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Jayson's Reviews > A Game of Thrones
A Game of Thrones (A Song of Ice and Fire, #1)
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by
Jayson's review
bookshelves: read-in-2019, author-american, genre-adult-fantasy, genre-high-fantasy, audiobook-audible
Jul 06, 2019
bookshelves: read-in-2019, author-american, genre-adult-fantasy, genre-high-fantasy, audiobook-audible
Read 2 times. Last read May 23, 2019 to July 6, 2019.
(A-) 81% | Very Good
Notes: A slow parade of entropy, it’s a panoply of pain: a delicate sweater, knit finely together, unraveled to a tangled skein.
Notes: A slow parade of entropy, it’s a panoply of pain: a delicate sweater, knit finely together, unraveled to a tangled skein.
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Reading Progress
December 8, 2011
–
Started Reading
(Hardcover Edition)
December 18, 2011
–
Finished Reading
(Hardcover Edition)
August 1, 2013
– Shelved
(Hardcover Edition)
March 24, 2015
– Shelved as:
author-american
(Hardcover Edition)
March 25, 2015
– Shelved as:
600-plus-pp
(Hardcover Edition)
March 26, 2015
– Shelved as:
genre-high-fantasy
(Hardcover Edition)
March 26, 2015
– Shelved as:
genre-adult-fantasy
(Hardcover Edition)
September 15, 2016
– Shelved as:
read-in-2011
(Hardcover Edition)
May 23, 2019
–
Started Reading
May 23, 2019
– Shelved
May 23, 2019
– Shelved as:
read-in-2019
May 23, 2019
– Shelved as:
author-american
May 23, 2019
– Shelved as:
genre-adult-fantasy
May 23, 2019
– Shelved as:
genre-high-fantasy
May 23, 2019
– Shelved as:
audiobook-audible
May 24, 2019
–
1.0%
"I figured since Game of Thrones is finally over, I'd prep for the next book by listening to the audiobooks. Hopefully by then all show continuity will have been overwritten by true canon and I won't be mixed up about who's alive and dead and things will actually makes sense. This will be my first audiobook of the Goodreads era. Previously I listened to all the Harry Potter books, as read by Stephen Fry."
May 25, 2019
–
2.0%
"Thoughts:
(1) I'm not sure how to handle status updates on a re-read. I already know what's going to happen, so it's not like I can speculate, and commenting on how things affect future events could be spoiler-ish. I'll figure it out. It'd be a shame to leave updates blank.
(2) Must keep in mind everyone's 5-10 years younger than the show.
(3) Kinda hard to keep track of who's saying what on back-and-forth exchanges."
(1) I'm not sure how to handle status updates on a re-read. I already know what's going to happen, so it's not like I can speculate, and commenting on how things affect future events could be spoiler-ish. I'll figure it out. It'd be a shame to leave updates blank.
(2) Must keep in mind everyone's 5-10 years younger than the show.
(3) Kinda hard to keep track of who's saying what on back-and-forth exchanges."
May 26, 2019
–
7.0%
"Two things:
(1) Tyrion has a Welsh accent. It makes sense if you consider Westeros roughly equivalent to Great Britain and the Westerlands is Wales. But I always thought it was Britain flipped (eg. Wales=The Vale, Cornish=Dornish, etc.), and therefore it should be East Anglian. But Wales does have gold, so there's that.
(2) Narrator: Ned is 35 years old. Me: Trying to remember what Sean Bean looked like in Goldeneye."
(1) Tyrion has a Welsh accent. It makes sense if you consider Westeros roughly equivalent to Great Britain and the Westerlands is Wales. But I always thought it was Britain flipped (eg. Wales=The Vale, Cornish=Dornish, etc.), and therefore it should be East Anglian. But Wales does have gold, so there's that.
(2) Narrator: Ned is 35 years old. Me: Trying to remember what Sean Bean looked like in Goldeneye."
May 28, 2019
–
13.0%
"Several things:
(1) Roy Dotrice's Arya voice leaves something to be desired.
(2) Robert Baratheon... more like Robert Bro-ratheron. Amiright?
(3) Tyrion does cartwheels and back-flips... sounds about right. All the best gymnasts are short with stunted growth.
(4) "It should have been you!" -- Catelyn Stark... worst step-mom ever.
(5) Narrator: Joffrey has long, golden locks. Me: Pictures Jack Gleason in a blonde wig."
(1) Roy Dotrice's Arya voice leaves something to be desired.
(2) Robert Baratheon... more like Robert Bro-ratheron. Amiright?
(3) Tyrion does cartwheels and back-flips... sounds about right. All the best gymnasts are short with stunted growth.
(4) "It should have been you!" -- Catelyn Stark... worst step-mom ever.
(5) Narrator: Joffrey has long, golden locks. Me: Pictures Jack Gleason in a blonde wig."
May 29, 2019
–
19.0%
"Meanderings:
(1) As much as I enjoy Roy Dotrice, he’s not exactly consistent with names. Sometimes is Joff-rey, sometimes it’s Jeff-rey; sometimes it’s Cat-lynn, sometimes it’s Kate-Lynn; sometimes it’s Pet-ur, sometimes it’s Pe-tarr, etc.
(2) I’ve come to appreciate these Sansa chapters. It takes a great deal of skill to convincingly write the perspective of someone so stupid.
(3) Mmm... lemon cakes. I'm with Sansa!"
(1) As much as I enjoy Roy Dotrice, he’s not exactly consistent with names. Sometimes is Joff-rey, sometimes it’s Jeff-rey; sometimes it’s Cat-lynn, sometimes it’s Kate-Lynn; sometimes it’s Pet-ur, sometimes it’s Pe-tarr, etc.
(2) I’ve come to appreciate these Sansa chapters. It takes a great deal of skill to convincingly write the perspective of someone so stupid.
(3) Mmm... lemon cakes. I'm with Sansa!"
May 30, 2019
–
24.0%
"Some things:
(1) Suffering succotash! Dotrice’s Varys voice is seriously startling. Sounds like he’s slobbering through a mouthful of marbles, spewing saliva. It’s not a bad voice at all, adds a lot of personality, just very unlike the show version.
(2) Dreams are prophesies in these books. I know what this first one means!
(3) Jon lifts Tyrion and swings him around with glee. Small wonder this was cut from the show."
(1) Suffering succotash! Dotrice’s Varys voice is seriously startling. Sounds like he’s slobbering through a mouthful of marbles, spewing saliva. It’s not a bad voice at all, adds a lot of personality, just very unlike the show version.
(2) Dreams are prophesies in these books. I know what this first one means!
(3) Jon lifts Tyrion and swings him around with glee. Small wonder this was cut from the show."
May 31, 2019
–
28.0%
"Three things:
(1) There seems to be parallel storylines between Ser Alliser and Viserys. Both are characters of high rank who become the source of mockery and ridicule, and as a result stew with plans for punishment and revenge.
(2) Daenerys gets pregnant on her 14th nameday. Phew! The perils of teenage pregnancy notwithstanding, 13 would be too close to the edge of tween for comfort.
(3) It is known.... it is known."
(1) There seems to be parallel storylines between Ser Alliser and Viserys. Both are characters of high rank who become the source of mockery and ridicule, and as a result stew with plans for punishment and revenge.
(2) Daenerys gets pregnant on her 14th nameday. Phew! The perils of teenage pregnancy notwithstanding, 13 would be too close to the edge of tween for comfort.
(3) It is known.... it is known."
June 1, 2019
–
32.0%
"Thoughts:
(1) Samwell and his father have very Cornish accents. An odd choice, I thought, until I learned that "Samwell" is a very Cornish surname.
(2) About Sam: "His passions were books and kittens and dancing, clumsy as he was." Wow, George R.R. Martin can really define a character in very few words!
(3) Whenever I hear "Grand Maester Pycelle," I expect someone to bust out some ill rhymes. I'm always disappointed."
(1) Samwell and his father have very Cornish accents. An odd choice, I thought, until I learned that "Samwell" is a very Cornish surname.
(2) About Sam: "His passions were books and kittens and dancing, clumsy as he was." Wow, George R.R. Martin can really define a character in very few words!
(3) Whenever I hear "Grand Maester Pycelle," I expect someone to bust out some ill rhymes. I'm always disappointed."
June 2, 2019
–
39.0%
"Three things:
(1) As a history buff, and heraldry aficionado, it's a constant annoyance that very few house sigils actually follow the rule of tincture. C'mon! That's heraldry 101!
(2) I can only assume that the house with the black adder sigil is headed by a Lord Edmund... or a Baldrick.
(3) "Sansa was so stuffed that she could not manage more than two little lemon cakes, as much as she loved them." I feel ya, girl!"
(1) As a history buff, and heraldry aficionado, it's a constant annoyance that very few house sigils actually follow the rule of tincture. C'mon! That's heraldry 101!
(2) I can only assume that the house with the black adder sigil is headed by a Lord Edmund... or a Baldrick.
(3) "Sansa was so stuffed that she could not manage more than two little lemon cakes, as much as she loved them." I feel ya, girl!"
June 3, 2019
–
46.0%
"A number of things:
(1) Robert to Ned: “More than once, I have dreamed of giving up the crown... You know what stops me? The thought of Joffrey on the throne, with Cersei standing behind him whispering in his ear.” Me: King Robert is wise!
(2) Re: Catelyn. “Sometimes she felt as though her heart had turned to stone.” Foreshadowing, methinks!
(3) Arya chasing cats like Rocky chasing chickens, with Syrio as her Mickey!"
(1) Robert to Ned: “More than once, I have dreamed of giving up the crown... You know what stops me? The thought of Joffrey on the throne, with Cersei standing behind him whispering in his ear.” Me: King Robert is wise!
(2) Re: Catelyn. “Sometimes she felt as though her heart had turned to stone.” Foreshadowing, methinks!
(3) Arya chasing cats like Rocky chasing chickens, with Syrio as her Mickey!"
June 5, 2019
–
48.0%
"Thoughts:
(1) I’m no pediatrician, but I don’t see the point in breastfeeding a 6 year-old. I presume by then the milk’s run out. Get a wet nurse!
(2) I now see where Sansa gets her stupid from. Catelyn’s husband and her two girls are pretty much at the mercy of the crown and she decides it’s a good idea to slander queen’s family. Tully’s be fish-brained!
(3) Looks like Jon Arryn discovered Mendelian genetics!"
(1) I’m no pediatrician, but I don’t see the point in breastfeeding a 6 year-old. I presume by then the milk’s run out. Get a wet nurse!
(2) I now see where Sansa gets her stupid from. Catelyn’s husband and her two girls are pretty much at the mercy of the crown and she decides it’s a good idea to slander queen’s family. Tully’s be fish-brained!
(3) Looks like Jon Arryn discovered Mendelian genetics!"
June 6, 2019
–
52.0%
"Miscellanea:
(1) I wonder if shadowcats are an X-Men reference?
(2) Lysa and her suitors remind me of Penelope in the Odyssey. Though surely not. That would make Littlefinger Odysseus.
(3) Jamie is Warden of the East. So isn't it a kind of treason to put Tyrion on trial there?
(4) Both Ned and Ser Rodrik say they've heard “Poison is a woman’s weapon.” Must be a northern saying.
(5) Must keep in mind book Lysa is fat."
(1) I wonder if shadowcats are an X-Men reference?
(2) Lysa and her suitors remind me of Penelope in the Odyssey. Though surely not. That would make Littlefinger Odysseus.
(3) Jamie is Warden of the East. So isn't it a kind of treason to put Tyrion on trial there?
(4) Both Ned and Ser Rodrik say they've heard “Poison is a woman’s weapon.” Must be a northern saying.
(5) Must keep in mind book Lysa is fat."
June 7, 2019
–
58.0%
"Three things:
(1) Sansa: "Beric Dondarrion was handsome enough, but he was awfully old, almost twenty-two." Me: To be fair, I likely thought that was old too when I was 11.
(2) Bronn does the rope-a-dope and wins his duel. Down goes Vardis! Down goes Vardis!
(3) Littlefinger to Sansa: “Life is not a song, sweetling. You may learn that one day to your sorrow.” Me: Avuncular words or ominous portent? Either way creepy."
(1) Sansa: "Beric Dondarrion was handsome enough, but he was awfully old, almost twenty-two." Me: To be fair, I likely thought that was old too when I was 11.
(2) Bronn does the rope-a-dope and wins his duel. Down goes Vardis! Down goes Vardis!
(3) Littlefinger to Sansa: “Life is not a song, sweetling. You may learn that one day to your sorrow.” Me: Avuncular words or ominous portent? Either way creepy."
June 8, 2019
–
60.0%
"Some things:
(1) Ned finally sees Cersei's beauty... ironically, only after Robert bruised her face.
(2) Cersei: “When you play the game of thrones, you win or you die." Me: "When you play the "Game of Thrones" you press stop after season 5.
(3) "The old women began to chant. Underneath their painted leather vests, their withered dugs swayed back and forth." Me: I'll never think of guys named Doug the same way again."
(1) Ned finally sees Cersei's beauty... ironically, only after Robert bruised her face.
(2) Cersei: “When you play the game of thrones, you win or you die." Me: "When you play the "Game of Thrones" you press stop after season 5.
(3) "The old women began to chant. Underneath their painted leather vests, their withered dugs swayed back and forth." Me: I'll never think of guys named Doug the same way again."
June 9, 2019
–
61.0%
"Thoughts:
(1) I'm from the Philippines, so I'm accustomed to eating "strange" things. With that said, I know it's meant to disgust readers, but horse heart sounds downright fancy. Perhaps not raw, though.
(2) Who am I kidding, I'd try it raw.
(3) Stannis is sort of like the "Jaws" shark. He's often talked about, but never seen.
(4) Robert brags about killing a boar. Likewise, the boar could brag about killing a boor."
(1) I'm from the Philippines, so I'm accustomed to eating "strange" things. With that said, I know it's meant to disgust readers, but horse heart sounds downright fancy. Perhaps not raw, though.
(2) Who am I kidding, I'd try it raw.
(3) Stannis is sort of like the "Jaws" shark. He's often talked about, but never seen.
(4) Robert brags about killing a boar. Likewise, the boar could brag about killing a boor."
June 10, 2019
–
62.0%
"Thoughts:
(1) Ned: "The lies we tell for love, he thought." Me: Yes, tell more lies! Lies save lives, remember that!
(2) Nobody likes Stannis. He's a wet blanket that spoils everyone's fun.
(3) Littlefinger: “You wear your honor like a suit of armor, Stark. You think it keeps you safe, but all it does is weigh you down and make it hard for you to move." Me: Stupid Ned and his honor! Dragging the whole realm into war."
(1) Ned: "The lies we tell for love, he thought." Me: Yes, tell more lies! Lies save lives, remember that!
(2) Nobody likes Stannis. He's a wet blanket that spoils everyone's fun.
(3) Littlefinger: “You wear your honor like a suit of armor, Stark. You think it keeps you safe, but all it does is weigh you down and make it hard for you to move." Me: Stupid Ned and his honor! Dragging the whole realm into war."
June 11, 2019
–
63.0%
"A couple things:
(1) Nobody wants Stannis to rule. Concerns aren’t that he’d be licentious, cruel or immoral, but that he’d be no fun: repay the debt, no more tourneys... Stannis is basically Oliver Cromwell.
(2) Re Jon: "He knew the wolfswood around Winterfell as well as any man. The haunted forest was much the same, and yet the feel of it was very different." Me: IDK, maybe because it's called the "haunted" forest."
(1) Nobody wants Stannis to rule. Concerns aren’t that he’d be licentious, cruel or immoral, but that he’d be no fun: repay the debt, no more tourneys... Stannis is basically Oliver Cromwell.
(2) Re Jon: "He knew the wolfswood around Winterfell as well as any man. The haunted forest was much the same, and yet the feel of it was very different." Me: IDK, maybe because it's called the "haunted" forest."
June 12, 2019
–
64.0%
"Several things:
(1) Never trust a guy named Janos to keep his word... he's likely two-faced.
(2) "'Kill him!' the boy king screamed down from the Iron Throne. 'Kill all of them, I command it!'" Me: Well, people in power often use their first directives to set the tone of their administration. Consider this a success.
(3) Littlefinger: “I did warn you not to trust me, you know.” Me: Littlefinger gives the best advice!"
(1) Never trust a guy named Janos to keep his word... he's likely two-faced.
(2) "'Kill him!' the boy king screamed down from the Iron Throne. 'Kill all of them, I command it!'" Me: Well, people in power often use their first directives to set the tone of their administration. Consider this a success.
(3) Littlefinger: “I did warn you not to trust me, you know.” Me: Littlefinger gives the best advice!"
June 13, 2019
–
66.0%
"Thoughts:
(1) Syrio, Stannis and Tywin's are bald... So many mental recastings!
(2) Sansa: "You have to let me marry Joffrey, I’ll be ever so good a wife to him, you’ll see. I’ll be a queen just like you.” Me: I again marvel at Martin's ability to encapsulate personality.
(3) "Lord Baelish will see that Jeyne’s well taken care of, I promise you.” Me: Jeyne's doomed.
(4) Ser Mandon Moore, "I'm missing you like candy.""
(1) Syrio, Stannis and Tywin's are bald... So many mental recastings!
(2) Sansa: "You have to let me marry Joffrey, I’ll be ever so good a wife to him, you’ll see. I’ll be a queen just like you.” Me: I again marvel at Martin's ability to encapsulate personality.
(3) "Lord Baelish will see that Jeyne’s well taken care of, I promise you.” Me: Jeyne's doomed.
(4) Ser Mandon Moore, "I'm missing you like candy.""
June 14, 2019
–
69.0%
"Meanderings:
(1) Mormont: "He gave Jon a long shrewd look. 'I hope you are not thinking of doing anything stupid, boy.'" Me: He's a Stark, stupid comes with the honor.
(2) Robb: “Lord Cerwyn means to take his daughter south with us. To cook for him, he says. Theon is certain I’ll find the girl in my bedroll one night.” Me: Dirty tricks! A naked girl in bed and Starks are honor-bound to marry!
(3) “Hodor,” said Hodor."
(1) Mormont: "He gave Jon a long shrewd look. 'I hope you are not thinking of doing anything stupid, boy.'" Me: He's a Stark, stupid comes with the honor.
(2) Robb: “Lord Cerwyn means to take his daughter south with us. To cook for him, he says. Theon is certain I’ll find the girl in my bedroll one night.” Me: Dirty tricks! A naked girl in bed and Starks are honor-bound to marry!
(3) “Hodor,” said Hodor."
June 15, 2019
–
72.0%
"Thoughts:
(1) Bran: “Is that what he was now? Bran the Broken? ‘I don’t want to be broken,’ he whispered” Me: Good luck, kid. Trust me, nicknames are sticky and tough to shed!
(2) Dany's bummed about her brother, so Jorah suggests she visit the bazaar with her handmaids. Makes sense. Not to generalize, but shopping at the mall with girlfriends has been the go-to cheer-up remedy for every teenage girl I've ever known."
(1) Bran: “Is that what he was now? Bran the Broken? ‘I don’t want to be broken,’ he whispered” Me: Good luck, kid. Trust me, nicknames are sticky and tough to shed!
(2) Dany's bummed about her brother, so Jorah suggests she visit the bazaar with her handmaids. Makes sense. Not to generalize, but shopping at the mall with girlfriends has been the go-to cheer-up remedy for every teenage girl I've ever known."
June 16, 2019
–
74.0%
"Thoughts:
(1) Lord Manderly: "A man of near sixty years, he had grown too stout to sit a horse. 'If I had thought to see war again in my lifetime I should have eaten a few less eels.'" Me: Are eels that fattening? Fish diets are why people in Okinawa and Sardinia are so long-lived and healthy.
(2) Lord Umber: "We’ll shove our swords up Tywin Lannister’s bunghole soon enough!" Me: Well, that did happen to Richard III."
(1) Lord Manderly: "A man of near sixty years, he had grown too stout to sit a horse. 'If I had thought to see war again in my lifetime I should have eaten a few less eels.'" Me: Are eels that fattening? Fish diets are why people in Okinawa and Sardinia are so long-lived and healthy.
(2) Lord Umber: "We’ll shove our swords up Tywin Lannister’s bunghole soon enough!" Me: Well, that did happen to Richard III."
June 17, 2019
–
75.0%
"A couple things:
(1) For all the worry about Cersei whispering into Joffrey's ear to influence him and be the power behind the throne, Catelyn's doing the same thing with Robb. Helicopter moms, eh?
(2) Tyrion's mountain clans sort of remind me of home. We have "mountain people" too in the Philippines, who similarly separate themselves from the rest of society. I guess the Amish would be the North American equivalent."
(1) For all the worry about Cersei whispering into Joffrey's ear to influence him and be the power behind the throne, Catelyn's doing the same thing with Robb. Helicopter moms, eh?
(2) Tyrion's mountain clans sort of remind me of home. We have "mountain people" too in the Philippines, who similarly separate themselves from the rest of society. I guess the Amish would be the North American equivalent."
June 18, 2019
–
80.0%
"A couple things:
(1) "Ser Boros and Ser Meryn moved forward to confront him, but Ser Barristan froze them in place with a look that dripped contempt. 'Even now, I could cut through the five of you as easy as a dagger cuts cheese.'"
Me: Depending on the cheese, that can actually be very difficult.
(2) Ned struggles to decide whether to stand by his honor or lie to save his daughter's life. Why is this even a question?"
(1) "Ser Boros and Ser Meryn moved forward to confront him, but Ser Barristan froze them in place with a look that dripped contempt. 'Even now, I could cut through the five of you as easy as a dagger cuts cheese.'"
Me: Depending on the cheese, that can actually be very difficult.
(2) Ned struggles to decide whether to stand by his honor or lie to save his daughter's life. Why is this even a question?"
June 19, 2019
–
82.0%
"Two Things:
(1) “‘The sword,’ Grenn stated. ‘We want to see the sword’... ‘The sword!’ Matt insisted. The others took up the chant. ‘The sword, the sword, the sword.’”
Me: Leave it to weaponry geeks to dismiss zombies for sword porn.
(2) "His left nipple was gone, and a flap of bloody flesh and skin dangled from his chest like a wet rag. 'Is scratch'... Drogo said."
Me: Eh, men's nipples are purely decorative anyway."
(1) “‘The sword,’ Grenn stated. ‘We want to see the sword’... ‘The sword!’ Matt insisted. The others took up the chant. ‘The sword, the sword, the sword.’”
Me: Leave it to weaponry geeks to dismiss zombies for sword porn.
(2) "His left nipple was gone, and a flap of bloody flesh and skin dangled from his chest like a wet rag. 'Is scratch'... Drogo said."
Me: Eh, men's nipples are purely decorative anyway."
June 20, 2019
–
84.0%
"Thoughts:
(1) It's not seemly for Drogo, a khal, to lean on a man to get help walking. But his very pregnant child-bride, that's entirely acceptable.
(2) Tyrion handles the mountain tribes like a cautious RA trying to keep college kids from burning down the dorm.
(3) "The cooks were serving the meat course: five suckling pigs, skin seared and crackling, a different fruit in every mouth." Martin always make me hungry."
(1) It's not seemly for Drogo, a khal, to lean on a man to get help walking. But his very pregnant child-bride, that's entirely acceptable.
(2) Tyrion handles the mountain tribes like a cautious RA trying to keep college kids from burning down the dorm.
(3) "The cooks were serving the meat course: five suckling pigs, skin seared and crackling, a different fruit in every mouth." Martin always make me hungry."
June 21, 2019
–
85.0%
"A couple things:
(1) Re Tyrion: "For his oversize head, they found a huge bucket-shaped greathelm topped with a foot-long triangular spike."
Me: Well, that's one way to look taller.
(2) "'Halfman!” [Shagga] shouted. Other Stone Crows picked up the cry, and the Black Ears and Moon Brothers as well... 'Halfman! Halfman! Halfman!'”
Me: Good thing the others joined in. Lone chanters at sporting events are so very cringe!"
(1) Re Tyrion: "For his oversize head, they found a huge bucket-shaped greathelm topped with a foot-long triangular spike."
Me: Well, that's one way to look taller.
(2) "'Halfman!” [Shagga] shouted. Other Stone Crows picked up the cry, and the Black Ears and Moon Brothers as well... 'Halfman! Halfman! Halfman!'”
Me: Good thing the others joined in. Lone chanters at sporting events are so very cringe!"
June 22, 2019
–
86.0%
"Two things:
(1) "Catelyn... wondered when her son had grown so big. Fifteen, and near as tall as she was."
Me: How tall is Catelyn that her bearded fifteen year-old is shorter than her?
(2) "'Such a battle!' said Theon Greyjoy eagerly. 'My lady, the realm has not seen such a victory since the Field of Fire.'"
Me: Yes, if only we could have seen it instead of only hear about it between Catelyn's worry and digressions."
(1) "Catelyn... wondered when her son had grown so big. Fifteen, and near as tall as she was."
Me: How tall is Catelyn that her bearded fifteen year-old is shorter than her?
(2) "'Such a battle!' said Theon Greyjoy eagerly. 'My lady, the realm has not seen such a victory since the Field of Fire.'"
Me: Yes, if only we could have seen it instead of only hear about it between Catelyn's worry and digressions."
June 23, 2019
–
87.0%
"Thoughts:
(1) Apparently, the Hippocratic oath does not apply in the Dothraki Sea.
(2) Daenerys: “No, he can’t die, he mustn’t, it was only a cut.”
Me: When he said it was only a "scratch," I don’t think he was being literal.
(3) Mirri Maz Duur should never have been trusted. She has three names! All the famous assassins go by three names: Lee Harvey Oswald, Mark David Chapman, John Wilkes Booth, James Earl Ray, etc."
(1) Apparently, the Hippocratic oath does not apply in the Dothraki Sea.
(2) Daenerys: “No, he can’t die, he mustn’t, it was only a cut.”
Me: When he said it was only a "scratch," I don’t think he was being literal.
(3) Mirri Maz Duur should never have been trusted. She has three names! All the famous assassins go by three names: Lee Harvey Oswald, Mark David Chapman, John Wilkes Booth, James Earl Ray, etc."
June 24, 2019
–
90.0%
"Thoughts:
(1) Khal Drogo partakes in a blood bath... literally!
(2) Mirri Maz Duur dances with wolves... literally!
(3) It's said that New York grew so large because its brand new immigrants could subsist on the endless supply of oysters picked from the water. Such seems to the case with Kings Landing and pigeons.
(4) Joffrey's the chaos factor that ruins everyone's carefully laid schemes.
(5) It's all Sansa's fault!"
(1) Khal Drogo partakes in a blood bath... literally!
(2) Mirri Maz Duur dances with wolves... literally!
(3) It's said that New York grew so large because its brand new immigrants could subsist on the endless supply of oysters picked from the water. Such seems to the case with Kings Landing and pigeons.
(4) Joffrey's the chaos factor that ruins everyone's carefully laid schemes.
(5) It's all Sansa's fault!"
June 25, 2019
–
92.0%
"Musings:
(1) Bran: “If I had a poleaxe with a big long haft, Hodor could be my legs. We could be a knight together.”
Me: Could work, but you'd need a fedora and a really long trenchcoat.
(2) Sansa contemplates jumping out a window to her death. Luckily she comes to her senses, and thus avoids becoming a meme.
(3) Joffrey: “Mother says I’m still to marry you."
Me: Of all your mom's edicts, that's the one you stick to?"
(1) Bran: “If I had a poleaxe with a big long haft, Hodor could be my legs. We could be a knight together.”
Me: Could work, but you'd need a fedora and a really long trenchcoat.
(2) Sansa contemplates jumping out a window to her death. Luckily she comes to her senses, and thus avoids becoming a meme.
(3) Joffrey: “Mother says I’m still to marry you."
Me: Of all your mom's edicts, that's the one you stick to?"
June 26, 2019
–
93.0%
"Joffrey:
(1) “My mother tells me that it isn’t fitting that a king should strike his wife."
Me: TBH, she was probably just taking shots at King Robert.
(2) “You truly are a stupid girl, aren’t you? My mother says so.”
Me: I agree with Cersei!
(3) “Your brother defeated my uncle Jaime. My mother says it was treachery and deceit."
Me: Well, she'd be the expert.
(4) Joffrey cites his mom a lot. She's like his Wikipedia."
(1) “My mother tells me that it isn’t fitting that a king should strike his wife."
Me: TBH, she was probably just taking shots at King Robert.
(2) “You truly are a stupid girl, aren’t you? My mother says so.”
Me: I agree with Cersei!
(3) “Your brother defeated my uncle Jaime. My mother says it was treachery and deceit."
Me: Well, she'd be the expert.
(4) Joffrey cites his mom a lot. She's like his Wikipedia."
June 27, 2019
–
94.0%
"A few things:
(1) This living death must be the Lhazareen version of Montezuma's revenge.
(2) That sex scene was a bit too necrophilic for comfort.
(3) Never tell a witch doctor you love someone. They'll sell you out and go: Ooo eee, ooo ah ah, ting tang, walla walla bing bang.
(4) Daenerys: "She wanted to sleep, to sleep and not to dream."
Me: "Aye, there's the rub; for in that sleep of death, what dreams may come.""
(1) This living death must be the Lhazareen version of Montezuma's revenge.
(2) That sex scene was a bit too necrophilic for comfort.
(3) Never tell a witch doctor you love someone. They'll sell you out and go: Ooo eee, ooo ah ah, ting tang, walla walla bing bang.
(4) Daenerys: "She wanted to sleep, to sleep and not to dream."
Me: "Aye, there's the rub; for in that sleep of death, what dreams may come.""
June 28, 2019
–
96.0%
"Meanderings:
(1) I'll never understand Martin's obsession with nipple twisting.
(2) "Even the whorehouse was [under the ground], nothing on the surface but a wooden shack no bigger than a privy, with a red lantern hung over the door."
Me: Well, a red-light district all the same.
(3) "A stranger wearing black was viewed with cold suspicion in every village and holdfast north of the Neck."
Me: The North hates beatniks."
(1) I'll never understand Martin's obsession with nipple twisting.
(2) "Even the whorehouse was [under the ground], nothing on the surface but a wooden shack no bigger than a privy, with a red lantern hung over the door."
Me: Well, a red-light district all the same.
(3) "A stranger wearing black was viewed with cold suspicion in every village and holdfast north of the Neck."
Me: The North hates beatniks."
June 29, 2019
–
97.0%
"Thoughts:
(1) "Jon sat under the trees and ate his biscuit and cheese."
Me: Suddenly craving Lunchables.
(2) "Mormont drank lemon in his beer every day, and claimed that was why he still had his own teeth."
Me: I too enjoy Corona! Also, my dentist always tells me not to put lemon in drinks. But scurvy, I guess.
(3) My last update for a little bit. I only listen to audiobooks when I drive, and my car's in for repairs."
(1) "Jon sat under the trees and ate his biscuit and cheese."
Me: Suddenly craving Lunchables.
(2) "Mormont drank lemon in his beer every day, and claimed that was why he still had his own teeth."
Me: I too enjoy Corona! Also, my dentist always tells me not to put lemon in drinks. But scurvy, I guess.
(3) My last update for a little bit. I only listen to audiobooks when I drive, and my car's in for repairs."
July 5, 2019
–
98.0%
"Thoughts:
(1) Got the car up and running again, back to listening to audiobooks after a week's hiatus.
(2) Catelyn and Lysa have been away from Riverrun too long, they seem to have lost the Scottish accent all the other Tullys have.
(3) The Blackwoods and the Brackens are apparently the Hatfields and McCoys of Westeros.
(4) To write a new review for this edition or copy and paste my existing one? Probably new review."
(1) Got the car up and running again, back to listening to audiobooks after a week's hiatus.
(2) Catelyn and Lysa have been away from Riverrun too long, they seem to have lost the Scottish accent all the other Tullys have.
(3) The Blackwoods and the Brackens are apparently the Hatfields and McCoys of Westeros.
(4) To write a new review for this edition or copy and paste my existing one? Probably new review."
July 6, 2019
–
Finished Reading
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Elaine
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rated it 5 stars
May 25, 2019 12:24PM
At this stage in the game I feel that the whole spoiler issue can be overlooked. In that sense you should just comment on whatever you find interesting. I'm just about to reread the last book in the series simply to remind myself of where everything left off.
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Elaine wrote: "At this stage in the game I feel that the whole spoiler issue can be overlooked. In that sense you should just comment on whatever you find interesting. I'm just about to reread the last book in th..."Thanks for the encouragement, Elaine. I figure by now if you've been on the internet at all during the course of the show you'll know the main plot points simply from osmosis. Still, I like to tread cautiously since you never know how people will react. I've been burned by it before.
As well, I'm in the same situation as you, doing a reread to refresh my mind about things. The next book is probably a year away still, and it'll take me at least that long to get through all the audiobooks. So hopefully I'll be able to jump on seamlessly without any lag in between.
I will be curious what you think of this book!
My_Strange_Reading wrote: "I will be curious what you think of this book!"Thanks, Strange. This is a re-read for me, so I've already written a review for the print version of the book here. I will, however, be writing a separate review for this audiobook version. so you can look forward to that in the near future :)
"When you play the 'Game of Thrones' you press stop after season 6" for me. I think Season 6's Hodor, R+L= J reveal and the 'Winds of Winter' episodes were good. Don't get me to start talking about Season 7 and 8. LOL.
Zibbi wrote: ""When you play the 'Game of Thrones' you press stop after season 6" for me. I think Season 6's Hodor, R+L= J reveal and the 'Winds of Winter' episodes were good. Don't get me to start talking abou..."
There's a lot of stuff I liked about season six too. "Battle of the Bastards" is one of my favorite episodes, and everything you mentioned was good. It's just that season six was when the show went entirely off the books and things started to make zero sense. How they brought back Rickon and ended the Arya storyline in Braavos drove me nuts!
Jayson wrote: "Zibbi wrote: ""When you play the 'Game of Thrones' you press stop after season 6" for me. I think Season 6's Hodor, R+L= J reveal and the 'Winds of Winter' episodes were good. Don't get me to star..."
Ugh. yeah Battle of the Bastards is one of my faves too. Not sure why I forgot about that. hahaha. But you were right, some arcs didn’t make sense. It was just not as glaring as season 7 and 8.
Zibbi wrote: "Ugh. yeah Battle of the Bastards is one of my faves too. Not sure why I forgot about that. hahaha. But you were right, some arcs didn’t make sense. It was just not as glaring as season 7 and 8."Yes, I agree. Seasons 7 and 8 took things completely off the rails, the plot holes were so glaring it's like staring into the sun.
"Joffrey cites his mom a lot. She's like his Wikipedia"!!!!!That's just gold!!! 🤣
KP wrote: ""Joffrey cites his mom a lot. She's like his Wikipedia"!!!!!That's just gold!!! 🤣"
Thanks! Happy you think so, KP :)
Excited to see your review! Was your 2nd time on audio only?
Zibbi wrote: "Excited to see your review! Was your 2nd time on audio only?"Thanks, Zibbi! This is my second time reading it, but my first time with the audiobook. Actually, this will be my first ever review of an audiobook.
darn, i thought my english had improved quite a bit, but i had to throw this in G translate :p for other Flemish/Dutch people on here:
"Een trage parade van entropie, het is een arsenaal aan pijn: een fijne trui, fijn aan elkaar gebreid, tot een verwarde streng ontrafeld."
Exquisite review for an enthralling magnum opus 😁
Koen wrote: "darn, i thought my english had improved quite a bit, but i had to throw this in G translate :p for other Flemish/Dutch people on here:
"Een trage parade van entropie, het is een arsenaal aan pijn:..."
Thanks a lot, Koen! I'm very happy you like it. Not to worry, I'm much too prone to using uncommon words, and I'm sure many native English speakers wouldn't know "entropy" or "panoply" or “skein” either. You do a good service, sir, for my Low Country friends here, whom I’d never want to stymie with my rococo prose 😄😉
Koen wrote: "darn, i thought my english had improved quite a bit, but i had to throw this in G translate :p for other Flemish/Dutch people on here:
"Een trage parade van entropie, het is een arsenaal aan pijn:..."
Darn, here I thought my Dutch was okay, but I still don't know what "entropie" means. ;p
Anne wrote: "Darn, here I thought my Dutch was okay, but I still don't know what "entropie" means. ;p"It's basically a fancy way of saying "nothing lasts forever." More specifically it's the concept that disorder is inevitable, that anything left untended to will eventually break down, descend into chaos or generally fall apart :)
Jayson wrote: "Anne wrote: "Darn, here I thought my Dutch was okay, but I still don't know what "entropie" means. ;p"It's basically a fancy way of saying "nothing lasts forever." More specifically it's the conc..."
Ooooh, I like that. Thank you! (And thanks to Koen too, for helping us Dutchies out;) )
Anne wrote: "Ooooh, I like that. Thank you! (And thanks to Koen too, for helping us Dutchies out;) )"Happy I could help, Anne 😄👍
Great review!😉
Kat wrote: "Great review!😉"Thanks a lot, Kat! I appreciate it :)
Selena wrote: "Fantastic review Jayson!!!!"Thank you very much, Selena!
T.F. wrote: "This review fills up--and brims over--with poetry, as much as it does with insight and wit! Now I see how the review might outdo the book. Very well done, Jayson!"Thanks so much, T.F.! That's quite the compliment and better words than I deserve. I very much appreciate it :)
The English language is like a lived-in house for you, مَا شَاءَ ٱللَّٰ.
P.S: 'Unraveled to a tangled skein.' is such a Sherlockian sentence. I love it 😁 !
P.S: 'Unraveled to a tangled skein.' is such a Sherlockian sentence. I love it 😁 !
Are you planning on watching the new show?
Lantern Wormwood wrote: "'Unraveled to a tangled skein.' is such a Sherlockian sentence. I love it 😁 !"Thanks! Happy you think so :)
Aleena wrote: "Are you planning on watching the new show?"Once the season is over I might binge it. Though, I'm far less enthused that I would be to watch it due to how the previous series ended.
your summary is just perfect, cant believe you captured the feeling of the book so well in so few words
roosmarijn wrote: "your summary is just perfect, cant believe you captured the feeling of the book so well in so few words"Thanks, Roos! Kind of you to say. If my summary succeeds in any way, it's more to do with practice than anything 😁👍
Such a good reviewer! Hopefully, I can be like that someday. I struggled to get through this book but I might give it another shot once the library reopens.
A clockwork reader wrote: "Such a good reviewer! Hopefully, I can be like that someday. I struggled to get through this book but I might give it another shot once the library reopens."Thanks! Perhaps try the audiobook, it might be less of an ordeal. Otherwise, if you decide to give the book another shot, I hope it sticks this time 😁👍
Does this book show sex and nudity as well as the T.V. Show?
Miguel wrote: "Does this book show sex and nudity as well as the T.V. Show?"Well, I don't know if "show" is the right word, perhaps there's an illustrated edition that does, but mine's just text. If you're asking if it contains those same scenes, sure, though not as gratuitous or frequent.
