My comments and rants as I read the Storm of Swords.

[Throstle]

I feel the need to rant and rave about the book as I read it, so I'm hoping I can just do that here. Feel welcome to comment on my comments but please don't spoil the book for me. Thanks

I'm on a Storm of Swords p.959. I have also seen all of the HBO series Game of Thrones.

Seriously the defense of the wall seems all wrong. Jon even says The Wall defends itself. All they need trouble themselves with is the gate. They could just colapse the gate somehow. or freeze the whole tunnel in ice. The Night's watch could make another one once the treat has passed. And as far as Mance's Stratagy, why not send another group of climbers over the wall 10 miles down in either direction and try to take Castle Black again from the rear, or even just carefully traverse the tops of the wall to engage the Night's Watch. Also given the height of The Wall arrows would be as easy to dodge by the Wildingling as it is for the Watch. The battle does not make a lot of sense to me.

Also Arya should have barried a dagger in Harwin's back at the end of the great horseback chase through the woods. Harwin would have deserved it. He was one of her fathers guardsman, and now he presumes to take her captive and randsom her? Arya should have barried a dagger in Harwin's back as he reached for her horses reigns and rode on.

Thanks for letting me rant :cheers:

[Hutch]

Rant away man. I'll refrain from much input for fear of spoilers, but rest assured that we've all been there.

[Throstle]

Well I just finished A Storm of Swords, and what a finish it was. Lots and lots of deaths. I will say this, you never know if the hero/ heroine is going to live or die. I knew when The Moon Door opened in the Eyrie some one was going to die, and I thought it could well be Sansa. I was surpised that it was not. No one is safe.

Tyrion's story

I was surprised at just how vengeful Tyrion was when he learned about Tysha his wife. I mean for starters, why didn't he find this out on his own? You would think he would be able to talk to his wife and to trust what she said. The story goes that he had sex with her last after the guards, why didn't the truth come out then. Secondly, your really going to kill your father over that? It's not like Tysha is dead. They both were made to suffer a broken heart, true, but to kill your father over that? If I were Tyrion I would have killed Tywin for not saving me at the Trial or even before the Trial. I mean Tywin is the acting hand of the King, he has the power, and he is your father. I thought Tywin had at last some affection for his son. It all should have been as simple as asking Tyrion if he did it, answer is no, end of story. If you had a trail at all it should have slanted toward Tyrion's defense. And where is the detective work? Did anyone try to really try to solve the crime of Joffery's death. Then there is the Trial by Combat, which I'm not sure about. In this other world of Westeros, is Trial by combat really suppose to work. I mean it worked the first two times in the books. The innocent were cleared. The third combat between The Mountain and The Red Viper, seems to indicate maybe it's not so reliable, though in that fight maybe it was a draw since they both died. I mean if you have a good warrior on staff to go fight your trails why not just go crazy killing, raping and pillaging, because there is always trail by combat. I'm not sure why The Spider told Tyrion how to get to his father's room. He must have known what he would do, yet he didn't try to stop it. The fall out from all of this should be entertaining. I was disappointed Tyrion did not tell Jamie the truth about Joffery's murder. And what the heck is Shae doing in Tywin's bedroom. After all that crap he have Tyrion about whores. About how he is going to hang Tyrion's next whore, and then he finds Shae in Tywin's bed. What the heck!

John's story

What did John ever really do to be Lord Commander. I mean really? He's been there what? maybe a year or two? He saved Mormont's life Ok that that's about it. I mean Janos Slynt has a point that he did kill a fellow brother of the nights watch, Qhorin Halfhand. We all know he did it under orders, but there is no proof of these orders. I don't think he deserves to be lord commander. And how the heck are the Wildlings going to get the Mammoths and the Giants through The Wall, even if they had managed to take it.

Tywin had 2 swords made from The Stark sword Ice. I bet there will be 2 Starks left when all the dust settles, a sword for each of them.

Arya's story

Her story was entertaining but does not really go anywhere. Outside of meeting a faceless man, you could sum up her whole experience by saying she just went for a walk about the countryside. I'm not sure she knows that she is a Warg or not. I'm suprised she has not found Nymeria yet. Not killing Sandor was totally out of character. If she hated him so much she would have escaped back at the inn. And how is she going to erase his name from her nightly prayer if she does not know for sure that he is dead. She should have given him mercy and killed him. She is not always so bright, much like most of the Stark family.

Jaime's story. He should just hurry up and fall in love with the wench. Qhorin master of the sword with his left hand, I think foreshadows Jamie's return to glory now that he has lost his right hand.

[Throstle]

Daenarys

I was disappointed in how she got her army of unsullied. With all the details put into training these eunuchs you would think there would be safeguards in place about turning on their old masters. I mean any moron with enough gold or trade stuffs could have just walked into town took control of the army then took back what was paid and sack the town. I would have preferred if maybe Daenarys had a vision in the Mage tower that maybe helped her somehow to take the Army. Or maybe Selmy brought some long forgoten gold from Aerys' reign.