyond the Wall with Bran & Co.; to Meereen and Daenerys and her dragons; and back to King's Landing again, where viewers who have fretted and wondered at the fate of the incarcerated Tyrion Lannister (Peter Dinklage) all season got their answer — and then some.

"Hodor! Hodor! Hodor!" (Hodor fights off some undead wights)

I held off reading Martin's latest entry in his A Song of Ice and Fire series, A Dance with Dragons, until recently. I'm about halfway through the novel, and was surprised to see a scene that I had read that very afternoon depicted in the finale — Bran, Hodor, and Jojen and Meera Reed finally finding the three-eyed crow who had been speaking to Bran in his dreams since the first season. Things went a little different on screen than in the book — their guide, Coldhands, was missing, and Jojen didn't quite make it all the way to the weirwood tree, but their attack by the wights (zombies) was beautifully shot, and reminded all of us still reeling from battles like Oberyn Martell's two episodes earlier that there is way more in heaven and Earth in Westeros than battling for the Iron Throne.

Another epic scene that didn't occur in the books but was perfectly placed in the series was a face-off between Brienne of Tarth (Gwendoline Christie) and The Hound (Rory McCann). There have been two road trips this season, Brienne with her clumsy squire Podrick, and Arya Stark (Maisie Williams) and The Hound, both headed for the Eyrie, although for very different reasons. Brienne believes it her sacred quest to honor the dead Catelyn Stark by finding her daughters, Sansa and Arya, if they are still alive. The Hound, for his part, knows how valuable Arya is, and hopes for a big ransom for her safe return to her family.

Last week his hopes for gold were dashed when the pair was informed that Arya's Aunt Lysa was dead. When Brienne (in some beautiful acting from Gwendoline Christie) realized that she had run across Arya, her quest quickly turned into a rescue attempt (and a kick-ass fight scene) as she tried to get her away from The Hound. This scene was not only beautifully staged, with the rocky cliffs of Iceland as a backdrop, but especially poignant, as both Brienne and the surly Hound have wormed their way into the hearts of both book and television show fans. It was not Brienne's time, but when she looked for Arya post-fight, the bird had flown. No one is going to push around, or lead, the Stark girl. Not anymore. Even more upsetting than watching The Hound lose his fight was watching Arya walk away from him, refusing to ease his passage. "You remember where the heart is?" Valar morghulis.

Two of the best fighters and fan favorites, Brienne and The Hound, head-to-head

Back in King's Landing, Tyrion was expecting his executioner, but surprise — his brother Jaime came to spring him from his cell. He and Varys had teamed up to get everyone's favorite Game of Thrones character out of town, and fast. But wait — instead of going up and out a passage, and to freedom, Tyrion decided to take a detour to his old rooms, now occupied by dear old dad Tywin (Charles Dance). Book readers will know that there was a strong motivation for this visit — Jaime had just revealed that Tyrion's first wife Tysha was not a prostitute at all, and his father only let him believe that to end their marriage in such a way that Tyrion would never go looking for her. The series has given Tyrion enough reasons to hate his father, but to leave out this bombshell drop did take away some pretty important emotional subtext for Tyrion's next move.

He entered his father's bedchamber, expecting to confront the old man, but instead got an eyeful of his ex-lover and honest-to-goodness prostitute Shae, in bed, waiting for Tywin, and calling his name. Tyrion saw red and strangled her in a heartbreaking scene — our hearts breaking along with him and for him. He spied Joffrey's old crossbow on the wall, and headed down the hallway, to the privy, in search of his father. Charles Dance as Tywin has always been magnificent. As always, he looked at his son, disbelieving that he had managed to escape, but maybe also a little impressed. He also was superior as always and dismissive of the potential danger. No one would dare challenge Tywin Lannister, right? Wrong. Plonk. The crossbow fired. Plonk. Twice. Happy Father's Day!

"Say that word again ..."

Varys helped conceal Tyrion in a breathable wooden box and saw him safely loaded onto a ship leaving King's Landing. After a moment's consideration he decided to join him on board. Another variation from the books, but a nice one. Streamlining the massive text and tons of characters can be an improvement sometimes. Also headed out of Westeros was Arya, who used her magic coin and the phrase "Valar Morghulis" [All men must die] to book passage to Braavos and Season Five.

I still have some more of A Dance with Dragons to tide me over until the next season begins. Will I want to rewatch this episode? Most definitely. And probably a few others from this season, like last week's "The Watchers on the Wall," with the Night's Watch and Wildlings episode-long battle at Castle Black. But never "The Mountain and The Viper." Never again. With Martin still writing (supposedly two more books), and Benioff and Weiss privy to at least some of the upcoming plot turns, it looks like Game of Thrones will be able to continue to surprise both fans of the fantasy book series and "The Unsullied" (folks who haven't read the books but just watch the show). Probably the most surprised after seeing "The Children" are all the internet mavens who were convinced they would catch at least a glimpse of Lady Stoneheart as a season finale coda. We'll have to wait until next year, guys ...

game of thrones — all dinklage, all the time

O.K., that may be a bit of an exaggeration. There are many fine actors/characters in Game of Thrones. Peter Dinklage, who plays Tyrion Lannister, is just one of them. A main character for sure, but part of an ensemble. But his raging soliloquy at the end of Sunday night's episode, “The Laws of Gods and Men” was so good, so riveting, so emotional — it just made everyone else fade away just a bit.

As usual, there were some other things going on during the episode:

A nice exchange between "Lord" Varys (Conleth Hill, always good) and Prince Oberyn (Pedro Pascal, who just keeps getting better and better), reminding viewers that the politics of Thrones is just as important and frequently more fascinating than all of the blood and guts confrontations.  

A rescue attempt by Yara Greyjoy (Gemma Whelan) of her brother Theon (Alfie Allen) found that he had for all intents and purposes disappeared. All that was left was Reek, ripe for the latest mind games from the creepy and evil Ramsay Snow (Iwan Rheon). Or do we have to call him Lord Bolton now?  

Daenerys's (Emilia Clarke) dragons are getting bigger (and cooler-looking) and out of control, and Dany may have made a new adversary or ally in Hizdar zo Loraq (Joel Fry). 

It was also very cool to see Braavos and the Iron Bank (and especially guest star Mark Gatiss), but the Stannis storyline is still as dull as Stannis himself. 

A young goatherd watches a not-so-friendly neighborhood dragon scorch the countryside

But once that was all out of the way we could get down to the meat of the episode — Tyrion's trial and the never-ending drama that is the family Lannister.

Cersei (Lena Headey) was predictably evil condemning her brother. Papa Tywin (Charles Dance), as head judge, tried to appear fair, but clearly wanted to get the trial and Tyrion over with. Tyrion's real words and contempt for Joffrey were cleverly thrown in his face. Undeniable, but hardly evidence of murder. Only big brother Jaime (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau) seemed to care about Tyrion, and he finally gave his father what he had been long waiting for — he promised to step down from the Kingsguard and take up residence at Casterly Rock if his father would assure him that Tyrion would not be executed. A ray of hope, but quickly dimmed by the appearance of Shae (Sibel Kekilli), who not only lied about Tyrion and Sansa's involvement in Joffrey's death, but shared intimate details of their relationship with the tittering onlookers. This caused Tyrion to understandably lose it, and gave Dinklage the opportunity to spew forth years of hatred and frustration at how he has been viewed and treated by the world at large, and especially, by his father. It was amazing, and all the awards should just be mailed to his home forthwith.

Tyrion has had enough, with father Tywin watching him, in the background

Just as viewers were trying to catch their breath the screen went black, and now we all have to wait until next week. Even if one is a reader of George R. R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire books and have a general idea of what is coming next, show runners David Benioff and Dan Weiss continue to keep adding just a few new scenes or twists on characters to keep us all guessing. It's making this season more fun than could have ever been anticipated. In a recent EW interview, Game of Thrones writer Bryan Cogman hinted at what's still to come in the final episodes of the season, as a result of Tyrion's melt-down, so buckle up Game of Thrones fans, it's going to be a bumpy ride:

"Tywin’s plans, for once, were foiled, and now Tyrion has to deal with this rather rash decision he made. You’re going to see how that plays out. Also, expect the appearance of characters who you did not see this episode. That’s something we’re trying to do more this year too — less cutting back and forth to a lot of places. Do more quality vs. quantity. ... It’s relentless from now on. There’s no going back now for a lot of these characters. The rest of the season is based on the last third of A Storm of Swords, so it’s one big climax."

girl power — a feast for crows

A Feast for Crows, the fourth book in George R. R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire series, is in a very different tone from the previous thrill-a-minute and bloody good (figurative and literally) A Storm of Swords. Its pace is a bit more leisurely, more in common with the first book in the series, A Game of Thrones, than either Storm or A Clash of Kings (book two) — with one significant difference. A Feast of Crows focuses on the women of Westeros, and how difficult it is for them to attain or maintain power in the primarily misogynistic medieval society they live in. The book follows both male and female characters in different parts of the kingdom, but the women, both familiar and new, provide the most interest and intrigue.

Cersei Lannister  Queen Cersei has been a major character from the very beginning of the series, but this is the first book where Martin lets us in on her point of view. It knocks her down to size, showing that her evil ambitions can be traced back to childhood hurts, but also shows how easily and rapidly she lets her vulnerabilities translate into lethal edicts. She spends most of her life inside the castle in King's Landing, like the Red Queen, yelling "Off with his head!" Cersei can't stand that because she is a woman no one, especially men, will take her seriously as their ruler. Any woman can relate to her frustrations, as sexism is still prevalent in the modern workplace, but Cersei has been so warped by her upbringing and thwarted desires that everyone is right to want to send her packing. She is completely stupid about people, which is not a good trait for a queen to have. She misinterprets everything and everyone around her, including an old prophecy that haunts her. She is a terrible ruler, female or not.

Brienne of Tarth Good-natured, loyal and brave Brienne is on a quest to bring the only living Stark (she thinks) Sansa, safely to ... where, exactly? Brienne is immensely likable, but also a tragic figure. A woman on a quest but without a plan. Her large frame and un-princessy looks have kept her out of the traditional world of women of her time, while the attitudes of the men's club of knights prevent her from being taken seriously as a warrior. She still carries a torch for almost-king Renly Baratheon, who, for more reasons than her innocent nature could realize, could never have loved her. And she is slowly but surely transferring some of her feelings for Renly to Jaime Lannister (Cersei's brother) — another unsuitable choice, but for different reasons. Like Samwell Tarly, she doesn't quite fit into Westeros society.

Arianne Martell  This is the reader's first introduction to the princess in Dorne. Arianne is beautiful, but also vulnerable, as she has watched, she believes, her seemingly meek father pass her over as his successor for her younger brother. Like Cersei and many of the other characters, childhood slights inform much of her adult actions. Her solution to regain power? She intends to crown young Myrcella Baratheon, Cersei's daughter, in a woman-power bid for control of Westeros politics.

Asha Greyjoy Another daughter who aspires to a throne,  this time on the Iron Islands, Asha is a fierce warrior, and was King Balon's, her father's, favorite. But now Balon is dead and no one can seem to confirm whether her brother and Balon's rightful heir Theon Greyjoy is dead or alive. Balon's two brothers are in a battle for her father's crown and Asha is watching her status lower before her eyes.

Sansa Stark Sansa is under the "protection" of Lord Petyr Baelish (Littlefinger), who is having her pose as his daughter Alayne. Sansa is as trapped as she was previously in King's Landing. She is slowly gaining confidence, but she also still desperately wants a father figure/protector. By observing Littlefinger's politics of manipulation she will hopefully start to develop some skills to deflect Lord Baelish's "fatherly" love.

Arya Stark Arya is still a little wolf girl without a pack, scrabbling and fighting her way through the world, trying to survive. Now in Braavos, she is also looking for a safe haven, but has she chosen the right one? She might be batter off if she just accepted her true (wolf) nature.

Stoneheart In Westeros, most of the time, dead is dead, but Stoneheart, who once walked the land as Catelyn Stark is not alive or dead, but reanimated. She is leading a group of followers on a path of revenge and death. But Catelyn dead is as frustrating and boneheaded as she ever was alive. She is far more dangerous than the zombie Wights of the North beyond the Wall.

Other important female characters:

Gilly The Wildling girl who knows more of life and love than Samwell

Margaery Tyrell The "little queen" of Westeros, and despite what Cersei might say or think its true queen, at least for now

The Sand Snakes Three bastard daughters of Oberyn Martell of Dorne, who are bent on avenging their father's death, declaring war on King's Landing, and destroying the Lannisters

Taena Merryweather Queen Cersei's friend and confidante, or is she?

Martin takes the reader on a tour through some of the lands of the Seven Kingdoms only visited briefly or hinted at previously — Braavos, Dorne, the Eyrie. As much as his characters have been far-flung since his first novel, they are starting to come together, with characters converging. With all of these strong women in A Feast for Crows, what about Daenerys Stormborn, etc., etc., Targeryen? She is a rallying cry in this novel, but is back as a main character in the fifth book, A Dance of Dragons, which has just been recently released. Martin plans two more books to come after that to finish off the series.

A Feast for Crows was a different experience from the thrill-a-minute A Storm of Swords, but just as satisfying. By keeping the focus on what people are thinking and feeling, and how the women of Westeros are warring, maybe not with swords, but just as fiercely, Martin has deepened his story and his characters. And by only referring to series favorites like Tyrion and Daenerys and Jon Snow, it makes one all that more ready to jump in to A Dance with Dragons.

shades of grey — a storm of swords

I am continuing to enjoy George R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire series. A Storm of Swords is the third book, and as brilliant as the first two were, this one is even better. Martin manages to foreshadow without being obvious, so even if you guess an upcoming plot twist correctly, you don't feel superior or bored, but just caught up in the overwhelming inevitability of how his characters' lives and fates are intertwined. Throughout the book Martin has readers on their toes. Not knowing what is coming on the next page, he is daring you to turn it, even if you are afraid that a favorite character might do something stupid or die. But the story and the compelling characters are irresistible, even when you know that in Westeros and in Martin's books no one is safe.

"You know nothing Jon Snow" (from Jon Snow Caps)

The main action centers around the forces that are marshaling in the seven kingdoms of Westeros. War, the War of the Five Kings, came to the land in the last book, A Clash of Kings, when young and horrible King Joffrey Baratheon took the throne in King's Landing. In A Storm of Swords Joffrey's grandfather Tywin Lannister is the real power behind the throne and doesn't trust that the war is over. Young Robb Stark is still King in the North. Joffrey's uncle, Stannis Baratheon, backed by a powerful sorceress, Melisandre, suffered a major defeat, but his belief that he should rule is as strong as ever. Balon Greyjoy of the Iron Islands holds Winterfell and much of the North. In the East, Daenerys Targaryen is slowly making her way west, to reclaim Westeros for her family, which was deposed and annihilated by King Robert Baratheon and the Lannisters years ago.

Tywin Lannister and his son Jaime don't see eye-to-eye on Jaime's future (from  The Inner Bean)

While all the political wrangling continues, a more dangerous foe gathers its strength in the North. Wildlings, or the free folk, as they call themselves, are about to attack the Wall, led by Night's Watch deserter Mance Rayder. The motto of the Starks', Martin's epic's family of focus, is "Winter is Coming," and no one has had closer evidence of that than Eddard "Ned" Stark's bastard son Jon Snow and his friend Samwell Tarley, who are among the few left to guard the North at the Wall. Wildlings of all shapes and sizes — men, giants, mammoths — join forces to take down the Wall and invade the kingdom. But are they on a path of conquest or are they fleeing something too terrible to face — wights (zombies who rise as the temperature drops) and the Others, extremely lethal creatures, thought to be the stuff of legend, but proving themselves to be real and on the move.

Life in Westeros and its surrounding lands is bloody and brutal and oh-so-entertaining to read. Martin's characters are well-drawn. In A Storm of Swords previously "bad" characters like Jaime Lannister, whose nickname, aptly earned, "Kingslayer," and Sandor Clegane, or "The Hound," as he is more commonly known, become sympathetic, as the world they live in is composed of myriad shades of grey. Favorite "good" characters like Tyrion Lannister, a clever dwarf who has never been appreciated by his family, and Arya Stark, a young girl who has had to see her father die and is shuttled from one group of brutes to another as a hostage to ransom, see the world in black and white, which may not be the wisest of courses. Arya has been through so much that it is easy to forget that she is still a child, and children do not see in shades of grey. Tyrion has been so abused by his family and everyone around him that he is soon unable to see anything but revenge. Still, it is troubling to see favorite characters head down dangerous paths.

Sansa is just a kid, a pawn being buffeted and manipulated from one house to another (from gameofthronescaptures)

As much as there are swords and duels and men fighting aplenty in A Storm of Swords, the female characters are as interesting and complex and certainly as ruthless (Queen Cersei) as many of the males. Sansa Stark is a character that many readers have trouble with, considering her weak or uninteresting. She can certainly be spoiled and silly and meek and whiny. It is easy to forget that she is just a girl of twelve and has been trained from birth to mind her elders and behave like a young Lady. Not everyone can be a surperhero, but that doesn't make Sansa a negative character. She had to watch her dreams of handsome knights be crushed in the person of Joffrey and stand and watch her father die. Part of Sansa's inherent weakness is that she lost her direwolf, Lady (in the first book, A Game of Thrones). Her brothers and sisters have at times been separated from their wolves, but are still inexorably connected. But not Sansa, who must make do with trying to commune with a tired old dog one evening.

Some of my favorite aspects of the book, while not giving away any major plot points, are still a bit SPOILERY, so be warned. New and interesting alliances are formed in A Storm of Swords, between characters, mostly unwillingly, but creating great tension and even at times, teamwork:

Jon Snow and the wildling girl Ygritte

Jaime Lannister and Brienne of Tarth

Arya Stark and The Hound

Sansa Stark and Littlefinger

Sansa Stark and Tyrion (if she had given him a chance to even be just her friend or protector)

Tyrion Lannister and Oberyn Martell

There were also some vividly rendered scenes, featuring the Moon Door at the Eyrie, the Brotherhood Without Banners utilizing the power of R'hllor, Jon and his fellow Night's Watch brothers and their defense of the Wall, Bran Stark the warg (shapeshifter) seeing the world through his direwolf Summer.

Martin has drawn his characters and their countryside so well that like Sansa and Jon and Arya I wanted to go back to their childhood home of Winterfell, too. Hopefully they will get their chance. The passage where Sansa built a snow castle of Winterfell was beautiful and sad. Less convincing or sympathetic in this book was Daenerys Targaryen, who seems to be developing quite a bloodlust. But her wondering who to trust and her handling of advisors Arstan Whitebeard and Ser Jorah Mormont was realistic for a teenage Queen, a bit out of her league.

But the most impressive and shattering chapter in the book was the Red Wedding. According to an interview, Martin put off "writing the Red Wedding until the very last," which I was interested to read, because it was truly one of the most unforgettable, disturbing scenes I've ever read, in any book. It was also hold-your-breath-as-you're-reading-it brilliant, as if it occurred in slow motion. It occurs about halfway through the book, and haunts the rest of it, with the repercussions echoing.

A Storm of Swords is a wonderful read and Martin a wonderful storyteller. There are truly haunting passages that may give the reader nightmares, but they will still be glad they have continued on this journey. Everyone in the book is in motion, although not necessarily bound for the destination they originally intended. Will all roads lead to the Wall, or King's Landing, or an early death? As we learn from the wights, death is not necessarily the end. We can only wait and see, and thankfully, it's possible to grab the next book in the series, A Feast of Crows and get reading.

a clash of kings

All my intentions to avoid diving right into George R. R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire series went right out the window about a week after I finished the first book, A Game of Thrones. I caught a rebroadcast of the first three episodes of the HBO Game of Thrones series (the new season based on second book, A Clash of Kings, starts on April 17, 2012) and then saw the paperback of A Clash of Kings at our local non-big-box bookstore and just went for it. Got to support independent bookstores, right? I couldn't help it. I wanted to find out what happened next to Tyrion and Arya and Daenerys and Bran and Jon Snow and those amazing direwolves and ravens. That large pile of to-read books that have been haunting me all summer would just have to wait.

Peter Dinklage as Tyrion Lannister in HBO's Game of Thrones

A Clash of Kings picks up right where A Game of Thrones left off. Everyone wants to rule in the land of Westeros, home of the Seven Kingdoms. King Joffrey Baratheon currently rules in the capital, King's Landing. Brothers Stannis (aided by a witch, Melisandre) and Renly Baratheon are massing their forces, and Robb Stark has been proclaimed King in the North. Unbeknownst to those four, Balon Greyjoy, who has been joined by his son Theon, is calling himself King of the Iron Islands, and is about to invade the North, and in the East, Daenerys Targaryen wants to sail west, with her Dothraki warriors and three dragons, and reclaim her family's rightful throne.

I don't really want to do a total recap and spoil it for anyone who has yet to read the book, so I'll try to focus on aspects of Martin's storytelling that I like. His characterization is phenomenal, from the large "leading cast" who provide alternate third-person narratives throughout the novel, to the many, many supporting characters, each drawn in exquisite detail, whether they last throughout the story or disappear after just a page or two.

As blood-and-gutsy as it gets at times, I never feel like Martin as an author has a bloodlust. War is hell, and the Seven Kingdoms are involved in a fierce war, with multiple kings vying for control. Violence is realistic and inevitable. Medieval weaponry delivers brutal wounds and deaths, and then when you throw magic into the mix ... Martin does frequently up the ante by having children like Arya, Sansa, and Bran Stark bear witness to some of the most savage behavior that soldiers indulge in — and not just against other soldiers, but civilians, or as they are called in the series, smallfolk.

Maisie Williams as Arya Stark

Sometimes it feels like there are no good guys. We are made to root for the Starks, but depending on whose point of view is telling the story at the time, the colors quickly fade to gray, which makes for very interesting reading. Catelyn Stark is the mother of many beloved and "good" characters — Robb, Arya, Sansa, Bran, Rickon. She frequently gets things the wrong way around, and some of her stupid actions have put her family in danger and contributed, not in a good way, to the wars they are waging. The Lannisters are the resident bad guys in King's Landing and elsewhere, but the dwarf Tyrion Lannister, called insultingly the "Imp," is put in charge of the city (and his nephew, rogue King Joffrey) by his father, pater familias Tywin Lannister, and it is impossible not to cheer his plans and hope that his wits can save him and the city. Theon Greyjoy is a character easy to hate, but he brings to the story a whole new angle, giving readers a glance at the Iron Men and their quest for the throne.

Just when you think that Martin has introduced more than enough people to keep track of, new and wonderful characters like the brother and sister Meera and Jojen Reed from the swamp lands of Greywater Watch appear at Winterfell to help young Bran Stark find his third eye. Martin also fleshes out familiar characters — we get to know better some previously subsidiary people like Osha, Varys, and Shae.

One of the most complicated characters that I can't help but like is the Hound. I wouldn't call him the Severus Snape of this book, but he is definitely not simply a bad guy, either. As the horrible King Joffrey's right hand he can be brutal and frequently evil-acting — but at other times he is wounded and gentle and even protective of someone like Sansa Stark. No matter what harsh words he may use when he is around her, he is most definitely looking out for Sansa's best interests. Arya Stark has an equally dangerous and creepy but also oddly likable champion, Jaqen H'ghar. These are two characters that I hope to see again in the series.

Rory McCann as The Hound

A Clash of Kings is a full-tilt adventure, plunging everyone into deeper danger, without respite. It is also beautifully written. Luckily, the library had my reserve copy of the next book in the series, A Storm of Swords, ready just as I was finishing this one. I have a few things to read first, and then I'll be diving back in. Oh who am I kidding? As dense as Martin's books are, it's impossible to just read one chapter and set it down. Excuse me ...

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game of thrones ... the joy of adaptation

I watched the first season of HBO's Game of Thrones and loved it. I tuned in initially for Sean Bean and the medieval vibe, but kept watching for the great acting and wheels-within-wheels intrigue. I hadn't read the series of books by George R. R. Martin that the series is based on, and didn't really intend to.

Once the first season drew to its emotional and startling close I found myself actually missing the characters. So one day I found myself staring at a picture of Sean Bean seated on the Iron Throne in a paperback reissue of the first book of the A Song of Ice and Fire series, A Game of Thrones, and picked it up. I literally have a stack of books next to my bed that I have to read, but I pushed them all aside as soon as I cracked the cover. It was nigh impossible to put down. Not only is Martin's book as good as all and sundry have claimed, but as each chapter progressed it was clear that HBO had done a fantastic job of adaptation. [Note: after reading A Game of Thrones, I have re-watched the first few episodes on-demand and I am really impressed on how much they packed in and that I missed the first time around viewing the story as an uninitiated newbie.]

How did book differ from television? While reading A Game of Thrones it was nice to have a lot of the characters more fleshed out. There were also many subsidiary characters that there was clearly never time for in a 12-episode television series. Martin writes very well and the settings, characters and supernatural histories are meticulously rendered. The character of Jaime Lannister was also a strong, but frequently shadowy, character in the book. His actions, or potential actions, influence a lot of the other characters, but he was rarely seen.

Obviously the show creators were also big fans as they managed to convey much of Martin's world. Through the power of the visual, a lot of the details that work so well in the book — the explanation of Dothraki power structure and Khal Drogo's blood riders, a deeper explanation of Catelyn and Littlefinger's early days, how remote the Eyrie actually is, etc. — still work as well, or even better when shown in images. Eddard "Ned" Stark's character and ultimate fate is actually more emotional onscreen than in the book, not just because of the visceral nature of images, but because in a filmed close-up the audience can get closer to Ned, feel with him. And Sean Bean was right-on in hs portrayal of the honor-bound, out-of-his-league ex-soldier.

Martin has worked as a screenwriter in the past for the television shows Beauty and The Beast and Twilight Zone. He also wrote the script for the Game of Thrones episode "The Pointy End," which was one of the best of the season. While reading A Game of Thrones the sense of visual is also there, but at no time does one feel as if they are reading a spec script. Martin creates a world, with a complicated history. The geography of Westeros is extremely well depicted. As much as there are the inevitable comparisons to J.R.R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings trilogy, one of the sore points for me while reading those books was that for all of Tolkien's endless descriptive prose about the places the Fellowship was walking through, I never felt the reality of the geography. I never "saw" it. Martin's Westeros not only feels like a real country, but from Martin's descriptions of terrain, from The Wall to Winterfell to King's Landing to the Eyrie to Vas Dothraek, I had a real feel of the land. The mysterious creatures that live in these places seemed real as well.

The book is structured by character, with the story being told progressively through various people. This deepens all of the characters, because we get to see Ned, for example, not only through his eyes, but also through the eyes of his wife, his children, his enemies.

Did I mention direwolves? They are in the television show, but in the books the reader gets a better sense of how important the wolves are to the Starks, and how immense and powerful they are. Martin's inclusion of all of the various Westeros ruling families and heraldry gives the reader a sense of how medieval knights might have chosen their emblems.

from The Road Less Travelled

There is sex in the book, but nothing near as gratuitous as in the series, which added some HBO After Dark-like encounters that were totally unnecessary. As this was the most consistent complaint from viewers, and practically the only real complaint anyone could have with the show, it will be interesting to see if HBO tones it down a bit next season, or at least depicts sex as Martin does in the book — as serving the story, not just for titillation.

Favorites in the television show also were favorites in the book. Tyrion Lannister, or the Imp, as he is more frequently called, is just as sympathetic and witty as Peter Dinklage's wonderful portrayal of him. It is as great to read about Daenerys going from an abused-by-her-brother meek bartered bride teenager to the kick-ass woman that she becomes once she realizes her true potential as a Khaleesi of the Dothraki people, a lover of her husband, Khal Drogo, and the last dragon of the Targaryens. If Daenerys is the heroine of A Game of Thrones I suspect that Jon Snow, Ned's bastard son, will become the hero. We will see how things play out as Daenerys makes her way west across the sea and Jon goes up against the Others and whatever else lurks beyond The Wall. Because winter is coming.

I loved A Game of Thrones as much as I did its televised adaptation. But now I have a real dilemma. It is so tempting to dive into the next book in the series, and Martin has even recently released the latest entry, the fifth book (of seven), A Dance with Dragons. But do I want to spoil myself for what is to come before the series next airs (in Spring 2012)? And what about my neglected stack of to-read books?