Game of Thrones - Book Readers' Thread - - - - - - - Part 24

[Fist of Khonshu]

 

[Roose Bolton]

Even Pilou thought the "build me a thousand ships!" nonsense was silly.

I would love to see Tywin have a verbal sparring with the High Sparrow. He would probably hire some Faceless Men to make the High Sparrow and his followers disappear. I've been wondering why we haven't seen any players making use of the Faceless Men, Euron aside.

Real House Dayne words:

We are of the night

Pilou's read the books, the poor bastard. He'll be incredibly disappointed when he gets the script for season 7 episode 3 and finds that his character gets killed off quickly and without fuss.

 

[Reek]

**** Pilou... he said an eyepatch is too cliche

**** of a thing!

 

[Roose Bolton]

He said he would have still worn it if D&D hadn't specifically written it out

 

[Reek]

yea well he also said "well what else did you want a wooden leg and a parrot?"

 

[Roose Bolton]

Loyalty to the people that hired him, happens to the best of us Reek. Look at Erwin Rommel

 

[Reek]

if he was a real fan of the books, he would have told them to go to hell.

 

[godisawesome]

The really weird thing about the eyepatch is how it's both visually unique and yet still pretty non-descript as far as Martin's physical characterizations go. I mean, not everyone wears an eyepatch, but more people would wear them in this setting than have multi-colored and generously maintained hair and beard.

And it's not like the show's ironborn are overflowing with pirate energy; everything is just kind of dingy and battered, like they're the kingdom the show has contractually obligated to be the Dung Ages personified. And considering how some people, especially mainstream show watchers, have trouble telling some of the bearded white guys apart, you'd think there'd be an obvious inclination to give Euron one distinguishing visual characteristic.

 

[Reek]

There wasn't a problem with Beric Dondarrion having an eyepatch

 

[godisawesome]

There wasn't a problem with Beric Dondarrion having an eyepatch

And I feel they may have given him one be cause they wanted to do the haphazard leather strap over his eye to show he's had a "rough go of it." He's supposed to be in a seriously mangled shape by that time, and instead of going all out on clearly being a walking dead man, they thought the eyepatch conveyed the idea well enough.

It's kind of like how the idea of a headless Mountain instead becomes a clearly zombified head Mountain in the show. They probably felt they wanted the idea conveyed, but more on the side of subtle than outright.

 

[Infinity9999x]

So, do you guys think we'll hear anything about the Night King's "corpse bride" for lack of a better term? And also, what do you all think about the theory that the Night King was Brandon the Builder?

 

[Roose Bolton]

In the show I don't think we'll see the Bride, mostly because I think the Night's King is a different figure from what's going on in the novels and there's less mention of the Great Other. But I do think we'll see the Bride in the novels, and we may have already seen her in one of the chapters.

 

[Reek]

I mean, we've seen so little of the Walkers and the NK already, no need to add to it. there won't and shouldn't be more to them than what we've seen IMO...

 

[Infinity9999x]

In the show I don't think we'll see the Bride, mostly because I think the Night's King is a different figure from what's going on in the novels and there's less mention of the Great Other. But I do think we'll see the Bride in the novels, and we may have already seen her in one of the chapters.

Really? What chapter might that have been?

And Reek, I'm all for keeping the mystery around them, but I am curious to learn a bit more. How much humanity is left in the Night King? Does he remember what was done to him? Or has he been turned more or less into a parasite of sorts that only exists to wipe out any kind of life that isn't his own?

And the Bride was an interesting and creepy story I would have liked to see, though in the books it seems the Night King wasn't the first Other the way he seems to be in the show, so that does seem to be changed.

 

[Reek]

Yea i'd like to see more as well, but i say it wont and shouldnt because assuming they are basically done this season besides the finale, theres only 13 episodes left

 

[Roose Bolton]

Really? What chapter might that have been?

And Reek, I'm all for keeping the mystery around them, but I am curious to learn a bit more. How much humanity is left in the Night King? Does he remember what was done to him? Or has he been turned more or less into a parasite of sorts that only exists to wipe out any kind of life that isn't his own?

And the Bride was an interesting and creepy story I would have liked to see, though in the books it seems the Night King wasn't the first Other the way he seems to be in the show, so that does seem to be changed.

It was in the newest one GRRM read out, during one of Aeron's visions he sees a shadow woman with hands of white fire. White fire was used by GRRM to describe the closest approximation of how the White Walkers/Others look to him.

There's been a theory raised that she might be more connected to the hierarchy of the Others than originally thought. The world book brings up several legends and myths across Essos describing the Long Night occurring around the same time some person of nobility wed a mysterious woman who encouraged him to do certain acts of cruelty and supernatural rituals. There's the possibility that the Others somehow utilise a human to help them kick start the Long Night, and have been doing it repeatedly throughout history, or at least attempting to. The Night's King/13th Lord Commander could have been a failed attempt that was ended by the Starks and Wildlings before it could really take off.

 

[Infinity9999x]

Yea i'd like to see more as well, but i say it wont and shouldnt because assuming they are basically done this season besides the finale, theres only 13 episodes left

Has it been officially confirmed they're doing two short order seasons? And I wonder if they'll have any extra long episodes in the short order seasons if so. A few hour and a half episodes or something like that.

Heck, I'm expecting the series finale to be at least 2 hours. Hell, they could make it 4 and people would still watch it.

 

[Infinity9999x]

It was in the newest one GRRM read out, during one of Aeron's visions he sees a shadow woman with hands of white fire. White fire was used by GRRM to describe the closest approximation of how the White Walkers/Others look to him.

There's been a theory raised that she might be more connected to the hierarchy of the Others than originally thought. The world book brings up several legends and myths across Essos describing the Long Night occurring around the same time some person of nobility wed a mysterious woman who encouraged him to do certain acts of cruelty and supernatural rituals. There's the possibility that the Others somehow utilise a human to help them kick start the Long Night, and have been doing it repeatedly throughout history, or at least attempting to. The Night's King/13th Lord Commander could have been a failed attempt that was ended by the Starks and Wildlings before it could really take off.

Fascinating. I wonder who the woman working for the Others would be this time around?

And correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't GRRM come out and more or less say The Night King wasn't the head of the Others in the book world?

 

[Reek]

I think it has been confirmed. and yea I expect longer episodes as well... I'd imagine the finale is movie length.

 

[Roose Bolton]

Yep. The character in the show came about because the Showrunners were trying to give them a more physical figurehead for the protagonists to deal with rather than something that might be more obscure and spiritual within the novels.

 

[Infinity9999x]

Yep. The character in the show came about because the Showrunners were trying to give them a more physical figurehead for the protagonists to deal with rather than something that might be more obscure and spiritual within the novels.

That kind of sums up the show in many ways I think. Though in this case I don't mind it. Especially if we do learn a bit more about him. So far, they've done a very good job at making all the magic seem very mysterious, ancient, and dangerous, which I've enjoyed.

And, to be fair, there have been times where I think the show added complexity to characters. Cersei is certainly an example of that. The conversation between her and Robert in S1 was a great addition, and overall Lena has made her a much more interesting character than I think she is in the books. But in general, the show does tend to simplify what GRRM writes.

I'll be interested to see how much the finale's of the respective stories differ. And how much difference there is between how the White Walker's are portrayed in both mediums. Though at this point, I'm starting to seriously worry that someone is going to have to finish the books for GRRM. The dude aint in the best of shape, and it's very possible he'll pull a Robert Jordan.

 

[Reek]

 

[Roose Bolton]

That kind of sums up the show in many ways I think. Though in this case I don't mind it. Especially if we do learn a bit more about him. So far, they've done a very good job at making all the magic seem very mysterious, ancient, and dangerous, which I've enjoyed.

And, to be fair, there have been times where I think the show added complexity to characters. Cersei is certainly an example of that. The conversation between her and Robert in S1 was a great addition, and overall Lena has made her a much more interesting character than I think she is in the books. But in general, the show does tend to simplify what GRRM writes.

I'll be interested to see how much the finale's of the respective stories differ. And how much difference there is between how the White Walker's are portrayed in both mediums. Though at this point, I'm starting to seriously worry that someone is going to have to finish the books for GRRM. The dude aint in the best of shape, and it's very possible he'll pull a Robert Jordan.

I think it's pretty clear that the Lannister siblings are their favourite characters, given that they tend to remove most of the negative traits those characters are afflicted with. Cersei got this the most, pretty much by way of them removing her sociopathy. Varys is another character that they seem to enjoy, making him into a pretty positive figure and stalwart supporter of Tyrion in the show. In the books I've no doubt he's just as bad as Littlefinger and purely serving his own agenda.

 

[Infinity9999x]

I think it's pretty clear that the Lannister siblings are their favourite characters, given that they tend to remove most of the negative traits those characters are afflicted with. Cersei got this the most, pretty much by way of them removing her sociopathy. Varys is another character that they seem to enjoy, making him into a pretty positive figure and stalwart supporter of Tyrion in the show. In the books I've no doubt he's just as bad as Littlefinger and purely serving his own agenda.

Except for Jamie apparently, because they decided to have him reverse his arc in the books with last season's Dorne Plot and this season as well and have him be all about Cersei. I really enjoyed Jamie's arc in book 4 where he was openly deciding to distance himself from his sister. And then there's the botched sex scene they had with him and Cersei in S4. But other than that, I would tend to agree with you.They really do seem to enjoy Tyrion and Cersei. And in Cerise's case, I enjoy the change. Her POV chapters were incredibly annoying in the books. I'm glad they added a bit more to her.

Varys is an interesting one. He does seem to be honestly trying to do what's best for the realm in the show, and in the books that's still much more ambitious. Though what his agenda may be is anybody's guess at this point. Book wise that is.

 

[Roose Bolton]

Except for Jamie apparently, because they decided to have him reverse his arc in the books with last season's Dorne Plot and this season as well and have him be all about Cersei. I really enjoyed Jamie's arc in book 4 where he was openly deciding to distance himself from his sister. And then there's the botched sex scene they had with him and Cersei in S4. But other than that, I would tend to agree with you.They really do seem to enjoy Tyrion and Cersei. And in Cerise's case, I enjoy the change. Her POV chapters were incredibly annoying in the books. I'm glad they added a bit more to her.

Varys is an interesting one. He does seem to be honestly trying to do what's best for the realm in the show, and in the books that's still much more ambitious. Though what his agenda may be is anybody's guess at this point. Book wise that is.

I think not only has Jaime's arc and progression gone backwards, it's also made him less interesting to watch. When he's playing second fiddle to Cersei the character seems to be much less active and engaging. I'm really not sure what was going through their heads when they thought that it would be on par with his great arc in seasons 3/4, but I suspect it was a case of servicing Cersei's character.

The thing with Varys, and this might be just me, but in the books he did seem to like Tyrion, but he was far more willing to throw him to the wolves if need be. Jaime had to basically threaten him into free Tyrion the night before his execution. The show got some great scenes out of their interactions in King's Landing, but I think it got to the point where they figured they had a sure fire thing and decided to just continue on with that. It doesn't help that Varys in the books is basically the one running the Blackfyre/Golden Company faction and with their removal it kind of makes his existence weirdly out of place. So he's in a weird area.