Set ups that don't get fufuilled (No end spoilers)

[mrbrokentusks.]

I am re-readying a storm of swords, the first time round because I didn't know what was going to happen next some of what my post mentions didn't bother me but watching the series, and then re-reading george seems to set up a lot of interesting ideas that just get cut short to level the playing field, I have a few examples. Some of them are stretches on my part, but I am only listing the major ones. I just feel I'm left wondering at what could have been if x didn't happened rather than whats going to happen (and only if x is like a cop out like dealing with the biggest army with an assassination rather than have the army play out) I am only listing points where the thing that happens that stops the amazing set-up is if it doesn't open up new things to explore and only serves to level the playing field and/or means george doesn't have to deal in more depth with the outcome of his world changing set-ups, like and army that out sizes everyone's tenfold .

My biggest point is the distribution of renlys army after he had died, the real problem I have with that isn't renlys death or the fact that an army splintered off (I agree with all of georges reasoning post his death) my problem with it is that the by biggest army got disbanded and didn't have any lasting impact on anything and if you think about it it's sort of a cop out. When I first read about renlys army I was intrigued how it would affect battles he was in and tactical decisons made by the other houses in terms of battles and alliances. I then read that he dies so the army's are now more or less balanced.

Another point is when sansa married tyrion, I would have loved to see the inner workings of an alliance go wrong if the tyrells get further towards the reality of sansa marrying one of there own, (bearing in mind I haven't read affc yet. so the tyrion marriage could be more than just wow were going to get the north, and open opportunities in the future)

The red wedding isn't really one but the fact that robbs effort to reclaim the north was in my head one of the most intrestings thing that could have happened, imagine if they pass threw the twins unharmed get to the north, do they reclaim it? do the iron men hold them back, either way it has more implications that the death of a whole army in one swoop has had and his death could be implemented into his retaking of the north. It also means the houses have to react, what we got was a whole story thats stops dead in his tracks and doesn't affect anyone else but the freys, they could have still killed rob but while also exploring a pretty good power and territory struggle george had set--up (I find it really hard to argue that point as the red wedding was pretty epic but the claim for the north is a lot less interesting now, unles it hots up in affc and there is no longer a rightful ruler and anyone who aims to take it, has no emotional relationship to the north or revenge in mind)

Some of my points are poorly argued and seem whinier than intended, this isn't meant as a slight to the books or the writing just the set-ups that are really interesting and make you wonder what could have happened with them but they were stopped dead and were done so in my mind with things that won't lead anywhere.Instead the set-ups just peter out and end story arc, you could argue that because of the events that happened it allowed other story's and plans to continue and flourish and even start but I can't see any,unless they aren't as directly linked as a x happened so we can do y and If that is the case great because it means he's a smarter man than me.

I wondered if anyone else has anything to say about it. Has it bothered you? Are these valid points? Are these cop outs? Any situations where the opposite has happened? Do theses situations and resolutions actually open any interesting story paths? Am I reading too much into it?

Sorry for such a long first and opening post, but believe me it could have been longer

[Ramsay Gimp]

That's the appeal of the books for me - nothing goes as expected. Imagine if Renly had won the Iron Throne and Robb kept the North, and all the Lannisters were killed. Who would care about the series then?

[Bad Hound!]

I have also looked at Renly's army, and it's built up to be a massive fighting force. then he has to divert some of it to Storm's End when Stannis gets there, but one is left with the impression that this army, even split in 2, is still huge.

Then after Renly gets killed, it seems to be an army without a clear purpose, and they seem to just stand there, not doing anything until LF turns up with a Lannister offer.

Now their initial inaction is understandable to a degree, with their commander (and King-elect) dead, but surely you would have thought that it would take something other than just LF turning up to tell them to join Tywin and the Lannister to move this humongous host towards KL. Was it really that easy? Sometimes I think this doesn't feel quite right.

[mrbrokentusks.]

That's the appeal of the books for me - nothing goes as expected. Imagine if Renly had won the Iron Throne and Robb kept the North, and all the Lannisters were killed. Who would care about the series then?

Well I am only talking about the army being split up to the point where troop numbers cancel each other out, I find that the massive army didn't mean he had to win to make the set-up play out interestingly but he didn't even try to make the massive army part of the plot and just wrote it out maybe so he didn't have to deal with the thought of involving renlys army in battles and didn't have to think off all the logistics. I didn't mean I wanted the army to win because it was the biggest just the fact the biggest army gets doesn't impact the plot in any way post renly's death.