GoT as a detective/mystery novel

[Redvipor]

First just a little background. This is my first read of GoT, but I have read books 2-5. I became interested in the series through HBO. I am not a particularly fast reader, and most of my reading is done 5 pages at a time each evening in bed until my Kindle crashes onto my chest or my wife tells me I am snoring. So, to make a long story short, I started with book 2 last summer because I did not realize how obsessed with the series I would become and I didn't think I wanted to devote so much time to a long book whose major elements and conclusion I already knew. However, after finishing A Dance With Dragons several months ago, and reading a few other books, I decided to finally read GoT.

I am now about halfway through GoT and I had no idea how much the first book of this series is a detective/mystery novel, with Ned Stark, and to a lesser extent, Catelyn, as the sleuth/s. From the time Eddard leaves Winterfell, he is determined to find Jon Arryn's poisoner and becomes convinced that it is connected to both his son's fall and then attempted assassination. I never realized that finding out the truth of Arryn's death was Ned primary motivation for agreeing to become the Hand of the King.

Of course, Catelyn plays gumshoe in her own right, searching for the owner of the daggar and trying to puzzle out the assassination attempt as well.

I guess what I have learned so far is that this book seems to be as much a murder/mystery as it is a fantasy novel, and having read and studied books 2-5 pretty thoroughly over the last year I was totally ignorant to this and I am pleasantly surprised by it. Sorry about the long post.

[Queen of Whores]

Yeah the first book definitely has a different "feel" to the other books, just like aFfC and aDwD have a different feel to the rest as well.

I was thought aGoT had a more "light" tone and feel than the other books, especially aFfC and aDwD, which have a very "dark" and "bleak" feel.

In a way aGoT kind of reminds me of season 1 of The Wire; it's smaller in scope than the other four (books/seasons) and has a more straightforward and accessible storyline. Later books/seasons would go on to introduce many more different storylines and groups, like the Greyjoys and Martells/schools and politicians.

Anyway, that was a longer reply than I thought it would be.

[sillylaulau]

Yes! :eek: It does feel like a murder mystery. I'm re-reading GoT now for the first time and its fascinating to see all the little clues in (for GoT and future books).

[KOM]

This is fine for GoT. But I think in the series as a whole, it's similarly constructed to a classic 'detective fiction' work. Take mysteries of ToJ, KotLT, etc. Even basic events like Battle of Blackwater. We, as readers, learn about these events tidbits at a time, from the various vantage points. With all the biased pov's grrm presents, the reader has to discover/construct the 'truth' for themselves. And, in certain way, the treachery in ASOIAF is comparable to that of other 'pulp' fiction classics like Red Harvest of Maltese Falcon.

In the series the mysteries become:

LF motivations, backstory

Bran / BR happenings

Dany, fAegon, Illyrio/Varys machinations

and probably more. But that's at least three that come to mind.

Consider also the way the PW is constructed/revealed. It's a tragedy for Tyrion, but presents as an unfolding mystery for the reader. So much of the series is like this. Imo moreso than it is fantasy or any other genre.

[Castellan]

I was just re-reading the part where Tyrion is the on pole boat with Griff et al and puzzling over what Tyrion was thinking and whether he was being cunning at all, or just acting emotionally. It did remind me of a lot of detective fiction. Tyrion's story as a whole especially those parts in the wake of killing Tywin and Shae, where he is rolling about Essos, drunk when he can be, out of control, particularly reminds me of noirish fiction by David Geddis. (might have spelt his name wrong).

I suppose the mystery of what happened re Rhaegar/Lyanna may in turn put to be related to whatever happened at Summerhall and to the Others and Azor Ahai and the Last Hero, so it may all get wrapped up together by the end.