Trebla

Agree. They've gone a long way to making him a tragic figure. It's been good writing. While Shae doesn't work for me, Sansa does. I was amused how in one scene you feel terrible for her as she is in a horrifying situation. The next scene she's a snobby lady. Ah, Sansa...

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The ménage à trois worked for me. Shae didn't. I don't know, I just find tv Shae completely uninteresting.

Another strong episode. Can't wait for the full BRIENNE SHOULD BE UGLIER rage! :P To me it's no different than the Tyrion is too handsome stuff. In this show Tyrion's problems are that he is a dwarf. Him being ugly as well isn't necessary. Brienne is tall (huge!) and a woman. That's more than enough "negatives". Alas for Yoren. Loved his backstory. Was interesting to see how the writers simplified some storylines. Shae working for Sansa and Arya immeditately being caught by the Lannisters. Makes sense for a 10 episode season. I'm gonna miss Renly. Just when he was becoming more interesting.

On whether Stannis had sex with Mel in the books: A Storm of Swords U.S. paperback pg. 347 "Is the brave Ser Onions so frightened of a passing shadow? Take heart, then. Shadows only live when given birth by light, and the king's fires burn so low I dare not draw off anymore to make another son. It might well kill him." Melissandre moved closer, " With another man, though...a man whose flames still burn hot and high...if you truly wish to serve your king's cause, come to my chamber one night. I could give you pleasure such as you have never known, and with your life-fire I could make..."

You aren't getting my reference on a "strong king". He throws those words of wisdom at Tywin in ASOS. He appeared to be parroting someone. Tyrion and Cersei suspect Robert but many people have it was actually Littlefinger. Tywin wasn't impressed and sends him to bed like a child. Of course Joffrey is a brat and an idiot but he's a dangerous one. He thinks that power is being able to do anything he wants to anyone. He has no clue about politics and the dangers. His mother in the books wasn't much better. She didn't become the real power behind the throne until book 4. Tyrion was the power in book 2 and Tywin was in book 3. Cersei is different in the show, being smarter and not quite as ruthless.

My thoughts: - A randy episode. .Fish pies and semen lips. lol Stannis taking Mel atop the Painted Table was a nice touch. -Bronn as Lord Commander makes sense. Bywater is just another character to add. -Joffrey ordering the bastard massacre also makes sense. I don't think it was about his legitimacy but rather a way to show power and act out towards Cersei. Cersei knew all along and she did nothing. she also shamed him by slapping him in front of people. Well Joffrey is not going to take that. A strong king ACTS. It also plants a seed that Joffrey is quite capable of sending men with daggers to kill children. ;) -This episode was very good at showing the power of women in Westeros. Cersei is regent and controls the Small Council. Her brother is contesting with her for power. While that may have been a draw so far, she greatly wounded him by hurling Jaime and Joanna against him. That was painful. Yara (I think I may be one of the few that doesn't mind the name change) humiliates her brother and is firmly set as her father's right hand. Melisandre seduces black iron Stannis with dreams of sons and power. She also has Davos' son bent toward her new god. -Set against that are Gilly, Ros, and the captain's daughter. Misused by men and treated as property to be beaten, sold, and even murdered if they do not perform in they wats expected of them. While we have gotten to see the mostly good life of the nobility, I'm glad we are also getting to see the horrors of medievel life. -Podrick! Ghost! Alas for Rakharro. Poor Shireen. In the books she has greyscales, in the tv show she doesn't exist.

I suspected Arianne's disdain for the Tyrells was a Dornish thing. Oberyn was the same way. I also was very curious about the wild weirwood. I don't think it was mentioned as happenstance. Same with the cave.

Okay, okay...I finally got around to typing up the chapter. My sincerent apologies for the delay. Old Man Back reared his head and I've only been online with a laptop which I hate typing on. I'm back on my desktop and able to sit long enough to type this up. Enjoy! ARIANNE The chapter opens with a party of Dornish traveling across the Stormlands. Arianne is traveling to meet Jon Connington on behalf of her father.The Griffon's men have been raiding and plundering the area. While traveling Arianne has been seeking news. She's been sending her men into the inns for news.The news has been mostly ill but mostly sounds like lies. The plan is for her to travel to Mistwood, then across the Rainwood to Griffon's Roost. The Rainwood is described in great details with several kinds of trees, including weirwood. The going is quite slow. Arianne is amused by the arguments between the maester and the septon accompanying her. Doran used to remark that the differences between septons and maesters are like the differences between Dorne and the Stormlands. Besides septon, maester, and her guards, she is also accompanied by by Elia Sand and Daemon Sand. Nym and Tyene had also left Dorne with 300 spears and the Princess Myrcella. Doran decided to send her home but her betrothed Prince Trystane has stayed in Sunspear. Arianne also thinks of her other brother Quentyn. She's quite doubtful that Queen Daenerys will like her brother. While making camp, they lose track of Elia Sand. Searchers are sent and she is later found in a cave that Arianne belives was once inhabited by the Children of the Forest. Elia is berated by Arianne in a manner much like Doran Martell might have done. Later she asks Daemon what her father was thinking to send Elia with them. Bemused, Sand answers, "Vengeance." They arrive at Mistwood, which isn't flying it's banners. They head to the castle and are met by Young Jon Mudd and Chains who take her to the castle. She is told that the Halfmaester is at the Roost but Lord Connington is on the march. She's unable to get the sell-swords to tell her where he is marching to. They stay a bit, long enough for Elia Sand to get in trouble for making out with a servant named Feathers. Chains accompanies Arianne's party on their march through eight days of rain. Chain is more forthcoming without Young Jon Mudd's presence. He regales her many sellsword tales. He finally lets slip that Connington is marching on Storm's End. Arianne and Daemon Sand are perplexed on how Connington can possible take the castle Lysono Maar joins the party and he instantly creeps Arianne out, They do banter back and forth. She thinks of cyvasse and that the Golden Company has it's elephant but no dragon. She has ravens with her and sends her father messages on a regular basis. They finally arrive at the Roost and Arianne is introduced to the Halfmaester. While there she learns she is to be sent to Storm's End because it has fallen. She does not learn how it fell. An army from King's Landing is now on the march and is descending on Storm's End. The army apparently is a Tyrell one and she does not think too much of them. On the other hand, Daemon Sand is wary and he urges Arianne not to go. However, she decides to go because she wants to meet Connington and Aegon. Sand then advises her to send him instead but Arianne refuses him. She must go because she must be her father's heir --------- The other chapter GRRM had with him was aDamphair chapter which he described as "bleak". I was very surprised to hear "Doran" pronounced as "Duran". After the chapter, GRRM talked about the chronology of the next book. He knows we "greedy bastards" will want to SEE Storm's End fall and he will have to decide where to put it in the book. He compared it to the issue with the Meereenese Knot. He noted that there were a few chapters that were cut from ADwD and moved to TWoW. He mentioned the "Ice Battle" and the "Fire Battle". We guessed later that meant the Battle of Winterfell and the Battle of Meereen. Lastly, he was asked whether he knows the fate of all his characters. He answered that he knows the fate of all the main characters but not the minor ones.He makes that up as he goes along. So he does not know if Feather's will get into Elia's pants.

Welcome to the board jozio and Ser Hellingly! :cheers:

I got a better look when I paused it. That red line on Rorge's nose is a gash. He has a hole in his nose which you can see on a better angle. Biter's teeth are filed down to points. They are hard to see because they are brown and almost blend in with his face.

the dragons in ASoIaF ARE two-legged. So technically they are wyverns.

I'd be very amused if he made good on his threat to do away with "Teo" and "Romo". "Teo" would be T.O. aka Terrell Owens, former Dallas Cowboys receiver and general pain in the ass. "Romo" would of course be Tony Romo, current QB for the Cowboys. GRRM is of course a huge Giants fan and he hates the Cowboys more than any team in the NFL. Great writer, poor fan. :P

Welcome to the board Avii and the maid of woodlynne. :)

Looks like the ratings system will go bye bye. Too bad. I like it. I'll just have to use it to the bitter end. *negs Blaurer for complaining about getting negs* ;)

Pshaw... I was here for the FOOD WARS, you NOOB! :hat: ;)

Is there an option so that some people can choose not to be in the ratings system?

There Would Be Blood. Certain people would make posts or threads demanding why someone one gave them a negative. Their friends would jump in, ripping the other person and/or starting Vanity Threads to repair the ego.

People who only want positive votes? eta: sorry, Ran. Didn't see your post.

They would probably be in Games Forums. Times change.

Thank your for that link, Alexia. I hadn't used a neg. all day but I was able to now! I agree with your post, too. That deserves the shout down but why bother getting into a pointless little flame war with an obvious troll.

While I feel bad for some of the people that have been upset by the system, I still think it is beneficial. It probably saves bandwidth by being able to post a positive rather than just an "I agree" post. And it probably has lessened flame wars because the negatives avoid snark and confrontations. Some people just don't like to be disagreed with, no matter how it's done.

Also there was mention of Summer still limping from his brush with the Wildlings while helping Jon. Another thing that could explain the decent fight. Bloodraven was mentioned quite a bit in The Sword Sword as Aerys II had named him the Hand of the King instead of Aerys' own brother Maekar. Egg's father. The whispers around the realm is that the Hand has a 1000 eyes and seems to know everything. Perhaps good foreshadowing of skinchanging. Bloodraven and his archers are the ones who killed Daemon Blackfyre and sons on the Redgrass Field during the Blackfyre Rebellion. Bittersteel took his eye during the rout.