Tusen og ett liv

This started out as an answer to Sady Doyle's criticism of A song of Ice and Fire. Since she seems to be deleting posts disagreeing with her, I don't think I'll be bothered writing a comment on her blog at all. The essence of my opinions is that her insight into the book and also into the fantasy-genre seems to be limited. Her arguments or approach don't really hold up as anything but full of holes and spiteful. Starting out by accusing geeks of their inability to take criticism seems like the beginning of a well known suppression technique more than a just claim. Furthermore, to make her point, she omits lots of female characters with considerably stronger positions than her examples (Asha Greyjoy, Maege Mormont, the wildling women, the sand snakes etc.), as well as the fact that male charcters are projected to just as much hardship as the women. I wasn't going to get myself riled up over this, however. If Sady Doyle doesn't like my toys, that...

Since I’m still hanging in there after five books of a Song of Ice and Fire, I think I might be getting to a point where most og the likely outcomes of the series will be acceptable to me. If you, as a reader, can handle the death of noble Ned Stark, there is a chance of getting through the books.  Character deaths do not make an enjoyable read. It has been known to make me both sad and angry at times. Martin does, however, have a unique way of killing off characters without making me want to fling the book at him. He actually gets away with lots of things in his books that I'd not think possible beforehand. (Like redeeming child-killers Jaime Lannister and Theon Greyjoy, turning Catelyn into Lady Stoneheart, cooking the Freys into a pie and making it a good deed etc.) This just goes to show how good he is at twisting your expectations. There have been some serious blows during this series. Characters you really love are always hard to see go. The funny thing is how ...

A wonderful read!! This book is number 5 in a series, so I guess I would like to recommend you read from the beginning. A Song of Ice and Fire easily qualifies as the best told story I've ever had the chance to know. Martin's world is just so livid and engaging. The characters - their thoughts and reactions often seem like real people to me - they are that well described! It's a wonderfully detailed world that still doesn't fall into the trap of becoming difficult to comprehend. I've been enchanted with these books since the first chapters of A Game of Thrones, and have serious doubts I'll ever fall out of love with them. The only downside is that they are really hard to match. After having finished Swords I had trouble finding other books to read, just because I was still so into the world of Martin. They really are something that add to the fantasy-genre and I think they have also been a big part of moving the genre forward. My recommen...

Warning: Here be spoilers for the entire book! Now - who the hell picks these titles anyway? They are just horrible. I already commented on "The North Remembers". "The Night Lands" and "Garden of Bones" are both very much out of context and "What is Dead May Never Die" has lost all meaning when the ironborn don't baptize people by drowning and resuscitating them. Then there is the issue of this episode spending almost all time inventing story-lines that weaken the plot. Fart-jokes? Really? I expected a bit more - even if they were from Lannisport. I guess we open with the battle of Oxcross, and Robb meets Talyssa from Volantis. Do we really have to watch this? Robbs marriage to Jeyne Westerling happens off-screen in the books - and for good reason. These books are dark and full of terror - not sweet kisses and whispers of love. This love-story just doesn't feel like anything Martin would write. It only ends up grabbing focus from pl...

Ooh - finally an episode I really liked! A generally brilliant Tyrion, some interesting "new" characters introduced - and most of all they even made Pyke, Theon and his choices be bearable. That was quite impressive. Now many of my complaints of the last two episodes have been that I felt things were done incredibly different from the book. I do however realize that an adaptation cannot be an exact copy of what I have read - and there are many practical reasons for that. This episode does not echo the books to any larger degree than the previous episodes. I just think that the changes they have made work much better here. So lets start with the good, then: Bran having his wolf-dream and then talking to Maester Luwin was really nice. They managed to mention the Valyrian steel link, the giants and dragons. A very nice scene. Moving on to the Stormlands I just loved both Brienne and Margaery. They are both just the way I imagined them and brilliantly cast! Now I know Mar...

An amazing analysis of the ethics of Game of Thrones. Wish I wrote it.. Game of Thrones as Theory

I'm no more positive about season 2 after watching The Night Lands. In fact it now worries me immensely how they seem to deviate from original characterization  and make the involved characters into different people from who they are to me. That doesn't mean the episode was all bad, though . Let's start with t he good: There's Gendry. He has a bit more personality here, than what we're used to but I think that's a good thing. Arya at least has one person to care for her! Since it's difficult to get her inner monologue on film, it might be a good idea to have someone for her to talk to a bit more. Ghost looks amazing! Looking forward to seeing more of him. Hope he is in many scenes in the future. I also must say I like the Night's Watch-storyline so far. The inclusion of Jon actually observing an other taking one of Craster's son makes the threat more real to the viewers. That was a very good move, and also a nice way to end the episode. Unfo...

Can't say there was much I liked about this episode. I am generally worried about the season as a whole. Especially since it seems they plan to enhance the romance-parts. When I here that is all about drawing in the female audience, well that just makes me angry!! This is not a series to watch if you want romance, and it's female audience probably knows that already. I fully realize they will have to make things simpler for a tv-audience, but that does not mean they have to dumb it down. At the moment, that is just something that worries me, though. I should probably give Weiss and Benioff a chance to make it right. So let's just see what this season brings. Let me start with the good : I liked the Night's Watch-scenes. I like Jon's defiance and badly hidden disgust and I did like the Old Bear reminding him of his place. I have heard people saying Craster's a bit too well-groomed. But why not? He had many wives to look after him and his home as well, and h...

I've decided to try something new. Being hopeful, but quizen sceptical of the new sesong, it light be a gold idea to try and pick it apart. It will not be a recap, but a comment in the events I the show as compared to the books. I will section my review into the good and the bad, book comparisons and predictions. First review will be up later this evening I hope..

Day 30 – Why you love Game of Thrones The answer to this question should be quite apparent by now. There is just so much to love about these books and the series. I've been a fan of the books since 2003, and I've waited a long time for both Feast and Dance to come out. Frustrating, but totally worth it! A Song of Ice and Fire easily qualifies as the best told story I've ever had the chance to know. Martin's world is just so livid and engaging. The characters  - their thoughts and reactions often seem like real people to me - they are that well described! It's a wonderfully detailed world that still doesn't fall into the trap of becoming difficult to comprehend. I've been enchanted with these books since Jaime threw Bran out of the window, and have serious doubts I'll ever fall out of love with them. The only downside is that they are really hard to match. After having finished Swords I had trouble finding other books to read, just because ...

Day 29 ~ Favourite book.  I love A Clash of Kings! Mostly because of Tyrion’s cleverness, the confrontation between Stannis and Renly, the house of the undying and all the other lovely scenes! There is no denying it's hard to pick which book is the best one, because they are all brilliant! A Storm of Swords is a close second to "Clash", and A Game of Thrones is of course the book that had me hooked on the series.  I haven't been as excited with the last two books, but I think that might have something to do with the plot moving slower. There is a lot of set-up in those books, and even if it is necessary, that makes them a bit more tedious than the others. I find myself liking them better on my second and third readings, because there are so many subtle hints that you don't pick up on the first time around. I must say I'm looking forward to everything culminating in the next books, though!

Day 28 ~ Your favourite episode Being first and foremost a fan of the books, I have some trouble seeing the series as episodes. I do think it has to be a tossup between episodes 5 and 6. All the episodes are good, but I really like this part of the book as well. There's the Hand's tourney, Ned resigning, Tyrion in the Eyrie, Cersei getting slapped, Viserys getting his crown. Oh - I just can't choose. There are too many good moments in both of them! 

Day 27 - Favourite Jon-moment Jon befriending Sam is a definite favourite of mine. I just like how he realizes there are people out there more unfortunate than himself. Also I think the whole friendship between Jon and Sam is just wonderfully portrayed. There are many reasons why Jon is my favourite character, but him being able to befriend all sorts of different people is a character-trait I really appreciate. While I love the character, he does not always have the most exciting of story-lines. There is a lot of trudging through the snow etc. with him. I guess that is necessary, though. I'm really worried about him after the attack in A Dance with Dragons. He was such a great Lord Commander, but I guess he failed in selling his ideas to his men.

Day 26 ~ Your favourite Tyrion-moment Tyrion is also one of my top 3 favourites. There are simply not enough room in a meme to describe the genious that is Tyrion. When he makes fun of the Ser Alliser Thorne, when he confesses his crimes in the Vale, how he tells the story of Tysha are just a few of his great moments.  The one I've chosen for my favourite however is maybe the first time we see him up close in the book. When he meets Jon Snow for the first time he tells him to never forget what or who he is. It's an incredibly wise statement and it's the statement that has made me stick with Tyrion throughout the books. I must admit, though that I am really worried about Tyrion at the moment. Her seems to be turning a much, much darker shade of gray of late. Tyrion in A Game of Thrones and A Clash of Kings is just brilliant. But when no one recognizes that, he takes a dark turn that I don't particularly like.

Day 25 ~ Your favourite Bran-moment Bran is in the top 3 of my favourite character - so of course every moment with Bran in it is a good one! If I have to pick only one from Game of Thrones, though, I think it will have to be the moment he wakes up after having been pushed from the tower. First of all he wakes up - which is amazing. Secondly there is a dream in the books that is quite prophetic. That just makes the chapter great. In the series his wake-up scene was inter-cut with Lady's death. Since I was really saddened by her death and annoyed with Ned, this ruined the moment for me a bit. But I guess Bran waking up was meant to be a sort of consolation-price and that worked out ok.