Game of Thrones Bookclub: Portents of Things to Come
This is week four of the bookclub. We just read chapters 21 – 28, Eddard IV through Eddard V.
At this point in the book things are growing more and more foreboding. Eddard arrives at King’s Landing and discovers that all is not well. There is discontent in the streets, and the crown is deeply in debt to Tywin Lannister, the Tyrells, and others in the Free Cities. Eddard begins investigating the death of Jon Arryn.
Arya begins her training with Syrio Forel, the first sword of Braavos.
And in another moment of female strength, Dany finally stands up to her brother Viserys. She also discovers she is pregnant.
We are also introduced to Samwell Tarly at the Wall.
The story is building at this point. Lots of mystery, lots of unknowns. Three of the eight chapters are Eddard’s. Thinking about the book in relation to the show, it’s striking how prominent a role Eddard has, and how much of the story centers on him.
In many ways these chapters feel somewhat like a calm before a storm.
What are your thoughts?
Spoiler thread is here.
I hereby promise to get off my ass and write something about this series in the near future. I’m putting this in writing so I don’t renege.Report
Apparently y’all slacked off this week on your reading. Sheesh.Report
I’m not sure there’s a whole lot of interesting things happening in these chapters.
Sam is a terrible character. How’s that?Report
I can’t remember how much of Samwell takes place in these chapters, so posting a small response in the spoiler thread.Report
When Martin published GoT (1995ish?), I was in the thick of nearly two decades of full-on mommy mode, so I’ve forgiven myself that his epic went unnoticed by me until, recently, I became an HBO subscriber. (It reReport
I admit, I just keep waiting for other people to say interesting things.
I remember reading the chapters a few months ago but not well enough to start the discussion.Report
When Martin published GoT (1995ish?), I was in the thick of nearly two decades of full-on mommy mode. So, I might be forgiven that this fantasy epic went unnoticed–even by this Tolkien fiend–until I recently became an HBO subscriber. (My youngest went off to college and–kewl!–I rediscovered the handheld control device that operates the rectangular electronic thingamajig with all the neato stuff that mysteriously makes me want to eat popcorn.)
Anyhoo. I’m now old and easily confused and thinking that as much as I’m dying to start reading Martin’s Ice and Fire series–and I sooo am–I had best wait until this first HBO season is done.
When I’m on a mission, I can chew up a book in no time: I scarfed Brown’s Da Vinci Code in 20 consecutive hours with nothing but bathroom & sandwich breaks. That said, I figure I can reasonably thrown down Martin’s first two books in the season break. I share my strategy, here, with one particular goal in mind: to eventually engage in the League’s GoT Bookclub threads.
Sure, the League’s on my google feed because I’m a pathetic political/intellectual junkie. But I wanna play, too.Report
Audiobooks help a lot – you can get ‘reading’ done while knocking out household chores or commuting.Report
Huh? Evidently I hit “Submit” unconsciously. I’m even more feeble-minded than I thought.Report
I think we’re starting to see the biggest difference here between Book-Dany and HBO-Dany. Book-Dany is genuinely surprised when folks around her, from Viserys to the Dothraki, don’t behave according to notions of propriety and decency, whereas HBO-Dany seems to expect misconduct of everyone and just stoically observes it.
We’re also starting to get to the point where everything Ned does makes me bash my head against the wall.Report