P4: Gritty Reboot Posted May 22, 2012 Report Share Posted May 22, 2012 I finished Feast for Crows yesterday I'm curious what you thought of it. I was a little disappointed my first read through--in fact it was the only ASOIAF book that I put down for a few weeks and finished off later. I am a few chapters into my second reading, and I'm enjoying it a lot more now. I'm catching foreshadowing and neat little references I missed on the first time through. Anytime someone has a dream, it's pretty much gonna happen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waldorf and Statler Posted May 22, 2012 Report Share Posted May 22, 2012 My thoughts I'm in love with the universe and its families so I could deal with the fact that half of the cast wasn't in it. I personally hated all the chapters dealing with the Greyjoys as they don't interest me in the slightest. But the rest was fantastic, especially the Jaime and Brienne chapters. Sam made a decent POV character as well. Keep in mind I'm not very judgmental and hate very few things when it comes to books I read. Not to mention I'll be biased as I finished the book with its second half [ADWD] already written out so I didn't have to wait god knows how much time the fans did for their favorite characters to appear. I enjoyed seeing the world through the eyes of Cersei and the more time passes, the more I hope Tyrion and Jaime end up forgiving each other as Jaime generally is the only person that cared for Tyrion in the family prior to his betrayal to the Lannisters. I'm glad Cersei seems to be getting her due, as it was about time somebody taught her she's not this perfect little bitch she thinks she is. I'm also glad Jaime seems to be not giving a fuck about her anymore, and treats Brienne as a close friend now. tl;dr I thoroughly enjoyed the book as I didn't have to wait for ADWD which is probably part of the reason many disliked this book. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SomTervo Posted May 22, 2012 Report Share Posted May 22, 2012 (edited) @FDS: My flatmate just pointed, both hands, at me and said 'YES.' when I mentioned that you described the show as Chauvinistic. He also says to throw in the word 'problematic'. So let's call the show 'problematically chauvinistic'. Imho, I don't think the show is too bad for that. History was chauvinistic, and that's what Martin took his cues and knowledge from. However, I think the direction is quite bad for it. Every episode directed by the series creators (specifically in the first season, it was awful) is gratuitously full of horrific things being done to women and women in positions of subjugation. I'm tempted actually just to read the Wikipages on the recent Ice and Fire books. I don't get much out of them past finding out what happens in the plot, and a Wiki is good enough for that. The writing certainly isn't very enjoyable for the most part. I started rereading The Hobbit recently... Christ what ever happened to prose like that. Edited May 22, 2012 by kenshi_ryden 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waldorf and Statler Posted May 22, 2012 Report Share Posted May 22, 2012 Maybe the writing isn't top notch but I gotta say it's not THAT bad either. Reading the plot via the wiki won't have the same effect as actually reading the events head on. You won't get the satisfaction of seeing how a character dies. You'll just read "he dies like this". This is my new Lord of the Rings/Star Wars. An incredibly big universe with many families and factions that is begging for other material to be written about it. I can't wait for a KOTOR-like title in this universe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hot Heart Posted May 22, 2012 Report Share Posted May 22, 2012 I'm finding the first book alright. As I think I said elsewhere, the prose is perfectly serviceable. Occasionally great and clunky in equal parts. The show doesn't help any claims of male chauvinism/sexism with its 'sexposition' but I can see how it weaves a more complex perspective than something like old pulp stories. Men and women alike are victims of gruesome deeds. I could be very wrong with regards to some of the interpretations but Arya seems almost like the typical 'prodigal child', probably helped by the 'connection' she shares with Jon whose role screams that. And then there's Daenarys who develops along her own arc as a forceful character...much like Catelyn Stark. ...basically, what Dex and Kenshi said. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waldorf and Statler Posted May 22, 2012 Report Share Posted May 22, 2012 Honestly my fav character is Jon Snow. So many theories on Daenerys being Fire and Jon Snow being Ice. Or Jon Snow being ice and fire. Or anything with Jon Snow. I love the character in the book. In the show he could be better but it's not the actor's fault. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
P4: Gritty Reboot Posted May 22, 2012 Report Share Posted May 22, 2012 I don't personally understand the claim that the writing is bad. It is simplistic at times, and GRRM prefers telling things plainly in prose rather than leaning toward the poetic. But it is easy to understand, highly descriptive, and at times beautiful. Some of my favorite quotes from the novels (ADWD actually, a teensy bit spoilery but no plot points really): "'In this world only winter is certain. We may lose our heads, it’s true … but what if we prevail?’ My father sent him on his way with his head still on his shoulders. ‘If you lose,’ he told Lord Eddard, ‘you were never here.’" "A lord may love the men that he commands, he could hear his lord father saying, but he cannot be a friend to them. One day he may need to sit in judgment on them, or send them forth to die." “His Grace is not an easy man. Few are, who wear a crown. Many good men have been bad kings, Maester Aemon used to say, and some bad men have been good kings.” "When he finally put the quill down, the room was dim and chilly, and he could feel its walls closing in. Perched above the window, the Old Bear’s raven peered down at him with shrewd black eyes. My last friend, Jon thought ruefully. And I had best outlive you, or you’ll eat my face as well. Ghost did not count. Ghost was closer than a friend. Ghost was part of him. Jon rose and climbed the steps to the narrow bed that had once been Donal Noye’s. This is my lot, he realized as he undressed, from now until the end of my days." ""Winter is coming,” Jon said at last, breaking the awkward silence, “and with it the white walkers. The Wall is where we stop them. The Wall was made to stop them … but the Wall must be manned. ... And Jon thought, “Ice,” she said, “and daggers in the dark. Blood frozen red and hard, and naked steel.” His sword hand flexed. The wind was rising." His language is stark and harsh, much like the winter enveloping the land. His novels depict brutal, cold realities, and in that vein I feel the prose works very nicely. I can see why some might be turned off to it compared with some of the more eloquent authors out there, but it fits the complexity and tone of the world. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waldorf and Statler Posted May 22, 2012 Report Share Posted May 22, 2012 I don't always want to read a 3 page poetry-like explanation of how a lamp turns on. I like the writing just fine as well. It's the story and universe that matters. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hot Heart Posted May 22, 2012 Report Share Posted May 22, 2012 The sparer the better tends to be my personal preference. I find Martin's is a decent balance for the type of story. I think you hit the nail on the head, P4. Can't stand Tolkien, myself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
P4: Gritty Reboot Posted May 23, 2012 Report Share Posted May 23, 2012 Can't stand Tolkien, myself. Fool of a Took... 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mal Posted May 24, 2012 Report Share Posted May 24, 2012 (edited) A certain song by The National. Spoilers because its quite an important song. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kOfTvtWYBek I love this rendition. Anybody can sing along with it... if they wanted to. Edit: http://filmmusicrepo...dtrack-details/ It is an official song. Edited May 24, 2012 by MaliciousH 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hot Heart Posted May 24, 2012 Report Share Posted May 24, 2012 Oh, I had a thought about the show inspired by the accent stuff in the EvE thread. I don't know how apparent it is to American audiences, but a lot of the English actors portraying Starks speak with 'northern' British accents. I'm guessing that might have been a deliberate casting choice, though I don't think it is all encompassing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Faiblesse Des Sens Posted May 24, 2012 Report Share Posted May 24, 2012 A certain song by The National. Spoilers because its quite an important song. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kOfTvtWYBek I love this rendition. Anybody can sing along with it... if they wanted to. Edit: http://filmmusicrepo...dtrack-details/ It is an official song. Whoa, I love The National. This is great. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waldorf and Statler Posted May 24, 2012 Report Share Posted May 24, 2012 Man that song gave me goosebumps. Nice to see it, always saw it mentioned throughout the books. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
P4: Gritty Reboot Posted May 24, 2012 Report Share Posted May 24, 2012 Oh, I had a thought about the show inspired by the accent stuff in the EvE thread. I don't know how apparent it is to American audiences, but a lot of the English actors portraying Starks speak with 'northern' British accents. I'm guessing that might have been a deliberate casting choice, though I don't think it is all encompassing. Yeah, it's supposed to be like that I believe. Especially since the Wall is supposed to be like Hadrian's Wall on crack. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waldorf and Statler Posted May 24, 2012 Report Share Posted May 24, 2012 I know it might not be the right place, but I would love to see somebody take the Skyrim engine and basic map premise and create Westeros out of it. I know they have a couple of Game of Thrones mods for the game, but man I would replay Skyrim so quickly if somebody did that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hot Heart Posted May 24, 2012 Report Share Posted May 24, 2012 (edited) Ah, that's pretty cool. With Tywin and Cersei, I know Charles Dance grew up in the south while Lena Headey is from the midlands but doesn't use that accent, and I don't think she has for a long time anyway. Fuck knows what accent Peter Dinklage is doing but it's aiming south... Edited May 24, 2012 by Hot Heart Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
P4: Gritty Reboot Posted May 24, 2012 Report Share Posted May 24, 2012 Dinklage is the only one to get it right--he's not doing British; he's doing Westerosi. All the other actors are simply mediocre, and as such can only pull off British. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Faiblesse Des Sens Posted May 24, 2012 Report Share Posted May 24, 2012 (edited) I know it might not be the right place, but I would love to see somebody take the Skyrim engine and basic map premise and create Westeros out of it. I know they have a couple of Game of Thrones mods for the game, but man I would replay Skyrim so quickly if somebody did that. IMO the actual landscape of Westeros isn't very interesting. It's not boring, mind you with stuff like the Wall and how there's both a desert and a tundra on the same continent... but if I wanted to play any GoT adaptation I would want it closer to The Witcher 2 than Skyrim. It's all about the characters, the political plots, that sort of stuff. Speaking of accents: Agreed about Tyrion. Varys is also really great as was Illyrio from what I remember of rewatching the first episode. They really tried hard for that region's accent. My friend was letting me listen to the ADWD audibook and oh man... the guy who does that does an amazing Varys. I can't tell if it's actually good, or of it's just so entertaining that I don't care that it's bad. Edited May 24, 2012 by Faiblesse Des Sens 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
P4: Gritty Reboot Posted May 24, 2012 Report Share Posted May 24, 2012 Roy Dotrice, great voice for this sort of thing. He also played the Pyromancer in Season 2. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mal Posted May 27, 2012 Report Share Posted May 27, 2012 I finally got to the Blind Girl, double spoiler protection . FUCK YEAH. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MasterDex Posted May 27, 2012 Report Share Posted May 27, 2012 Roy Dotrice, great voice for this sort of thing. He also played the Pyromancer in Season 2. Yeah, Dotrice did a fantastic job with the character's voices. If only he could do every audiobook I listen to. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
P4: Gritty Reboot Posted May 28, 2012 Report Share Posted May 28, 2012 Welp, Blackwater tonight. Very interested to see how well they pull it off. http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_profilepage&v=Q2fGVKvRow4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MasterDex Posted May 28, 2012 Report Share Posted May 28, 2012 I'm wrecked tired but I'm sat here waiting for it to hit the net. If they brush over it, I'll be pissed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TCP Posted May 28, 2012 Report Share Posted May 28, 2012 Well, that was good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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