I shall soon be among you...- Some Spoilers

[Alynna Lis Eachann]

Just started the Ice & Fire series myself... a bit slow getting into the first book, but I've just about finished A Clash of Kings and am already despairing because someone has the library's copy of A Storm of Swords checked out. And the next book isn't out until November?? *sigh*

Should I read The Hedge Knight before I start the third book? I'm led to understand it's referenced repeatedly, and I wouldn't mind knowing the background to the references.

[duchess of malfi]

The Hedge Knight (and its sequel The Sworn Sword) takes place a few decades (? might be a bit more, I can't remember the exact chronology & I'm too sleepy to look it up right now) before the main series. They give you more of a look at what Westeros was like under the Targs back when things are at peace (though The Sworn Sword gives an interesting glimpse at a different civil war). They are a very worthy read on their own (some of my favorite Martin quotes come form THK), but you do not need to read them to understand anything in ASOS. There is one reference to it in ASOS, that I can remember off of the top of my head, but nothing crucial.

The Hedge Knight has also been turned into a graphic novel, which I get a complete hoot from.

[OsRavan]

hedge knight and sworn sword actually take place about 100 years before the present series.

To givew you an idea king aerys great great grandfather is ruling in the hedge knight. bassicly, the stories recount the early lvies of dunk and egg. Egg being Aegon the unlucky (reember the story the old bear tells jon about aemon.. aegon the 4th son of a 4th son...) as a little kid and dunk... who is the future commander of hte kingsgaurd as ser duncan the tall... as his compainion.

the only character who is alive in asoiaf and in the hedge knight is maeser aemon.. who in asoiaf is over 100 and in the hedge knight is a boy in the citadil.

Spoiler

also... interestingly... most people assume dunk was actually *not* a knight. ie he made up being made a knight by his dying master. theres a few hints of this, and i personally buy it.

Aegon the unlikely is mentioend in passing throughout the series, as is ser duncan to a lesser degree. when jaime reads through the whitebook in book 3 for instance we hear about duncan

[Revan]

heh, I've gotten quite far in the first book... The king has gone hunting I believe, and the dwarf has been let go. And Sansa and Arya have been sent home. I like it a lot so far. Though it was a shame what happened to Bran.

I think I like the dwarf, Jon, and arya the most so far. I hate Sansa, bitch.

[Alynna Lis Eachann]

Arya and Jon are my favorites, but Tyrion is fun to read, too, as are Dany and Bran.

[OsRavan]

random asoiaf trivia for oyu folks.

originaly you know sansa did not exist in the book? it was going to be 4 kids. 3 boys and one girl.. arya. But then GRRM decided it didnt seem realalistic to have a family where everyone liked each other and got along perfectly, so he created a sister for arya named sansa

[Lord Mhoram]

Os,

Huh, interesting. To think Martin would have unrealistic characters. Heh. I'm sure many people, though, would be happy without Sansa. I for one like her.

[duchess of malfi]

I like Sansa. While more of a tomboy myself, I have known plenty of dreamy little girls like her. And grown women who are just as dreamy...she'd be one of those women who has her entire wedding planned out to the attendants' dresses and the flowers, even though she doesn't even have a boyfriend.

[OsRavan]

with sansa. no i dont like her particurly. but i find some people treat her like an adult. like "how coudl she be so naive?" "how could she betray her father like that!"

to which i answer. she was like 12 years old. thats how. arya and bran and robb are in many ways (not in others) very mature for their years. sansa is just normal

[Zahir]

Phhht. I've been waiting years for A Feast For Crows and you get all weepy 'cause you gotta wait until November!

It is startling how you may find yourself changing your opinion of certain characters. Without giving away any spoilers, by now I actually have a fond spot in my heart for Jaime Lannister and (having read an excerpt published by Martin) am diluting my hatred of his sister with pity. I'd like to call it compassion, but pity is all I can muster--especially if she did in fact do half the things I suspect.

[Sorus]

Okay, I finally succumbed to peer pressure and bought the first book in the series. I've avoided it thus far because I work in a bookstore, and I can't tell you how many times I've had this conversation:

"When's the next George R. R. Martin book coming out?"

"It's been delayed another six months."

" "

Do I really want to get myself into this? Waiting for Fatal Revenant is bad enough.

[Lord Mhoram]

Sorus,

Good news: next book is slated to come out in October or November.

[OsRavan]

and i can sympatyhize with the bookstore thing. i work in one too. i still shudder when i hear the words "harry potter"

[dANdeLION]

I've had enough of your technical senses.

Heh, my technical sense is tingling, Rev.

I'm over halfway through Clash of Kings; I can't believe how good these books are! I'll have to get Hedge Knight & Sworn Sword and read them after I finish the 3rd book.

[Warmark]

i must echo how good these books are im at the part when

Spoiler

Lady the direwolf is killed

absolulty brillaint.

[danlo]

Then you're just starting, lucky you! (just don't look at the background to the Martin forum at the Hangar--it's totally beautiful but it may spoil you)

[dANdeLION]

danlo, they've begun casting for the ASOFAI movie. So far they have inked the following actors:


King Robert Baratheaon:


Eddard Stark:


Tywain Lannister:


Robb Stark:


Cersei Lannister:

[aTOMiC]

Reading nearly 100 pages into A Game Of Thrones has made me an instant Martin fan.
Poor little Bran. So young.....so young.....
Perhaps he'll get better. I'll read on.

[Sorus]

Sorus,

Good news: next book is slated to come out in October or November.

I've heard that before, but it looks like it may be true this time. They've even started releasing special editions of the previous books, which is always a good sign. I hope it's true; I'm halfway through the second book.

(I know, I know - horrible newbies don't know what it means to wait. That's what I've been trying to avoid. There's always book five, right?)

[Revan]

And book 6 and 7.

It's a shame we'll have to wait so long between books, because these books are great.