A song of Ice and fire discussion (spoilers incl A Dance with Dragons)

[fool-ish]

I've never heard of half the ingredients in that drink! What on earth is 'Sack?'

Apparently, sack is a strong, dry, sweet, light-colored wine of the sherry family.

---

Yes, great photography, FoolishGirl! I loved the Valentine's Day ones best!

Interesting to note that many recipes have "gone missing" off the site, as they will be included in an official GoT cookbook due out in May. I know what my sister is getting for Christmas this year!

Thanks for that Foolishgirl

---

Gah! I missed the end of an Ebay auction because of the Red Viper and The Mountain! I couldn't tear myself away and forgot to put my bid in! Fool!

[fool-ish]

This re-read of AFFC has been a revelation! It would seem I paid little attention to that which required attention during my first read. It's all coming together nicely now though.

[fool-ish]

Well, that's that! Finished my re-read and now have a whole load of theories, granted, most of them crackpot, but theories all the same. Only another few years to wait...

[Farseer]

I'm not sure if this has been raised here previously (given that I've tried not to spoil things for myself by reading into the posts too much! ) but the maps in my UK version of AGoT annoy me. The southern coastline of the map that can be seen at the bottom of the map of The North differs to the same portion of the southern coastline that can be seen at the top of the map of The South (particularly around the region of The Fingers down to the Bay of Crabs). Even the mountain regions around Riverrun and The Eyrie are different. I like that not!

Is it the same in the US version?

[fool-ish]

I'm afraid I don't peruse the maps much I've probably referred to them twice throughout the whole read...mainly to see if I could support my crackpot theories Have you started reading GoT?

[Valarya]

I'm not sure if this has been raised here previously (given that I've tried not to spoil things for myself by reading into the posts too much! ) but the maps in my UK version of AGoT annoy me. The southern coastline of the map that can be seen at the bottom of the map of The North differs to the same portion of the southern coastline that can be seen at the top of the map of The South (particularly around the region of The Fingers down to the Bay of Crabs). Even the mountain regions around Riverrun and The Eyrie are different. I like that not!

Is it the same in the US version?

How are they different, Farseer? Here's a copy of the US maps. I think they're the same as the UK versions. The Vale and part of the Riverlands are going to be much less detailed on the North due to the fact they're part of the South.. which is why they're much more detailed on the South map. Is that what you mean?

---

I'm afraid I don't peruse the maps much I've probably referred to them twice throughout the whole read...mainly to see if I could support my crackpot theories Have you started reading GoT?

Wow, really? One of my favorite parts of reading fantasy books is to have the maps for reference. I flip back to them constantly. In fact, I know these maps so well I could probably draw them from memory.

[fool-ish]

I'm not sure if this has been raised here previously (given that I've tried not to spoil things for myself by reading into the posts too much! ) but the maps in my UK version of AGoT annoy me. The southern coastline of the map that can be seen at the bottom of the map of The North differs to the same portion of the southern coastline that can be seen at the top of the map of The South (particularly around the region of The Fingers down to the Bay of Crabs). Even the mountain regions around Riverrun and The Eyrie are different. I like that not!

Is it the same in the US version?

How are they different, Farseer? Here's a copy of the US maps. I think they're the same as the UK versions. The Vale and part of the Riverlands are going to be much less detailed on the North due to the fact they're part of the South.. which is why they're much more detailed on the South map. Is that what you mean?

---

I'm afraid I don't peruse the maps much I've probably referred to them twice throughout the whole read...mainly to see if I could support my crackpot theories Have you started reading GoT?

Wow, really? One of my favorite parts of reading fantasy books is to have the maps for reference. I flip back to them constantly. In fact, I know these maps so well I could probably draw them from memory.

I know, I know, they're full of information if I'd care to look at them properly. Truly though, maps have never been my thing and they confuse me more than aid me. Now, the appendix is a whole different ball game...those pages are vital to my reading sanity!

['thul]

these beings have mostly used external maps, so they are uncertain whether it is same or different.

[Farseer]

I will have to revisit and repost my map response from some time ago ^ , which has gone...somewhere.

Okay, so here I am, bringing our A Game of Thrones conversation over from the What are you reading right now? thread. It was meant to happen MUCH earlier in the day but every time I came to the keyboard, real life needed me! To re-cap:

If I could get rid of four characters, I think I'd love it...I hope they soon prove to be in the group of 'people are always dying' in this series! I just want to skip their chapters but know I can't.

Oh and please do tell which four characters you are misliking

I mislike (did you create a new word, fool-ish? ) far, far more than four but the four I was talking about were those who I liked least of all at the time I posted. More info coming below...

If Arya, Dany or Tyrion are in that list, I'll permanently block Farseer

Things have changed a great deal since I said 'four' though, and now that one has redeemed themselves to the point that they have even become a bit of a favourite.

Oh, and if the list does NOT include Sansa I'll block her too.

Right, so the four characters that I was referring to in my original post were Dany , Viserys, Jaime and Cersei. Since I wrote it, Dany has changed her tune and impressed the heck out of me so she’s no longer on the list. If anything, I’m now a firm fan and I'm in her corner cheering loudly...amazing what a chapter or two can do!

Of course, it goes without saying that I also don’t like….well….maybe it’s quicker if I tell you who I DO like! I absolutely like Arya and Jon Snow the most and then Tyrion, Ned (though I want to smack him at times) and Dany. Yep, yep, that’s pretty much it. Sansa…well, she’s just another Malta to me and I doubt I’ll change my mind about her even if she does redeem herself somewhat (sorry fool-ish but I will happily say so if I'm proven wrong!), and the same goes for Catelyn…I really don’t like either of them! No, no I don't.

So, Sansa wasn’t in my original four of who I liked least but, joost, she is definitely on the side of ‘Grr! ’. Who else? Robert. Oh, boy, but I don't like that man/king! Or Joffrey, or Ser Alliser or...

As for Bran…I don’t like him at the moment, and must admit that the last two times I've read his chapters I have fallen asleep I was so disinterested BUT I wonder if he is just not appealing to me because he’s not in a good place at the moment, having just lost his legs etc. It's possible that he may do something to shift my interest into a higher gear soon... ...but I have my doubts that it will be enough for me, despite the fact that he likely holds a major role in things.

Littlefinger bugs me as well but I'm not sure which way he'll go. The obvious seems to be against the Starks but then...so I'm sitting on the fence as far as his loyalties will go but I think I'm well set in my dislike. I'm also sitting on the fence for which way Ser Jorah will head in the whole scheme of things but I like him well enough for the moment.

At the moment I am up to Ned and Robert's conversation prior to Robert taking part in the tourney.

[Valarya]

Right, so the four characters that I was referring to in my original post were Dany , Viserys, Jaime and Cersei. Since I wrote it, Dany has changed her tune and impressed the heck out of me so she’s no longer on the list. If anything, I’m now a firm fan and I'm in her corner cheering loudly...amazing what a chapter or two can do!

Well, you're supposed to hate Viserys, Jaime and Cersei at this point in the game.. so that's no surprise. In fact, those should be some of the characters you love to hate. I'm glad you changed your mind about Dany, though. She becomes a very strong woman and an extremely important character.

Of course, it goes without saying that I also don’t like….well….maybe it’s quicker if I tell you who I DO like! I absolutely like Arya and Jon Snow the most and then Tyrion, Ned (though I want to smack him at times) and Dany. Yep, yep, that’s pretty much it.

And to go with the same theme, here: you're supposed to like those characters. Arya, Jon Snow and Tyrion are always the favorites. I hated Ned, but that's because I enjoy the darker side of things and he was just too much for me, lol. But I was supposed to like him.

Sansa…well, she’s just another Malta to me and I doubt I’ll change my mind about her even if she does redeem herself somewhat (sorry fool-ish but I will happily say so if I'm proven wrong!), and the same goes for Catelyn…I really don’t like either of them! No, no I don't.

You misunderstood fool-ish. She wanted you to hate Sansa exactly like a Malta situation. I've always hated Sansa and it was hers and Catelyn's chapters I wanted to skip, all the time. I'd say that's pretty normal.

Who else? Robert. Oh, boy, but I don't like that man/king! Or Joffrey, or Ser Alliser or...

People you're supposed to dislike. Especially Joffrey.

As for Bran…I don’t like him at the moment, and must admit that the last two times I've read his chapters I have fallen asleep I was so disinterested BUT I wonder if he is just not appealing to me because he’s not in a good place at the moment, having just lost his legs etc. It's possible that he may do something to shift my interest into a higher gear soon... ...but I have my doubts that it will be enough for me, despite the fact that he likely holds a major role in things.

This is actually majorly shocking to me. Bran is in my top 3 favorite characters. In fact it was his story that hooked me to this series right off the bat. He might be young, but a lot of really interesting/neat stuff happens to/around him.

Trust me. It isn't something he's going to do that will change your mind about him.. it's the magic. He might end up being your favorite character! Haha