Lack of Freaking Insects in Westeros

[Arya kiddin']

I was thinking that living as a hedge knight would be very cool, it is just you and the world. Then I watched this and suddenly being a hedge knight didnot seem so cool.

I was thinking that living as a hedge knight would be very cool, it is just you and the world. Then I watched this and suddenly being a hedge knight didnot seem so cool.

I was thinking that living as a hedge knight would be very cool, it is just you and the world. Then I watched this and suddenly being a hedge knight didnot seem so cool.

Look pal this is important so I'm quoting you thrice. Don't go on adventuring as a hedge knight without wearing kneepads. I repeat, DO WEAR KNEEPADS. Millions have gone on adventures without kneepads to have their dreams shattered when they took an arrow to the knee. This can happen. take some advice from the pros.

[The Old Tongue]

My apologies, I misunderstood you and thought you were talking of normal insects.

I suppose he did try to be the most compliant with whatever could have been around during middle age in Europe for the most, and added very few exotic animals to give it a particular unique trait.

Besides, I confess it would have been particularly difficult for me to accept a middle age society settled up in a world of giant insects, because these are commonly associated with post-apocalyptic scenarios. It would have been just like.. introducing dinosaurs instead of mammals. Imagine Cersei complaining of Robert always going to hunt a Triceratops Horridus when she's about to give birth to a child, the Starks finding 5 Velociraptor Mongoliensis puppies and Arya training catching Procompsognathus Triassicus in the red-keep. Odd, wouldn't it be?

You're assuming evolution happened the same way in GRRMs world as it did in ours. Giant insects are more prehistoric than post apocalyptic: an abundance of food, warmer climates, more trees/oxygen, etc contribute (at least in out world).

[Tetrarch42]

A decent deal is made of manticores. They're the sigil of house Lorch, used at least one that we know of for assasination, and some guy soils himself because he's touched by one.

[Barristan the G.O.A.T]

GRRM describes a very vivid world of tastes, smells etc. There are cities of every types and sizes, people are travelling through the wilderness. Wild animals are mentioned to trouble people. Rats causes serious problems. Yet I dont remember any mention of insects. Normally, we expect them to spread diseases, bite people, freak the hell out all but GRRM does not tell anything about it. Tolkien had an arachnophobia and as a result he created Shelob, which was described pretty ugly and with great horror in the books. I think Westeros would be a much better place if GRRM had included the insect dimension. Surely that makes the life of hedge knights much more miserable. Hell even in our world, there are flying cockroaches, camel spiders, giant centipedes, freaking hornets etc.

You sir are completely out of it.

[Ser Greg of House House]

You're assuming evolution happened the same way in GRRMs world as it did in ours. Giant insects are more prehistoric than post apocalyptic: an abundance of food, warmer climates, more trees/oxygen, etc contribute (at least in out world).

Well, it depends on the type of apocalypse. If there are nuclear stuff making mutant giant insects etc. (yeah, doesn't make sense, but it's fantasy/science fiction lol)

Anyway, about the other post, there are dinosaurs in Planetos

[Ahura Mazda]

You're assuming evolution happened the same way in GRRMs world as it did in ours. Giant insects are more prehistoric than post apocalyptic: an abundance of food, warmer climates, more trees/oxygen, etc contribute (at least in out world).

Speaking the truth, I just wanted to say that giant insects are recurrent clique of post-apocalyptic scenarios and that I feel more comfortable with a middle-age scenario that does not move too much from what has been historically true in Europe.. once got ridden of magic and fantasy elements.

It isn't an assumption on anything: I can't formulate such complicate thoughts and theories. Just a personal taste.

[Squire to Ser Pounce]

And direwolfs are not even fantastical. They existed. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Direwolf

Yes, a species did indeed once exist that was labeled with the name "dire wolf." But it was not a giant version of a wolf like it is in ASoIaF or Dungeons and Dragons.

[Dance Layder]

My apologies, I misunderstood you and thought you were talking of normal insects.

I suppose he did try to be the most compliant with whatever could have been around during middle age in Europe for the most, and added very few exotic animals to give it a particular unique trait.

Besides, I confess it would have been particularly difficult for me to accept a middle age society settled up in a world of giant insects, because these are commonly associated with post-apocalyptic scenarios. It would have been just like.. introducing dinosaurs instead of mammals. Imagine Cersei complaining of Robert always going to hunt a Triceratops Horridus when she's about to give birth to a child, the Starks finding 5 Velociraptor Mongoliensis puppies and Arya training catching Procompsognathus Triassicus in the red-keep. Odd, wouldn't it be?

Dragons are dinosaurs! It is known.

[The Great and Mighty Poo]

Giant Ice Spiders that the WW ride. Nuff said.

[Winds of Winter blow cold]

Wasn't there a area full of bee hives?

[assjfjgjsgjljljglgjfjsduar]

Shelob being based on Tolkien's fear of spiders suggests that without that fear, there would be no need to create Shelob. So if GRRM has no major fear of bugs (in general or specific kinds), he has no reason to create a monster one the way Tolkien did.

Also, many of the truly crazy bugs in the real world live in rainforests or otherwise tropical or subtropical climates. It's possible that the Summer Islands or Sothoryos have all kinds of nasty things, but we never see them because that's not where the story is.

[Mithras]

I dont how many of you played the videogame Diablo II but if you did, you can recall what a fantastic job they did especially in Act II and Act III. Act II had a desert theme where you have endless deserts, giant holes underground, long forgotten tombs and many monsters adapted to the environment perfectly. You have Scarab Demons Sand Maggots Vulture Demons Swarms Claw Vipers and so. Act III was a rainforest where you have Mosquito Demons Frog Demons Tentacle Beasts etc.

GRRM's story passed through desert terrains but no such animals/monsters were mentioned. Maybe I ask too much but wouldnt it be cool if we have a more diverse bestiary?