A Song of Ice and Fire (Book discussion)

[NinjaLotter]

What the fuck are you even talking about? Honestly people have developed such a shit, entitled attitude towards all entertainment that I am just constantly saddened by the human race. The dude has been writing these books for a looooooong time. That means some fatigue and wanting to do other shit besides this ONE THING. Then, all of a sudden, the show starts and it gets popular...think about that for a second. This dude has been writing this series in virtual anonymity for all these years, now he's suddenly thrust into the spotlight and asked CONSTANTLY when he will finish the books or IF he will finish them before he dies...(not even going into how insanely disrespectful this is to another human.) Honestly, the guy is one of the nicest people on earth and interacts with his fans on levels that most authors don't even come close to, yet people are shitting on him because he writes a little slow? Fuck right off. Those books you claim to love? He wrote those slow too. Let him, he writes better that way. For fucks sake people...chill the hell out and get the hell outside.

^

[Qalbert]

Guess what, venting harmlessly is just that. People are frustrated that he's taking years to write, so they complain, and then they feel better. Venting is not a new concept. Get off your fucking high horses.

[NinjaLotter]

Gonna' rant about some shit concerning possible other dragons not belonging to Daenarys, and shit related to that which stuck out to me while reading. Don't continue unless finished with A Dance with Dragons.

Spoiler: show

We know about the `pale dragon` Tyrion had sighted, that may not have been Drogon, or may have been Drogon through a mist or cloud cover (who knows?)

When I finished reading the book, though, there were two other potential Dragons that left an impact on my memory as I was moving through the story for the first time.

The first was Euron and his alleged egg. The first book alludes to the value and rarity of Dragon eggs over and over. It seems ridiculous that Euron would throw one off the side of his ship into the ocean where it would be impossible to recover, especially when, apparently, "one egg is enough to buy an army."

If he actually did, there's a possibility Patchface told us it hatched:
"Under the sea, smoke rises in bubbles, and flames burn green and blue and black. I know, I know, oh, oh, oh."

But that said, it seems strange that he would just throw it off the side of his boat. However, I say that because I understand their value as a reader who gets Daenarys POV's. Maybe he did.

Maybe he didn't.

Maybe he traded it to the House of Black and White for Balon Greyjoy's assassination, which could tie into why Jacen was at the Citadel, possibly trying to steal rare books on Dragons, or something.

Whether he did or did not, I don't consider George RR Martin to be the kind of author who just throws mud at the wall. Even brief mention of petty Houses often seems very deliberate. Shouldn't we consider Euron just mentioning he had a Dragon egg (which would be the first we've ever heard of in existence outside Dany's) also deliberate?

It was a very specific action he had Euron admit to, and it comes out of seemingly nowhere. Euron has no real cause to just tell people that he had a Dragon egg. It was one sentence, and never mentioned again, and yet it stood out to me as significant.

I think he either
(a.) Threw it over the side and it hatched, and Patchface was referring to some terrible sea-dragon Euron's carelessness will unleash on the seas in the final books.
(b.) Kept it.
(c.) Gave it to the House of Black and White for Balon's tumble over a bridge, which is tied into `the Alchemist` at the Citadel.

Next it's the Ice Dragon.

It's implied that the magical powers of the Warlocks waned when the Dragons went out of the world, and arose when they returned out of Drogo's funeral pyre. I thought this connection between magical strength and Dragons was significance.

The books have been referring the Ice Dragon as a thing of lost legend numerous times, through numerous books.

If the Warlocks did indeed feel greater magical power in the presence of Daenarys' Dragons, than something Melisandre says in A Dance With Dragons suddenly becomes potentially very significant.

Her revealing to Jon that she had found her magical powers heightened and strengthened at the Wall for reasons she could not understand.

Ice Dragon encased within?

The presence of Dragons is the only thing we have seen in ASOIAF canon that strengthens magic, and Melisandre doesn't know why she is more powerful at the wall, where George is repeatedly telling us about Ice Dragons of old in POV chapters. Surely that revelation was a significant one for future chapters. I sincerely doubt Melisandre just happens to be `more powerful` at the Wall and that's just the end of it, including, but not limited to, a unique resurrection. The `Why`, however, is something I would fully expect to be answered, unless it already was, in Qarth

[Tyrath]

Did you get lost on your way to r/asoiaf??

Spoiler: show

I kid.

[NinjaLotter]

Did you get lost on your way to r/asoiaf??

Spoiler: show

I kid.

lol I probably should go post it over there.

[Cutriss]

Guess what, venting harmlessly is just that. People are frustrated that he's taking years to write, so they complain, and then they feel better. Venting is not a new concept. Get off your fucking high horses.

I think I'd feel a little bit better if we had better signs that he was making progress, rather than so much news about how he's single-handedly trying to reform a movie theater and bowling alley.

[Eurell]

God forbid the guy wants to have some hobbies outside of his job lol.

[Qalbert]

It's mostly a PR thing, and stuff like not writing an episode or going to all the cons is a means to combat it. When he talks about 27 things he's doing that aren't Winds of Winter and has no news about the book it's discouraging/frustrating to fans of the series, and can come across as apathetic towards the series/fans on his part, but he seems to be aware of that problem now and is making steps to improve it.

[Eurell]

It's mostly a PR thing, and stuff like not writing an episode or going to all the cons is a means to combat it. When he talks about 27 things he's doing that aren't Winds of Winter and has no news about the book it's discouraging/frustrating to fans of the series, and can come across as apathetic towards the series/fans on his part, but he seems to be aware of that problem now and is making steps to improve it.

Oh I get it, and its frustrating for me as well. I was definitely hoping to finish the story in the books and not on TV. But I still have to see the guy as human, and of course when he's on his live journal he wants to talk about fun stuff going on in his life, and not just constantly focus on his job.

[Wulfgang]

Add Patrick Rothfuss to the list of authors who I love and hate at the same time haha. FINISH THE DOORS OF STONE PLES GOD!

[Tyrath]

And hes purposefully not giving updates on the book until its done anymore because people are dicks when he misses predicted deadlines.

[Qalbert]

I think Brandon Sanderson doesn't help what with his inhuman ability to produce novels, teach writing, and so on. I mean we're getting two mistborn books in a year's time and he's got at least the third Stormlight also in progress.

[Zetanio]

Yeah but the newer Mistborn stuff is awful. Sanderson is inhuman though.

I don't care how long the books take. I've waited for over 15 years already. All people do is badger the motherfucker about the book, it's like Half Life 3 at this point. Every time you ask? Another week. See you in 2050.

[Yabby]

I hope he has it all finished and he is just sitting on them, and doesn't release them until 5 years after his death. 1st page of the book reads "Fuck everyone bitching about my timeline."

[Cutriss]

God forbid the guy wants to have some hobbies outside of his job lol.

Well when it looks like he has nineteen hobbies and works three weeks in the year...

It's all appearances. I'm sure he works hard. And he adds a new hobby every three months.

I want to murder a puppy every time a new Wild Cards book comes out.

[noblemountain]

Then you obviously aren't reading them.

[Valisk]

Anyone have any recommendations for audiobooks/apps, free or paid? I don't want to reread the books without some convenient assistance on deck.

[Tyche]

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/geor...570015223?mt=8

[Zetanio]

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/geor...570015223?mt=8

This shit is legit and huge. I have it on my iPhone and iPad always up to date.

[Zetanio]

http://www.georgerrmartin.com/excerp...nds-of-winter/

MOTHERFUCKERING SPOILERS IN THERE.