73 replies to this topic

[Xray the Enforcer]

pg 293

[Loras]

Possibly the weakest chapter in the book so far, I really don't care for Daario - nor Dany's obsession with him.

What I do think is interesting is that Dany is placing a lot of trust in the council of the Green Grace.  The Green Grace has kin who are Dany's hostages, which suggests that she in turn is related to one of the ex-Masters of Meereen.  The Green Grace is also suggesting that Dany marry a Meereenese noble...

Dany has set Hizdahr a task to ensure that no free man dies for the next 90 days.  

My guess is that if Hizdahr is successful, that it will be because he has gone to the Green Grace for help.  I think that she is the leader of the Sons of the Harpy.

[ipsuel]

I agree - very weak chapter. Redundant. Her chapters up to this one are all running together for me. I force myself to read it but its just kind 'more of the same' imo.

Truth is, I've had enough of her in Mereen and her need to save all her 'children.' I don't care about Daario either lol.

I just don't care anymore. Also, I think her arch is riddled w/far too many people from far too many places that I don't care about either.

Put her in w/characters I know/love/hate -- then I'll be interested again. I'm only 1/3 the way thru the book so we'll see but truth is, I used to like the Dany storyline, but now, it just seems ridiculously redundant.

Unfortunately, I am (thru this chapter) very disappointed.

[Spilt Pea Soup]

ipsuel, on 13 July 2011 - 04:56 PM, said:

I agree - very weak chapter. Redundant. Her chapters up to this one are all running together for me. I force myself to read it but its just kind 'more of the same' imo.

Truth is, I've had enough of her in Mereen and her need to save all her 'children.' I don't care about Daario either lol.

I just don't care anymore. Also, I think her arch is riddled w/far too many people from far too many places that I don't care about either.

Put her in w/characters I know/love/hate -- then I'll be interested again. I'm only 1/3 the way thru the book so we'll see but truth is, I used to like the Dany storyline, but now, it just seems ridiculously redundant.

Unfortunately, I am (thru this chapter) very disappointed.

I agree.  I used to love Dany's chapters but this all getting quite tedious.  I'm starting to think that abandoning the 5-year-gap was a fatal flaw.  I would love to have caught up with Dany after whatever measures she takes in Mereen have already been taking and can be recapped in a few flashbacks.  Not sure I care to endure the tedium of her life there.  Let's get to the action!  

Also, is it me or is she so indecisive?  She won't *Do* anything.  Maybe she deserves to fail.

[ipsuel]

Spilt Pea Soup, on 13 July 2011 - 05:58 PM, said:

I agree.  I used to love Dany's chapters but this all getting quite tedious.  I'm starting to think that abandoning the 5-year-gap was a fatal flaw.  I would love to have caught up with Dany after whatever measures she takes in Mereen have already been taking and can be recapped in a few flashbacks.  Not sure I care to endure the tedium of her life there.  Let's get to the action!  

Also, is it me or is she so indecisive?  She won't *Do* anything.  Maybe she deserves to fail.

I think you may be right about abandoning the 5-year-gap. You're also right that she doesn't *do* anything. The action just isn't there. Her arch just seems utterly stuck, and reading it is painful. I think a few of her chapters should have been edited out, or re-vamped. Book 1 I enjoyed her story, but apart from a few chapters, it's just gone downhill from there (for me anyway).

Yeah, yeah we get it. She loves her 'children.' She worries about her dragons. She is queen of blah-blah. We get it! Now lets see her *do* something. An active verb-filled chapter would be nice :-)

[Queen Arya]

Spilt Pea Soup, on 13 July 2011 - 05:58 PM, said:

I agree.  I used to love Dany's chapters but this all getting quite tedious.  I'm starting to think that abandoning the 5-year-gap was a fatal flaw.  I would love to have caught up with Dany after whatever measures she takes in Mereen have already been taking and can be recapped in a few flashbacks.  Not sure I care to endure the tedium of her life there.  Let's get to the action!  Also, is it me or is she so indecisive?  She won't *Do* anything.  Maybe she deserves to fail.

couldn't agree more.... but i still really want to see dany arriving in westeros.

but i'm starting to think that she wont win the war  (until this book i was certain that she would win in the long run) or maybe i dont want her to win anymore, who knows?  

[Ahri Adaran]

In the previous books Dany chapters were always my favorites, but damn every time one shows up in this book I groan (after the first one, which was cool) since she's so damn passive, especially when compared to Jon Snow doing shit (although some fat there as well). There's a lot of fat here that could've been cut, same with some Tyrion chapters as much as I love him.

Martin gave Tyrion, Jon and Dany a whole lot of chapters in this book and I don't think he has enough for them to actually do to justify that (Jon comes the closest, but still they can drag a bit too). They're my three favorite characters and in the other books I always skip ahead to read their chapters, but they're wearing on me a bit here. There's still a lot of good stuff here, but it seems that we're getting fed more filler than I would like.

[ipsuel]

Ahri Adaran, on 13 July 2011 - 07:16 PM, said:

In the previous books Dany chapters were always my favorites, but damn every time one shows up in this book I groan (after the first one, which was cool) since she's so damn passive, especially when compared to Jon Snow doing shit (although some fat there as well). There's a lot of fat here that could've been cut, same with some Tyrion chapters as much as I love him.

Martin gave Tyrion, Jon and Dany a whole lot of chapters in this book and I don't think he has enough for them to actually do to justify that (Jon comes the closest, but still they can drag a bit too). They're my three favorite characters and in the other books I always skip ahead to read their chapters, but they're wearing on me a bit here. There's still a lot of good stuff here, but it seems that we're getting fed more filler than I would like.

Yeah, this ^
I'm only 1/3 way through but the truth is, I'm not loving this book overall. I find myself putting it down (alot), skimming chapters such as this one, skipping the overly-long descriptions of *everything* and at this point, just reading dialogue.

I'll go back to it later and read the rest if and only if, by the end, I enjoy it. But so far, I would rate AFFC above this.

[Hodor for King]

Since when did Daenerys turn into Sansa?  Oh Daario my Daario...it feels like Sansa pining for Joffrey all over again (and is no less annoying).  I am sure he is hot and all, but it strains credibility for her to be so lovestruck for this guy.

[malarky1231]

I hate when characters are so damn naive. Just torch the place, grab the gold and invade Westeros already. Why cant she be more like Tywin or the Queen of Thorns? I swear if I hear about her mercy and indecisiveness one more time, I'm going to jump into the book and punch her. Just go get things done instead of worrying about the morals of slavery. The occupiers are always feared and hated, she should've sacked Meereen and sailed to Westeros. For god's sake women, unleash the dragons. They aren't meant to be chained up. They must have the freedom of the skies and the warm blood of Sheep. Tonight you will feast on man flesh!

Edited by malarky1231, 14 July 2011 - 02:32 AM.

[Huck]

Well, so I'm the first with a different view then: I think the Dany chapters show how difficult it is to reign well. This is about the Game of Thrones, and how hard it is to sit on one if you want to do it right.

[Early Earl]

Huck, on 14 July 2011 - 02:36 AM, said:

Well, so I'm the first with a different view then: I think the Dany chapters show how difficult it is to reign well. This is about the Game of Thrones, and how hard it is to sit on one if you want to do it right.

Yes. I don't even know how many chapters of Dany I've read and if this is the right thread. So I share some of the opinions above, not much "spoilering" going on here.

BUT, I feel a bit remembered of AFfC: it became interesting only upon reread, when you started to like not only the characters, but the new "foreign lands", Iron Isles and Dorne, as well. There's a whole different world here and I try to enjoy to get to now it, although I'm really still set on the "big" storyline.

PLUS, what is said in the quote. Dany makes a really good impression as ruler, and we needed to be confirmed she's not another Mad Targ. GRRM keeps the chapters short.

PLUS as many authors tend to do when they need to show time passing by, GRRM has provided a crime story, that might get intersting (JKR has made a whole book (book 4) of the Potter series a silly crime story with ridiculous ending that is totally redundant). I trust GRRM to do it better and maybe it will even matter for the overall story line.

[David Selig]

I have to disagree with most here, IMO the Dany chapters so far are the best since AGOT. Way better than in ACOS (where nothing much happened) or ASOS(where everything was really rushed and the deal for the Unsullied was by far the most ridiculous moment in the series). Finally she's in one place for longer, can't solve her problems quickly in some implausible way (at least so far).

[The Usurper]

Not a fan of Dany's chapters so far either. Sure, they illustrate how hard it to rule, but the point has already been driven into us many times. Let's move on please.

Also, I'm extremely sick of her "I am only a young girl..." line as well. I wasn't a big fan of Dany previously, but I didn't dislike her either. Now her reign of boredom and pining for Daario is really getting on my nerves.

[Loras]

Quote

I have to disagree with most here, IMO the Dany chapters so far are the best since AGOT. Way better than in ACOS (where nothing much happened) or ASOS(where everything was really rushed and the deal for the Unsullied was by far the most ridiculous moment in the series). Finally she's in one place for longer, can't solve her problems quickly in some implausible way (at least so far).

Don't get me wrong, I am enjoying the Dany storyline, its second to her GOT arc in my opinion - but I didn't like this particular chapter.

Quote

PLUS, what is said in the quote. Dany makes a really good impression as ruler, and we needed to be confirmed she's not another Mad Targ. GRRM keeps the chapters short.

Sorry, but I think that you have entirely misread the Dany chapters so far - GRRM is showing us that she is an unfit ruler clouded by her emotions rather than giving fair judgement.  This chapter gives us two examples of this: the lack of consequence with her hostages for the murders committed by the Sons of the Harpy, because she thinks the children are cute, and sending the Storm Crows away because Daario disagreed with her.

[Ser Grifter]

Whenever a Dany chapter comes up now I inwardly groan. Slow-moving and far too tedious compared to the other characters. Basically what dress will she wear today and whose advice will she ignore? Come on, move it along and get to the meat.

[stevelabny]

It was bad enough the way she was acting with Daario (Sansa-Joff anyone?)

but the way she's chained and ignored Rhaegal and Viserion is brutal.

Sure the HBO budget crunchers are excited, but story-wise this is dumber than anything Ned Stark ever did.

[Gargantuanjon Old Chap]

There is a shit ton of action fantasy out there. Like Branderson. Nobody's making you read this.
ASOIAF is serious business. It's not all about swordfighting and fireball flinging.

I don't like Dany as a character but I do like the chapters. She got herself into a fucking deathtrap with her goodie-poo attitude and I can't wait to see her pay for it.

[King Stannis I]

She needs to let the Dragons out and burn the shit out of all three slaver cities.

Also where is Drogon? You would think somebody would notice a big black dragon flying around...

[Kirazi]

I loved Dany's chapters in AGOT, by far the best. Ever since then, it has been the same story. Getting bored with it, especially with the Daario stuff.

She needs to grow up -- you can't end slavery when all the lands around you have slavery! She can't rule Westeros and one city hundreds of thousands miles away! She is such a child, ruled by her emotions and morality. I don't feel that she has truly grown up. She makes the argument of why women, particularly mothers, shouldn't rule.

She used to be my second favorite character, and I really want her to win the iron throne but GOD...she needs to realize that she can't save them all.