Lord Lannister

Given his blunt personality, if not for betraying Robb, he'd probably be one of the most popular minor characters in the series.

If Quaithe's intention is to somehow help or protect Dany, she's really doing a crappy job at it. The only reason for her to be all mysterious and vague is if she's deliberately trying to keep Dany mistrustful and suspicious of everyone and everything around her. A few morsels of truth, a lot of things that could be true and some cryptic warnings, and Dany's paralyzed by indecision and could end up pushing away potential allies.

As many have touched upon, it's hard to enjoy something when the very act by it's nature touches upon Jon's perceived inadequacies as a bastard, but I think this has just as much to do with it. Being shy and nervous about sex is perfectly natural for a 14 year old boy in of itself. I will say he seems to have matured since his relationship with Ygritte ran it's course. He doesn't seem as touchy or frightened in his internal dialogues when considering Val for example. Just a bit of longing weighed down by sadness and duty.

Just think of Sam's reaction if Tarly did marry Dickon to Sansa. "Guess what Jon? Now we really are brothers."

He turns her over to the Tyrells, takes the reward, and passes the buck of blame that goes with deciding what to do with her.

That depends on who has the intellectual property to it if Martin dies. I very much doubt his publisher is going to be willed that, so just because there is "money to be recovered" doesn't mean it's legal.

I agree. Given how long she's been in the story, and she's just now emerging as a POV in an area that's had two for a long time, one's left and the other.... well it's telling.

If we're talking about the rest of Martin's lifespan, the time it takes for the legal issues to be fought out, and then the time it takes... whoever... to actually do it. Needless to say that's no where soon. I get the feeling Martin's already made his money and it doing things at his pace, and who can really blame him if he just wants to enjoy the spoils of his work? At this point I'm just content with the fact that we're going to get an ending of sorts through the show. Maybe that's even the loophole, a "novelization of the final three seasons" or something. And who knows, maybe Martin really is close to rolling out Winds.

Given Martin's attitudes towards fanfiction, I can't see him willing over the rights for someone to finish it.

Edric Storm would disagree with you.

Another "Why don't people like what I do" thread... le sigh. Sansa is her mother's daughter in how she polarizes the fan base. Honestly I think her story would've been more interesting if she would've legitimately thrown in with the Lannisters under the misguided notion that she's doing what's best for her family despite their efforts to ruin everything. Of course this would've required Joffrey and Cersei both to be less horrible people. She was already on her way to that path in the first novel.

It really wasn't impossible. The only reason it took so long for the Ironborn to be routed is because the Boltons and Stark loyalists started fighting amongst themselves. Once the Boltons came out on top, they pretty much systematically began purging the North of the Ironborn. Stannis the rest.

See that I was never sure of. Did MMD poison him, or did he just screw himself by not wearing it? Guess it doesn't matter and we'll never get a definitive answer. Seems a rather awkward 180 though if she was legitimately trying to heal Drogo.

The only shade of gray is that it's Dany's child she kills. If it was any other tyrant's child, who was to conquer the world whose father's army raped, pillaged and burned her village and people, she's be a heroine. But because it's Dany, she's evil.

I didn't say it was surprising, just telling that he's voicing it as well. You do have a point about the last two novels, which literally were all over the place. The five year gap would've let everyone mature, grow and get where they need to be. Though maybe yes, the story's possibilities will be ever green in our imaginations at the very least. Unless something like happened with Jordan happens and someone else finishes it.