Winds of Winter

[gunnarthor]

 

Has anyone read, or heard much about, the new history/novel?

I suspect my wife bought it for me for Christmas so I haven't picked it up myself yet but it seems to be more a history of the Targs than a novel, although there are pieces of stories in there.  It's mostly written in the style of The World of Ice and Fire but fewer pictures. Amazon will let you read the first chapter in their 'look inside' option.

 

It's certainly not the novel we're waiting for and I think he's generally run out of steam on ASOIAF and would rather world build at this point. I wasn't all excited for this book so ... -shrug-.  

 

From a few forums, the big takeaway might be something about some dragon eggs being left at Winterfell (which, the theory goes, Stannis will find and burn his daughter to hatch them but not have it work) and more about a magical barrier in the wall that affects dragons. 

[TheLeviathan]

 

I suspect my wife bought it for me for Christmas so I haven't picked it up myself yet but it seems to be more a history of the Targs than a novel, although there are pieces of stories in there.  It's mostly written in the style of The World of Ice and Fire but fewer pictures. Amazon will let you read the first chapter in their 'look inside' option.

 

It's certainly not the novel we're waiting for and I think he's generally run out of steam on ASOIAF and would rather world build at this point. I wasn't all excited for this book so ... -shrug-.  

 

From a few forums, the big takeaway might be something about some dragon eggs being left at Winterfell (which, the theory goes, Stannis will find and burn his daughter to hatch them but not have it work) and more about a magical barrier in the wall that affects dragons. 

 

That last paragraph will be enough for his fans to declare him a genius again though.

 

I loved GOT, but I think it's time to start wondering if it may end up being the most disappointing book series of all time.  

[gunnarthor]

 

That last paragraph will be enough for his fans to declare him a genius again though.

 

I loved GOT, but I think it's time to start wondering if it may end up being the most disappointing book series of all time.  

Well, I'm convinced he won't finish it. I'm surprised the publisher hasn't forced a ghost writer on him yet. But I suppose these GOT-series books like World of Ice and Fire and Fire and Blood are making them a lot of money.

[diehardtwinsfan]

 

Well, I'm convinced he won't finish it. I'm surprised the publisher hasn't forced a ghost writer on him yet. But I suppose these GOT-series books like World of Ice and Fire and Fire and Blood are making them a lot of money.

 

I actually think a ghost write might be the best option here. Martin is getting too old and is in poor health. He's losing fans simply b/c of the time it is taking him to write it. HBO is concluding the series next year and that will be before winds comes out... much less spring. 

[Mike Sixel]

Psych!

 

No, really, is anyone binge watching before the start of the last season? I am considering it....but given the late start (had to finish the Expanse first), not sure I can handle that much depression over 2-3 weeks.....

[PseudoSABR]

 

Psych!

 

No, really, is anyone binge watching before the start of the last season? I am considering it....but given the late start (had to finish the Expanse first), not sure I can handle that much depression over 2-3 weeks.....

I binged a couple weeks ago, when I signed up for HBO to watch True Detective.  I'll probably rewatch the most reason season again, before the new season emerges.

[TheLeviathan]

Yeah, I'm binging the last two starting next week.  My wife and I watched the earlier seasons but agreed we'd rather wait and watch the whole thing from start to finish down the line instead.

[Vanimal46]

I'm binging currently to catch up before the last season... Late to the party. On season 6 at the moment. I hate Ramsay!

[PseudoSABR]

 

I'm binging currently to catch up before the last season... Late to the party. On season 6 at the moment. I hate Ramsay!

He gets more likable.

[biggentleben]

I hadn't watched a full episode before March 1, but I'm now caught up, and it's a heck of a trip! Interested to see where the final season takes it.

[Vanimal46]

He gets more likable.

When he eventually dies? He is a good villan character, I'll give him that.

[Mike Sixel]

We decided to start with season 6....and man, lots of stuff happens that I thought happened earlier, and we are only 2 episodes in!

[Mike Sixel]

so much happens in season 6 that I thought happened earlier!

 

And, clearly my memory sucks, as I had forgotten several things.

 

It's also interesting seeing Cersei and a few others clearly foreshadow what will eventually happen....

[Mike Sixel]

Re-watching seasons 6 and 7.....wow, Jon Snow is stupid. I mean, I recalled that, but seriously. 

 

The Ringer's articles on loose ends, and in general, on GoT are great reading.....I especially enjoyed the recent one on our empathy toward not so great people in the show.....

[PseudoSABR]

 

Re-watching seasons 6 and 7.....wow, Jon Snow is stupid. I mean, I recalled that, but seriously. 

Stupid, stubborn and loyal like a Stark.  He's stupid for not lying to Cersi, but it's also those qualities that make people follow him, without those traits he's probably not King of the North.

[Mike Sixel]

 

Stupid, stubborn and loyal like a Stark.  He's stupid for not lying to Cersi, but it's also those qualities that make people follow him, without those traits he's probably not King of the North.

 

I agree.....it's an interesting character (as most are, especially in the books). 

[gunnarthor]

Show-Jon Snow is horrible. But the show just got bad so I just ignored it, enjoyed the stupid battle scenes and moved on.

 

 

[TheLeviathan]

 

Show-Jon Snow is horrible. But the show just got bad so I just ignored it, enjoyed the stupid battle scenes and moved on.

 

Book Jon Snow is pretty insufferable.  I think the show handled what was left of the book's material better than the book.

 

I could barely finish A Feast for Crows and it took me weeks to do it.  I read the others in days each I enjoyed them so much.  I fear this book he's working on is much the same mess, hence his difficulty finishing it.

[gunnarthor]

 

Book Jon Snow is pretty insufferable.  I think the show handled what was left of the book's material better than the book.

 

I could barely finish A Feast for Crows and it took me weeks to do it.  I read the others in days each I enjoyed them so much.  I fear this book he's working on is much the same mess, hence his difficulty finishing it.

I'm pretty confident GRRM won't finish the series but I don't really have a problem with book-Jon. He's far superior to show-Jon. The show really had trouble with the nuances of the book and took a pretty dumb "good people are stupid" approach to the characters. I was waiting for Jon Snow to say he chopped over an apple tree with his little axe. But the battles were fun.

[Mr. Brooks]

Re-watching seasons 6 and 7.....wow, Jon Snow is stupid. I mean, I recalled that, but seriously.

 

The Ringer's articles on loose ends, and in general, on GoT are great reading.....I especially enjoyed the recent one on our empathy toward not so great people in the show.....

That is the hallmark of a great show.

Walter White, Tony Soprano, Dexter, all very flawed, often downright terrible characters that you can't help but find yourself empathizing with at times.

[TheLeviathan]

I'm pretty confident GRRM won't finish the series but I don't really have a problem with book-Jon. He's far superior to show-Jon. The show really had trouble with the nuances of the book and took a pretty dumb "good people are stupid" approach to the characters. I was waiting for Jon Snow to say he chopped over an apple tree with his little axe. But the battles were fun.

I don't think that is all that different than the book. Being naive is a common Stark trait and, even in the books, it walks them into all sorts of stupidity.

 

The show has faults, but I believe the narrowing/simplifying was necessary. Without it you are in GRRM's position: stuck.

[Mike Sixel]

I like the show, at times better than the books, which he will never finish. I wonder who they've contracted to finish them?

[TheLeviathan]

 

I like the show, at times better than the books, which he will never finish. I wonder who they've contracted to finish them?

 

I think I've read he has a couple co-writers they think will carry on the story.  I might be wrong about that.

[gunnarthor]

 

I don't think that is all that different than the book. Being naive is a common Stark trait and, even in the books, it walks them into all sorts of stupidity.

The show has faults, but I believe the narrowing/simplifying was necessary. Without it you are in GRRM's position: stuck.

I agree that the show had to narrow but that didn't mean they had to dumb it down, which they chose to do. Those weren't the only two options.

[TheLeviathan]

 

I agree that the show had to narrow but that didn't mean they had to dumb it down, which they chose to do. Those weren't the only two options.

 

What do you mean by dumbing it down?

[PseudoSABR]

https://www.actionnetwork.com/entertainment/game-of-thrones-odds-spoilers-first-death-season-8

[Mike Sixel]

If I was writing this season, Euron wouldn't make it back to Westeros, he'd die at the hands of Daario, when the Second Sons stop the Golden Company from leaving Essos. Or maybe Daario dies, and Euron makes it back.....but to me, that's a battle that should happen, but won't.

 

I look at the cast, and I always go back to my earliest prediction, that at the end, only the women would survive to rule. That leaves Yara out of dying......though now that Jon bleeping Snow is going to the MAN who saves the world (yawn), I guess that overall prediction was wrong.

 

Frankly, I'd prefer an ending like we got in ROME, some good stuff happened, but in the end it was still bad......

[PseudoSABR]

 

If I was writing this season, Euron wouldn't make it back to Westeros, he'd die at the hands of Daario, when the Second Sons stop the Golden Company from leaving Essos. Or maybe Daario dies, and Euron makes it back.....but to me, that's a battle that should happen, but won't.

 

I look at the cast, and I always go back to my earliest prediction, that at the end, only the women would survive to rule. That leaves Yara out of dying......though now that Jon bleeping Snow is going to the MAN who saves the world (yawn), I guess that overall prediction was wrong.

 

Frankly, I'd prefer an ending like we got in ROME, some good stuff happened, but in the end it was still bad......

I think everyone dies, but Jon and Dany leave a baby for one or two survivors to raise; perhaps Sam and Gilly. 

[Mike Sixel]

 

I think everyone dies, but Jon and Dany leave a baby for one or two survivors to raise; perhaps Sam and Gilly. 

 

I would be good with that......

[Mr. Brooks]

Started rewatching from episode 1 a couple weeks ago. Four episodes into season 3 so far (I can't do the whole wait a week between episodes bit, so trying to time it to catch up a day or two before the finale).

After nearly two years of not watching it, I had forgotten just how good it is. And, there are so many characters and storylines and call backs, that it is just as interesting during an encore viewing.

I usually can't decide between GOT and Breaking Bad for my top spot all time, but upon a refresher, I think it's definitely GOT.

 

1) GOT

2) Breaking Bad

3) The Americans

4) Sopranos

5) The Wire

6) The Shield

7) Oz

8) Fargo

9) Columbo

10) Shameless

11) Peaky Blinders

12) Deadwood

 

Notes:

 

Doesn't include sitcoms, or shows I consider miniseries, like Band of Brothers and Sherlock.

 

Dexter just missed, it ran too long, would have been high on the list through 4 seasons.

 

Better Call Saul should probably be there somewhere, probably will be before it's done, such a great show.

 

Firefly, Freaks and Geeks, and Twin Peaks are excellent shows that would have been in there somewhere if not for idiot networks not realizing what they had.

 

True Detective just missed, season 2 was just too awful, it had to be punished.

 

Season 2 also hurts Fargo, not awful like True Detective, but would have been higher with just seasons 1 and 3.

 

Homeland seasons 1 and 2 were almost good enough to make up for the rest... almost.

 

Mr. Robot probably just missed. Really good, smart show. But, sometimes tries to be too smart, gets bogged down at times.

 

Westworld is the most overrated thing I've ever seen, wouldn't make it if I went to 100.

 

Black Mirror absolutely should be on there, not sure how I missed it, go ahead and slot it around 8-11 range somewhere.

 

Narcos probably just missed, maybe. Pre Pablo death it was great. The story really needed to end there, IMO.

 

House of Cards would have been there, if not for Spacey getting tossed and ruining any ending they had planned.

 

Rome and West Wing are two shows that could have made it with a little tighter writing and editing. Both were great shows, but sometimes I found myself checking my watch during slower episodes.

 

Let me know if I missed any.