Maester Mando Posted November 12, 2014 Share Posted November 12, 2014 Hello, everybody. First of all i have to tell you that i am relatively new to these forum and this is my first topic :)I am sorry for my bad english since its not my native tongue.So, i guess that by now most of us have read the whole worldbook. To me the most fascinating part was the "second" part of the book, about the different regions in westeros and beyond. My question to you is what of the different parts in the known world intrigued you the most when reading TWOIAF? For me it has to be Dorne and the Iron Islands in Westeros as well as Asshai/Shadowlands, but i could also name the stormlands, Yi Ti, Sothoryos, etc.Here we go! ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ramsay's Penguins Posted November 13, 2014 Share Posted November 13, 2014 Defintiely the Reach. Also the Iron Islands, I was a little disappointed that some sections were so small while the Iron Islands were so big, but I loved the new info nevertheless. I jsut wish the other sections were as large! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs.Grumpy Posted November 13, 2014 Share Posted November 13, 2014 I really enjoyed westerlands and the Reach. Dorne was interesting as well. Basically everything beyond Westeros got me like "whaaat?!?" or "awww :3" Leng. Underground cities of Old Ones :uhoh:Yi Ti. I like how their emperors name themselves after colors :thumbsup:Mossovy. Shapenchangers and demon hunters (????????????)Sothoryos. It was wild from start to finish... And of course, Asshai by the Shadow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maester Mando Posted November 13, 2014 Author Share Posted November 13, 2014 How could i forget Mossovy? I have no idea what "shapechangers and demon hunters" exactly means but it sounds pretty scary. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs.Grumpy Posted November 13, 2014 Share Posted November 13, 2014 How could i forget Mossovy? I have no idea what "shapechangers and demon hunters" exactly means but it sounds pretty scary. I want to believe shapechangers are like Faceless Men who change their apparence by magic and um...cutting people's face off. Shapechangers must be a some kind of sorcerers. They are mentioned in Asshai section too. (Nu. They aren't wargs :P) (No idea regarding demon hunters.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tyrus Martell Posted November 13, 2014 Share Posted November 13, 2014 We finally got to read more about the Summer Islands, Lorath and Ib, which I found particularly interesting. Lorath has never had any spotlight in the books besides a one-off mention by Jorah Mormont proclaiming it a poor city, Jaquen's claims of being a Lorathi (if even true) and a cameo of a fat, generically described Lorathi man in ADWD. To actually know their history and have it confirmed they are indeed the poorest, weakest and most isolated of the Nine Free Cities was awesome, and I'm very intrigued by the maze makers who left behind their works on the island. The sections on the Shivering Sea and Ib were great too, though I think Maester Yandel has let a bit of racism or ignorance get in the way of accurately relaying to us solid information about Ibbenese culture. Or who knows, maybe they are an entirely different race. But yeah it was good to hear about their seafaring attitudes and charting of the Thousand Isles, as well as their violent history against the Dothraki on the mainland of Essos. I found it interesting that the Ibbenese don't let any outsider explore the Port of Ibben without an escort, they must be very secretive. The section on the Summer Islands solidifies my love for their culture and history. They're so bad-ass and the swan ships are beautifully depicted and described. I love that their wars are handled by duels only and that the people view sex so liberally. If I had to live in the ASOIAF, you can bet I'd choose to live there (or Dorne). I would have loved to have heard more about Carcosa (only a brief mention of that city), the Cities of the Bloodless Men and the City of the Winged Men. I don't think Maester Yandel has much information on what lies beyond the Mountains of the Morn. Not even Asshai is the furthest, most mystical area of the Known World. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colonel Green Posted November 13, 2014 Share Posted November 13, 2014 Confining the focus to Westeros, I'd be really interested to know more about Gulltown, since TWOIAF confirms that for most of the history of Westeros it was the only city on the eastern side of the continent, which you would think would make it a rather unique place, and probably significant in terms of the economy of the eastern seaboard (beyond even the Vale). As well, it's a city that appears to have control split between the Graftons, lords in their own right, and the Shetts, who are now Royce bannermen after once having been their historic rivals. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ser Skwisgaar Posted November 13, 2014 Share Posted November 13, 2014 I was underwhelmed by the descriptions of "Not-China" (Yi Ti) and the "Not-Mongols" (Jogos Nhai). Even "Mossovy" is oddly close to "Moscovy". In general towards the end, there is just a lot of allegorical-orientalism. I feel like Martin's writing is usually so careful when it comes to vocabulary, that it feels odd that they use the word "Earth" to describe their world, and automatically give "emperor" to the Yi Ti royalty. That said, the specifics on the different religions was incredibly interesting. That's where I feel the book lands feels most vibrant. For some reason, the area I found most interesting was the Shivering Sea. It's an area rarely mentioned. Everyone always drools over Asshai, but who are these people of the Thousand Islands (and was GRRM just eating a salad when he made them?) And IB! Why are these people so unique? Why can't they mate with other people of this world? Are they proto-Neanderthals? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Winterfell is Burning Posted November 13, 2014 Share Posted November 13, 2014 I'm much more interested in the Far East of Planetos than I had ever been. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maester Mando Posted November 13, 2014 Author Share Posted November 13, 2014 I'm much more interested in the Far East of Planetos than I had ever been.So am i, but also in sothoryos. How large is it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ellstaysia Posted November 13, 2014 Share Posted November 13, 2014 I haven't made it to past the sunset kingdoms yet (I'm reading it slowly & very thoroughly) but in westeros it's 100% the north. I've always been a huge fan of the north. most of my favourite characters are from there & the storylines I find most interesting all take place up there.the wall, the children, the others, starks, umbers, crannogmen, old gods, weirwoods, hardhome, the wildlings etc.north loyalty! I really do wish there was more north information in the book though. I hate the iron born & couldn't believe how much of a focus they received in the world book. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tyrus Martell Posted November 13, 2014 Share Posted November 13, 2014 That said, the specifics on the different religions was incredibly interesting. That's where I feel the book lands feels most vibrant. For some reason, the area I found most interesting was the Shivering Sea. It's an area rarely mentioned. Everyone always drools over Asshai, but who are these people of the Thousand Islands (and was GRRM just eating a salad when he made them?) And IB! Why are these people so unique? Why can't they mate with other people of this world? Are they proto-Neanderthals? Yeah, it was cool to finally get more on the Shivering Sea, and confirmation that Ibbenese sailors have actually attempted to sail North and explore. I always assumed so when I found out about the location of Ib and Far Ib. The White Wastes sound like a terrible place, and some of the descriptions included in the book about the abnormally brutal cold sounded scarily familiar to things we've seen in the series... (i.e. the cold that comes with the Others). Another one that didn't get any spotlight but I'm still intrigued about is Ulthos and Ulos, below the Shadow Lands. Specifically, why the Lands of Ice and Fire maps show Ulos having a ruined settlement close to the Northern shore actually marked on the map, but without a name (added this to the Wiki as I reckon it'd be missed by a lot of people). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corvinus85 Posted November 13, 2014 Share Posted November 13, 2014 Intriguing, but also funny in my mind, was the description of the wyverns of Sothorys, as it reminded me of the listing of the dragons from "How to Train Your Dragon." The shadow-wing wyvern is basically how the vikings orginally saw the Night Fury minus the plasma bolt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Wolves Posted November 13, 2014 Share Posted November 13, 2014 The North is still the most interesting for me the Shivering Sea also. The Reach got much more interesting and so did Dorne. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David C. Hunter Posted November 13, 2014 Share Posted November 13, 2014 Braavos is still the most intrguing place to me.The culture, history, languages, Gods, Faceless Men, Water dancing, navt, Iron Bank, etc. Love them. I love cold weather and I love Nordic culture, so i would love to be of the North and live in Winterfell, but I would defintiely want to live North of the Wall and see things like Giants, COTF and White Walkers. Its just a harsh life, but if food was plenty, Id live there. And I'd definitely live in YiTi. Period. Next to the North, Dorne is by faaaaar the most interesting place for me. Absolutely rich history and I personally hope one day that a studio decides to do the entire epic of Nymeria. That would be fucking epic Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluebeard Posted November 13, 2014 Share Posted November 13, 2014 The Basilisk Isles and Gossoros or whatever that place was called. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nictarion Posted November 13, 2014 Share Posted November 13, 2014 I thought the Summer Islands were pretty interesting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BearQueen87 Posted November 13, 2014 Share Posted November 13, 2014 Westeros: The Reach, definitely. The Free Cities: Qohor sounds delightful..... Essos: Asshai-by-the-Shadow. (nightmare relam! yay?!) and the Shadow (sooooo...is it just like a city of death??) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maester Mando Posted November 13, 2014 Author Share Posted November 13, 2014 Westeros: The Reach, definitely. The Free Cities: Qohor sounds delightful..... Essos: Asshai-by-the-Shadow. (nightmare relam! yay?!) and the Shadow (sooooo...is it just like a city of death??)Hmm, i think Stygai is described as corpse city. But was does this mean? Is it a ruined city or a city dead/wights? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BearQueen87 Posted November 13, 2014 Share Posted November 13, 2014 Hmm, i think Stygai is described as corpse city. But was does this mean? Is it a ruined city or a city dead/wights? Given that Asshai seems to be just pure black and dark (at least so far as Yandel knows, so I'm trying to keep that in mind) I imagine Stygai is even more nightmare/horror filled. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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