Read A Song Of Ice And Fire 2016 discussion

A Dance with Dragons ~0.Prologue *Discuss only prologue

Finally! A good writing with details and mysteries and gore. How come Thristle turned into a wight anyway? Is this like The Walking Dead where everyone is proned to become one after his/her death? Any thoughts?

I didn't know what was going on in the prologue.

Terry wrote: "I didn't know what was going on in the prologue."

Haha...me either.

Siya wrote: "Finally! A good writing with details and mysteries and gore. How come Thristle turned into a wight anyway? Is this like The Walking Dead where everyone is proned to become one after his/her death? ..."

MAN. I think so, that is why they have to burn the burn the bodies, so they don't come back to life or the white walkers are always near.

There was so much information about the abilities of wargs, I wonder how this will be for Bran. I hope he doesn't lose himself in Summer or maybe he does change bodies with a human. Hodor perhaps? It seems like a rare skill. OR maybe Bran can also have many skins.

I was also thinking we all know that Bran has the skill. This warg thought Jon had the skill. Arya in the other books hinted to the warg skill when she was running with the wolves. I wonder if Rickon, and Sansa have it too, but don't know it. Does anyone recall the Starks background? Did they help the children of the forrest?

They did in the tv series. but I don't want to spoil anything by assuming the same happens in the book - I guess we just have to read and find out.

Terry wrote: "They did in the tv series. but I don't want to spoil anything by assuming the same happens in the book - I guess we just have to read and find out."

That is what I was thinking. The show and the book became so different, but I can't help comparing.

Alex Farrand wrote: I was also thinking we all know that Bran has the skill. This warg thought Jon had the skill. Arya in the other books hinted to the warg skill when she was running with the wolves. I wonder if Rickon, and Sansa have it too, but don't know it. Does anyone recall the Starks background? Did they help the children of the forrest? "

Sansa's part was a bit tricky since her direwolf's dead, so it's most likely impossible to know if she could warg or not. But we'll see.

And hey, don't forget that technically it's Arya who dragged Cat's corpse out of the river, led to the resurrection of Lady Stoneheart! She was having a wolf dream in that episode. Sounds like a solid warging skill to me.

This chapter was creepy, but definitely worth reading. How did Thistle (or whatever her name was) become undead? I think the White Walkers caught up with her as she was fighting Varamyr. Also, an idea about the "waling dead" - do you think it's possible that they are in fact white walkers who, like wargs, have taken on the body of someone else? That's the only explanation I have of how they make the dead walk, though it doesn't explain why their limbs keep moving even after being separated from their bodies. Any other ideas?

I have always believed that all Stark children are wargs, except for Sansa (sinse, you know, Lady's dead... there's still a chance she might develop her abilities, but I think the direwolves are the Starks' way into becomming wargs. I think Lady's death was symbolic of Sansa becoming separated from her family, not just physically, but also in terms of her abilities.). And perhaps Robb didn't realise what he was. Or he simply never trusted his abilities. Otherwise he never would've lost faith in the direwolves so easily and perhaps he would've had wolf dreams and heard/felt Shaggydog and Summer through Grey Wind. I'm so sorry we didn't get to see him explore his warg-ness. I wonder why they got the direwolves in the first place, though. I mean, it can't have been just coincidence when they found them in the snow, can it? And I think maybe for the Starks the direwolves are just stepping stones into the whole warg business. Btw, do you remember how, when they were walking in the crypts once, someone talked about how the ancient kings had direwolves and then wolves next to them? You think they were wargs as well? I would've loved seeing Ned with a direwolf.

Bran did try to take a human, but not for long. Remember when they were in the tower, when the wildlings were trying to take over the Wall, when Summer saved Jon? Well, there was a thunderstorm and Hodor was making way too much noise, so Bran tried to sneak into his head and calm him down. I don't remember if he succeeded or not, but I think Bran is extremely powerful. Nothing seems to be off limits to him.

I think the Reeds and all the people in the bogs are somehow connected to the Children of the forest. Maybe they're related, I mean they do look differently than other Westerosi - they're smaller and their skin-colour seems to be a bit different. So maybe they're descendents of the children, or at least some half-children/half-human race or something like that.

I agree with all your points about the Starks being wargs, Ria. I think the author introduced the direwolves at the beginning of the first book for a reason and will bring them back, perhaps in the last book. At least I hope so - I have been waiting forever for them to be at the center of this story.

Ria that is an interesting thought about all the Starks being Wargs. That could be possible. Very interesting thought. All were hiding their skill too.

I was also thinking: Sansa and Robb looked more like Catelyn than the Stark side, maybe that could possibly play a roll of them not being a warg? They still have Stark blood I don't see why it would hinder, but a theory.

Alex Farrand wrote: "Ria that is an interesting thought about all the Starks being Wargs. That could be possible. Very interesting thought. All were hiding their skill too.

I was also thinking: Sansa and Robb looked ..."

Oh, that's an interesting point. They most likely still have the ability to be wargs, but the Force is less strong with them lol

I think the whole idea of the book is that magic has been getting weaker in their world. Perhaps slowly the warg abilities of the Starks "went to sleep" with the disappearing of magic, but now it's stirring up again, so the Starks have once again regained their abilities. Same with the dragons and even Thoros of Myr and his sudden ability to look into the fires and revive people. It might also be connected to the Others, but I'm not sure how.

Lol the force. Awesome.

With all these new characters it's hard to keep track of who is who. also- all this skinchanging talk confused me a bit.

Okay, I read the summary on Tower of the Hand for this chapter and it helped make more sense. I'm curious to know how this chapter will tie into everything!

I am finally here. Is it me or does anyone else feel lost during his prologues? I always feel like asking why do I need to know this?

I totally agree Roseanne!

Yes, always - I try not to get frustrated and just read, though.

I don't know how this prologue will be useful or even if I'll remember until the end of the book what I read today, all I know is after reading AFfC, I'm happy to get back to reading something interesting and creepy.

It seems like GRRM always drops the reader into a confusing situation in the Prologue of each ASOIAF book and forces us to figure out what's going on. I remember being hooked right away in the first book, but each successive book has been more frustrating as I try to figure out where we are and who is in the group. It took me a while to recognize Sixskins from Storm of Swords until he mentioned the eagle being burned, then I remembered.

Seems like the whole point of this prologue was to enforce the Warg-ness of the Starks and particularly Jon Snow, via the viewpoint of Sixskins, and also to remind us of the white walker threat which was largely absent in the last book.

I noticed the next chapter is a Tyrion chapter. It's been a while! Looking forward to it.