85 replies to this topic

[ptyx]

Robb_, on 14 June 2011 - 12:45 PM, said:

I have a question about the books-

Why is Robb not a POV character? It doesn't really make much sense to me because he is an important character in the show right now, and so far he has had a more important part to play than most of his brothers and sisters.

I'm not sure if it can be answered in a "No Spoilers" thread...

Edited by ptyx, 15 June 2011 - 04:16 AM.

[ferthepoet]

Robb_, on 14 June 2011 - 12:45 PM, said:

I have a question about the books-

Why is Robb not a POV character? It doesn't really make much sense to me because he is an important character in the show right now, and so far he has had a more important part to play than most of his brothers and sisters.

Although we can say that importance to the plot has nothing to do with which characters are POV, it has more to do with which characters POVs are more convenient for Martin to tell his story from.  As well as a creative decision regarding which characters are more interesting to read about while being able to get inside their heads and what characters can be more interesting when their inner thoughts are kept as a mystery

Edited by ferthepoet, 15 June 2011 - 05:51 AM.

[Robb_]

Ah right, I get it. Thanks

[Rand]

Robb_, on 14 June 2011 - 12:45 PM, said:

I have a question about the books-

Why is Robb not a POV character? It doesn't really make much sense to me because he is an important character in the show right now, and so far he has had a more important part to play than most of his brothers and sisters.

This is the way I interpreted it reading book 1: every POV was chosen to provide a contrasting view of the world and it's events.  Jon obviously needs to be the eyes in the North.  Bran, Arya, and Sansa view the world through childhood innocence, with Bran staying up North having to deal as a cripple and prepare for his own different kind of story (foreshadowed by the 3-eyed crow), then Arya and Sansa providing contrasting viewpoints in Kings Landing.  But Robb?  He's really his fathers son from his perspective the chapters probably wouldn't be a whole lot different from Ned.  So instead Martin uses Catelyn as the POV, giving a window into the world from a grieving wife and concerned mother. So rather than reading about Robb swinging his sword and kicking some ass, we read into a woman's role in this world where Catelyn can do nothing but sit safely off to the side out of danger and pray for the safety of her son off at war.  In my opinion HBO captured this quite brilliant in episode 9, almost brings a tear to the eye. She's still in a position to advice Robb though and let you know everything that's going on with his war efforts.

Edited by Rand, 16 June 2011 - 11:30 PM.

[Lord Mord]

Is it still 300 years since the Landing?  They took out Jaehaerys II -- did they obliterate those years with him during which he was supposed to have reigned?

[citizenmilton]

Some more n00b questions:

-Is the 7th book planned to be the final book in the series?

-I know ASOIAF is loosely based on events in European history, but, it's actually a fantasy world. Therefore, as a viewer in the year 2011, the lack of racial diversity on the show could become a bit of a drawback. Are there obvious opportunities for more diversity in upcoming years?

-What has George RR Martin's relationship w/ fans been like? Is he reclusive, engaged, or somewhere in the middle?

Thanks again for all the orientation help.

[ryamano]

citizenmilton, on 20 June 2011 - 07:29 AM, said:

Some more n00b questions:

-Is the 7th book planned to be the final book in the series?

-I know ASOIAF is loosely based on events in European history, but, it's actually a fantasy world. Therefore, as a viewer in the year 2011, the lack of racial diversity on the show could become a bit of a drawback. Are there obvious opportunities for more diversity in upcoming years?

-What has George RR Martin's relationship w/ fans been like? Is he reclusive, engaged, or somewhere in the middle?

Thanks again for all the orientation help.

1) Supposedly. We never know how many books it will actually take. The two most recent ones were supposed to be only one, for example.
2) The race of some characters seems to have changed, due to HBO's choices. The Dothraki were supposed to be all mongol, as should be the Lazareen (the lamb people the Dothraki rape in episode 9), but HBO made these groups multiracial. There were supposed to be two or three black people in King's Landing (in the series, they come from a place called Summer Islands), but I don't think their characters will make an appearance in the TV show, since they aren't that important (Jalabhar Xho, the exiled prince, and Chataya and Alayaya, the sacred whores). Still, HBO has changed Shae's race, for example. In the TV show she's supposed to be foreign and she's played by a Turkish-German actress (your mileage may vary if you consider Turks people of color or not). In the books she was just plain Westerosi. We still have to see what HBO will make of the Dornish, people who live in Westeros but much more to the South, in a desert like environment (I always imagined them like Arabs, but who knows?). Dornish characters appear more and more as the series go on.
3) George RR Martin seems to have a good relationship with the fans. He attends many conventions.

Edited by ryamano, 20 June 2011 - 08:15 AM.

[acacia]

One thing im trying to get my head around is who was the blonde knight who got killed in the jousting tournament and why was Eddard Stark questioning him becoming a knight so fast/affording the armour he had? Even though ive watched the season twice ive always missed the point of him asking for some reason.

[Dalfiatach]

acacia, on 20 June 2011 - 12:39 PM, said:

One thing im trying to get my head around is who was the blonde knight who got killed in the jousting tournament and why was Eddard Stark questioning him becoming a knight so fast/affording the armour he had? Even though ive watched the season twice ive always missed the point of him asking for some reason.

He's Ser Hugh, from the Vale who was Jon Arryn's squire.

After Jon Arryn's death/murder he suddenly gets a knighthood and can afford expensive new armour, which obviously leads Ned to suspect he was involved in Jon Arryn's death somehow....but before Ned can question him he draws The Mountain as his opponent in the tourney, who promptly kills Ser Hugh.

Which sure is convenient, for whoever killed Jon Arryn...

[The hairy bear]

acacia, on 20 June 2011 - 12:39 PM, said:

One thing im trying to get my head around is who was the blonde knight who got killed in the jousting tournament and why was Eddard Stark questioning him becoming a knight so fast/affording the armour he had?

He was Ser Hugh of the Vale, Jon Arryn's squire. Soon after Jon's death he was knighted, and that arose Eddard's suspicions because he wondered where a poor squire would obtain the required funds to pay for a horse and an armor.

He sent Jory Cassel to question him, but Hugh refused to be interrogated because he considered him an inferior (Jory being no knight). He was killed the day later in a Tourney mishap, perhaps due to the carelessness of the Lannister bannerman Ser Gregor Clegane.

[acacia]

Ah makes sense now haha, thanks to you both

[ryamano]

ryamano, on 20 June 2011 - 08:14 AM, said:

2) The race of some characters seems to have changed, due to HBO's choices. The Dothraki were supposed to be all mongol, as should be the Lazareen (the lamb people the Dothraki rape in episode 9), but HBO made these groups multiracial. There were supposed to be two or three black people in King's Landing (in the series, they come from a place called Summer Islands), but I don't think their characters will make an appearance in the TV show, since they aren't that important (Jalabhar Xho, the exiled prince, and Chataya and Alayaya, the sacred whores). Still, HBO has changed Shae's race, for example. In the TV show she's supposed to be foreign and she's played by a Turkish-German actress (your mileage may vary if you consider Turks people of color or not). In the books she was just plain Westerosi. We still have to see what HBO will make of the Dornish, people who live in Westeros but much more to the South, in a desert like environment (I always imagined them like Arabs, but who knows?). Dornish characters appear more and more as the series go on.

I also must add that there are more Summer Islanders characters later in the series. One has to wonder if they'll be written in the show. They aren't really that important, but they appear and make a difference.

[Reposado]

citizenmilton, on 20 June 2011 - 07:29 AM, said:

-I know ASOIAF is loosely based on events in European history, but, it's actually a fantasy world. Therefore, as a viewer in the year 2011, the lack of racial diversity on the show could become a bit of a drawback. Are there obvious opportunities for more diversity in upcoming years?

there will be a lot of character's that are from outside Westeros, that could be taken as Middle Eastern, South Asian or Mediterranean. I would hope that they would take advantage and cast them that way.

[Winterfell is Burning]

Lord Caspen, on 19 June 2011 - 11:57 PM, said:

Is it still 300 years since the Landing?  They took out Jaehaerys II -- did they obliterate those years with him during which he was supposed to have reigned?

Didn't he reigned only for 3 years? No major change, just add them to Aegon V.

[Zar Lannister]

citizenmilton, on 20 June 2011 - 07:29 AM, said:

-I know ASOIAF is loosely based on events in European history, but, it's actually a fantasy world. Therefore, as a viewer in the year 2011, the lack of racial diversity on the show could become a bit of a drawback. Are there obvious opportunities for more diversity in upcoming years?

Without spilling the beans, The continent of Westeros is very European-Like. As Essos and other Lands start to become more explored in the series, you will see people with different ethnic backgrounds. The population of the Free Cities is far more diverse than their Westerosi counterparts.

[Zar Lannister]

Lord Caspen, on 14 June 2011 - 02:03 AM, said:

Kosciuszko,




Oh?  Somehow I'd got the impression Clash was generally regarded as best.  Of course, there was plenty of dissension on almost every point in that thread, but insofar as there was unity, I mean.

I think most everyone was in agreement on the least-good of the lot, though ... Except for yourself, apparently  [img]http://asoiaf.wester...iggrin.gif[/img]

Well I guess that depends on your perspective, each book is a different animal. Feast is beautifully written, but slow in terms of plot. Storm is an intense book where a lot of things happen (and we will probably see part of Storm being covered in Season 2 because of that). Clash, which is also my favorite, is witty and packs about the right amount of action for me. To me, the weakest is Dance; it seemed repetitive and dragged for at least the first half of the story.

[Arionis]

Josiah Rowe, on 17 April 2011 - 11:20 PM, said:

It's a fez.  Fezzes are cool.  [img]http://asoiaf.wester...t/cool.gif[/img]

Best answer ever!!

[Maginor]

If you make a poll, though, you will get a Storm of Swords as the most common favorite book among the readers.

Edited by Maginor, 11 September 2011 - 11:54 AM.

[ríomhaire]

ryamano, on 20 June 2011 - 08:14 AM, said:

We still have to see what HBO will make of the Dornish, people who live in Westeros but much more to the South, in a desert like environment (I always imagined them like Arabs, but who knows?). Dornish characters appear more and more as the series go on.

I always imagined them as dark olive skin tone. Mediterranean like Greeks or dark Italians or Cypriots etc.

[elementaru]

hi there,
had so many questions about history, family relationships and so on, so I registered here to ask.
then I started to browse this amazing website and forum, and probably had all of them answered.
well, actually one left - was Renly Baratheon gay in the book as well?
also, were all the characters in the series in the books too?
I mean, did HBO created some characters of their own?