Game of Thrones - Book Readers' Thread

[DarthSkywalker]

It's funny how incompetent D&D are when it comes to [blackout] Stannis [/blackout]

Have you ever watched the Inside the Episode features? It's kinda unprofessional how bad the divide is between how David Benioff sees him (More or less as GRRM described) and how D.B. Weiss sees him. (fanatical madman without redeeming features.) They really undermined each other a lot during the commentary for the Burning scene in Ep2.

It's really quite bizarre.

Yeah, and it bothers me. I get not liking Stannis, but not understanding him is ridiculous. He is pretty straightforward.

Also, I do think it was a missed chance to not have the

Spoiler

save

in this episode. It would have worked perfectly in terms of symmetry, as this was really Blackwater 2.

 

[Baramos]

By the way, I wonder how many of the show fans even remember what Mance looks like.

Yeah, it's a good thing they had Ciaran Hinds play him or all of us would have forgotten what he looked like by now.

I was glad to see the show creating its own thing with

Spoiler

the Scythe

, I think that makes up for no chain on the Blackwater, hehe.

 

[Drz]

Man, Neil Marshall loves violence & he got to create some really badass scenes with this, it was awesome. Practical effects are for the win, i freaking loved the Mammoth.

Good action, solid drama. Blackwater episode obviously had more drama, because it was surrounded with Sansa, Davos and Tyrion drama, here it was just Jon Snow's POV chapters utilized, but it was good stuff.

I'm saddened by Pyp's death quite frankly. Another change for no reason to the books. /elitist.

I can see that, the show does love the visual theme of a [BLACKOUT]door being shut in someone's face.[/BLACKOUT]

In terms of the next episode, [BLACKOUT]who thinks Stannis is going to have a more hands-on role in the battle with the Wildlings? In the books he's said to hang back in the rear guard, never really getting into the action, but the show has already had him lead the charge at Blackwater Bay... and it was awesome. I have an image in my head of Stannis fighting and incapacitating Mance. [/BLACKOUT]

Spoiler

I'm pretty sure Neil Marshall directed the Stannis attack and everything, it's simply that this episode got cut and more room was left for next episode, so yeah Marshall will definitely have Stannis be more straightforward, even tho he's more like Tywin Lannister in the books.

Martin actually commented on Marshall's straightforward Stannis on the Blackwater commentary.

 

[DarthSkywalker]

They made a point multiple times tonight that Jon isn't Commander.

Spoiler

I think it's safe to say that next episode will have him declared Commander and that will be the last we see of him in the finale. Them declaring him Commander the music rising and smash cutting to someone else's scene. Similar to the scene where Rob is being declared King in the North in Season One's finale.

That is what I thought for the longest time, but that would mean at least two, maybe three scenes at the Wall of some length. That they touched on the topic quite a bit tonight makes me think it is still possible, but I don't know how likely at this point.

 

[DarthSkywalker]

Yeah, it's a good thing they had Ciaran Hinds play him or all of us would have forgotten what he looked like by now.

I was glad to see the show creating its own thing with

Spoiler

the Scythe

, I think that makes up for no chain on the Blackwater, hehe.

Yeah, that was a much more awesome chain.

 

[Perfect Cell]

Yeah, that was a much more awesome chain.

Yeah, at first I thought they were just breaking chunks off the wall to use as falling weapons. Nope, giant murder scythe. That probably comes in handy.

 

[Asteroid-Man]

That scythe/anchor was awesome. Also (show spoiler - please do NOT answer with book spoilers) did [blackout]Allastair[/blackout] die? I was under the impression he was just taken inside once wounded, but they told Jon he'd fallen.

 

[Roose Bolton]

And Grenn reciting the oath. Chills to the bone.

 

[Perfect Cell]

That scythe/anchor was awesome. Also (show spoiler - please do NOT answer with book spoilers) did [blackout]Allastair[/blackout] die? I was under the impression he was just taken inside once wounded, but they told Jon he'd fallen.

[BLACKOUT]No, I don't think they killed him off. He was dragged inside, alive, so Sam wouldn't know if he was dead anyways, since he wouldn't have been around for it. I think "fallen" just meant "out of the battle" in this case.[/BLACKOUT]

 

[DarthSkywalker]

Yeah, at first I thought they were just breaking chunks off the wall to use as falling weapons. Nope, giant murder scythe. That probably comes in handy.

I loved Edd on the top of the Wall, giving the order. He was such a boss when he told them to drop it.

That scythe/anchor was awesome. Also (show spoiler - please do NOT answer with book spoilers) did [blackout]Allastair[/blackout] die? I was under the impression he was just taken inside once wounded, but they told Jon he'd fallen.

I don't think Allister died. They said he fell, but that could of just mean he couldn't continue to lead and fight. They way they emphasized him not dying and being removed.

 

[Marvolo]

Yeah, at first I thought they were just breaking chunks off the wall to use as falling weapons. Nope, giant murder scythe. That probably comes in handy.

Lol me when I saw that giant murder scythe scrape those guys off the wall.

 

[YoungE808]

What an exciting episode! I was at the edge of my seat the entire time waiting for moments that turned out differently in the books.

We saw two of the best 1-v-1 fights of the series imo this episode with Alliser Thorne vs Thormund Giantsbane and Jon Snow vs The Magnar of Thenn

Loved, loved, loved the wide tracking shot that showed the positions of the Wildling commanders.

But one of the most gif worthy moments is when the Giant sent that man flying with the arrow, so funny.

This one year wait for S5 is going to be rough.

 

[Perfect Cell]

As an aside, I want to say how much I love Tormund's fighting style. The actor really goes all out there. He sounds like a madman, and it's awesome. I loved his laugh in the midst of the battle during the tracking shot.

 

[Drz]

I'm slightly worried, finale episode thoughts, SPOILERS:

Spoiler

Stannis saving the day would had been a magnificent end, i don't get why this episode just had to be 50 minutes long, will next week's 66 long episode have 20 minutes of the Wall or so? Maybe then it's for the best, but this episode could have marked a new fandom love for Stannis, finale episode has already so much going on, like the Tyrion plot. I hope casuals will still embrace Stannis the Mannis.

 

[Perfect Cell]

I'm slightly worried, finale episode thoughts, SPOILERS:

Spoiler

Stannis saving the day would had been a magnificent end, i don't get why this episode just had to be 50 minutes long, will next week's 66 long episode have 20 minutes of the Wall or so? Maybe then it's for the best, but this episode could have marked a new fandom love for Stannis, finale episode has already so much going on, like the Tyrion plot. I hope casuals will still embrace Stannis the Mannis.

[BLACKOUT]Hopefully the scenes with Jon and Mance will be equally as tense as the battle. You really need to convey to the audience the sense that the Night's Watch are ever so truly ****ed, and Stannis is arriving at the absolute best time. I'm a little worried the moment has been ruined too, but I think they can still pull it off.[/BLACKOUT]

 

[DarthSkywalker]

And Grenn reciting the oath. Chills to the bone.

That was fantastic. In this episode, nothing hurt more then seeing my lady fall, but seeing the end of [BLACKOUT]Grenn[/BLACKOUT] and the last of the [BLACKOUT]giants[/BLACKOUT] perish really got to me as well.

 

[DarthSkywalker]

What an exciting episode! I was at the edge of my seat the entire time waiting for moments that turned out differently in the books.

We saw two of the best 1-v-1 fights of the series imo this episode with Alliser Thorne vs Thormund Giantsbane and Jon Snow vs The Magnar of Thenn

Loved, loved, loved the wide tracking shot that showed the positions of the Wildling commanders.

But one of the most gif worthy moments is when the Giant sent that man flying with the arrow, so funny.

This one year wait for S5 is going to be rough.

Jon vs. Magnar was indeed great, probably the best duel we have seen on the show so far. Thorne vs. Tormund was good, but the sword on ax combat was really well choreographed. Nice to see Kit can still fight, now that his foot has healed.

 

[Asteroid-Man]

And Grenn reciting the oath. Chills to the bone.

You and me both.

[BLACKOUT]No, I don't think they killed him off. He was dragged inside, alive, so Sam wouldn't know if he was dead anyways, since he wouldn't have been around for it. I think "fallen" just meant "out of the battle" in this case.[/BLACKOUT]

Ah, thank you! He proved himself this episode in my opinion. Loved the dialogue between him ([BLACKOUT]Alister[/BLACKOUT]) and Jon on the wall.

Also, that pansy who hid in the pantry had better be tried and executed for his cowardice. He abandoned his brothers.

 

[DarthSkywalker]

I love how the crap talker hid with the women and children. The height of embarrassment.

 

[Marvolo]

That was fantastic. In this episode, nothing hurt more then seeing my lady fall, but seeing the end of [BLACKOUT]Grenn[/BLACKOUT] and the last of the [BLACKOUT]giants[/BLACKOUT] perish really got to me as well.

That was the last [BLACKOUT]two giants[/BLACKOUT]...anywhere in that world? I didn't realise that. Were there only [BLACKOUT]two[/BLACKOUT] in the book or was that a result of the budget on the show?

 

[Drz]

Styr's combat moves we're beautiful, he was doing the dance of death with his axe!

 

[Perfect Cell]

That was the last [BLACKOUT]two giants[/BLACKOUT]...anywhere in that world? I didn't realise that. Were there only [BLACKOUT]two[/BLACKOUT] in the book or was that a result of the budget on the show?

Well, in the books there's [BLACKOUT]Wun Wun, who helps out at Castle Black after the peace is struck. Until he does that stuff... with the pulling people apart and whatnot.[/BLACKOUT]

 

[Hyde]

Spoiler

Ugh, I hated that ending. It feels very ridiculous that they couldn't include Jon going to see Mance and Stannis' attack and actually finishing the battle but had time to include 20 minutes of chatting at the beginning. I appreciate character interactions and some of the dialogue scenes were cool but they could have easily been shaved off, and some of the battle too if necessary. Plus, the episode was only 50 minutes. They had an extra 5/10 minutes they could have used to show how the battle ended... I'm pretty sure last week's episode was longer.

I wonder how the Wildling attack will affect Bran, since by that point in the books he's only just going North of the Wall. Also, [BLACKOUT]does anyone think they'll show Mance with the Horn of Winter next week? It was a big point in the books, and probably will be an even bigger one in the future, but they haven't even mentioned it on the show I don't think.[/BLACKOUT]

Wish we had seen more of Ghost too, Sam unleashing him was awesome.

 

[Asteroid-Man]

Didn't they say Mance had more men and more giants at the end of the episode?

 

[Marvolo]

Didn't they say Mance had more men and more giants at the end of the episode?

Yeah. We only got to see the first engagement in the battle, and they don't have time in the finale to properly cover the rest. Frankly this battle and Wall stuff should have covered more than a single episode. In a better world the season would be 12 episodes and the whole battle and final Wall stuff of book 3 would have taken up episodes 9&10. And the ridiculous amount of ground left to cover in next week's finale could be covered in episodes 11&12. I don't care what D&D say. This season could have used 12 episodes and less filler in the middle. Ten episodes a season have never been ideal imo.