GRRM: The Song of Ice and Fire books topic WITH SPOILERS

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I'm gonna start with what was written in the Good Books & TV Shows topics, and then we can move on from there.

First of all, I've read the books only once, so a lot is lost to me.

Like Fenrir said, book 1 had many unexpected events. But what stroke me more was book 2 (or was it 3) when Winterfell gets destroyed. Then I realised that GRRM will tear the family apart completely.

And as for the Stark family: Arya was portrayed from the beginning as a character everyone will like. I love her chapters (I found them a bit dull in the meanwhile when she was on the run from King's Landing to Winterfell in what seemed like forever). Her assassin education worries me a bit. If I got it right, the Faceless Men have to forget their old bonds and hatreds and she still has her mantra of the kills she needs to make for herself. If she keeps doing that, won't that land her in shitloads of trouble? If she stops, do we loose Arya Stark?
Plus it worries me bigtime she will be sent to Westeros to kill Jon (if he's not dead already) or some similar atrocity.

Jon's also among my favourite characters so I hope he's not dead. In the beginning, GRRM killed off some main guys so we can't be sure what he'll do next - but lately he started resurrecting them in the weirdest possible ways. Can he not kill Jon? Will he make him a White Walker?
(How important will Jon's parantage be at the end? I read some debates about his father not being Ned and I hate that. Jon was the only thing that made Eddard really human (other than that he was just too good to be true in that realm).)

When at undead: Catelyn, I don't like her. I hated her from the beginning because of her attitude towards Jon and Arya. It was understandable considering what kind of society they have, but through my eyes, no thanks. Now, what's up with her being a zombie? This reminds me a lot of Pet Cemetery, because she doesn't seem to be her any more, but some wretched vengeance-driven monster.

And BTW, who is Coldhands? Of course it occurred to me that he might be Benjen Stark but that's way too obvious for GRRM.

The person that puzzles me a lot is also Varys. I love him. But I can't figure him out. I was wondering is he of the Faceless Men as well or at least under some sort of their contract. His "little birds" are amazing spies and if I understood correctly, he's got more talent for just about everything than he's willing to show.

And not to make this first post too long, I'll just talk about Theon now. Yes, I hated him badly for the Winterfell destruction, I think he became my least favourite character in a second. But the Reek thing ... It might be true, as Fenrir said, that you reap what you sow, but that was just ... Aggh. I can usually read all sorts of atrocities, but I guess I have a huge problem with flaying. The chapters are so damn well written, too, his suffering ...
Have you read the sample chapter on GRRM's page? It's Theon's.

This is my favorite topic already

Jon Snow and Tyrion have been my favorite characters since I started reading the books some ten years ago. I must have read the first four books at least 3 or 4 times now.
Last summer it took me only one week to read Dance but after reading that notorious Jon chapter I felt sad for days.
A few days later I read all sorts of hopeful theories on the ASOIAF board which made me stop mourning.

One of the things I really like about the TV show is the casting. None of the characters look exactly the way I imagined them (except Tyrion, since Peter Dinklage IS Tyrion) but I think they're all cast perfectly.
It's so good to introduce friends who haven't read the books (or don't intend to) into this mysterious Westeros continent.

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I only heard about this when HBO series came out. I remember watching episode one for the fuck of it, thinking I should give it a try, I might enjoy it. Little did I know! The next day I was in the library getting myself some book one. And then all the others, luckily 4 were already out so I didn't have to wait for ages to find out what happens. Book 5 was pre-ordered and then read, same as in your case, within a week.
And last but not least, I got my dad completely hooked on it. Both TV show and the books.

Yaaaaaaaaay! Many thanks mi'lady.

Like Fenrir said, book 1 had many unexpected events. But what stroke me more was book 2 (or was it 3) when Winterfell gets destroyed. Then I realised that GRRM will tear the family apart completely.

Wait, did I stroke you or did the book? I'm confused.

I hope Arya just takes her training and returns to Westeros, forgetting any rules and regulations of yet another religion in the series. That's what I would do at least. Seriously, my future daughter will have that name. lol. She better not kill Jon. I don't think she can/will because he has much more combat experience. Furthermore, he better not be dead. He is also one of my favorites as I kinda identified with him in the sense that my father left my mother when I was young and has been married to another woman for longer than he was married to my mother. He seems so happy that I consider myself a bastard quite often.

I am so glad GRRM didn't kill Davos. When I first read that I nearly screamed at the top of my lungs...so relieved in book 5. He is basically the Han Solo of this series, and you can NOT KILL HAN!!! He could possibly kill Jon, but the fact that he left it open AND Jon has Melisandre there to save him, I hope we keep him and not in any Dondarrion/Catelyn zombie form.(Remember that red priest that saved Victarion Greyjoy from the rot in his arm.) I think Jon's being a skinchanger due to his lineage will play more of a role. Bran and Rickon are still alive and now everyone knows it or soon will. The Stark family is not dead. Remember that Theon knows Bolton never had the real Arya Horseface and he is now with Stannis. I can't wait to see how all of that plays out.

I have no idea what is up with the zombie Catelyn. There was hardly anything said in book 5 so it should clear up in the next one. Coldhands, I also though Benjen but who knows for sure. Varys is a very interesting character and the fact that he has been able to survive in King's Landing for so long is a credit to his skill. Again, no telling what will happen but I am excited about it. Concerning Theon, it was bad what happened to him but at least he survived it...for now. I have a feeling that the bastard of Bolton will be so pissed about Reek/Theon's escape that he might kill his father and assume leadership of his house. Just a theory though.

Had no idea about the sample chapter. Off to read it now. And FYI, it was so hard to post this and not retreat to reading it.

Just read the sample. I was not sure about Stannis after the failure at King's Landing, but I started liking him after he saved Jon and the Night's Watch's ass at the Wall. He is the epitome of a competent feudal lord which this series seems to embody. Smart, methodical, and persistent, I see Stannis kicking ass all over the place in the next book. I mean his name, Stannis, sounds like stomping fucking skulls all over the battlefield. He has the bank now and Manderly will jump to his side upon arrival, telling him of Davos and his mission. Just this small sample gives me incredibly high hopes about the next book. Oh yeah, and Manderly has that nice little navy he has been building in secret.

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Wait, did I stroke you or did the book? I'm confused.

My English keeps getting worse

Jon might have combat experience, but if Arya is trained to be an assassin, that experience won't do Jon any good. At least the way Jaqen H'ghar worked, there will be no combat (BTW, I loved the scene in the series when he kills the second guy). But lets just hope that's not a part of GRRM's plan.

My only wish for Theon, no matter what he did, is just not to fall into Bolton's hands again. Let Stannis kill him. Or somebody else in some other way if he indeed has to die. Just not the Bolton bastard. I don't think I've ever been as repulsed by a character as I am by Ramsay Bolton. Ever.

One thing I don't get about Boltons: they were of Stark's men, right? Howcome everyone turned the blind eye to them flaying people?

I wonder when is the sample chapter suppose to take place? At the end of Dance, Jon receives a letter by Ramsay which claims Stannis is finished. Ramsay could have lied, of course, but what if not?

OK, remind me, what's up with Manderlies again? Aren't they the ones Bolton's working with next to Freys? Way, way too many families in these books! The south of Westeros is all a big blur to me.

Your English is very good. We all make mistakes.

Since Ned died so early there never was much discussion about how he felt towards Bolton and the flaying. I think Roose did it more for torture/information purposes. Even he described when talking to Theon how he felt that Ramsay was a bit off but he didn't have much choice in the matter because he was his only legitimate son. Ramsay just seems like a control freak and takes the flaying quite literally. After Joffrey, Ramsay takes the asshole of the series crown for sure.

The letter, GRRM likes to leave people hanging. He did it with the letter that Davos was killed, left us hanging with Brienne and her group with Zombie Catelyn, we are still hanging about Benjen Stark, and of course the Julius Caesar like attack on Jon. Who knows, but hopefully it doesn't take him 5 years to finish the next book.

The Manderly's are from White Harbor. Wiki will explain in summary so I don't have to make the post too long as I seem to do often.
http://awoiaf.westeros.org/index.php/Wyman_Manderly

Was a little disappointed with all the romance crap in last Sunday's episode, and further a little disappointed at how they changed Rob's relationship. At least we got to see her naked though. And the scene with Arya and company leaving Harrenhall was quite awesome. Gotta love impaled bodies courtesy of Jaquen.

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Was a little disappointed with all the romance crap in last Sunday's episode, and further a little disappointed at how they changed Rob's relationship. At least we got to see her naked though. And the scene with Arya and company leaving Harrenhall was quite awesome. Gotta love impaled bodies courtesy of Jaquen.

Yeah, they gave his future wife more character. The original Jayne (?) was, at least to this point, very weak. But I think she's not dead in the books, she will pop up sooner or later with Robb's son. But the idea is kinda the same: he fell for a noble woman (of lower birth) by his own will and didn't go for what was planned for him.

Jaquen, now him I adore. The TV one is great as well. There are some speculations on different boards that he is Syrio Forel (Arya's dance instructor), but I hope that isn't so.

I generally hate all the weird theories fans come up with

I never suspected Jaqen(apparently I spelled it wrong) being Syrio...just doesn't make sense to me. Last we heard from him he was facing the Mountain and the Mountain lived. Little Syrio might have been quick, but I doubt his mini-legs could have taken him out of Clegane's sight or long stride.

Read a bit on Wiki about Jeyne Westerling, Robb's now widow. My memory returns though her story was quite vague after the siege of Riverrun. I wouldn't be surprised if she had Robb's kid and the deal struck between her mother and Tywin is obviously broken after Tyrion's dwarf rage. Things are so murky now. Jon Snow better fucking live or I might just stop reading the series...I'm lying, I will still read it.