Duh!
Okay, so I've read through page 488, Nate--most recently the chapter in which Eddard confronts Cersei in the Godswood. So here's my question:
Why didn't we think of this? What ninnies we are. Of course Joffrey is not Robert's son. We shoulda known! But then I think it's because the sheer nastiness of the alternative was something we were unwilling to consider. . . .
Okay, second question.
Who is Jon's mother? I wonder if this is important. Cersei raises the issue out of sheer spite, but I've been wondering about this for some time now. Does it even matter? Will this become significant later in the story? In any case, it certainly seems to me that Jon is going to be more important, more central to the story, than he is now.
Fiction Connection
Here's something cool. It's called
Fiction Connection. You put in the name of a book you like, and Fiction Connection identifies other books like it. Click "Find Similar" next to your title of choice for a more precise listing. I tried
A Game of Thrones and got
this list. Kind of interesting, especially for me, since I've got only a vague sense of what's out there for fantasy writing these days. BTW, you can sort the list by checking the subject heading on the green side-panel.
Combat at The Eyrie
Noticing that the last five posts Bob's, I'm feeling very derilict in my duties to this blog. So I'm gonna try and catch up.
As for the crudeness question, I definitely have noticed Martin's use of it(sometimes in very creative and humorous ways!). I also recall that there are lots of fantasies(like Tolkien's) that portray this character trait without making it a violation of FCC regulations. I can't tolerate it when it's not treated like it's no big deal; for example when the author(or moviemaker) is trying to show his audience that he's cutting edge enough to use the f-word. It's similar for me with violence. When someone is trying to dream up the most shocking display of gore they can imagine, it definitely detracts from the value of the work. I haven't found that the crassness is at that level, but all the same, Martin could probably achieve exactly what he wants in his writing without crossing the line into R-rated territory. I personally find that the more strategically ambiguous a passage is about a character's personality, or scene of violence, the more my imagination goes to work and conjures something up that is perfectly suited to the author's intent, and to what I can stomach. Kind of like old horror movies which never really show anything that scary, only build up a mood of terror through the characters' voices and bod language.
So I have just finished the chapter in which Tyrion's trial by combat takes place. I am thoroughly impressed by how well Martin writes Tyrion's cunning, and maintains his distinct personality. The scene in the throne room when he is brought before the Lysa and her courtiers was brilliantly played by the Imp. This chapter is the perfect example of why Martin can go long periods of time with no major action/adventure. Tyrion's cunning, sharpened by his misery in the cell, Lysa arrogant near-madness, and the courtiers' haughty overconfidence blend perfectly to build suspense and manipulate the reader's sympathies. Followed by this is the trial by combat, the brilliant payoff of Tyrion's guts and brains in the form a good old-fashioned swordfight: an excellent meal followed by gourmet coffee and dessert.
The Obscenity Question
If you go to
the Amazon page for A Game of Thrones, you will see that there are 1319 customer reviews! Which kind of makes me wonder:
1) What book has the most customer reviews on Amazon. Anyone know?
2) Why would anyone want to write the 1320th review? Or for that matter the 120th? I mean, isn't that overkill?
Anyway, in case you're wondering, Nate, no I do not intend to read all 1319 reviews. But I was scanning the first few and noticed that there's been some criticism now and then of the occasional crassness (or downright obscenity) that can be found in Martin's writing.
It's a point that shouldn't be dismissed out of hand. Martin's characters, especially Tyrion, can be pretty crude, and too much of this sort of thing would definitely sour me on the books. Of course I understand that this crudeness is "in character," but I'd still rather do without it. I suppose Tolkien could have put such talk in the mouths of his orcs, etc., but he managed to convey their crudity without subjecting his readers to authentic gutter-talk.
All of which, I realize, makes me a prudish old fuddy-duddy, but there you have it. What are your thoughts?
And wasn't that peculiar . . .
[I've read through p. 423]It occurred to me the other day that the clearest evidence we have that Tyrion is not behind the attempt on Bran's life is the mere fact that in all his chapters, in which we get to see things from his point of view, he never once gave such a thing a thought. I mean, this is one of those "slap-yourself-on-the-forehead and say DUH!" insights.
Anyway, all that is moot now, because we see in Tyrion's latest chapter, on p.415, this crucial passage: "[Tyrion] wondered which of them had sent the footpad to silence the Stark boy . . ." Tyrion then considers the death of Jon Arryn, noting with what skillful subtlety that murder must have been carried out, and how such subtlety contrasts sharply with the attempt on Bran's life. "And wasn't that peculiar, come to think of it . . ."
Tyrion is beginning to realize that someone has set him up. This thought has been murmurring in the back of my mind for some time. My guess? It's the fellow on the secret stair, whose conversation Arya had spied on a few chapters back. I'm assuming this was the eunuch Varys, "the master of whisperers," and I'm also assuming that Littlefinger in on the plot as well.
Beyond the Wall
Okay, in case you're wondering, Nate, I've read through page 409, which is the chapter where the band of wildings attack Bran. I'm pretty sure you have read past that point, so I won't be giving anything away. This was another breathtaking chapter. And from it we learn a few things. One, though Robb is maturing as a leader, he may be in over his head. Two, Theon Greyjoy is a bit too smug and callous. Three, something is going on "beyond the wall," or why are these
wildings straying so close to Winterfell? And four, Benjen is alive.
Did you catch that? Martin throws us this bone, you might say, in the conversation between the wildings over what should be done with Bran. Hali wants to kill him, but Osha says, "The boy's worth nothing dead, but alive . . . gods be damned, think what Mance would give to have Benjen Stark's own blood to hostage!"
I had to go to
Tower of the Hand to find out who Mance was. He'd been mentioned briefly way back in Bran's first chapter, where he is called King-Beyond-the-Wall. So now we know:
1) Benjen is still alive and apparently considered and enemy by Mance. This raises all sorts of questions.
2) The wildings are moving southward, and with little regard for their own safety they are straying very near such places as Winterfell, where their lives are forfeit. Clearly something is happening "beyond the wall." This is the most mysterious "strand" of this complicated story, but I'm wagering the most important.
