Marmelodov

The fact that GRRM is frontloading TWOW with both the Battle of Ice and the Battle of Fire, it really has me wondering what the rest of the book is going to entail.

The battle of the vapors I assume.

Everything I read the phrase "smiling sadly" I get "Lady Stardust" stuck in my head

It doesn't matter that he has continued as a POV. He isn't aware himself that he is UnVic. Two things- In the House of the Undying Dany sees "A corpse stood at the prow of a ship, eyes bright in his dead face, grey lips smiling sadly". Greyjoy...a grey smile. But the dead face.....I think I am correct.

Next- aside from Dany's chapter when she steps into fire, it is the only time in all the books when the POV narrative actually detaches from the character. It actually left the room he was in.

So Vic will be puppeted by Moqorro, but in the end, I sort of agree with people who are saying he is a vehicle for the horn. Or perhaps simply the supplier of many ships for Dany and he rides for a while. We'll have to wait and see. And she will probably sail East past (bummer scrapped 5 yr gap) Asshai and land on the Stoney Shore or CAsterly Rock, or something like that. "to go West you must go East" you know.

Wow I never thought about that; the POV detaching from the character in that chapter. I remember reading it and did notice something off about the way he wrote about screams coming from the cabin but for some reason I didn't register what was going on with the change in narrative style. Thanks for pointing that out for me. I think it's definitely food for thought and I do kinda think Vic is somewhat zombified now

EDIT - by screams I meant maniacal laughter

Awesome summary and awesome chapters. It's a pretty dense description, thanks for this. I liked the part where the stormcrows shout and Barristan recognizes their valor; then he plunges into battle. it's great to finally see Barristan doing what he does best. Can't wait to read the whole thing with the Victarion and Tyrion counterparts as well.