AGOT Reread- Prologue and Jon

[Wired_Irony]

I decided I would be the one to start this up since no one else will. If this doesn't work out, oh well, just let it fizzle out. But if it does...it can be fun. So lets try it out.

I'm usually a lurker(always) around here, so no one knows me. I'm thinking I will update this after we get a healthy conversation out of one chapter. We will see how things go. If anyone more experienced wants to take over...umm...changing chapters then go ahead as long as everyone agrees. We don't want to be moving on everyday without much conversation or thought on a chapter. The whole point is to get a whole bunch of people on the same page, so with more minds we can maybe see more stuff. So, yeah...

Okay, here we go...

Prologue (Point-of-View: Will)

Introduced: Gared* (ranger of the Night’s Watch);

Ser Waymar Royce* (youngest son of Bronze Yohn Royce, ranger of the Night’s Watch);

Will* (tracker of the Night’s Watch).

Ser Waymar Royce is adamant about discovering whether the Wildlings in the village are truly dead. Will and Gared, long members of the Night’s Watch are against this, feeling something is wrong in the woods north of the Wall. When they discover the Wildlings’ bodies missing, Will senses something wrong, but Ser Waymar wants to investigate. The Others surround Ser Waymar, bringing an intense cold with them. Their armor seemed to change color, and no human metal went into forging their blue-shimmering blades. Ser Waymar is killed and the Others depart, but when Will comes down from the tree, Ser Waymar’s corpse rises and kills Will. Ser Waymar’s eyes burned blue.

I'm getting these descriptions from this site: Chapter Summaries

This will make it easier for people who don't want to reread but want to follow along. I'll post my thoughts on this chapter later but when I was originally reading this, I was thinking, "Not another predictible fantasy". Luckily, the good writing kept me going and I was thinking it would be some nice entertainment.

Here is all the weeks we will be doing a Jon chapter:

Oct. 2- Eddard(I) Jon(I) Catelyn(II)

Oct. 16- Jon(II) Daenerys(II) Eddard(II)

Nov. 6- Jon(III) Eddard(IV) Tyrion(III)

Nov. 20- Eddard(V) Jon(IV) Eddard(VI)

Dec. 25- Catelyn(VII) Jon(V) Tyrion(VI)

Jan. 8- Daenerys(V) Eddard(XIII) Jon(VI)

Jan. 22- Jon(VII) Bran(VI) Daenerys(VI)

Feb. 5- Eddard(XV) Catelyn(IX) Jon(VIII)

Mar. 5- Jon(IX) Catelyn(XI) Daenerys(X)

This is the new Jon thread.

[TheHalfman]

Hmmm, I started my reread a few weeks back and I'm somewhere from p.200-p.300.

But I do like the idea of a thread reread. Perhaps I'll rereread the first 200 pages.

[Maester Cressan]

I just reread the book. One thing I did notice that was new was that just after Ned has been imprisioned, Sansa is at Court (to beg for her father's life) and no one will look at her. Except Ser Dontos waves- until Ser Swann leans over to whisper to him (supposedly point out that it's not wise to wave at the daughter of a traitor). Then we see Littlefinger talking to Ser Dontos and Ser Swann- does that mean that Ser Swann is another one of Littlefinger's creatures? Just as Dontos was? (Plus it's cool that GRRM was forshadowing events of SofS back in AGofT)

[Wired_Irony]

Hmmm, I started my reread a few weeks back and I'm somewhere from p.200-p.300.

But I do like the idea of a thread reread. Perhaps I'll rereread the first 200 pages.

It's funny how easy that is. These books are so easy to reread. Perhaps it's because we enjoy them so much...I guess that would be it.

You should continue your reread and then start your rereread. That way you can read once on your own pace, and then on the forums pace. And, truly, these books never get tiring.

[TheHalfman]

Well I plan on going on to the next book to reread, not rerereading AGoT 2x in a row.

All this reing is strange.

[unduli]

I started rereading AGoT for the fourth time yesterday when I got off of work at 1pm, and thanks to a slow day at work today and my less-than-exciting PE & Biology lectures, I'm already past page 210. I hope to finish it within two weeks and head on to the others.

Since I've only read AFFC twice (both within a week of it coming out), I think I may skip on to it, then come back and read ACOK/ASOS, and then reread AFFC.

[Wired_Irony]

I started rereading AGoT for the fourth time yesterday when I got off of work at 1pm, and thanks to a slow day at work today and my less-than-exciting PE & Biology lectures, I'm already past page 210. I hope to finish it within two weeks and head on to the others.

Since I've only read AFFC twice (both within a week of it coming out), I think I may skip on to it, then come back and read ACOK/ASOS, and then reread AFFC.

Any thoughts on the Prologue?

[Wired_Irony]

So, heres some questions to start up conversation:

1. What did you think of this chapter when you first read it? What do you think of it know?

2. Who was your favorite character? Least favorite? Did you even like any of them?

3. What did you think about GRRM introducing the others in the first chapter of the series? Makes you think maybe they are the most important?

4. Any foreshadowing you noticed? Symbolism? Good quotes?

Let's get this thing going.

[A wilding]

Well, the first sentence has a weird similarity to the last sentence of TLotR. Not sure if concensus was ever reached as to whether this was intentional, but I suspect it was.

[oba]

So, heres some questions to start up conversation:

1. What did you think of this chapter when you first read it? What do you think of it know?

I didn't like the first chapter that much, to be honest. I read it, and then put the book down for a couple of weeks, actually. It seemed like pretty standard fantasy fare, and I'd been ignoring the genre for years for just that reason.

2. Who was your favorite character? Least favorite? Did you even like any of them?

I kind of liked Gared. I didn't like Waymar Royce at all. I had no overwhelmingly positive or negative feelings about Will.

3. What did you think about GRRM introducing the others in the first chapter of the series? Makes you think maybe they are the most important?

That was the reason I didn't like it. I thought the entire book was going to center around a conflict with the supernatural force beyond the Wall, etc.

4. Any foreshadowing you noticed? Symbolism? Good quotes?

I liked the part where Waymar Royce is complaining about the slow pace at which they're travelling.

" 'Not with this horse, ' Will said. Fear had made him insolent. 'Perhaps my lord would care to take the lead?'

Ser Waymar Royce did not deign to reply."

[Jon Targaryen]

I re-read AGOT a few months ago. Something I bring up for the first chapter is how the Others look at Raymar's sword. Here is the quote:

He[Waymar] lifted his sowrd high over his head, defiant.

...

The Other halted. Will saw its eyes; blue, deeper and bluer than any human eyes, a blue that burned like ice. They fixed on the longsword tembling on high, watched the moonlight running cold along the metal. For a heartbeat he dared to hope.

Then the other Others emerge and the first Other starts fighting with Waymar.

I've always thought the Other was looking to see if Waymar's sword was Lightbringer. Perhaps not though as that sword would be quite obvious.

1. What did you think of this chapter when you first read it? What do you think of it know?

I thought it was pretty standard stuff. Three "guys in red shirts" get killed. No big deal. Some big bad demons are coming from the North. Ok. I wasn't overly impressed. I have the same feeling now.

2. Who was your favorite character? Least favorite? Did you even like any of them?

I liked Will and Gared and didn't like Waymar. The rest still holds. I think I knew the characters were in for a shellacking and I was pissed at Waymar for leading them into it. I could be mistaken though. The re-reads have jumbled what I thought the first time I read it.

3. What did you think about GRRM introducing the others in the first chapter of the series? Makes you think maybe they are the most important?

Well, I thought they would be the enemy in the first book. Besides Jon, I was wrong. Now, I do think they are the true enemy and will be the main enenmy, though not only enemy, for at least the last book and possibly the last two.

4. Any foreshadowing you noticed? Symbolism? Good quotes?

I liked "he was a boy no longer, but a man of the Night's Watch."

[Ser Hot Pie]

1. What did you think of this chapter when you first read it? What do you think of it know?

The first time I read the prologue I got to the end and thought, "Damn!! I'm gonna love this series!" And I do.

[Wired_Irony]

1. What did you think of this chapter when you first read it? What do you think of it know?

When I first read it, I was thinking, "Not this stuff again". The writing is what made me go on. I've learned to like the chapter more, only because I've warmed up to the others.

2. Who was your favorite character? Least favorite? Did you even like any of them?

Will was a boring character. I wish we could have gotten inside the head of Royce. That would have been more interesting, I think. Gared was a cool character made even cooler from what happens in the next chapter.

3. What did you think about GRRM introducing the others in the first chapter of the series? Makes you think maybe they are the most important?

Like many people did, I thought they would have played a more important part in the first book. But I liked what actually happened. They always seemed to be lurking in the shadows beyond the wall and it was so much more interesting that way.

4. Any foreshadowing you noticed? Symbolism? Good quotes?

"Never believe a word you hear at a womans tit."

[Antonius Pius]

Will was a boring character. I wish we could have gotten inside the head of Royce. That would have been more interesting, I think. Gared was a cool character made even cooler from what happens in the next chapter.

I feel exactly the other way... I disliked Gared from the start. Hated Waymar too, arrogant bastard.

[Maester Yobjascz]

I've been meaning to start one of these, but I loaned AGoT to a friend and it hasn't gotten back yet. Since we're started though...

I'd say we should go with 2 chapters a week... we've started late, so just the Prologue this week. We go Monday with the first two full chapters of AGoT (Bran I and ... like I said, I don't have my AGoT). First person on Monday morning, start a AGoT Reread: Bran I thread (and the other one).

Sound like a plan?

[Spring Bass]

It took the re-read I did two weeks ago to notice all the Ned comments on his promise. I just never noticed it before.

[Maester Yobjascz]

Basics:

- Location... Does anyone know where, exactly, it takes place? North of the Wall, yes... but where? Any ideas/clues that we get (distance, direction, travel time, etc?)

- Characters... We know that Waymar is a Royce... do we know from which branch of the Royces, or where on the tree he is? Also, Will and Gared... what do we know about them? Ages, where they came to the Wall from, why they went to the Wall, etc?

Details:

- We know that the Others can speak from this chapter... any clues on whether they actually try to communicate with the NW? Any clues as to what they're saying?

- Does the fact that the Others show up despite the Wall weeping the past few days say anything to resolve the debate over whether cold weather brings the Others, or the Others bring the cold?

- Are there any distinctions drawn between Others and Wights? Are there Others actually present, or are they all wights?

- When, exactly, does Gared freak out and run?

Speculation:

- What are the Others doing this far south already? If Mance is busy evading the Others and searching for the Horn of Winter already (seems reasonable), why are the Others this near the wall? (Or is Royce's group that far north?)

Thoughts?

[oba]

- Characters... We know that Waymar is a Royce... do we know from which branch of the Royces, or where on the tree he is? Also, Will and Gared... what do we know about them? Ages, where they came to the Wall from, why they went to the Wall, etc?

Ser Waymar was the third son of Bronze Yohn Royce, head of the senior branch. His older brothers are Andar and Robar.

- Are there any distinctions drawn between Others and Wights? Are there Others actually present, or are they all wights?

From what we learn later on, I think it's safe to say they're all wights. They've all got on Others' armor and all draw their sharper-than-razor swords when they go about butchering Waymar.

- When, exactly, does Gared freak out and run?

Good question.

[Jon Targaryen]

Basics:

- Location... Does anyone know where, exactly, it takes place? North of the Wall, yes... but where? Any ideas/clues that we get (distance, direction, travel time, etc?)

Will says north, then northwest, then north again from Castle Black for nine days. I don't think they passed by Craster's place.

- Characters... We know that Waymar is a Royce... do we know from which branch of the Royces, or where on the tree he is? Also, Will and Gared... what do we know about them? Ages, where they came to the Wall from, why they went to the Wall, etc?

Waymar is from the Royces of Runestone, the third and youngest son. Gared is "past fifty" IIRC. Will is young and came to the Wall because of stealing Mallister game.

- Does the fact that the Others show up despite the Wall weeping the past few days say anything to resolve the debate over whether cold weather brings the Others, or the Others bring the cold?

I guess it could mean the Others brings the cold. The Wall is weeping so the general temperature is warm but when the Others come the surrounding temperature gets cold.

- Are there any distinctions drawn between Others and Wights? Are there Others actually present, or are they all wights?

Yes, I'd say so. The Others are gaunt and hard with flesh the color of milk and color-changing armor. The eyes of the wights and Others are similar here but it defintely seems like the Others are a different race.

Speculation:

- What are the Others doing this far south already? If Mance is busy evading the Others and searching for the Horn of Winter already (seems reasonable), why are the Others this near the wall? (Or is Royce's group that far north?)

You might have to cross-check with Jon's chapters in ACOK to see how far north nine days hard ride is. For only 3 people, not 200. So there would be some estimation too.

I'd say we should go with 2 chapters a week... we've started late, so just the Prologue this week. We go Monday with the first two full chapters of AGoT (Bran I and ... like I said, I don't have my AGoT). First person on Monday morning, start a AGoT Reread: Bran I thread (and the other one).

Sound like a plan?

Maester Yobjascz,

If you want to get real serious I could ask Ran about starting a sub-forum for this like the AFFC Re-Read sub-forum in the AFFC forum. I don't really think it's necessary though. But you could create all the threads for the characters just like we did over there. And I could ask to get a re-read schedule pinned, after it's created. That wouldn't be too big a deal I think. Incidentally, I agree on two chapters for now. That worked alright for AFFC.

[Maester Yobjascz]

Like I said previously, I don't have my copy of AGoT... so this might be easy to answer...

Does their estimated position put them near the Fist... or at least on a trajectory to get there? IIRC, Benjen eventually sets out with the goal of finding Waymar, Gared, and Will. Assuming Benjen goes through the region where Waymar fell, does this lend any credence to the idea that Benjen was the one responsible for that cache of dragonglass and the split horn that Ghost later finds at the Fist? I.e. If Benjen travelled in that direction, would it take him towards the Fist, or in another direction entirely?

For Fun: If you had to summarize the chapter in one quote from that chapter... what would it be?

Jon Targaryen - For the time being, I think this'll work fine. Should this re-read really take off, a subforum might help keep it a bit more organized though. Especially once it's time to move on to ACoK.

So, for Monday, start reading Bran I and Catelyn I. Discussion on those two chapters will begin Monday 9/25, and continue through Monday, 10/2.