SeanF

I don't dispute that either. But, I'm not convinced that turn or burn would be the norm in feudal societies. One can find examples of it, but also examples to the contrary. Edward III after all, did not execute captured French lords who refused to acknowledge him as King of France. They were kept for ransom.

As said upthread, people may still have some feelings for abusive parents. However, there's another point. Sam is part of an honour culture. Even if you detest your family, it's a matter of honour to avenge wrongs that have been done to your them, unless you've broken with them completely.

Karstark's position is more straightforward. He's carried out an act of mutiny, and made his King into a liar in the eyes of the world.

Burning them in front of an army was a way of showing off, and frightening the survivors of that army into fighting for her. The fact that Varys and Tyrion are perturbed by it suggests that in-universe, it's not considered the correct way of treating prisoners of rank.

If you're judging by contemporary standards of morality, then yes, the summary burning of two men of rank would be considered bad by other nobles.

Tyrion's and Varys' unhappiness about what happened does suggest that in-universe, her treatment of the Tarlys would be viewed as morally questionable.

I've only seen clips so far. in fairness to Dany, I think she handled the meeting with Sam about as well as she could. Offering condolences would have been hypocritical in the circumstances, but she did come over as being somewhat sympathetic. Admittedly, Sam hasn't yet found out exactly how his father and brother died. At this stage, he probably just thinks they refused to surrender.

Many thanks. So, I would guess it takes place about 30 years before the events of Children of Earth and Sky? My impression (from the latter) was that the fall of Sarantium and subsequent conquest of the Balkans equivalent was a far swifter process than in real life. The Empress was described as having had the East at her feet when she was young, which suggests the Empire was still a great power until it fell, unlike 15th century Byzantium.

I just finished River of Stars, and loved it.

One real-life example that always makes me chuckle is that of the Nazi governor of White Russia, Kube, who had a Russian girlfriend who was secretly a partisan. One night she put a nice hot water bottle in his bed, which turned out to be an anti-personnel mine.

I've heard good things about the novel but haven't got around to reading it yet. It seems that one's attitude towards nationalism has a large bearing on whether one likes the novel.

Children of Earth and Sky has a nice shout out to the Bishop of Bath & Wells episode in Blackadder II, when the Seressan Ambassador gets presented with a picture of a prostitute sodomising him with a root vegetable.

Robert Pugh (Craster) is Owen Glendower in the Hollow Crown, Henry IV, Part 1. Harry Lloyd (Viserys) is Herbert Pocket in Great Expectations.

You seem to be having a good run. I really enjoyed your Antarctica story.

I really enjoyed both The Sarantine Mosaic (probably because I'm fascinated by Byzantine history) and Children of Earth and Sky when I read them last year, and look forward to working my way through the rest.

Doran only really had two alternatives with Arianne. Either entrust her with his plans, because his heir needs to know them. Or, if he was convinced that she was so incapable that she could not be allowed to succeed him, formally disinherit her - although I expect that would have needed the consent of the great houses of Dorne.

Okay, thanks.

Would you like to provide a synopsis (spoiler-free?). On a related note, I've enjoyed reading your blog essays.

Did anyone spot the shout-out to Blacadder II in Children of Earth and Sky (the episode that involves the baby-eating Bishop of Bath and Wells?)

The Sarantine Mosaic has some brilliant descriptions of chariot racing. I also enjoyed

I've now read it and enjoyed it. I agree it had a happy ending for all the main characters.

I've never heard of such of such a theory, nor do I doubt that she's his daughter. But, his failure to prepare her for leadership, or keep her in the loop about his plans, is a major error on his part. He says that he didn't trust her to keep it secret from Tyene, but she's his heir, she needs to know what's going on. And even if he was justified, there's no excuse for confining her role essentially to party-planning at Sunspear. How on earth could she expected to run a principality (or serve effectively as Queen of Westeros) if she's largely ignorant of the business of ruling? Arianne is reasonably intelligent, just woefully badly prepared tor her role.

She suggested that Euron have her step-mother and step-sisters stripped naked. One of them was then raped in front of them all.