Game of Thrones

[closetleftie]

Just started reading the first book. A good read.

All this talk of an imagined world is just tosh, however...

- The story is set on a land mass on a north/south axis
- Said land mass is divided from another, east/west, larger land by a narrow sea
- Some cities are closest, then an exotic plains-type culture of horselords, then, eerrrm, Yi Ti and the Jade Sea

- The Northerners are, near as I can tell, basically decent
- Southerners are evil and duplicitous
- There's a wall built across the place, a bit north of the North, so to speak
- Beyond the Wall, things get very dodgy very quickly, with savages and monsters and sub-human creatures all over the place


Now where could GRRM possibly have taken his inspiration from?

[caerau]

The Northmen are basically the Northumberland saxon kingdom of old.
The Islanders are clearly vikings
The Dothraki are clearly Mongols of Ghengis Khan's era


etc.


So?  Does every author have to be an island?  Is there something in the literature out there that doesn't draw on earlier sources or inspiration?

[Ruth]

For quite some time now, I've had a nickname for our Great Leader (Cameron), which I have kept to myself.

To me, Dave, you will always be Joffrey.

Could it be that I'm not alone in this?

[Eccentrica Gallumbits]

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I have an amethyst ring I've never really liked. I'm willing to sacrifice it for the greater good.

[geraldc]

The scale is different.  The land mass is much bigger than the UK,  eg more like the Americas. Explains how the Dorne are Latin types from a much hotter climate.
It's based on a lot of things, initially the Wars of the Roses, Lancaster/Lannisters vs York/Stark, however, I'd have really paid interest at school if the source material was as gripping

[Ruth]

In the Roman legions, a Lanister was the bloke who did the budget.  He probly paid all the debts too.

[closetleftie]

The Northmen are basically the Northumberland saxon kingdom of old.
The Islanders are clearly vikings
The Dothraki are clearly Mongols of Ghengis Khan's era


etc.


So?  Does every author have to be an island?  Is there something in the literature out there that doesn't draw on earlier sources or inspiration?

No, of course not. Tolkien (for instance) drew on many European legends in creating Middle Earth, and IIRC said somewhere that elvish was meant to sound more or less Welsh.

GoT is a good read. Halfway through the second one now - it's certainly long enough!

[mrcharly-YHT]

Factoid: The actor who portrays Hodor really is that big. 6ft 10 tall.

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What a great episode!

I really like that the series is deviating from the books; it means I don't know what is coming.  As always, HBO

John 'you know nothing' Snow carries on knowing nothing, being a bit shit at fighting, lousy judge of character. I'd go to see 'Pompei' if someone tells his character "you know nothing".

Favourite bits:

    The hound 'teaching' Arya about fighting - she lunges and her sword just goes 'plink' against his armour. His face is a picture - obviously didn't really expect her to actually thrust, her face "oh shit what have I done, I hit him, he's unhurt do I really want to kill him and my sword was *useless*"
       
   
    Karl to Jojen "Have you seen what I'm going to do to your sister"
    Jojen "No, I've seen your body in flames"
   
    Hodor, under Bran's control, nearly ripping that Locke's head off.

[Chris S]

Factoid: The actor who portrays Hodor really is that big. 6ft 10 tall.

(click to show/hide)

What a great episode!

I really like that the series is deviating from the books; it means I don't know what is coming.  As always, HBO

John 'you know nothing' Snow carries on knowing nothing, being a bit shit at fighting, lousy judge of character. I'd go to see 'Pompei' if someone tells his character "you know nothing".

Favourite bits:

    The hound 'teaching' Arya about fighting - she lunges and her sword just goes 'plink' against his armour. His face is a picture - obviously didn't really expect her to actually thrust, her face "oh shit what have I done, I hit him, he's unhurt do I really want to kill him and my sword was *useless*"
       
   
    Karl to Jojen "Have you seen what I'm going to do to your sister"
    Jojen "No, I've seen your body in flames"
   
    Hodor, under Bran's control, nearly ripping that Locke's head off.

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And you can never go wrong with a sword thrust that enters the back of the skull, and exists from a gaping, and frankly rather surprised, face. Niiiice  .

[mrcharly-YHT]

Factoid: The actor who portrays Hodor really is that big. 6ft 10 tall.

(click to show/hide)

What a great episode!

I really like that the series is deviating from the books; it means I don't know what is coming.  As always, HBO

John 'you know nothing' Snow carries on knowing nothing, being a bit shit at fighting, lousy judge of character. I'd go to see 'Pompei' if someone tells his character "you know nothing".

Favourite bits:

    The hound 'teaching' Arya about fighting - she lunges and her sword just goes 'plink' against his armour. His face is a picture - obviously didn't really expect her to actually thrust, her face "oh shit what have I done, I hit him, he's unhurt do I really want to kill him and my sword was *useless*"
       
   
    Karl to Jojen "Have you seen what I'm going to do to your sister"
    Jojen "No, I've seen your body in flames"
   
    Hodor, under Bran's control, nearly ripping that Locke's head off.

(click to show/hide)

And you can never go wrong with a sword thrust that enters the back of the skull, and exists from a gaping, and frankly rather surprised, face. Niiiice  .

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Very true. I think I'll have to rewatch that fight scene. Gimme a short strong sword in close quarters over that bloody silly longsword any day.
I'd like to nominate Jojen for the BadassDom Award. Taunting a ruthless killer when you are an epileptic with your hands and feet tied up - that's a BadAss. 

[CommuteTooFar]

A question.

I have not read the books. I have not seen the TV programmes.  I am curious.  Should I read the books or buy a box set first?

[mrcharly-YHT]

books first I think.

[Ruth]

Oi!  Tyrion!  Nooooo!

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He is so fucked.  It won't be nearly as much fun without him.  But he'll have to fight Jaime to the death, won't he?  For the sake of causing maximum pain to his daddy?

[caerau]

wafo

[spesh]

Oi!  Tyrion!  Nooooo!

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He is so fucked.  It won't be nearly as much fun without him.  But he'll have to fight Jaime to the death, won't he?  For the sake of causing maximum pain to his daddy?

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Not necessarily - you can nominate a champion, or have one put themselves forward to fight on your behalf. See what happened at the Eyrie back in AGoT/Season 1, which was how Bronn ended up in Tyrion's service.

[caerau]

Oi!  Tyrion!  Nooooo!

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He is so fucked.  It won't be nearly as much fun without him.  But he'll have to fight Jaime to the death, won't he?  For the sake of causing maximum pain to his daddy?

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Not necessarily - you can nominate a champion, or have one put themselves forward to fight on your behalf. See what happened at the Eyrie back in AGoT/Season 1, which was how Bronn ended up in Tyrion's service.

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  nooooo - sometimes you should just let them wafo - watch and find out!

[spesh]

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It always pays to remember that ASoIaF is foreshadowing central - all I've said is what happened several books/seasons ago - I've not said anything about what is going to happen. Which, if a snippet of one of the pre-season trailers was anything to go by, should be worth the wait...

[spesh]

Tyrion's epic speech v2.0. 

[PaulF]

Tyrion's epic speech v2.0. 

Excellent!

[Charlotte]

Tyrion's epic speech v2.0. 

LOL 

[Ruth]

Everybody nice in GoT gets very killed.  Which means Tyrion and Sansa, best king and queen ever, will never get to reign 

Oh, but that bitter, bitter end by the moon door!  How fantastic was that.

[Chris S]

S04E08

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Oh. My God. 

Every episode is a crescendo that builds on the previous one. I'm going to be exhausted by the end of this series!!!

[red marley]

Is it possible to see the fourth series without (a) resorting to illegal downloads; (b) taking giving the Murdoch coin; (c) waiting a full year for the DVD boxed set?

[geraldc]

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I never even entertained the thought that the Red Viper could lose! Surely that result was a draw, and Tyrion should be freed. The Lord of light has healed more serious injuries than Oberyn's

[spesh]

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I never even entertained the thought that the Red Viper could lose! Surely that result was a draw, and Tyrion should be freed. The Lord of light has healed more serious injuries than Oberyn's

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Oh come on, you must have been watching AGOT for long enough to work out that GRRM doesn't roll that way.   

As far as the result was concerned, whilst Clegane may well be dying, he's still more alive than Oberyn Martell, so the Crown wins, and Tyrion's due an appointment with the headsman.

And even if there was a R'hollorite priest imbued with the kiss of fire power available, if Beric Dondarrion was anything to go by, a revenant Red Viper won't be all the man he used to be.