169 replies to this topic

[Gannicus]

courser, on 03 August 2012 - 07:35 PM, said:

Dude... with hair like that... there is no happy...ever... in your world!

Haha..not even in society today. We're getting a free lesson today.

[StannisBamfatheon]

I agree with everyones "sorry for wanting to be happy" sentiment.  Im only human, dog, I like my heroes to not meet horrible violent ends!  Its not that i view asoiaf as a healthy choice microwave dinner its that I want a little more sunshine to peak through the clouds.

And k3 is spot on grrm said its going to be bittersweet but so far its just bitterbitter.

[Lady Lea]

When I was an angsty teen I had a phase where I read Baudelaire like it was going out of style, and all those dark romantic stuff with ennui, spleen and necrophilia. So basically ASOIAF isn't even that depressing in comparison, not *that* way at least. I just get so attached to the characters, and I'm a huge cry baby, I even cried when that bastard Dondarrion burned Sandor's arm.

I'll be totally okay with a bittersweet ending like LotR (as promised!!) but if it turns out he's trolling and everyone is actually going to end up with animals' heads sewn on their necks, that would be really uncool. Give SOME happiness, GRRM.

Edited by Lady Lea, 03 August 2012 - 08:10 PM.

[LifeRuiner]

I stopped reading for a while after Ned died. I just needed time to 'grieve' as much as one can for a fictional character.

[Kairi]

I was a huge fan of the Wheel of Time series and a friend who read also it reccommended ASoIaF to me.  By that time the HBO series was on but I decided to read the books before looking at it.  Hence, when I got to the part when Ned's head came off I was totally shocked. I threw the book in a corner and did not touch it for about a month, eventually I got back to it though.  Ironically the Red Wedding and Joffreys' death did not have the same effect, but when Tyrion killed Tywin, I was just as shocked as with Ned's beheading.  Dived right back in though, I had to see what my favorite Imp would do next.

[Elder Sister]

Lady Lea, on 03 August 2012 - 08:08 PM, said:

When I was an angsty teen I had a phase where I read Baudelaire like it was going out of style, and all those dark romantic stuff with ennui, spleen and necrophilia. So basically ASOIAF isn't even that depressing in comparison, not *that* way at least. I just get so attached to the characters, and I'm a huge cry baby, I even cried when that bastard Dondarrion burned Sandor's arm.

I'll be totally okay with a bittersweet ending like LotR (as promised!!) but if it turns out he's trolling and everyone is actually going to end up with animals' heads sewn on their necks, that would be really uncool. Give SOME happiness, GRRM.

I feel the same way reading Cormac McCarthy.  I had to quit reading him; although I think I've read everything he's written at least once.  McCarthy is much more dark than aSoIaF, but like you, I get so attached to the characters that GRRM writes.  Right now, I'm extremely worried about Jaime Lannister and am preparing myself for the fact that he's probably toast.  

Edited by Elder Sister, 03 August 2012 - 08:16 PM.

[Associate Maester]

Elder Sister, on 03 August 2012 - 08:14 PM, said:

I feel the same way reading Cormac McCarthy.  I had to quit reading him; although I think I've read everything he's written at least once.  McCarthy is much more dark than aSoIaF, but like you, I get so attached to the characters that GRRM writes.  Right now, I'm extremely worried about Jaime Lannister and am preparing myself for the fact that he's probably toast.  

I think the characters are a key difference (at least for me). I've read much darker stuff than ASOIAF, The Road for example, and didn't get a visceral gut feeling with anything in the book--though what a terrible post-apocalytic world.  GRRM creates such great characters that you get invested in emotionally.  If (when) Stannis bites it or God forbid Davos (just...NO) or Brienne...I will need alcohol-related therapy. The RW and Ned was hard enough with characters I like.  With characters I love and are quite invested in..talk about gutting.

[Sweet-N-SourRobin]

It's really premature to say whether ASOIAF is "too depressing" or not because we don't know how it ends yet.

Of course the good guys have taken it on the chin and the badguys have taken the advantage and gotten away with their vile, unjust actions.  Once that reverses, the story's over.  You can't write a book about the heroes taking a victory lap; there's no dramatic tension and it would be dull as hell.  A long saga like this requires the right balance of throwing bones and minor victories to the good guys such that the fans won't completely lose hope (or more accurately, run out of patience) waiting for that final victory at the end, yet, at the same time, giving the bad guys enough successes to remain a viable enough threat to maintain the dramatic tension, and so the fans will keep hating them and keep turning pages (or tuning in) to see them finally get theirs.  Invincible heroes are boring and, arguably, not even really that heroic.

Like Bran and Ned told us way back in the beginning.  "Can a man still be brave if he's afraid?"  "That's the only time a man can be brave."  We don't really like heroes that can't get knocked down (the oft-criticised phenomenon of "plot armor"); we like heroes who get back up.

I do think the good guys are eventually going to rally and have some semblance of a happy ending (albeit a costly one), because they have suffered enough that they will have earned it (likewise we will have earned it to, by sticking with them and the series even when it looked hopeless in the wake of the Red Wedding).  I think, when its all over, ADWD will be seen as the beginning of the rally (Wyman Manderly certainly seems to suggest so).  But we'll see.

[Elder Sister]

Dreadfort81, on 03 August 2012 - 08:22 PM, said:

I think the characters are a key difference (at least for me). I've read much darker stuff than ASOIAF, The Road for example, and didn't get a visceral gut feeling with anything in the book--though what a terrible post-apocalytic world.  GRRM creates such great characters that you get invested in emotionally.  If (when) Stannis bites it or God forbid Davos (just...NO) or Brienne...I will need alcohol-related therapy. The RW and Ned was hard enough with characters I like.  With characters I love and are quite invested in..talk about gutting.

I needed Prozac after The Road.

[ServantOnIce]

Florina Stark, on 03 August 2012 - 06:04 PM, said:

I damn near threw my e-reader against the wall after reading Jon's last ADWD chapter. I was so mad i couldnt see straight. (I didnt put the book down though.)

Not all . . some folks went away forever after SoS  .. they felt that GRRM went too far . .  I feel also that he killed off too many important characters, both good and bad in Storm of Swords . .  I still have a hard time getting into some of the new characters . .

Vic Greyjoy probably is the only new character I dig . . .

[ServantOnIce]

I know Victarion, Stannis, Brienne, Dany and possibly Arya or Sansa are going to bite it . . . I think we are going to lose one of the Stark girls . .it is just the way the story is going.

[Associate Maester]

Elder Sister, on 03 August 2012 - 08:27 PM, said:

I needed Prozac after The Road.

It didn't hit me that hard. Then again, I have a love of post-apocalyptic books so I've read more grim tales.

[Jolene Brown]

If Jaime dies, I may have to turn to hard drugs.  I was lucky (yes, lucky) to be spoiled for so much before reading these books, so I could steer away from getting too attached to anyone I knew was going down, but that won't help me with TWOW and ADOS.

[Associate Maester]

Jolene Brown, on 03 August 2012 - 08:31 PM, said:

If Jaime dies, I may have to turn to hard drugs.  I was lucky (yes, lucky) to be spoiled for so much before reading these books, so I could steer away from getting too attached to anyone I knew was going down, but that won't help me with TWOW and ADOS.

I've got a gut feeling we'll need a general "mourn for those we've lost" thread after TWOW comes out.

[Jolene Brown]

Dreadfort81, on 03 August 2012 - 08:33 PM, said:

I've got a gut feeling we'll need a general "mourn for those we've lost" thread after TWOW comes out.

Or a group hug!  

[ServantOnIce]

I read other things to cheer me up, Archie Comics, Mob books, and watch those "Scorned" shows . . on ID . . the reality is don't marry a stripper and you won't get murdered!!

[Elder Sister]

ServantOnIce, on 03 August 2012 - 08:36 PM, said:

I read other things to cheer me up, Archie Comics, Mob books, and watch those "Scorned" shows . . on ID . . the reality is don't marry a stripper and you won't get murdered!!

Ahahahahaha!!!!!!  Okay- that got me tickled.

Good advice that needs to be engraved somewhere..."don't marry a stripper and you won't get murdered."

[Kittykatknits]

StannisBamfatheon, on 03 August 2012 - 08:08 PM, said:

And k3 is spot on grrm said its going to be bittersweet but so far its just bitterbitter.

Sweet-N-SourRobin, on 03 August 2012 - 08:25 PM, said:

I do think the good guys are eventually going to rally and have some semblance of a happy ending (albeit a costly one), because they have suffered enough that they will have earned it (likewise we will have earned it to, by sticking with them and the series even when it looked hopeless in the wake of the Red Wedding).  I think, when its all over, ADWD will be seen as the beginning of the rally (Wyman Manderly certainly seems to suggest so).  But we'll see.

Lady Lea, on 03 August 2012 - 08:08 PM, said:

I'll be totally okay with a bittersweet ending like LotR (as promised!!) but if it turns out he's trolling and everyone is actually going to end up with animals' heads sewn on their necks, that would be really uncool. Give SOME happiness, GRRM.

Martin has commented before on the suffering he puts his characters through and his reply was that the readers wouldn't care as much if he didn't put them through it. I disagree, I can care quite a bit without so much misery but whatever. Martin has also commented on LoTR and the sack of WF was an allusion to the scouring of the shire. I look to that series as a model on how ASOIAF will end. I'm certain that the fortunes of the Starks will improve. I can not say the same about the Lannisters. It gets rather dark and depressing at times, but ultimately I don't think we are reading a doom and gloom nihilist work. If I'm wrong, then Martin is going to get a very sternly worded e-mail from me.

Lady Lea, on 03 August 2012 - 08:08 PM, said:

When I was an angsty teen I had a phase where I read Baudelaire like it was going out of style, and all those dark romantic stuff with ennui, spleen and necrophilia. So basically ASOIAF isn't even that depressing in comparison, not *that* way at least. I just get so attached to the characters, and I'm a huge cry baby, I even cried when that bastard Dondarrion burned Sandor's arm.

The BWB lost me forever when they dared to go after Sandor. And I also cry like a baby over everything, it's embarrassing.

[Kittykatknits]

Dreadfort81, on 03 August 2012 - 08:33 PM, said:

I've got a gut feeling we'll need a general "mourn for those we've lost" thread after TWOW comes out.

Jolene Brown, on 03 August 2012 - 08:36 PM, said:

Or a group hug!  

And some really good joke threads.....

[Winter's Knight]

Kittykatknits, on 03 August 2012 - 08:43 PM, said:

And some really good joke threads.....

Would some crackships do?
I'll reserve Stannis/Tycho for tWoW.