Protar

I'm sure that they read the books every season. Or they should do. I think their problem (or one of their many problems) is that they've never read the books just as fans. They've always been looking at what could be cut and changed for an adaptation. They've always read them in a clinical fashion. Which has lead them to miss out on a lot of things, big and small, which no fan of the series would ever omit.

lives or dies, nor the way they croak if they do. I'm just not eager to condemn the showrunners, when we ourselves don't know what will happen in the next (two? three?) books. And as for that supposed feud, Martin's laughing all the way to bank, I'm sure... ;)

Glad we're moving into Dance territory. A lot of people don't like it, but it's generally better received than Feast and for me it is my second or third favourite book depending on how nostalgic I'm feeling for the first book. Lots of exciting stuff to look forward to!

Actually my point was that I think his editor was doing their best, but given how successful Martin is - one of the most successful fantasy authors - he has a lot more clout nowadays to challenge the editor's decisions. I recall a lot of reports of this happening, the editor suggesting cutting something and Martin just...not cutting it.

You definitely aren't alone in thinking that Shimpy. I've grown to appreciate Feast a bit more over time (especially after seeing Season 5 of the show, and then reading all the comparative analyses on tumblr (totally a valid source of academia)). But yeah...it drags on a lot. I think that what Martin was going for was a slower, reflection on the desolation of the last three books (especially Storm), but he goes overboard. He's grown a little too attached to his intricate web of characters and his success has given him a lot of power to overrule his editor on issues. I think with some heavy trimming Feast and Dance could maybe even have been one book.

I am beyond mad that they cut out my best girl Arianne and the proper Dornish plot. Sometimes I think that I've got a handle on the show's adaptational logic, but then they throw a curve ball like that and I'm just baffled. I can understand wanting to trim down the plot but...they trimmed nothing. They just took an interesting plot and then replaced it with an uninteresting plot, but no time was saved. They forewent having one solid protagonist in exchange for having three uncharacterised, barely distinguishable "protagonists." We didn't even get a dumbed down version of Arianne who was just there for the T and A. It's mind boggling. A lot of people aren't keen on Arianne but she's my favourite character bar Tyrion so...I get pretty defensive over her.

A lot of people think that's a red herring. I mean it's a little obvious to be Margaery. Not impossible though.

IIRC, from Sam's original tale to Jon in AGoT, Randyll basically just gave up on Sam after a point and he was allowed a few years of peace eating and chilling with his sisters before he came of age.

I'm pretty sure that by number of Chapters, Feast has more female POVs than male.

Well if any book in the series is going to convince you of ASOIAF's value as a feminist piece I think it is definitely AFFC. When you're finished the series there's a lot of tumblr essays I'd love you to read :P

I didn't like the first few Brienne chapters, but they definitely pick up for me.

you know whose a great ironborn character?

It's not worth losing too much sleep over in all honesty. As of this moment it's just an easter egg. If you pick it up you pick it up, if not no big deal.

I would get your hopes up. I mean

Honestly Damphair is much more fun to read if you imagine him as a Rastafarian style preacher, flinging his arms into the air every other sentence.