The Official Re-Read of Book 1: A Game Of Thrones

[benteen]

The only thing with Jeyne staying at Winterfell is she likely still would have ended up a prisoner of Ramsay anyway when he took Winterfell.  It's very possible she would have ended up in one of his hunts.

 

I don't know if it will ever happen but I hope Sansa and Jeyne meet up too.  If Sansa learns what Littlefinger did to her, I would hope it would anger her enough to get her head out of her ass as far as Littlefinger is concerned.  I doubt LF was thinking long-term when he turned Jeyne into one of his whores.  What he did to her (and Cersei definitely deserves blame too) was not only evil and vile but completely unnecessary. 

 

I could definitely see Jeyne growing to despise Sansa but right now I think she is far too broken to feel something like that.

Edited September 17, 2015 by benteen

[Lady S.]

 

Re: Weirwoods being in the south--

 

I agree that it's odd Catelyn wouldn't realize that there are several castles and places in the south that have them (and probably more that haven't been mentioned.) Brienne even randomly finds a young one in the Crownlands, so they're definitely around just not common. Not sure if there are any in Dorne though.

I just think it's super-odd she didn't realize there was one in her own family's godswood. Even in a series of unreliable narrators, that feels like a weird memory lapse. This is also the chapter that informs us the Blackwoods keep the old gods, so she should be aware of their weirwood too (it's even in the name of their castle). Feels like Martin must have changed his mind about southern weirwoods early on, but somehow that line in Cat I stayed in there.

[benteen]

It is odd about Catelyn and the Godswoods.  As I recall, Ned recalls taking Sansa and Arya to one in King's Landing after their arrival. 

[WearyTraveler]

I think most castles still have Goodswoods, but the weirwoods are not at the center of them as they used to be, and they might not be called Goodswoods anymore.

 

The one in KL had a heart tree, but not a weirwood.

Edited September 17, 2015 by WearyTraveler

[Lady S.]

They're called godswoods, though some of them, like the one at the Red Keep, have heart trees that aren't weirwoods. My problem is that the phrase "the last weirwoods had been cut down or burned out .... except on the Isle of Faces" should mean there aren't any southern godswoods with weirwoods, which isn't the case, and the generalization is weird coming from someone whose family did have a godswood with a weirwood. Either it's a continuity error or Catelyn has a loose usage of the word "last". A retcon within the same PoV in the same book is especially odd to me.

[WearyTraveler]

Yeah, my answer was to beenteen's comment about Ned.

 

I agree that it looks like a continuity error.  Unless Catelyn is thinking of all the other castles in the south, except Riverrun.

[Avaleigh]

Daenerys X

 

Dany and the remaining members of the Dothraki are helping to build a funeral pyre for Khal Drogo. A stallion is sacrificed so that Drogo will be able to ride in the afterlife.

 

Mirri Maz Duur senses that Daenerys is going to attempt to work some sort of bloodmagic and warns her that it won't be enough for her to kill a horse. She tells Dany that maegi actually means 'wise' and says that she'll help Dany with whatever it is that she's trying to do if Dany will have her untied. Dany is totally done talking to Mirri and tells Jhogo that she's tired of listening to the maegi talk. Jhogo uses his whip to silence the woman.

 

They put all of Drogo's treasured possessions on to the pyre including his tent, clothes, and various weapons. Aggo wants to add the three weapons that Drogo's bloodriders gave Dany for her wedding day, but Dany forbids him from doing this and says that the weapons are hers.

 

Jorah seems concerned about Dany's state of mind and addresses her as 'Princess'. Dany asks Jorah why he refers to her as a princess and says that since Viserys is dead that she's the head of House Targaryen now. Jorah corrects himself and calls Dany his Queen while going to his knee.

 

"My sword that was his is yours, Dacnerys. And my heart as well, that never belonged to your brother. I am only a knight, and I have nothing to offer you but exile, but I beg you, hear me. Let Khal Drogo go. You shall not be alone. I promise you, no man shall take you to Vaes Dothrak unless you wish to go. You need not join the dosh khaleen. Come east with me. Yi Ti, Qarth, the JadeSea, Asshai by the Shadow. We will see all the wonders yet unseen, and drink what wines the gods see fit to serve us. Please, Khaleesi. I know what you intend. Do not. Do not."

 

Dany tells Jorah that she has to do this and says that he doesn't understand. Jorah replies that he totally gets that Dany loved Drogo. He tells her that he loved his wife too but that doesn't mean that he thought he should die with her. Jorah says that his sword is Dany's to command but he isn't just going to stand off to the side and watch her burn to death.

 

Dany kisses Jorah on his forehead and tells him that she isn't that childish. Jorah asks for confirmation that she's not trying to kill herself and Dany swears to him that she isn't.

 

Once they've finished building the funeral pyre, Dany gathers around the remaining Dothraki. There are fewer than a hundred people left. She briefly wonders how many people Aegon the Conqueror first started out with.

 

Dany announces to everyone present that they will be her new khalasar. She tells the slaves that they are free and that anyone who wants to leave is welcome to go and that they won't be harmed if they choose to do this. Those who stay will be treated as family and will always have a place with her. She then turns to the fighters of her khas and gives them each one of the weapons that she was given on her wedding day.

 

Jhogo seems confused and tells Dany that it would shame him to be a bloodrider to a woman. Aggo tells her that only a man can lead a khalasar and Rakharo promises only to protect Dany on her journey back to Vaes Dothrak. Dany acts like she doesn't hear what these guys are telling her and finally turns her attention to Ser Jorah.

 

There isn't anything in Dany's black bag for Jorah, so she tells him that because he's the greatest and most awesome of her knights that she's going to get him a blade of Valyrian steel...eventually. In the meantime, she wants Jorah to take an oath so he bends his knee and swears to serve, obey, and die for Dany 'whatever may come'. Dany tells him that she hopes he won't live to regret giving her his oath and helps him rise to his feet. She then kisses Jorah on the lips and tells him that he'll be the first of her Queensguard.

 

As Dany goes back into her tent she can feel the eyes of the khalasar on her and realizes that the people think she's mad. She admits to herself that it's entirely possible they're right and supposes that she'll find out soon enough.

 

Dany takes some time to enjoy a scalding hot bath and then sends everyone away so that she can get Drogo ready for his final journey. She again takes pride in the fact that Drogo never had to cut his hair. She asks Drogo to forgive her for all that she's done and for what she thinks she must do now.

 

Once she's dressed and Drogo is ready, she calls the men to bring his body to the pyre. After Drogo is in place and his body is covered in oil, Dany commands her handmaids to bring her the dragon eggs. Jorah takes Dany by her arm after she gives this order and tells her that Drogo won't have any need of dragon's eggs in the afterlife. He says that if she sells one of the eggs that she'll be able to buy a ship to take them back to the Free Cities. He says that if she sells all three that she can be a rich woman for the rest of her life. Dany responds that the eggs weren't given to her to be sold.

 

Dany climbs on the pyre and places the eggs around Drogo; the black egg is placed by his heart. Dany kisses Drogo one last time after she does this and then climbs back down to the ground. Mirri Maz Duur looks at Dany and tells her that she's mad. Dany wonders aloud how far madness is from wisdom and then orders Jorah to have Mirri bound to the funeral pyre.

 

Jorah tries to protest at first and Dany is annoyed and asks the knight if he's serious about honoring his oath to her. She orders Rakharo to help Jorah and together the two men end up binding Mirri to the funeral pyre. Dany pours oil over the woman's head and thanks the maegi for all of the lessons that she's taught her. Mirri is defiant and says that Dany isn't going to hear her scream. Dany replies that she will hear Mirri's screams but she's really only interested in taking Mirri's life. She reminds Mirri that 'only death can pay for life.'

 

Once Dany says these words to Mirri, the maegi can think of nothing to say and Dany thinks that she sees something in the woman's eyes that might indicate fear.

 

They wait for the sun to set and Jhogo soon spots a red comet. Dany thinks that she couldn't have asked for a stronger sign and proceeds to light the pyre.

 

Mirri sings in the beginning but once she's touched by the flames, her song turns into a wail and it's clear that she's in complete agony as she dies.

 

When the flames get to Drogo, Dany thinks that she'd like to do as Jorah feared and jump onto the pyre so that she can die with her sun and stars and then they can be together forever.

 

The flames begin to rise and the smoke is intense, so the Dothraki and Jorah begin to back away from the pyre. Dany doesn't move and thinks to herself that fire is in her blood.

 

Dany almost seems like she's in a trance as she walks towards the fire. She thinks it's beautiful and sees all sort of images as she continues to walk towards the flames and then finally into them. Jorah is shouting for her to stop but she thinks to herself that he doesn't matter anymore.

 

Her vest catches fire so she takes it off and it's soon after this that she thinks she sees Drogo mounting his horse and smiling at her as he wields a flaming whip. She hears three loud cracks as the pyre collapses in on itself. She can hear screaming and panicked shouting, and she still hears Jorah calling her name.

 

When the fire finally dies and it's safe to approach, Jorah walks forward and sees Dany in the ashes of the pyre. She's naked, her hair has burned away, and she's surrounded by the remains of the stallion, Mirri, and Drogo. She's completely unhurt and is in the process of nursing two of three baby dragons. The dragons are the same colors as the eggs and the black one takes a moment to stare at Jorah.

 

Wordless, the knight fell to his knees. The men of her khas came up behind him. Jhogo was the first to lay his arakh at her feet. "Blood of my blood," he murmured, pushing his face to the smoking earth. "Blood of my blood," she heard Aggo echo. "Blood of my blood," Rakharo shouted.

 

And after them came her handmaids, and then the others, all the Dothraki, men and women and children, and Dany had only to look at their eyes to know that they were hers now, today and tomorrow and forever, hers as they had never been Drogo's.

 

Dany gets to her feet and all three dragons begin to call out into the night. It's the first time in a hundred years that people are hearing the music of dragons.

Edited September 17, 2015 by Avaleigh

[benteen]

The end!  Great job, Avaleigh!

[Avaleigh]

I laughed at Jorah's horror at the idea of Dany throwing bags of money onto the pyre in the form of the dragon eggs. The only other person I imagine being similarly horrorstruck in that moment would be Littlefinger. It really doesn't make sense why the Dothraki didn't rob Dany of her eggs before they ditched her since they take from the weak and all that. Maybe they don't know how valuable they are? 

 

Mirri seems like she wanted to live so her treatment of Dany is even more perplexing. 

 

I kind of like how all of these guys who say they won't follow a woman end up going back on their words.

 

As far as characters I wish could have witnessed that moment just to see their facial expressions and get their internal thoughts--I think Aemon, Tyrion, and Melisandre would be the most interesting. With Tywin, Littlefinger, and Cersei I'm more interested in seeing them react to grown dragons. Roose too but I probably won't be that lucky. 

 

Thank you, Benteen. I'm just happy to move on to the second book. It's hard to believe this started back in March. 

[WearyTraveler]

Awesome job, Avaleigh!  Truly!

 

It seems that Dany's original plan was not to go into the fire herself, but to use the three lives in the pyre to give life to her eggs. Then, when she's watching the fire, it seems that she's hypnotized by it and some force compels her to walk right in.

 

Martin has said Dany is not inmune to fire but that there were special circumstances in this one occasion, so that's why she didn't burn to death.

 

So, I wonder, will Dany become as crazy as her father when it comes to fire or as her ancestor who actually drank wildfire? Is this a sign of the Targaryen madness showing its head? Is it foreshadowing of Dany's actual end?

 

I also loved how the Dothraki males changed their minds when they saw dragons.

 

I can't remember if the show actually had the dragons feeding from Dany's breast.  I think they didn't, which is a shame because that explains her "Mother of Dragons" title so much better.  I wish they had also had Dany's hair totally burned off and had Emilia use a bald cap for the next season.  It somehow conjures up a more powerful image than the "silver" wig.  Plus I think it's supposed to mirror her hair burning out when she confronts Drogon in the pit. Two monumental events in Dany's interactions with her dragons marked by her hair completely burning off: the birth of the dragons, and the time when she's finally able to ride and control a dragon.

Edited September 18, 2015 by WearyTraveler

[glowbug]

Avaleigh, can I just say how much I appreciate you doing these recaps. You've done an amazing job. This thread and Shimpy's have really made the wait till season 6 (or book 6—haha, yeah right) more bearable. I'll definitely follow you to the next book if you choose to do it.

 

As for this chapter, I think Jorah was thinking of the Mad King when Dany wanted to burn Mirri. She was acting crazy and then she wanted to burn someone alive. He had to have been scared she had a bit too much of her father in her.

 

There is so much promise in Dany's story at the end of this book and I wish that more of that promise had been fulfilled by now. I think she'll become more interesting again once she starts interacting with the Westerosi characters we have a vested interest in (both those we like and hate). I'm really interested to see how her story intersects with Jon's whenever that happens. 

[nksarmi]

You know I always got the sense that GRRM was trying to show us that Visyrs was mad, but Dany was just special.  I really think she'll be the exceptional Targ as opposed to the batshit crazy Targ.

[nksarmi]

You know I always got the sense that GRRM was trying to show us that Visyrs was mad, but Dany was just special.  I really think she'll be the exceptional Targ as opposed to the batshit crazy Targ.

[John Potts]

I always got the impression that Dany was just pissed when she had MMD tied to the pyre: she may have hoped the fire might hatch the eggs but it was mainly just revenge for deceiving her over "saving" Drogo. I don't think she's particularly mad here so much as she's doing what Kings do (it would be easy to imagine Stannis or even Robert doing much the same). I hadn't noticed the 3 bodies/3 eggs parallel, though.

 

Would throwing a Dragon egg on the fire really damage it? I imagine it's more like throwing a valuable fossil on the fire - you might scorch it a bit (and so possibly decrease its value) but they're essentially stone. Assuming (obviously) you didn't imagine it would successfully hatch them.

 

And thanks Avaleigh for the recapping - since I don't own the books, reminding me of what happened when meant I felt I could vouch my opinions on them* (and occasionally had me going "Really? I have absolutely NO memory of that happening!")

 

* Though I guess spouting uninformed opinions is something the Internet is famous for (and I won't say I'm completely immune)!

Edited September 18, 2015 by John Potts

[Lady S.]

Thank you and congratulations, Avaleigh. The summaries have been entertaining cliffnotes versions for the chapters and doing the whole book was a job much appreciated.
 

I laughed at Jorah's horror at the idea of Dany throwing bags of money onto the pyre in the form of the dragon eggs. The only other person I imagine being similarly horrorstruck in that moment would be Littlefinger. It really doesn't make sense why the Dothraki didn't rob Dany of her eggs before they ditched her since they take from the weak and all that. Maybe they don't know how valuable they are? 
 
Mirri seems like she wanted to live so her treatment of Dany is even more perplexing.

Well, the dragon eggs are pretty valuable for their own sake, so I could see anyone like Tyrion who was interested in dragonlore and history wouldn't understand giving such rare items to a dead man for eternity.

Euron's story about throwing a dragon egg into the sea is crazy even for him, so that's why it's speculated he actually used one to pay for the hit on Balon, if he ever had an egg at all.

I'd say the Dothraki probably didn't realize the value, they're not written as the brightest bunch.
 
Yeah, I'm pretty much Team Mirri when it comes to her revenge on Drogo, but she had to know she wouldn't come away from that alive, and if she no longer considered her life to truly be one, I'd think she wouldn't care. Maybe she anticipated a different death or just didn't like blood magic being turned against her. 
 
 

I always got the impression that Dany was just pissed when she had MMD tied to the pyre: she may have hoped the fire might hatch the eggs but it was mainly just revenge for deceiving her over "saving" Drogo. I don't think she's particularly mad here so much as she's doing what Kings do (it would be easy to imagine Stannis or even Robert doing much the same). I hadn't noticed the 3 bodies/3 eggs parallel, though.

Oh, I think she definitely expected/hoped the eggs would hatch. They had no other business on Drogo's pyre as they were never his, and that had to be what she meant when she twice said "Only death can pay for life." More importantly, the dragon dreams have been calling her to the eggs throughout the book, and she just had another one while knocked out after going into labor.

 

She had sensed the truth of it long ago, Dany thought as she took a step closer to the conflagration, but the brazier had not been hot enough. The flames writhed before her like the women who had danced at her wedding, whirling and singing and spinning their yellow and orange and crimson veils, fearsome to behold, yet lovely, so lovely, alive with heat. Dany opened her arms to them, her skin flushed and glowing. This is a wedding, too, she thought. Mirri Maz Duur had fallen silent. The godswife thought her a child, but children grow, and children learn.

 

The real question to me, is what was the proper "recipe" that finally brought dragons back? I don't think the 3 bodies = 3 eggs equation works because only death can pay for life and Drogo was already dead twice over, he wasn't sacrificed intentionally. Maybe the important factor is that the human life that was taken was Mirri's, who was a witch, and maybe they're worth more as magical offerings. The other key factor would be that magic was already returning in Westeros, with the white walkers and Beric's first resurrection. Ice and Fire. Maybe the world needed dragons again as a balancing force against the next Long Night.

[WearyTraveler]

And the comet, don't forget the comet.

[Avaleigh]

Thanks everyone, it was fun to do and I love reading everyone's comments. I do plan on moving on to the next book. I'm looking forward to the prologue and meeting Melisandre. I thought it was interesting to learn that Varys and Tywin are already aware of her existence in this book. I am curious to know if she and Varys will ever meet since we know how he feels about magic.  

The real question to me, is what was the proper "recipe" that finally brought dragons back? I don't think the 3 bodies = 3 eggs equation works because only death can pay for life and Drogo was already dead twice over, he wasn't sacrificed intentionally. Maybe the important factor is that the human life that was taken was Mirri's, who was a witch, and maybe they're worth more as magical offerings. The other key factor would be that magic was already returning in Westeros, with the white walkers and Beric's first resurrection. Ice and Fire. Maybe the world needed dragons again as a balancing force against the next Long Night.

I'm not sure but I thought Drogo's king's blood was part of what did the trick. I'm thinking of what Melisandre wanted to do and I think her spell would involve fire and bloodmagic. I think it's important that the eggs were all placed around Drogo and that Dany knew they needed to be touched by him. Including the horse was just because of Dothraki tradition. I think Mirri was the life that was given for the eggs. 

 

True that Tyrion would be similarly horrified. 

 

And the comet, don't forget the comet.

The comet was a great way of making the second book feel like it was picking up right where this one leaves off. So many characters have an opinion about the comet and the color. I don't remember too many specifics but basically people use the presence of the comet to suit their purpose.

[WearyTraveler]

The comet was a great way of making the second book feel like it was picking up right where this one leaves off. So many characters have an opinion about the comet and the color. I don't remember too many specifics but basically people use the presence of the comet to suit their purpose.

 

Yes, to the point that we, as readers, are thoroughly confused as to the comet's real meaning.  Who do we believe?

 

What I got from it is that it is, at the very least, a sign that magic is back in the world, and that we'll know which character had it right by the time the story concludes.

Edited September 18, 2015 by WearyTraveler

[Holmbo]

So does anyone have thoughts on the book as a whole? Were does it rank from favorite to least favorite in the series?

I think it might be my favorite one. It does such a good job of introducing one to the world and the characters. There are also really good arcs for several of the characters like Dany and Jon.

[WearyTraveler]

I think it might be my favorite one too, in terms of overall chapters.  There are some chapters in later books that I might like more than any one chapter of this one (I'm not sure, ATM), but overall, I thought it was excellently paced, rich, without being overwhelming and that it told us everything we needed to know about the characters while still building interest to know more and giving us a few mysteries to ponder.

[glowbug]

Good question.  A Game of Thrones is my second favorite book in the series after A Storm of Swords, and it's a very close second. It has my favorite Jon and Dany storylines so far. I think it's a good introduction to the world and characters. Although there are a lot of viewpoints I think they're balanced very well and it doesn't feel like too many like in the later books. This was a really strong start to the series.

[vibeology]

A Game of Thrones is either tied for second or third depending on my mood. It does an amazing job st building the world and giving us exciting characters. Dany's best plot is here. I really love it. It basically lives In a tie with A Storm of Swords for second. Clash is my favourite but the first three books are all so well written and full of interesting points of view. GoT probably does have the best editing and a very tight plot but I do love the character and atmosphere stuff I get out of Clash.

[John Potts]

Clash of Kings is definitely my favourite, because shit happens - it seemed like it was "clearing the decks" in Westeros so we could have the twin invasions from the Others in the North and Danerys in the South.* I know people like Storm of Swords, but the pacing is just terrible: you have to wade through the first half of the book where nothing happens (it makes up for it - and how! - in the second half). Game of Thrones would come in second (since it does a good job of worldbuilding without getting bogged down) with Dance and Feast languishing in last place.

 

* I was clearly younger and more naïve back then!

[nodorothyparker]

Game of Thrones does a terrific job of laying the groundwork for everything that's to come.  I won't claim it's my favorite because most of my favorite characters either haven't shown up yet or are fairly peripheral in this one, but it does a pretty decent job of worldbuilding and setting the stage to hook you as a reader for the later bigger books.

 

But then I can make arguments for and against every single book in the series.  Storm of Swords is probably my favorite, but it definitely drags in spots.  While the later books definitely could have used a more aggressive editor, I'm one who actually really loves Feast for Crows and would make the case for the Northern and Wall storylines of Dances with Dragons even if I think it's overall the weakest of the series.

[glowbug]

While the later books definitely could have used a more aggressive editor, I'm one who actually really loves Feast for Crows and would make the case for the Northern and Wall storylines of Dances with Dragons even if I think it's overall the weakest of the series.

As much as I did not like ADwD as a whole (it took me over a year to get through it vs. less than a week for ASoS) I did enjoy Jon's chapters. It might be my second favorite book for his storyline.

[nodorothyparker]

Someone once compared the chapters of everyone being trapped at Winterfell together through the snowstorm with every bad thing going down with all the resentment and all the uncertainty of what's happening building to a classic horror tale.  If you read it that way, it's actually a pretty good story in its own right.

[benteen]

Theon's chapters in ADWD are tough to read but I thought represented some of GRRM's best writing.

[Crossbow]

Someone once compared the chapters of everyone being trapped at Winterfell together through the snowstorm with every bad thing going down with all the resentment and all the uncertainty of what's happening building to a classic horror tale.  If you read it that way, it's actually a pretty good story in its own right.

 

That would be so cool. Someone should write that.

[Avaleigh]

So does anyone have thoughts on the book as a whole? Were does it rank from favorite to least favorite in the series?

I think it might be my favorite one. It does such a good job of introducing one to the world and the characters. There are also really good arcs for several of the characters like Dany and Jon.

I won't know for sure until after doing the re-read for Clash but right now I feel like it goes:

ASOS

AGOT

ACOK

ADWD

AFFC

 

Prior to the re-read of this book I think I would have ranked Clash above book one but now I'm not so sure.

 

I know moments I enjoyed in the first book are to do with things that I know come in later books especially the third one. I had some problems with Dany's story in Clash. Stuff with Lollys was a bit much. I also felt like Arya's chapters were frustrating at certain points. She repeats herself a lot and says the word 'stupid' more than any other character and I remember it getting on my nerves after awhile. These are minor complaints though because I really enjoyed the book and think it might be my favorite book as far as the King's Landing material.