Fantasy Buddy Reads discussion

This is a Buddy Read for A Storm of Swords by George R.R. Martin starting on August 6, 2024.


Happy Reading!

Looking forward to it!

1. A Game of Thrones (Sept 4 2023) [link]
2. A Clash of Kings (Nov 10 2023) [link]
3. A Storm of Swords (August 6)
4. A Feast for Crows (TBD)
5. A Dance with Dragons (TBD)

Prequels/Histories:
A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms (TBD)
Fire & Blood (TBD)

Audio: Not on Hoopla or Audible Plus
Ebook: Not on KU, preview only on Open Library

Check Libby; let me know if there are any subscription/library copies elsewhere.

Thanks!

I vaguely remember this one being action-packed, so we'll see if this is the case...

Time for another re-read of my favourite series? :)

I never finished Fire & Blood and have never read A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms which I have purchased recently so if we get there that would be great.

I think this book is my favorite in the series... so many bloody and memorable scenes...

I haven't read Fire & Blood either, but I'm not sure I can sit through a fake history book when I can't sit through regular history books. I did really enjoy the Dunk & Egg stories though--they're a breath of fresh air. I haven't been watching House of the Dragon but I will so watch A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms when HBO sets it out.

I forgot this buddy read but i am jumping inmediately. This month i have big books (SA is also on my list) but i am excited about them. Its been a long time since i read this book so i am very suprised at some things

Until Catelyn 2 chapter (view spoiler)[ I like how Jaime and then Arya went the same way and how the horses and boats were bargained. It makes the world feel more connected and i wonder what would have happened if they had met. Would brienne backtrack to help Arya or would she have continued forward. I am glad it didnt happen because brienne would have felt bad with whatever decision she made.

I am also excited to see Jon in the north and see Ygritte again, the free people are fascinating.

I totally forgot that Robb got married and destroyed the frey alliance. And they are so positive to think it can be salvaged, knowing what happens later only makes me sad and frustrated with him. At the same time I think Jenny acted as bait from the lannisters and he took it. Another bad decision is to let Greywind out of his side. Its also interesting to see how good he is at war and strategy but fail at everything else and how that everything else is even more important than the battles. (hide spoiler)]

I'm running late on everything, but looking forward to this reread.

Dont worry i am reading this slowly since its huge so i am sure you will catch up in no time

Been it a bit busy, so haven't been able to be on here much. Couldn't remember when this BR was! I'm gonna try to finish Empire of Sand, since I've got like halfway so might as well. Hopefully won't be too long til I get to this.

Ok, that was an utter flop; I'll be onto this tomorrow, hope it's action packed!

Started yesterday, but my brain is completely frazzled right now with start of school, so I'm only doing a few hours here and then something light and fluffy. The opening scenes reminded me of some of my favorite parts that I think are coming up in this book... Slayer...

Welcome guys! I am almost halfway, later I'll post my ramblings but I forgot about half of the things happening here so it's been very fun to read it again. Yes, this book has also some of my fave scenes so I am excited too!

Near to halfway done here. Enjoying this book a lot so far

Awesome Paula!

And welcome Jeremiah :)

Up to pg.66, through 1st Tyrion. (view spoiler)[ Tywin thinks that Tyrion brings shame on the Lannisters by being with whore, what about the fact that his other two have slept with each other and bore kids out of it?! No? Poor Tyrion, he can never win. (hide spoiler)]

I didn't realise this book was 1,200 pages long! Severely underestimated how long it's going to take for me to read it! (Tho I vaguely remember my physical copies being split into two books- so that should've given me some indication.)

Beena wrote: "Awesome Paula!

And welcome Jeremiah :)"

Thanks

Finally remembered my thoughts and locked up where I left. So until chapter Arya 7

(view spoiler)[It's so enfuriating to see how Tyrion is branded as a liar by Cat since Jaime hasn't even arrived and even then Tywin is the Hand of the king, I guess they didn't mention that detail.

And poor Theon, he is captured and everyone thinks he is the one to kill every Winterfell inhabitant and the burn the castle
Does Stannis not remember that he send Melissandre with Davos the night he died? Or is that an way to say to Davos to shut up? I don't like Melissandre but she saw the white walkers so I at least appreciate someone other than the night watch seeing the threat. Tywin certainly laughed at their faces

One of my favourite scenes from Jaime is his bath scene when it becomes apparent that he did the dishonorable thing in order to save people. It has been hinted in other chapters with the whole 'it all comes down to aerys' when people doubt his honor. I liked how he was very down after his hand was cut and sometimes when faced with little everyday things like cutting his food he is reminded again. But other than that he still jokes and isn't withdrawn, his pride keeps him going at this point.
I also wonder if Gillys baby would have played a bigger role in the inicial draft with the white walkers since he is their brother. As there was supposed to be a time skip he could be older and try to talk with them. I don't think he will play any role now but I am curious if them being all human brothers before could impact anything. In the show it wasn't explained at all so I want to know more about them and their magic and their weird camaleon like armour. And they talk too

Jon's and Aryas chapters are also very engaging. And Sansa is growing on me too, though her revealing to Dontos the Tyrells plan of her marriage ended up with her marrying Tyrion instead (hide spoiler)]

Welcome Jeremiah, the more the merrier

Beena (view spoiler)[ Yeah, the incestuous relationship is worse and now everyone knows about it. Though I love their messed up family (hide spoiler)]

Mine is 1100 pages long, the biggest book I have read this year. And that's why I go through it slowly and carefully since my copy is only one volume and I don't want the pages to rip. A game of thrones had like 50 pages ripped even though I was careful :(

I just hit the halfway point, and there are so many scenes in this book that are just so good... and we haven't even hit the epic bits yet... I love everyone's comments so far. (view spoiler)[Poor Tyrion... even if he hadn't been born a dwarf, his father would never have forgiven him for "killing" his mother... anything he does is just an excuse to punish him for the transgression of being born. And him being married off to Sansa is as much a tragedy for him as for her... though him having sexual attraction to a 12 y/o is rather ick, he doesn't act on it (like almost any other man in the universe would have).

Trying to put ages together... I think Caitlin, Jaime, and Cersei are all around 28 or so... Rob and Jon are 14, and Caitlin was 14 when she married Eddard--who wasn't that much older, I think... Tyrion is probably around 22? There's enough of an age gap between him and the twins that they were up and around without minders... maybe even 20. So young...

So many details I'd forgotten too, like Mormont dying in Craster's hold. Or Tywin telling Tyrion that the Freys won't be a problem. The Goat turning coat and his band being the ones to cut off Jaime's hand... I really like what @Paula was saying about Jaime in this book--he's still joking and keeping going even with this all happening... I really like how his & Brienne's friendship grows, slowly learning to respect each other. (hide spoiler)]

Nirkatze (view spoiler)[ yeah, poor Tyrion, his father clearly hates him no matter what. At least Sansa didn't marry Joffrey, that would have been even worse.

ha, I too was looking up ages, I just like to keep track of time and I think a whole year or more has passed in these three books. I think it was mentioned Jaime was knighted at 15 and that was 16 years ago so he is around 31. And oberyn mentioned that the twins where 8 or 9 when Tyrion was born so he is around 22-23. Ygritte is mentioned to be 19 and three years older than Jon and Robb, so they are 16. I think it was mentioned somewhere in the first book that Neds brother was around 21 or so when the rebellion so he probably was 19 or so at the time, so in present day he would have been around 34. The surprise for me was Tyrion since he sounds older to me.

Me too! I forgot a buch of details or maybe mix them with the TV series. Jaime and Briennes friendship is the best and I think it could be a first time for Jaime to be more of himself with someone without his arrogance and the kingslayer title to bother (hide spoiler)]

Thank you for that much more succinct math!! It's so interesting, comparing ages in the book with our minds, and then there's the TV series where all the actors are decades older than the characters... But it's also crazy to think that real life historical folks were changing the world as they knew it in their teens...

I finished the book last week, and will try to be back to comment soon...

Nirkatze wrote: "Thank you for that much more succinct math!! It's so interesting, comparing ages in the book with our minds, and then there's the TV series where all the actors are decades older than the character..."

You are welcome! I know, its so incredible that the historical folks were so young. That reminds me that i was only studying at that age. On the other hand, we now live longer so i guess it balances it out.

Congratulations on finishing it! I am still about halfway through

I'm still here guys, just reading very slowly- quite slow-going in the beginning isn't it- and haven't had time to come on Goodreads.

I'm halfway through 2nd Jon, pg.210 but thought I'd better post my comments before I forget:

(view spoiler)[ Lol, loving Lady Olenna (queen of thorns), at least she tells it like it is. Sansa remains naive and still full of silly dreams over looks and gallantry, i.e. Loras- even after Joffery and everything she's been through. Just wanna shake some damn sense into her!

I don't get the impression that Mance Raydar is all that bad, even tho we've only just met him.

Bleurgh at Ser Jorah kissing Dany! He overstepped. And only because he thinks she's beautiful, it doesn't seem like it's built on an actual reciprocal attraction between them. Urgh.

Ah shit, not a good idea for Arya to reveal herself, no matter who it is! Poor Arya, she's been strong for so long and finding someone who knew her was the last straw. I hope they don't try to sell her off to the highest bidder.

Robb's a fool for not thinking the direwolves were sent for them. The connection between them is so clear. And the fact that he's put grey wind aside for his blimmin' wife is so frustrating. (hide spoiler)]

Speaking of the TV Show, it was Prime day in the UK a few weeks ago and they had 30% off- I was umming and ahhing over whether to buy them and I didn't. Now they're not on sale anymore and I wish I had. I can watch it through another streaming service, but I'd have to binge them so I don't pay for a subscription for too long and I'd rather watch it in my own time (and not overtake my reading). Gah, kicking myself now!

I've finished House recently (which I watched as a teenager) so I'm a bit at a loss of what to replace it with. Happy to accept recommendations of any quality drama TV series that you can watch at any time and don't have to follow too closely. I'm more of a film person but this just helps to fill in the gaps lol.

Beena wrote: "I'm still here guys, just reading very slowly- quite slow-going in the beginning isn't it- and haven't had time to come on Goodreads.

I'm halfway through 2nd Jon, pg.210 but thought I'd better pos..."

Dont worry, we will be here. I have only a little left but i am travelling this weekend so until next week i will not finish it too.

(view spoiler)[ Olenna is the best, she is the only person besides Tywin to have managed to make Tyrion speechless.

yep, mormont kissing dany took me by suprise, i thouht he wouldnt make any moves on her

The thing i find sad is how everyone thinks Arya is dead, which is understandable seeing how awful things are, but she is quite resorceful and is pretty distrustful (except now, which you have said, when she finally saw someone familiar)

I know! If greywind had been with robb i wonder if things could have turned different. (hide spoiler)]

Beena wrote: "Speaking of the TV Show, it was Prime day in the UK a few weeks ago and they had 30% off- I was umming and ahhing over whether to buy them and I didn't. Now they're not on sale anymore and I wish I..."

Now you know to buy them if the opportunity happens again.

I am more of a anime person nowadays but i have heard shogun is amazing, but maybe you need more focus to watch that. A friend recentrly recommended me Watchmen wich is a detective series. Have you watched House of the dragon? Because that is amzing, although i binged watched the first season.

@Paula, yeahh, I was just hoping it would go down a bit more... 40% and I would've snatched them up (plus I was also in the middle of getting my laptop fixed which cost 200). Next time...

Ahh yeah, I was interested in Shogun when I saw it advertised, just need to get Disney+ again to watch it.

Hmmm, not heard of Watchmen, will have to check it out...

House of the Dragon is on the same channel that GOT was in the UK, which we still don't have funnily enough lol. So, same problem. Is it a prelude to GOT?

Beena wrote: "@Paula, yeahh, I was just hoping it would go down a bit more... 40% and I would've snatched them up (plus I was also in the middle of getting my laptop fixed which cost 200). Next time...

Ahh yeah..."

Yes, House of the dragon is a prelude, about 200 years before GOT and its basically targaryen drama.

Finished! Now i can continue with humoungous books and start stormlight archive.

(view spoiler)[ So many good events i forgot about and a lot of little details that were amazing.

Weddings in westeros sure are dangerous haha. In the end the Westerlings did betray Robb since Tiwyn pardoned them. I think Jayne didnt know her parents plans to betray Robb and she genuinely liked Robb in the end.

I think its a shame that now Sansa loves winterfell and the moments she had when she cant have them. She wanted to go south and be a lady like in the songs but look what happened. It shows what i have thought a lot, that sometimes what you go through seems the worst and only when you do something else that you think fondly of the past.

Theres also such a contrast between Sansa, who has learned to hold her tongue and lie, and Arya who gone from a very talkative and bright person to a very sullen and quiet one. Her first though to her being cheated when selling her horse was that there was a lot of people to kill her. She has only seen how force solves things when in war while Sansa has seen the more political and cutthroat side of things.

The way Tyrion and Jaime parted ways was heartbreaking. How could they leave like that? Tyrion was very hurt and lashed at jaime, i bet he will come to regret how they parted ways. I only hope jaime recognizes how tyrion lied to him regarding joff but seeing how he killed their father i am not sure.

Oberyns fight still is so iconic. He almost almost won (hide spoiler)]

Beena wrote: "I'm still here guys, just reading very slowly- quite slow-going in the beginning isn't it- and haven't had time to come on Goodreads.

I'm halfway through 2nd Jon, pg.210 but thought I'd better pos..."

Dittoing Paula--still here to read & chat! Though I totally feel you on having time to GR comment... I have two weeks of comments to catch up on now...

But aaaaah! I so agree with everything you're saying here!! (view spoiler)[Lady Olenna is such a breath of fresh air! And Diana Rigg did her so amazingly in the TV series. It's nice to see someone who ... she's not not playing the game, but she's... maybe not pretending to be something she's not? I can't put my finger on what makes her so appealing, except that she goes on my list of badass grandmas.

And Jorah kissing Dany! So ick! She treated with him much nicer than he deserved... (hide spoiler)]

I might replace House with Castle, or Bones, or even The Closer... NCIS... though those are all police procedurals instead of medical ones... they were good episodic series with a solid cast family that made the whole series gel... on the medical side, I enjoyed the Good Doctor... and for more modern amazing dramas, I second the recs for Shogun...

I've had Watchmen on my list but haven't gotten around to it... it's the one based on the Alan Moore comics, right? Heard good things about it.

Paula wrote: "Finished! Now i can continue with humoungous books and start stormlight archive.

So many good events i forgot about and a lot of little details that were amazing...."

Love your end thoughts too, Paula... (view spoiler)[I love that we get both the Purple Wedding and the Red here... after the carnage of the Red, we needed a picker-upper and Joffrey dying horribly rather did the trick.

I was also surprised by some of the differences between the books and show--I haven't reread the books since the show came out, and totally forgot that Robb's wife was still alive and pregnant... One more Stark for the books to kill off, I'm sure.

I really like your analysis about Arya and Sansa. Really spot on, how they are both growing and in different ways... Arya's looser tongue is almost highlighting how she is still a child even after being through so much... Like you say, she's seen the war side of things while Sansa the political... but Arya's experiences have also been less personal.... Sansa's battles have taught her how dangerous it is to be herself, while Arya's have taught her that the world is dangerous in general... but also empowered her in a way that left her with less fear of it...

Oberon's duel... every time I read it, I hope he'll win... Of course the book doesn't change. And Tyrion leaving... I think Jaime knows that Tyrion's lashing out... or will know. And Tywin deserved that death. I still love the line about how he doesn't shit gold. The real tragedy in all this was Tyrion finding out about his first wife... Tysha... and Jaime was complicit in that... (hide spoiler)]

Paula wrote: "Finished! Now i can continue with humoungous books and start stormlight archive.

Oohh Stormlight re-read? Ambitious, if you're trying to get them all done before the 5th comes out...

I dunno I feel it's too soon for a re-read personally, I like to forget the most part before I pick them up again. I was intending to read the new one when it comes out in December, but reckon something as epic and detailed as Stormlight probably does require re-reads to fully enjoy the subsequent books.

Thanks Nirkatze! Yeah, I think you hit the nail on the head with Lady Olenna, there's no pretence.

Re TV Shows; thanks for the recs! I've watched maybe one or two seasons of The Good Doctor when it came out, really enjoyed that. It's not so much that I'm looking for another medical series, just a really high quality drama that delivers solidly throughout.

There's nothing I hate more than sitting through episodes and they're just chaff, nothing happens and you're bored out of your head. It needs to be constantly engaging. NCIS has never appealed to me for some reason, I think it's to do with the cast. But I've found a list of series on Imdb, so gonna check something out from there.

Re Watchmen; yeah I think it is, something to do with vigilantes...

Up to 3rd Sansa, pg.394

(view spoiler)["I wish I had a flaming sword." Arya could think of lots of people she'd like to set on fire.
And about her dress: "I look like an oak tree, with all these stupid acorns."

Hahaha, gotta love Arya! She's just awesome. Can't help wishing she was a little older so she could properly learn to fight and be able to save herself.

It has to be said that when GRRM metes out come-uppance to his characters, he does it extremely well and doesn't take half measures. Jaime's ego and stature made him believe that no one would touch him, he kept assuming how much Brienne would be raped by the Bloody Mummers, and instead, there goes his sword hand! Only everything that has made him what he is. I actually didn't remember how it happened, I'm kind of surprised it wasn't in one of the battles, or even as revenge by one of the nobles when he was kept captive. It makes it worse that it was done so casually, by scum.

I wonder what the story that Meera told to Bran is about- the crannogman being assaulted by those squires, the knights that owned them being beaten in the tourney by a mystery knight, and that knight vanishing. Jojen repeatedly asking Bran if he had heard it before makes me think it's part of the Stark family history.

So, so relieved Dany didn't actually intend to give Drogon away- at first I was like, Nooooo! But then I realised if he's the strongest, maybe she intends to leave him with them and he'll destroy them and then come back to her, but what happened was even better! There was no way she was gonna give her baby away to anybody! Also, interesting to find out what Valar Morghulis means.

Poor Sansa ending up marrying Tyrion. She was a fool for not getting out when Dontos offered her the opportunity. I feel sorry for her, but it's also annoying cos she's always waiting around for somebody else to save her. The thing is, if she actually opened her eyes and started being a bit more savvy, she'd realise what Tyrion can actually offer her and use it to her advantage. Also quite relieved that Tyrion didn't force her to have sex on their marriage night- then again he'd never really be capable of such, but also felt a bit sorry for him. The fact that she'll never see him in the way that he desires or measure up to what she dreamt her husband and life would be. (hide spoiler)]

Up to pg.646 (Samwell chapter). I am STILL reading, I will get there eventually...

(view spoiler)[Oh shit, Craster gave his sons to the others to be made into wights.. just when you think he couldn't get any more fucked up.

Davis remaining so loyal to Stannis whilst he's brainwashed is so frustrating. Now Stannis has made him his hand, he's gonna get himself mixed up in some right shit, especially with that red woman near. She's obviously draining Stannis' life force. Tho, the thing with the higher battle between R' hllor and the other dude- I don't remember this at all tbh- but it strikes me as true, now that she's shown Stannis the watch fighting the wights etc. beyond the wall. But I don't get it, cos her cause seems so sinister? She's hardly a character to root for and is so shady and questionable.

One thing that's been getting on my nerves this whole book; how Sansa is considered a woman because she's started her period and Robb is apparently still a boy. Ugh, the double standards!

So this Lord of light must be real, what with Thoros managing to bring Beric Dondarrion back from the dead.

Completely forgot that Jon got away from the wildlings, I don't remember that at all. I wonder what he'll do now. He could've seen Bran too!

Shit, Sandor Clegane's got Arya! That was silly, trying to run away.

Heh, it only took Jaime losing his hand to become a true Knight. Its ironic cos all we know of Aerys shows he wasn't a good man or king, so Jaime was in the right to break his oath. (hide spoiler)]

So true about GRRM and comeuppance! I'm sorry I've been doing a bad job keeping track of commenting the past month. Trying to catch up. Will read the rest of your comments tomorrow!

Nirkatze wrote: "Paula wrote: "Finished! Now i can continue with humoungous books and start stormlight archive.

So many good events i forgot about and a lot of little details that were amazing...."

Love your en..."

(view spoiler)[ I also forgot about Robbs wife. Its not confirmed she is pregnant but i wouldn't be a suprise since it adds to the drama. (hide spoiler)]

Beena wrote: "Paula wrote: "Finished! Now i can continue with humoungous books and start stormlight archive.

Oohh Stormlight re-read? Ambitious, if you're trying to get them all done before the 5th comes out......"

Too ambitious i think. I still havent finish the first book but i will soon. I wont finish before book five comes out but journey before destination right?

I honestly forgot a lot of things but now they are coming to me a bit. Its fun rediscovering things for sure.

Beena wrote: "Up to 3rd Sansa, pg.394

"I wish I had a flaming sword." Arya could think of lots of people she'd like to set on fire.
And about her dress: "I look like an oak tree, with all these stupid acorns."
..."

(view spoiler)[ agree on arya, she is amazing and i would also like to see her fight. Maybe later on or in our imaginations after book five.

I actually remember pretty well that the Mummers would cut jaimes hand since i was pretty shocked the first time i read it. But i was thinking it would happen sooner so whenever they showed up i was wanting and not wanting to read. And i agree that being cut so casually was worse. And its a consequence of tywyn bringing them to westeros so i bet jaime is bitter about it too.

I thought the mystery knight was Lyanna or Rhaegar. But i think rhaegar participated in the tourney so maybe it was her. She is shown to be good with a horse and interested in swords just like arya.

Yep, i was so waiting the moment when drogon crisped everyone

I agree that Sansa is always waiting for someone to help her. But she is still traumatised so i can give her some slack. If in the next books she doesnt learn then i will be more annoyed (hide spoiler)]

Beena wrote: "Up to pg.646 (Samwell chapter). I am STILL reading, I will get there eventually...

Oh shit, Craster gave his sons to the others to be made into wights.. just when you think he couldn't get any mor..."

Dont worry. I didnt get the notifications or they were buried but i will read your comments. And thats me reading stormlight now haha

(view spoiler)[ I know! Melissandre seems shady but her cause is the fight against the others so i guess she is a good guy. I think its because her methods are really weird what with the bloodsuckers and the shadowy thing. And the azor azhai prophecy with the sword being tempered in a persons heart...that is also a bit sinister.

Good catch, true. Sansa is woman at 13 and Robb at 16 is a boy...

Arya was free when she was an annonymous refugee but now with her true name she is a prisioner. Much like sansa.

I love jaime. How everyone thinks the worst about him when the most noble thing he did was the thing everyone shuns him for, killing aerys. Even he says that to himself. And as everyone already thinks the worst of him he just doesnt care about anything else and can do awful things like throwing bran. (hide spoiler)]

Glad you're enjoying your Stormlight re-read Paula! Nah, don't rush them, I rushed through Dawnshard last time so I could get to Rhythm of War in time for the BR and regretted it. (Cos I loved Dawnshard and Rhythm of War was a bit of a slog.)

Anyway, back to A Storm of Swords:
(view spoiler)[ Yeah, completely agree with everything you've said about Melisandre. The way she goes about things is so creepy. And the fact that she wants to sacrifice an innocent boy to give Stannis more power...

Ahh that's quite true about Arya being a prisoner now because of her name, which is the same for Sansa. I didn't think of it like that.

True about Jaime, though, he does secretly care that everyone thinks his honour isn't worth shit for killing Aerys. (hide spoiler)]

Up to pg. 921

(view spoiler)[Ah shit, I knew the Freys were up to something, I could sense it was some kind of trap, but couldn't remember what. Noooo, Robb and Catelyn dead, now what?! (I wish we could have had a Robb pov, he had so much potential and was shaping up to be a really good leader. Tho, on the upside, no more Catelyn chapters to suffer through lol.) Poor Arya, she was nearly there!

This whole gate under the wall business with Bran, Sam and the living weirwood was really interesting. Wonder who the cold guy is that guided Sam...

Damn Jofferey dead! I feel he should've suffered more tho for what he did to Tyrion in the feast. I actually thought it might have been Margaery and Olenna who killed him, but it was Littlefinger! I was trying to remember how Sansa ended up with him, now I know. Poor Dontos, he was such an absolute fool.

Yass at Jon taking command! He made smart moves in that battle against the wildlings! Let's see if he can keep it up. (hide spoiler)]

Beena wrote: "Glad you're enjoying your Stormlight re-read Paula! Nah, don't rush them, I rushed through Dawnshard last time so I could get to Rhythm of War in time for the BR and regretted it. (Cos I loved Dawn..."

Yeah, better to read at our own pace

Beena wrote: "Up to pg. 921

Ah shit, I knew the Freys were up to something, I could sense it was some kind of trap, but couldn't remember what. Noooo, Robb and Catelyn dead, now what?! (I wish we could have ha..."

(view spoiler)[ Its a shame we didnt got a single chapter from Robb POV, he was the only stark withought one (Rickon doesnt count). Especially when he went to the west and married the westerling, there were a lot of decisions and battles there. Even the news of his brothers. It could have been very interesting to hear everything firsthand.

Arya literaaly being a few meters away when everything happened was very frustrating. I dont fault her when she is mad but she really couldnt have helped either.

I know who the cold guy is but i wont tell, maybe in future books its revealed. I know beacuse of the show

Littlefinger is the mastermind yeah

Jons fight at the wall is incredible. It goes on for a long time but its very realistic and his decisions saved them all for sure. (hide spoiler)]

Yeah def agree it's a strange decision to exclude Robb when all the other Starks have viewpoints.

10 years later, I've finally finished this!

(view spoiler)[ Ugh, how many times does Sansa have to be threatened by marriages she doesn't want?! And by her own aunt!

Ugh at Jano Slynt and Alliser Thorne calling Jon a turncloak! Bloody scum themselves!

Ooh Arya's going to Braavos? Interesting. Her stabbing the tickler to death did make me laugh. I was wondering how she was going to get away from Sandor.

Fuck yeah, Tyrion's revenge on Shae and Tywin! What Shae said about him and how she betrayed him was just as bad as anything Tywin had done.

Ha! Sam, lying for Jon! I thought he did orchestrate the raven! Stannis is gonna bust a vein when he finds out Jon is commander lol. Tho it's gonna be gutting for Jon when he finally hears that Robb named him Heir of Winterfell but there's no way he'd forsake his vows again and he also doesn't know that Bran and Rickon are alive which would make it easier.

I knew Littlefinger was gonna push Lysa through the moon door, she deserved it! Poor Sansa tho, I did feel sad for her when she was building snow Winterfell. And the constant threat from men and her jealous aunt made me rage.

God, they bought Catelyn back from the dead?! Yikes, that was not a gift. (hide spoiler)]

@Nirkatze (view spoiler)[And him being married off to Sansa is as much a tragedy for him as for her... though him having sexual attraction to a 12 y/o is rather ick, he doesn't act on it (like almost any other man in the universe would have).

100% my thoughts! It was proper grossing me out too!! And kinda makes you lose a tiny bit of respect for him too, so it's a strange choice made by GRRM there.

I also enjoyed the relationship growth between Jaime and Brienne, from where they started to where they ended up. (hide spoiler)]

Re Tyrion and Jaime (view spoiler)[ I think Jaime knows that Tyrion lied about killing Joffrey. He already suspected he was lying to protect Sansa. I also think it's a shame they parted the way they did, that Tyrion hasn't had time with him to realise that Jaime has changed into a better man but the fact that he was complicit in the whole horror with Tysha means Tyrion will never forgive him and might make good on his promise to take revenge. (hide spoiler)]

Beena wrote: "10 years later, I've finally finished this!

Ugh, how many times does Sansa have to be threatened by marriages she doesn't want?! And by her own aunt!

Ugh at Jano Slynt and Alliser Thorne callin..."

Congratulations! Better late than never

(view spoiler)[I agree, its infuriating that Sansa is being manhandled like that. But i think now she will follow through if only to get the lords of the vale to follow her. Maybe the typical marriages and poisoning of the husband. But i think, or hope, she will try to fight back, politically at least. She must have learnt something from her time in kings landing.

I know! Arya in braavos is going to be fun. i feel bad for Clegane since i actually like him. And in the end i think even Arya is conflicted about him and thats why she didnt kill him. On the other hand it could be considered cruel not to end him. I like both so i prefer the first option

Shae was just trying to survive. Twisting the truth and exagerating was better since she could receive better conditions that if she had said she knew nothing. Still awful but i get it.

But i was veeery glad Tywin died. And what an ending! Brilliant

Its very sad how every Stark doesnt know what happens to each other. As you said, it could be easier if Jon knew that bran and rickon are alive. It also makes me very glad i am not living in that era and can now message my friends wherever they are

As always, you feel nostalgic of something when its been taken from you. And Sansa showed it in that chapter, so sad

I am also nervous of what will Catelyn will do to jaime since Bolton said to her that jaime sends his regards. Maybe she interpreted that as being responsible. And she has no love for the lannisters before and now even less. And the one responsible, Tywin, isnt even alive (hide spoiler)]

Beena wrote: "@Nirkatze And him being married off to Sansa is as much a tragedy for him as for her... though him having sexual attraction to a 12 y/o is rather ick, he doesn't act on it (like almost any other ma..."

Tyrion and jaime (view spoiler)[ I agree and hopefully Tyrion doesnt get revenge the next time they see each other. I just like both of them and would hate to see harm each other like that (hide spoiler)]

Lol, thanks Paula.

(view spoiler)[ Sansa- I dunno if any lords would follow her, there's still the fact that she's a female. Yeah, hopefully she'll start to learn how to be politically savvy.

Arya- she was conflicted about Sandor but I reckon she knew that death would be to easy an end for him considering everything he's done.

Shae- tbh, I reckon Cersei offered her gems and whatever she wanted to get her to do it, her remorse to Tyrion was clearly faked.

Starks- so true.

Catelyn- I was more horrified by the fact that she's been brought back after dying, that's gonna be a messed up existence. Just hope her kids don't see her like that. (hide spoiler)]

Also, I was checking out some other reviews and was surprised to see that several people seem to find Bran boring?! I love him, I know he can't do much and not a lot happens with him particularly in this book, but I still find it interesting reading his viewpoint.