Kevin's Watch

Not bad books. About 1/3 through the last one. One thing I wanted to bring up... I noticed there are two unimportant Lannisters named Josua and Elyas. I take it that's a nod to Tad Williams?

If there's one, there's probably others. Anybody want to point out the more... esoteric pieces that the casual reader might not pick up?

It could very well be. Martin sprinkles all sorts of quiet little tributes to other fantasy and science fiction writers throughout (including Donaldson).

I like those nods. IIRC, there was an elf named Durin in <U>The Sword of Shannara</U>. I'm too lazy to go to the other side of the room right now and check the book though.

And let me say IT'S SO GOOD TO BE BACK!!!! I think I was unable to get to this site for 4 days!!

It's on my short list - going to the bookstore tomorrow I think, to pick it up.

Martin also scatters little nods to real life people in ASOIAF. One of the Dany chapters in SOS is a nod to Abraham Lincoln, and an incident in his life.
One of my favorite characters, the Red Viper, to me seems to be a nod to one of the characters in the movie Princess Bride.
And, of course, there is Lord Beric.

"You raped her. You murdered her. You killed her children."

that bit?

Spoiler

didn't turn out as well as it did for Montoya

.

I've heard lots of good things about this series, and methinks will start it sometime this year.

Oops! Shouldn't have read that spoiler! Like SRD and me (the great I, hahaha!!!!) Martin also lives in the most magical state in the union and I was impressed byond belief hearing him read a passage from the upcoming A Feast for Crows at Bubonicon '02, in Albuquerque!!!

I just finished A Clash of Kings and am absolutely dying 2 start A Storm of Swords. Martin is, w/o a doubt the best fantasy writer I've read since SRD (although I keep hearing all these fantastic things about Stephen Erikson). I am enthralled, amazed and blown away! Like SRD he makes u think and builds worlds, characters and intrigue on a par w/SRD.

My soft spot 4 TC and SRD will never go away...However, I guarantee SRD fans will not only totally enjoy Martin, but will, in strange way (probably due 2 both writer's 'merciless style') feel right @ home!

I already posted this link over at the Hangar, but here is a great picture inspired by ASOIAF. To me, it captures both the brutality and beauty in Martin's work. It shows the battle to the death between two of the characters, Robert and Rhaegar, at the Battle of the Trident.
members.aol.com/msmiller1/RRfinal.jpg
I cannot emphasize this enough to people thinking about reading Martin -- he can be quite brutal to his characters. Read him one book at a time -- some people get so upset at some of the incidents in the story that they put down the book and...walk away. So don't go out and purchase the entire thing -- go one book at a time, as many people just can't bear the grimness of his writing...

Whoa. that's an excellent pic. I would've made Robert a little bigger and put some more rubies on Rhaegar's armor, but that's trifling. still one of the best fant art pics I've ever seen.

speaking of, is it some unspoken rule that every single cover for the Wheel of Time series has to be worse than the last? The new one for Crossroads of Time looks like a 10 year old drew it with colored pencils.

Sylvanus, I have learned at the Martin forum where I go that he is a huge fan of Tad Williams and his Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn books. In fact, supposedly he decided to try his hand at writing fantasy after reading Williams, before that he was a science fiction writer/editor. SO I would say in answer to your original question, that it's probably a certainty that Martin was making a nod to Williams and Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn in ASOIAF.

cool. about time i revisited osten ard, anyway.

I'm reading Williams and M,S,&T right now for the first time. I'm finding it to be enjoyable. I am also in the middle of Zindell's Neverness books, which I am also enjoying. They are both four book series so I am alternating Williams-Zindell-Williams-Zindell, etc.
Since there's no firm release date yet for Martin's next book, A Feast For Crows (he's still writing it), I'm taking the opportunity to explore some other highly recommended authors. Danlo loves Zindell and Earthblood loves Williams. Soon I think I'll tackle some Zelazny, too, so I can talk to Mhoram at his new Zelazny board.

technically, M,S,&T is only 3 books. granted, Green Angel Tower was so big it couldn't be published in paperback in one volume (so big that I've had a fairly valuable stamp firmly lodged in page 1000 for the past several years)... the story that ate his life.

and i thought i was waiting forever for that series to end.

Both of the halves of Green Angel Tower are huge!! I have the paperbacks and they are both over 800 pages! How many pages does the hardcover have??

1083... and my stamp is missing. dammit.

I've been coming across so many good commentary about Martin's books that later today I'm off to buy Game of Thrones. Last time I did this, the books I got addicted to was the Vorkosigan Saga.

YAY!!!YAY!!!!
I have finally found another Bujold fan!!
Quick, Zahir, pop over to the Hangar and start talking to me in the general sf discussion on the Bujold thread I started there!!

Your Grace?

I looked and didn't see the thread you mention. Personally, I'd be thrilled to discuss Bujold and Miles Vorkosigan. But where's the thread?

It's probably buried pretty far down, because no one ever answered it!
Yeah, Go MILES!!
I'll pop over to the Hangar and give it a bump.