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Young Griff writing mistake/slipup in published ADWD


aFeastForDragons

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I was reading ADWD(Soft Cover version) again last night when I came to the chapter where Tyrion is sailing through the Sorrows when I came to this part which set of alarm bells in my head.





Enough,” said Griff. “Be quiet, all of you.”






Septa Lemore sucked in her breath. “What was that?




“Where?” Tyrion saw nothing but the fog. “Something moved. I saw the water rippling.”




“A turtle,” the prince announced cheerfully. “A big ’snapper, that’s all it was.” He thrust his pole out ahead of them and pushed them away from a towering green obelisk.









This is before the Aegon reveal. I remember seeing it the first time I read it and wondering who the Price was. It ultimately made the Young Griff reveal a little less shocking since I knew there was some prince hidden aboard. You can find it at the top of page 272 in Dreams and Dust.


Is this a mistake that past the editors because its a massive one to let slip.

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I don't remember clearly, but I think this scene was after Tyrion won the cyvasse party against Haldon(?) and he knew who Griff and Young Griff are, and this was a Tyrion POV, so he already knew that Young Griff is Aegon, so this is why the prince?


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It spoils the reveal though. It would be like calling Reek the Iron Prince in the first few pages of his first POV or naming LS "The Hand's widow" before she appears. Its one of the only points in the five books where I've really thought something is wrong here and very unlike George.


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I think it is fully intentional. Anyone paying attention knows that this group isn't who they are pretending to be and then there is the Illyrio connection as well. Readers should have their antenna up. As mentioned upthread, Tyrion has it figured out and we are seeing this through his POV. I think GRRM dropped this easter egg on purpose.


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I suppose so since it got past the editor and into the published book. Its still odd though and something I just can't agree with from a writing perspective since the reveal is 2-3 pages after.

I doubt it "got past the editor" since GRRM had been working on that story line and group of chapters since early 2000s.

If we want to talk about "unlike GRRM," this doesn't really fit because its exactly like him. When does he do reveals exactly when they happen with no build up? Even his two biggest 'shockers' of Ned and RW were heavily foreshadowed and easily picked up by the astute reader.

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From Tyrion IV


The Halfmaester arched an eyebrow. “How much?”

“I have no coin. We’ll play for secrets.”

“Griff would cut my tongue out.”

“Afraid, are you? I would be if I were you.”

“The day you defeat me at cyvasse will be the day turtles crawl out my arse.” The Halfmaester moved his spears. “You have your wager, little man.”

Tyrion stretched a hand out for his dragon.


...



“Yollo,” Duck called. “Where’s Haldon?”

“He’s taken to his bed, in some discomfort. There are turtles crawling out his arse.”


...


And why not? Tyrion grinned. Gods and wonders always appear, to attend the birth of kings.



From Tyrion V



“A turtle,” the prince announced cheerfully.



This is no slip.


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It could go either way. The quote from Mithras above indicates no. I wouldn't completely discard it to be a mistake, though.

The important is what indicates: Tyrion does believe Aegon is a prince, or at least, royalty.

Really i always read that as tyrion being super sarcastic

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I was reading ADWD(Soft Cover version) again last night when I came to the chapter where Tyrion is sailing through the Sorrows when I came to this part which set of alarm bells in my head.

This is before the Aegon reveal. I remember seeing it the first time I read it and wondering who the Price was. It ultimately made the Young Griff reveal a little less shocking since I knew there was some prince hidden aboard. You can find it at the top of page 272 in Dreams and Dust.

Is this a mistake that past the editors because its a massive one to let slip.

I can see why you'd think this, but remember it's not a detached narrator; it's Tyrion's perspective. Meaning he either had fully figured it out or the action crystallized the point he's been playing around with for him. I don't think it was unintentional on GRRM's part.

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