Eddard has his first council meeting and learns that the treasury is bankrupt due to Robert's lavish spending, presumably on fatty foods. Afterwards, Littlefinger leads him to a secret rendezvous with Catelyn. Thinking Littlefinger was just stringing him along, Eddard almost punches him, but Ser Rod sans barf beard appears to confirm that Cat was there. Did Eddard really think Littlefinger took him to a secret passage that led outside the castle, then down a rock cliff, then on horseback to a brothel just to set up a one liner "your wife is inside" joke?
Littlefinger delivers zinger after zinger, taking nothing seriously apart from his feelings for Catelyn. He shrugs off the huge royal debt, suggests that Eddard fondle some breasts, and sarcastically golf claps when Eddard first recognizes Catelyn. I was disappointed that Littlefinger didn't ask about Jon, and that Eddard didn't politely request some time alone with Catelyn. Come on dude, it's been a while since you've last seen your wife, and you're already in a brothel. Eddard should have done it just to see look on LF's face.
After hearing Catelyn's story about the assassin and how Bran's wolf saved both their lives, Eddard suddenly realizes that he probably shouldn't have killed Sansa’s wolf. Littlefinger suggests that they just pretend the super recognizable Tyrion knife doesn't exist, but Eddard is too proud and too righteous to forget about something of this magnitude, even if it’s in his own best interest. The Lannisters had enough power and influence in King’s Landing to murder the previous last Hand, so Ned will ultimately hang his hopes on the King. However, Robert is politically inept and disinterested, allowing his council to run the kingdom while he requests another party.
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The Night’s Watch is such a raw deal. You can’t own land, you can't have sex, your brothers are the dregs of society, and the guy training you is Alliser Thorne, an anal, humorless, tool of a man. Predictably, Tyrion mocks him so badly that Thorne is forced to leave the dining hall, much to the delight of the others. After dinner, the Lord Commander pleads with Tyrion to convince the King to send more men. Mormont continues on about abominable snow men sightings, missing uncles, and mountain people fleeing, but Tyrion doesn’t take him seriously. Maintaining the Wall is like paying for asteroid insurance -- it guards against a disaster that happens so infrequently that it’s easy to forget about it or dismiss it. Robert isn’t going to send men and resources when he can't even pay his own debts.
Before Tyrion departs, Jon gives him a few messages to deliver to Robb, Rickon, and Bran. Didn’t Tyrion recently try to whack Bran? It would be supremely stupid to return to Winterfell. Either Tyrion thinks the Starks don’t know it was him, or Jaime and Cersei acted without his knowledge.
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"Littlefinger delivers zinger after zinger, taking nothing seriously apart from his feelings for Catelyn."
ReplyDeleteThats him in a nutshell!!
You know one of the most moving parts of that Tyrion chapter is where he and the Old Bear are talking and Tyrion promises to do what he can for the Night Watch.
You discover that Tyrion has a small iron core of honor within him. You have to dig deeply but its there. When he promises to go into bat for the night watch with the powers that be... he means it.
The Night's watch is one of my favorite, they're like rangers, all alone in enemy territory ... so so cool!!
ReplyDeleteAnd Tyrion ... he seems to be a little bastard, everyone hates him and everyone needs something of him, I enjoy every chapter
I think you should keep a note of who sends the assassin after Bran in your opinion as you go through the chapters and see the way the list evolves -- I can see it has already evolved.
ReplyDeletemight also help to write little comments about characters and see how that envolve
Littlefinger was and has been my favorite character. I knew I could count on you to appreciate his subtlety and brilliance. I won't spoil anything for you, but you are in for a ride as you discover just what Lord Petyr Baelish is truly capable of and what motivates him. Suffice to say, it involves more than one liners and his love for Catelyn.
ReplyDeleteTyrion is complex, keep reading and you will find out why he might be the most complex chaarcter in epic faantasy as we know it.
Did you notice that Lord Eddard completely forget that he had met Renly Barathion prior to the meeting of the small council? In the Sansa lies/Lady dies chapter, Renly was with the royal family wearing elaborately decorated armor and laughing at the crown prince for getting beat up by a skinny girl with a stick.
ReplyDeleteLord Eddard does have the excuse of having to concentrate on keeping Arya from loosing a hand or her head though... but Renly Barrathion is hardly someone who is easy to ignore.
why were you disapointed littlefinger didn't ask about Jon? were you just hoping for some bastard jokes?
ReplyDelete"Eddard is too proud and too righteous to forget about something of this magnitude, even if it’s in his own best interest."
ReplyDeleteSo so true.
Littlefinger and Tyrion at the top of the power ranking - right where they should be. The two best players of the game.
ReplyDelete"why were you disapointed littlefinger didn't ask about Jon? were you just hoping for some bastard jokes?"
ReplyDeleteIf this is in reference to Jon Arryn, I'd be curious to know as well. If it's in reference to Jon Snow, my guess would be to cockblock Ned. (-:
Exactly, I would have expected LF to bring up Eddard's bastard at least once in Catelyn's presence.
ReplyDeleteBy far the best every description I have read of this particular character:the guy training you is Alliser Thorne, an anal, humorless, tool of a man
ReplyDeleteWow, this is a fantastic blog, and its awesome to see a first-time reader's thoughts as you go through the books. Two thoughts on the general comments though - ignore the posters who complain you aren't being funny. to many ASOIAF readers, humor about the series is the same as laughing at the Bible - don't worry about them getting all uptight.
ReplyDeleteSecond, I hope you are ignoring all the foreshadowing posts, or the "just wait until you see...." or "things aren't always as they seem..." comments. Seriously people, just let him read and enjoy the books the same way we all got to - without someone vaguely attempting to not-quite-spoiler key things.
Keep the blog going really enjoying it. I even started re reading the series again to follow along with you. It kinda amazes me how the beginning of the first book is written, pretty plain and generic. It does get incredibly good incredibly fast though, only reason ive read the series 5times lol.
ReplyDeleteFrognuts
"ignore the posters who complain you aren't being funny"
ReplyDeleteAgreed. I find your take on things to be quite entertaining.
"Second, I hope you are ignoring all the foreshadowing posts, or the "just wait until you see...." or "things aren't always as they seem..." comments. Seriously people, just let him read and enjoy the books the same way we all got to - without someone vaguely attempting to not-quite-spoiler key things."
Also agreed. Try framing your comments as if you have not read anything past what Jason has already blogged about.
This probably isn't the right place, but im just wondering, seeming as a Dance of Dragons is Half of Book four, just as there were Two books in A Storm of Swords, does that mean there are 3 More books to go?
ReplyDeleteNot sure exactly what your question is, but yes, including Dance of Dragons, there are three more books in the series.
ReplyDeleteI meant, considering A Dance of Dragons, pretty occurs at the same time as a Feast for Crows (with exception to parts at the end), and George initially wanted them to be the same book, but it would have been too big, so he split them. Just as A Storm of Swords, part 1 and 2, are considered part of the same book. Is A Dance of Dragons considered part of book 4, because it essentially is half of it?
ReplyDeleteSome publishers split ASoS into 2 books and some didn't. This was mainly due to the increased cost of printing such a large book. In other words it wasn't GRRM's decision to split ASoS, and it wasn't split at all in the US. AFFC and ADwD will have (widely) separated publication dates, and separate titles. So no, they are not considered part of the same book. At least not in the same sense as ASoS.
ReplyDeleteADWD is counted as Book 5 officially. The series is supposed to end at Book 7, a Dream of Spring (I think that's what it's called).
ReplyDeleteThanks guys, it just logically seemed like it would be considered part of the same book. Excuse my ignorance.
ReplyDeleteAs far as im aware, it's called a Dream of Spring, but im sure he retains the right to change it if he wants, after all, he already has.
Hahaha, the word verification is "impers".
Ive been reading these posts trying to reimagine what it was like when I first read these books. Thanks for Writing.
ReplyDeleteFake. This is a social exercise.
ReplyDeleteI sort of agree with the above anon poster in that: how would the dude know the significance of ADOD delay and keenly comment on it.
ReplyDeletemaybe someone told him there have been delays? maybe he asked whoever got him into the books when the next one is coming out? maybe he read it somewhere? maybe he checked George's website? maybe he slipped up finally and revealed with his dance-delay knowledge that he's not a first time reader!?!?!?! i don't understand how knowing dance is delayed indicates anything at all.
ReplyDeleteA book that was supposed to be already wrote and finished and just needed to be split in half. A Dance that will never come
ReplyDeleteWell, the guy did say his friend got him on the books and told him how much discussion there's been.
ReplyDeleteI don't know if Ned being proud and righteous when he refuses to forget about the dagger -- that's his little kid that almost died, remember. Ned and Littlefinger are my favorite odd couple of the series, you can see here already that they just contrast so hilariously.
Also, about your disappointment about Ned not requesting some alone time -- Cat didn't leave the brothel for a good few days, IIRC. Lots of things could've happened in a few days, just sayin'.
I'm willing to accept Jason at face value. But even if he isn't actually a first-time reader, I'll still have enjoyed his posts and perspectives. Either way, I shall read on.
ReplyDeleteYes, obviously he must have read the books before because he shows fucking reading comprehension. I'm sorry, but it isn't hard to make some of these observances the first time through. How do you all even understand half of what's going on if it has to be reread four times or painstakingly pointed out? It's sad.
ReplyDelete