84 replies to this topic

[Xray the Enforcer]

pg 673

[Ambeon]

What an exciting chapter, must read faster! I'm actually cheering for Theon (or maybe it's Jeyne), who would have thunk it ^^
I know Martin is not one for happy endings, but I don't think even he is evil enough to let Ramsay catch them again.

[King_In_The_North]

I hate Theon much less now. I actually had to take a break after this chapter, I couldn't continue reading. It was just so exciting.

[ipsuel]

This chapter was an edge-of-your-seat chapter for sure!
Loved it -- gheez, i hope Theon gets a little break for a while

[awesome possum]

Great stuff.  I'd hoped one of his final chapters would end with Theon as the chapter name.  

I'm assuming this is his cliffhanger for the book though.  Not sure if we'll see him again.  Very good arc for him this book.  I know he's been a shit, but I've always found him more sympathetic (emphasis on the pathetic) than horrible.  I don't believe there's a happy ending waiting for Theon, but I'm glad he at least found himself before whatever horrible ending surely awaits him.

[Xanderpanda]

Quote

"So young" said Wyman Manderly. "Though mayhaps this was a blessing. Had he lived, he would have grown up to be a Frey."

      



Manderly has quickly become one of my favourite characters since the Davos chapters. Letting Davos go to find Rickon, "the north remembers", killing some Freys and baking them in pie to feed to their own family and now this. House Manderly!  

Edited by Xanderpanda, 16 July 2011 - 04:52 AM.

[Maginor]

Those poor spearwives. I hope they die fighting and take many with them instead of getting captured and flayed.

[Loras]

Loved this chapter!  Finally Theon defies Ramsay!  Excellent!

Notes on this chapter:

* I believe that Big Walder killed Little Walder on Ramsay's orders.  We saw in one of the earlier chapters that Little Walder was not a big fan of getting involved with Ramsay and his boys.  Ramsay knew that this would ignite the already tense situation between the Freys and Manderleys.  Ramsay knew something was going to happen as he came into the hall putting on his swordbelt.

* So I was wrong and Stannis is outside the gates.  Did he not use trumpets at Deepwood Motte though?

* Loved Theon and Jeyne's leap of faith at the end!

* Manderley's line about growing up a Frey was AWESOME!

[mnemosyne]

Maginor, on 16 July 2011 - 09:34 AM, said:

Those poor spearwives. I hope they die fighting and take many with them instead of getting captured and flayed.

Me too.  Hopefully while shouting to all the sundry Northmen that Arya Stark has escaped, further fracturing the Bolton host.

I wonder if Theon ever showed Mance and the spearwives where the crypts are?  Mance asked about it in the last Winterfell chapter.  Here's hoping some of them have escaped to hide there.  

Despite their contempt for kneelers, they seemed to have a healthy, if grudging respect for the Starks and Stark words.  

Loras, on 17 July 2011 - 04:35 AM, said:

* I believe that Big Walder killed Little Walder on Ramsay's orders.  We saw in one of the earlier chapters that Little Walder was not a big fan of getting involved with Ramsay and his boys.  Ramsay knew that this would ignite the already tense situation between the Freys and Manderleys.  Ramsay knew something was going to happen as he came into the hall putting on his swordbelt.

I think that Little Walder was Ramsay's creature, while Big Walder was the one of the pair who was less apt to participate in Ramsay's cruelties.  IIRC, in one of the Reek chapters Little Walder throws his horse's reins to Reek, who makes that note, while Big Walder goes to take care of his own horse.  

As for Ramsay walking in putting on his swordbelt - they've just had a raven from somewhere.  Theon sees Roose and Ramsey arguing, notes the raven and the wet parchment, but cannot hear them.  The raven comes before the discovery of Little Walder's body, and before Roose sends the Freys and Manderlys out via opposite gates.  

Something's up and I'm trying to figure out what it is.  Could Davos have returned with Rickon?  Could the castellan at White Harbor have sent a "celebrate!  Rickon is alive!" message?  That does not seem likely, but I'm not sure that there's much else that could precipitate that confrontation we witnessed.  Maybe Rickon and Shaggydog are marching on Winterfell with a cannibal host.  

[AnotherDeadStark]

Another great Theon chapter, his has certainly been one of the best arcs throughout this book. Looking forward to seeing how this one moves forward.

I think I already said this in a previous thread but Manderly is the fucking man.

Edited by AnotherDeadStark, 18 July 2011 - 02:39 PM.

[Kirazi]

Really great chapter! Loved Theon's story arc!

[Wind and Words]

Great chapter, I had my heart in my mouth the whole time. I think Theon and Jeyne will survive the fall. As we've seen in the last chapter, someone was thrown over but survived the fall with a broken leg. With any luck, the snow would've piled up more by this time and provided more cushioning.

And yes. Manderly is awesome.

[Queen Arya]

another great Theon chapter!


Martin is amazing... i cant believe that i'm actually liking Theon.

oh, and Manderly is so awesome  

[Dragon Skin Tongue]

This chapter is one of the reasons I love this series. I hated Theon Turncloak. Now, however, Martin has me feeling sympathetic towards him. The Reek/ Theon chapters are some of the best written in this book.

[malarky1231]

Finally Theon has rediscovered himself. I thought the best part was when Theon was thinking that as Reek, he would've stabbed Rowan between the shoulder blades. He then recalls Bran talking to him through the weirwood, whispering the name "Theon". It's at this point that Reek completes his final transformation back into Theon Greyjoy, son of Baloney Greyjoy of Pyke and heir to the Iron Islands. Kick some ass Theon.

[The BlackWolf]

Throughout the last few chapters Theon made more and more mention of the old gods, and it was so touching that it was the old gods (Bran) than brought back Theon from the Reek wilderness; added to the fact that Theon "always wanted to be a Stark", it's great that he's now showing a bit of nobility that Eddard would have expected of a son.

I also think the return of Theon's consciousness will have helped him realise how Bran eluded him.  So yes, I think he told Abel how they did it and I think Abel will do the same- assuming theres no denying the Frenya and Holly are two of the girls that arrived with him.

Edited by Rhaegar's Bastard, 20 July 2011 - 06:37 PM.

[The Oncoming Storm]

Snow is very soft. It is known.

http://i1228.photobu...z-d38pcdr-1.jpg

[Emo Jon Snow]

I have to echo the sentiment that the Theon chapters thus far have been my favorite of the book. Sadly I think this is the last one we'll get for now.

[Andhaira]

Does anyone get the feeling that Melisandre only wants Theon so she can burn him for his Kings Blood? His burning would wake the Stone Dragon, and yet would NOT anger the Northmen because they hate Theon anyway. And unlike Mance Raydar, Theon is the blood of a real king, i.e. one of the 5 kings in the War of the 5 Kings.

Thoughts?

[malarky1231]

The only person I want Mel to burn is Dany. Her story arc has been the most unrealistic and poorly constructed so far. IMO the most cliched fantasy character here. She's a self-entitles ho who always fakes the moral high ground and has proven she doesn't have the stomach to rule. So yes, as impossible as if may seem, I want Dany the one to be burned, Then, Jon Snow would thrust Lightbringer into Mel's chest, and become AA