ImpinAintEasy

Season 6 trailer:

Mercy,mercy,mercy....

I'll copy Avaleigh's idea and list my favorites by book. AGOT: 1. Ned 2. Tyrion 3. Daenerys ACOK: 1. Tyrion 2. Arya 3. Davos ASOS: 1. Jaime 2. Jon 3. Arya AFFC: 1. Jaime 2. Cersei 3. Sansa ADWD: 1. Theon 2. Jon 3. Davos Overall: 1. Jaime 2. Jon 3. Tyrion Favorite non-POV: 1. Stannis 2. Varys 3. Dolorous Edd Least Favorite POV: 1. Damphair 2. Hotah 3. Arys/Arianne

When one of the people who runs the site behaves the way she does, many of the visitors are sure to act similarly. It is quite remarkable how much access to the show that Linda still receives(invites to premiers/screeners). But I don't want to clog up this thread talking about her, so I think I'll stop before I get too into it. Apparently George read Arianne I and Arianne II at a Con today. Will be interesting to see if any revisions were made.

It's sad that 5 or 6 posters have hijacked the comments section of that site. It's like a middle school defensive response to the many posters who posted negative comments about the show on a site that is mostly dedicated to covering the show. To be fair, a couple of them have been anti-GRRM since AFFC-ADWD. And I'd still say WOTW is more welcoming to dissenting opinions of the show than Westeros.org is to fans of the show. It's becoming tougher to be a fan of both the books and show. I respect fair criticism. I defend both the books and show when I feel it necessary. I left a comment in that WOTW post saying how ridiculous some of the things a few commenters were posting about George were. The claim that he was just trying to stay relevant and that the show was now canon was just plain ignorant, and most of the quality posters were quick to point that out, I thought.

I was sort of surprised at how much people were hyping the final Dany chapter. I don't consider it one of the better chapters in the book. Sure, crazy Dany hallucinating again is pretty telling, and her decision to go full Targ at the end hopefully finally drives her toward Westeros in TWOW, but other than that, I'm not sure what is so special. Did people expect the show to bring back Harry Lloyd for the hallucinations? While that would have been interesting, they haven't been willing to delve into dreams/hallucinations, unless it involves Bran.

My problem with show Jaime is that (season 5)

I maintain that NCW's portrayal of Jaime was one of the best on the show the first 3 seasons, and the writing has really let him down since, at least to the point where he can't do much with the character. I believe he has done everything short of reading the books, including reading fan message boards. As for the others, I know Kit Harrington and Emilia Clarke read the first four books. I believe Alfie Allen(Theon) has read them, but not positive. Harry Lloyd(Viserys) read them. Ciarin Hinds was photographed with one of the books, surprisingly. The actress who played Shae read the books, and is actually fairly chummy with GRRM. Rose Leslie(Ygritte) read them. As for the rest, I have no idea. I'd guess most of them haven't.

This is going to sound awful, but I have serious doubts that he will finish 7 books, let alone 8. The man is 67 years old and obese. And as he has aged, his writing speed has slowed. So it's not a matter of just wanting to be done with the story. It's a sincere worry that we'll never get a conclusion. With that said, I agree that the series has improved greatly from the original outline. That love triangle.....

Not for Shimpy:

I age the book characters up in my head, as George even admits he wished he had made the Stark kids older. Harry is only 3 years older than Kit. I first read the books 5 years ago, so a 26-27 year old Harry Lloyd could pass for Jon in my head. ETA: Ben Barnes is a year older than Harry Lloyd.

I feel like Kit has grown into the role, to where I don't have an issue with him, but Harry Lloyd is how I picture Jon Snow while reading: https://www.bing.com/images/search?q=Harry+Lloyd&FORM=HDRSC2

But Mance is/was a part of the NW, and as such, he should have been executed as a deserter, not sent on a mission to rescue the Lord Commander's sister. And even if he wasn't a member of the Watch, arranging to help take the Lord Of Winterfell's bride away from him is meddling in the affairs of the realm. It was a completely reasonable and human decision, and if I was in Jon's position I would have done the same, but technically it is breaking with the rules, as lousy as they are.

Season 6 casting(and possible plot) spoilers

There was no way I could enjoy Daznak's Pit in the show the first time I saw the episode. I don't know how anyone could, considering what preceded it. I only rewatched the episode once(which is unusual for me) and I skipped over the scene that shall not be named. The show's Daznak was very underwhelming in how obvious and formulaic it played out. (Season 5) I'd also just have to echo everyone's frustrations with the whole Northern plot in season 5. It is by far the best material in the last two books,IMO, and so of course they decided to gut it.

Ah, the Blackwoods and the Brackens. FYI, the Blackwood woman who Aegon IV left his Bracken mistress for was Bloodraven's mother, and the Bracken woman was Bittersteel's mother. No wonder those two were such enemies.

Connington should know Ashara Dayne, right? He was Hand of the King while Arthur Dayne served in the KG. Ashara seems to have been well known by most of the nobility. Yet he thinks of Lemore as simply Lemore in his thoughts. I certainly hope she isn't Ashara Dayne, as the number of characters who were thought dead only to still be alive is starting to get out of hand.

The only reason I wanted (F)Aegon on the show was because of what it would mean to Varys if he wasn't. As has already been stated, his story now makes zero sense, given both the conversation with Illyrio and the attempted poisoning in season 1. While Dorne was the biggest fail in season 5, I would argue the damage done to Littlefinger and Varys' characters has a longer lasting impact. I'd be fine if we never see Dorne on the show again, but Littlefinger and Varys have been two of the most interesting characters from the start, and I hate to see them come off as looking so foolish.

But what is the lie? The first is a vision of Stannis with a fake Lightbringer. So we know that this set of visions does contain lies, if the phrase that followed them wasn't enough.

I'm not sure GRRM will ever reveal that 'Aegon' is fake within the story. He may leave clues(he already has), but I don't believe the text has to reveal it. Whereas, R+L=J will be revealed in the text, according to George(He says the audience will find out who Jon's mom is). Oh Shimpy, I forgot to mention that we have now met the "Mummer's Dragon" from the House Of The Undying visions and Quaithe's warning. Which is another reason I think 'Aegon' is a fake.

The Golden Company is key, IMO. Think back to who founded it( Bittersteel/Blackfyres). I don't think it's too soon to speculate, since a lot of info was dumped during the chapter where Tyrion and Illyrio were traveling. Tyrion asks Illyrio how he was able to get The Golden Company to break their contract when they are famed for never doing so. Illyrio's response: Also he wonders why they would fight for Daenerys, when the company has spent most of it's existence fighting against the Targaryens. Illyrio replies: I think he is an impostor, and it's possible he is even Illyrio's son. During that same chapter with Tyrion, he mentions his second wife, who just so happened to have silver/gold hair. Oh, and he makes mention of the male line of Blackfyres being ended when Barristan killed Malys the Monstrous, but nothing about the female line...

I am speaking in the broadest sense possible. Basically who winds up on the throne/if there is a throne/the outcome of the war against the Others. I still believe those outcomes will be the same in both mediums, but with separate journeys. And if I tried to avoid show spoilers for another 6-7 years in the hope that George will finish the books, it would suck to find out the main storyline ending via some random Facebook/Twitter post or Buzzfeed headline.

With the latest news about the sixth book, I am starting to worry that George will never finish the series. So I guess it's a good thing that I still enjoy the show. I can't imagine being a book reader and trying to avoid spoilers from the TV show, which has a larger audience and will be covered by every major entertainment website/magazine, as well as every 'WTF' moment popping up on social media. If TWOW somehow is released this year, I think it is possible to remain unspoiled, but the wait for a 7th book would be close to impossible if you are a fan who likes to discuss the books online. With respect to Shimpy and all of the current and former "Unsullied" members, I think trying to remain unspoiled by the show will be much more difficult. You'd pretty much have to cut yourself off from the fandom, because I can guarantee there will be trolls looking to spoil who sits the iron throne and other main plot points that will likely resemble what George has planned.

Is Saan's portrayal so different on the show? I just searched my kindle and came to a discussion he is having with Davos in ACOK. In it, he gropes a serving woman and speaks of bedding Queen Cersei. Seems fairly consistent with show Saan.