Random Thoughts About ASOIAF

[Groo]

1 hour ago, Takiedevushkikakzvezdy said:

Maybe so, but I always assumed that being in Aerys' Kingsguard is like being on the Golden State Warriors team with Steph Curry and Kevin Durant. You have to be truly special.

You've more or less answered your own question here. How often do the children of superstar athletes grow up to be superstar athletes as well? If your bar is set at that level then you aren't going to see much in the way of family "dynasties".

[EggBlue]

2 hours ago, Takiedevushkikakzvezdy said:

Maybe so, but I always assumed that being in Aerys' Kingsguard is like being on the Golden State Warriors team with Steph Curry and Kevin Durant. You have to be truly special.

well , they were . just because we don't hear Arthur Dayne level stories about him doesn't mean he wasn't good . in fact , we relatively know little about Aerys's kingsgaurd . we don't know when and how any of them donned the white cloak aside from Barry and Jaimie and it's only Arthur ,Barry and Gerold Hightower who have their reputed nicknames. anyways , small house or big , Darrys are known to be of biggest Targaryen Loyalists . this , his big brother's word and his warrior skills must have been the reasons he was accepted in Golden State Warriors team . right? 

[The Bard of Banefort]

Sort of a crossover comment, but I was thinking about the spin-offs, and no matter how good they are, I don’t think book fans will ever be satisfied. It would be different if the series was finished, but I think this fandom has ascended to a level of bitterness where any small change is going to annoy us. I’ve already seen book fans complain about how the Targaryen and Velaryon sigils don’t match the book descriptions exactly. So even if HOTD or any of the other shows are smash hits, I feel like we’re sort of pre-conditioned to be disappointed.

Edited April 26, 2022 by The Bard of Banefort

[Takiedevushkikakzvezdy]

19 hours ago, The Bard of Banefort said:

One interesting thing is that, with the exception of Cregan Stark, there haven’t been any really notable Stark warriors. Most of the other great houses have had a few.

Yeah, it seems like the Starks have historically been more administrators than warriors. One could argue that Brandon, Ned's brother, was a great fighter, although maybe not Kingsguard-level.

Edited April 26, 2022 by Takiedevushkikakzvezdy

[The Bard of Banefort]

I’m coming around on the idea that Euron might team up with Cersei and crown himself as some kind of King in the West. The show may have completely made up their alliance, but I could also see it as a bastardized version of whatever George has in mind for Cersei. I could see her being taken captive by Aegon and acting as a POV inside of the Red Keep as well, but there are a few quibbles with that:

a) In this scenario, Robert Strong would all but certainly have to die. Would he really be removed from the story that fast?

b) Would Cersei really spend two books as a prisoner in King’s Landing? (I don’t have a link, but George apparently let slip that she survives TWOW). 

It’s also an additional complication that would explain why the book is taking so damn long. Cersei vs. the Tyrells —> Tyrells and Cersei vs. Aegon —> Aegon vs. Cersei and Euron —> Cersei and Euron vs. Asha and Theon —> Asha and Theon vs. Stannis —> Stannis vs. the Boltons —> Stannis vs. Aegon —> Aegon vs. Dany —> Dany vs. everyone. 

My head hurts. Just stay dead, Jon.

[Takiedevushkikakzvezdy]

Completely random, but why is Harrenhal spelled with one "l"?

[Hugorfonics]

8 hours ago, Takiedevushkikakzvezdy said:

Completely random, but why is Harrenhal spelled with one "l"?

After Aegon it took an L

 

[Loose Bolt]

I assume that Martin hates letter "L". After all in my head canon one of major houses in the North is House Karlstark.

[Takiedevushkikakzvezdy]

8 hours ago, Loose Bolt said:

I assume that Martin hates letter "L". After all in my head canon one of major houses in the North is House Karlstark.

I just find it strange that Harrenhal and Summerhall are spelled differently.

[LynnS]

On 4/30/2022 at 9:43 AM, Takiedevushkikakzvezdy said:

Completely random, but why is Harrenhal spelled with one "l"?

LOL.  That always screws me up.  Reflexively, I spell it with two Ls.  Then I have to friggin look it up just to make sure.  Now, I just don't care and let the Ls fall where they may.

[LynnS]

On 4/25/2022 at 11:29 PM, The Bard of Banefort said:

Sort of a crossover comment, but I was thinking about the spin-offs, and no matter how good they are, I don’t think book fans will ever be satisfied. It would be different if the series was finished, but I think this fandom has ascended to a level of bitterness where any small change is going to annoy us. I’ve already seen book fans complain about how the Targaryen and Velaryon sigils don’t match the book descriptions exactly. So even if HOTD or any of the other shows are smash hits, I feel like we’re sort of pre-conditioned to be disappointed.

People are waiting for closure on unanswered questions.

Quote

 

Abstract

As people acquire knowledge about the world, they generate and test hypotheses using relevant information. Such cognitive activities do not have a distinct point of termination, and the process of generating hypotheses could go on indefinitely, as could the examination of more and more information intended to validate these hypotheses. The need for cognitive closure has been conceptualized as a motivational "stopping mechanism" that applies "brakes" to the epistemic process and allows crystallized judgments to form. The need for closure is closely related to phenomena such as closed- and open-mindedness that have been addressed by prior psychological theories, including those of Piaget and Freud. The need for closure (NFC) has been defined as a desire for a definite answer to a question, as opposed to uncertainty, confusion, or ambiguity. It is assumed that the motivation toward closure varies along a continuum anchored at one end with a strong NFC and at the other end with a strong need to avoid closure. The NFC is elevated when the perceived benefits of possessing closure and/or the perceived costs of lacking closure are high. Likewise, the need to avoid closure is elevated when the perceived benefits of lacking closure and the perceived costs of possessing closure are high. These benefits and costs vary according to situational factors and individual differences. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved)

 

The need for cognitive closure. - PsycNET (apa.org)

[Takiedevushkikakzvezdy]

2 hours ago, LynnS said:

LOL.  That always screws me up.  Reflexively, I spell it with two Ls.  Then I have to friggin look it up just to make sure.  Now, I just don't care and let the Ls fall where they may.

Yeah, it's quite strange because there are several examples of the normal spelling in the series, as we've said. Summerhall, Crakehall, etc...

[The Bard of Banefort]

2 hours ago, LynnS said:

People are waiting for closure on unanswered questions.

The need for cognitive closure. - PsycNET (apa.org)

Yeah, I agree. And if the world of ASOIAF is bigger than just the main series now, he needs to start publishing more of it. As far as I know, this is the longest dry spell we’ve gone without new content since the first book came out. (I’m putting Rise of the Dragon in the same category as the calendars, since they’re nice to have but don’t include any new information). 

On the one hand, it’s incredible that a show like HOTD even exists. On the other, it’s the fourth rehash of the Dance, following The Rogue Prince, The Princess and the Queen, TWOIAF, and FnB. Rise of the Dragon will be the sixth.

I just want to read something new. I’ll take anything at this point.

[Lord Browndodd]

52 minutes ago, Takiedevushkikakzvezdy said:

Yeah, it's quite strange because there are several examples of the normal spelling in the series, as we've said. Summerhall, Crakehall, etc...

Maybe it's just an ironborn thing.  They're not over-fond of literacy, after all.

[James Arryn]

On 5/1/2022 at 9:52 AM, Takiedevushkikakzvezdy said:

I just find it strange that Harrenhal and Summerhall are spelled differently.

One was named by an Ironborn, the other a Crownslander/Andalized Targaryen. In the same way that a name is Brandon in the North and Brynden in the Riverlands, or Arthor in the North and Vale but Arthur in Dorne, Edric Dayne is named after Eddard Stark, and Robb Stark is named after Robert Baratheon, but so is Robert Arryn. (The only male name that seems to travel universally is Jon.) ie, different regions in Westeros have different spelling patterns. There are no other single word locations in the Iron Islands that incorporate the word ‘hall’. When it’s used as a separate word it’s ‘Hall’ but possibly the tradition is to drop the second l when it’s incorporated. 

 

Or maybe GRRM just liked the look of it better. 

[Takiedevushkikakzvezdy]

40 minutes ago, James Arryn said:

In the same way that a name is Brandon in the North and Brynden in the Riverlands...

Wait, are they supposed to be pronouced the same? I always pronounced Brynden as "Brinden".

[James Arryn]

4 minutes ago, Takiedevushkikakzvezdy said:

Wait, are they supposed to be pronouced the same? I always pronounced Brynden as "Brinden".

Me too, but it’s a regional variation on the name; it’s a very common name but never appears as ‘Brandon’ amongst recorded Riverlanders, though there are many Bryndens.  I think our pronunciation is fine; regional variants often include minor pronunciation changes in RL. 

[Takiedevushkikakzvezdy]

37 minutes ago, James Arryn said:

Me too, but it’s a regional variation on the name; it’s a very common name but never appears as ‘Brandon’ amongst recorded Riverlanders, though there are many Bryndens.  I think our pronunciation is fine; regional variants often include minor pronunciation changes in RL. 

Yeah, I guess it depends on where you come from. As a Scandinavian, my natural inclination is to pronounce "y" as "ee", which is why I pronounced Redwyne as "Red win" and not "Red wine" for a long time, for example.

[James Arryn]

11 minutes ago, Takiedevushkikakzvezdy said:

Yeah, I guess it depends on where you come from. As a Scandinavian, my natural inclination is to pronounce "y" as "ee", which is why I pronounced Redwyne as "Red win" and not "Red wine" for a long time, for example.

Not Red vin?

[Takiedevushkikakzvezdy]

2 hours ago, James Arryn said:

Not Red vin?

Nope, but thanks for the tip.