What to ask GRRM?

[Seams]

1. Have readers seen any characters who are grumkins, and we are just not yet aware that they are grumkins?

(Grumkins swap babies and "magic up" swords, according to Old Nan, Sansa and Lord Commander Mormont. Grumkins seem to be part of northern lore and legend for the most part. If he lets you follow up, you could ask whether they are found throughout Westeros.)

2. Give him this scenario: He's on the road, making his book tour through Westeros. He wakes up - at which inn? Who serves his breakfast; does the breakfast contain three hard-boiled eggs? If so, what does he do with the second egg? Are plums served with the eggs?

(If you have to shorten this, I would just ask, "If you were eating breakfast in Westeros, would you expect three hard-boiled eggs and what would you do with the second egg?" The reason behind this question is that eggs are major symbols in the books and three eggs represent death, something magical and rebirth. Finding out what he would do with the second egg could be an interesting exercise in understanding magic in the series.)

3. Will we see Glendon Flowers again in the Dunk & Egg stories?

4. There is a lot of emphasis on colors in the series and the histories - Greens vs. Blacks; bastard sigils as the reverse of House sigils; White, black and gold cloaks; Blackwater, Red Fork, Green Blood, Milkwater; bowls of brown; crystals casting rainbows in the sept, etc. If a reader wanted to make sense of the various colors in ASOIAF, what would be the best way to start?

5. Why didn't anyone give Joffrey a horse as a groom's gift?

6. Instead of traveling when he turns 16, Tyrion becomes an expert on sewers and drains at Casterly Rock. When he is on board the Shy Maid, Tyrion sews a motley outfit for himself. Is there a deliberate connection between sewing and sewers?

(This could help to clarify whether wordplay and puns in the series are deliberate clues for readers.)

7. Before the battle of the Blackwater, Lollys Stokeworth refused to cross the bridge into Maegor's Holdfast. Finally, when Sansa asked her to go into the building, Lollys complied. What special quality did Lollys perceive in Sansa that persuaded her to cross the bridge?

(I think this has to do with the children's game, "Come Into My Castle," and that Lollys knew that Sansa was the rightful person to issue an invitation to this particular inner sanctum.)

I guess most of these are questions he wouldn't answer or are too literary to be of general interest. The first question could open up some new lines of speculation, though, if he answers affirmatively.

[Platypus Rex]

You can ask him about POV chapters.  Since that gives nothing away about what happens to the actual character, he might actually answer it:

i.e.

Except for one-offs, will any new characters get POV chapters in WINDS?

Can you name any POV characters that will no longer appear as POV characters?

How many different POVs will be in WINDS?

[Ckram]

What became of the Ragged Jenna and Laughing Lords crews?

[Mordred]

15 hours ago, Daendrew said:

I have a ticket to see GRRM in Jersey City for the only ticketed event to promote Fire and Blood on 11/19. https://www.wordbookstores.com/georgerrmartin

There will be an opportunity to ask questions after his conversation with John Hodgeman. What should we ask him?

 

Ask him about President Carter.  What about Carter's presidency was considered a failure?  What makes him think Carter is the most moral man to hold the office in his time?  Isn't Kennedy the more moral man to hold the presidency?

 

 

[Sigella]

15 hours ago, Daendrew said:

I have a ticket to see GRRM in Jersey City for the only ticketed event to promote Fire and Blood on 11/19. https://www.wordbookstores.com/georgerrmartin

There will be an opportunity to ask questions after his conversation with John Hodgeman. What should we ask him?

 

Like previously said, I'd pick something that could be answered in few words and the answer can be vague enough not to give much away to plots or characters. I would ask

- if we'll see inside the black wall of Volantis

- if we'll see Qarth again

- if there will emerge any more new magical creatures through the series

and a wildcard: will Mel get any more POV?

[Lollygag]

8 hours ago, dmfn said:

GRRM has said a few times that he wishes his readers would put away their rulers and stopwatches and read the story, so I wouldn't walk in there and ask a question about times, military strength, weights/measures or ages in the appendix. 

I wonder if he intended Dunk and Egg, the World book, the Lands book, or any outside materials as being instrumental in understanding or unraveling the mystery of ASOIAF as a series, or are the clues in the original series enough to go on alone? 

I got my answer to this here where GRRM underlines that this isn't a novel and one should enjoy it "if you enjoy imaginary history". ASOIAF is a standalone series with any extra material enhancing it but not being necessary for future books.

http://georgerrmartin.com/notablog/2018/04/25/fire-blood-on-the-way/

 

Quote

I do want to stress… indeed, I want to shout… that FIRE & BLOOD is not a novel.   This is not a traditional narrative and was never intended to be.  Some of my fans have objected to the term “fake history” that I’ve bandied about in past blog posts and announcements in reference to “The Princess and the Queen” and “Sons of the Dragon” and the like.   Very well; let’s call this one “imaginary history” instead.   The essential point being the “history” part.   I love reading popular histories myself, and that’s what I was aiming for here.   Not historical fiction, not fantasy, no… but something more akin to Thomas B. Costain’s monumental (and wonderfully entertaining) four-volume history of the Plantagenets.   (But with dragons.  Did I mention the dragons?)

So: not a novel.   Everyone clear on that?   (Though there are enough stories here for twenty novels.  Battles, bloodshed, betrayals, love, lust, horror, religious wars, politics, incest, historical revisionism, all the fun stuff).

Oh, and I should also say… as most of you know, HBO is presently developing a number of different prequels to GAME OF THRONES.   I know I am going to be asked whether those shows are going to be based on material from FIRE & BLOOD.   It’s a logical question.   The only answer I can give is… ah, well, no one is sure yet, and anyway, I am not allowed to say.   So let’s move that to the side.

The important thing is: NOVEMBER 20.   Mark it down on your calendars.   (If you enjoy imaginary history).

 

[Lollygag]

3 hours ago, Megorova said:

Then another question: did any of this people had children - Bloodraven, Brandon Stark, Duncan the Small. 

 

I seem to remember GRRM answering that Brandon Stark didn't have any legitimate children which with stories of Brandon sowing his oats left me half expecting a bastard or two to maybe show up.

[The Sleeper]

If the marriage pact for Viserys and Arianne was made with Doran's knowledge or consent. 

If Littlefinger's participation in the plot to kill Joffrey was voluntary. 

[kissdbyfire]

Just now, Sigella said:

and a wildcard: will Mel get any more POV?

Not sure but I seem to remember that he's said she will...

[The Grey Wolf]

What happened to the Warrior's Sons of Gulltown?

What were the original seats of House Strong and House Lothston?

[The Grey Wolf]

Why are there only five cities*?

*In Westeros.

 

What years did the First and Second Blackfyre Rebellions take place? The sources flipflop between 195/196 AC and 211/212 AC.

 

Where did the Battle of the Redgrass Field take place?

 

If the Disputed Lands are now a barren wasteland why do Lys, Myr, and Tyrosh fight over them so much?

[Megorova]

The Bastard of Harrenhal, that was defeated by Arlan of Pennytree, in a melee at King's Landing, did he established House Whent?

(Why this question (not for protocol) ):

Spoiler

This bastard could be secret child of Jeyne Lothston and Aegon IV.

"The Whents were originally knights in the service of the Lothstons. When Lady Danelle Lothston went mad during the reign of King Maekar I Targaryen, the Whents received Harrenhal for their role in defeating the Lothstons.^[5 "

In that melee ser Arlan has defeated the Bastard of Harrenhal, and Lord Stokeworth. Falena Stokeworth was first mistress of Aegon IV, and her daughter, Jeyne Lothston, Aegon's eight mistress, was possibly Aegon's bastard-daughter. Jeyne became Aegon's mistress in 178, and shortly after that he exiled her from court. Maybe the real reason of her exile was because she got pregnant. And even by standarts of incestuous Targaryens, making a baby with your own daughter, was too much even for Aegon IV, so he sent her away. The melee at King's Landing happened in 193, so if Jayne got pregnant in 178, by that time her son was 14-15 years old - old enough to participate in a melee, and not experienced enough to win against someone like ser Arlan, even though ser Arlan never in his life won in any tournament.

Now why is all of this relevant for the current plot? -> If the Bastard of Harrenhal really was first Lord and founder of House Whent (that originally were knights in the service of the Lothstons), then it means (if my theory from above is correct), that children and grandchildren of Hoster Tully, are carriers of Targaryen blood, thru Hoster's wife, Minisa Whent. So Bran, Sansa, Arya, Rickon, and Robert Arryn are all partially Targaryens.

Furthermore, maybe that Bastard of Harrenhal was Littlefinger's ancestor, and thus Littlefinger and Catelyn Tully were cousins (third or something like that).

 

[Sigella]

2 hours ago, kissdbyfire said:

Not sure but I seem to remember that he's said she will...

Goody  

[GloubieBoulga]

Did he see the Shrek movies ? If so, did he enjoy with and why ? (bonus question : did he read the book Shrek ! ?)

[HoodedCrow]

I would like to know if Littlefinger is based on Steerpike from Melvyn Peake

[Guest]

2 hours ago, HoodedCrow said:

I would like to know if Littlefinger is based on Steerpike from Melvyn Peake

Oooh good one. I wonder about that too.

If I could ask him anything, it would be, to get him to talk more about some of the Greek tragedies he drew inspiration from.

[chrisdaw]

Has anyone just asked him if Ramsay wrote the pink letter? Good chance he'll answer that straight and kill off half the nonsense written about it.

[Ygrain]

13 hours ago, Lollygag said:

I seem to remember GRRM answering that Brandon Stark didn't have any legitimate children which with stories of Brandon sowing his oats left me half expecting a bastard or two to maybe show up.

Don't recall this phrasing, but he did say that Brandon died "before he had sons", so either a daughter(s) or a posthumous son are still on the table.

I suggest close reading questions which probably haven't been asked before (read: the questions I'd ask if I had the chance):

- When Olenna mentions Rains of Castamere at Purple Wedding, is this an intentional Red Wedding parallel as a signal for the poisoning scheme to start?

- Did Rhaegar dismount at some point during his duel with Robert, or is the HotU scene showing him sinking to his knees merely symbolic embellishment?

- Alternately: when Jorah says that Rhaegar fought nobly, is he referring to some specific action/event, like the duel between Rhaegar and Robert?

With the first question, I am aiming for a confirmation if there were more people on it - e.g., if it was a warning for Margaery not to drink any more, plus, the short Olenna most likely wouldn't be able to drop the strangler into the tall chalice, so she would need to signal her accomplice. The point of the second question is if there is a parallel with Daemon Blackfyre getting killed due to his chivalry and there is an intriguing discrepancy between the vision and the depiction of the duel as a mounted combat.

 

ETA: Got one more as I was responding to the thread about Cat and Jon: When Cat says to Jon "it should have been you", was it inspired by a similar scene between Denethor to Faramir?

 

 

[Lollygag]

2 hours ago, Ygrain said:

Don't recall this phrasing, but he did say that Brandon died "before he had sons", so either a daughter(s) or a posthumous son are still on the table.

I don't recall the "before he had sons" so that looks like two different interviews where GRRM left the door open to a Brandon bastard.

Also, I second @HoodedCrow 's LF/Steerpike question. I see a lot of ASOIAF stuff in Gormenghast but especially that.

[The Coconut God]

Ask something that might add credence to or debunk the Exodus to Essos theory (see the link in my signature). To the best of my knowledge, this was never brought up with George. Nothing too overt, we don't want to spook him if this really is his next big twist and he thinks he's got everyone fooled. Ask something along the lines of:

- With Jon's fate uncertain, can the Night's Watch still make use of the loan agreement with the Iron Bank? Will someone have to go to Braavos to get that gold?

- Will the Manderly fleet see any action in Winds?

- White Harbor seems to be the safest and most stable place in the North right now. Will we see more of it?

- Is there any chance we'll get to meet Mellario Martell? I wonder how she would react to Quentin's death.

- At TusCon 43, in 2016 (around the 29:30 mark), George talked about global warming and migrations caused by climate change. We have a harsh winter coming in Westeros and a warrior queen with dragons coming into her own in Essos. Will we see any migrations taking place in ASoIaF?