A Clash of Kings (Chapters 27-finish) and A Game of Thrones (2x01) Thoughts
Miracle of miracles I finished A Clash of Kings before the Sunday premier of A Game of Thrones second season. I'd love to share a few thoughts with everyone.
A Clash of Kings:
I still believe that GRRM needs more editors or an editor who has a firmer hand with him. My copy of this novel was nearly 1000 pages and at least 300 of those pages felt like padding. I also think that he has some favorite characters and he writes a lot for them. Even when their story lines are just boring or even when one or more of their chapters feel like padding. Arya comes to mind, as does Bran. At least two of Arya's chapters could have been cut. Bran's first chapter could have been cut, too. And some of Tyrion's chapters could have been edited down. I also wonder if he likes Sansa, because her story line could have been so much more!
Arya: I still feel like her story line is all about loss. Not just in this novel, but in the series. She's very young and despite her tomboy ways and her strength - she's very sheltered and maybe even a bit self centered. Or is that just me? Toward the middle of the novel, I felt really drained while reading her chapters. She was always calling people stupid and it just seemed like everything was about her loss and her wants. I understand that she's ten, but it got to me.
Sansa: I came away from this novels liking her quite a bit more than I did before. I just wish her story line was explored a little more. She's a prison of war, her family is on the other side of things, she's alone, and she's being beaten daily. Yet she keeps going. Her only allies are a drunk knight, the Hound, and Tyrion (who is slightly using her well being to assure his brother's safety) - that's not so great. I think she's a much stronger person than people give her credit for.
Tyrion: Oh, I enjoy his wit and the way he plays people. But, I had a real issue with the way he would sometimes slip into thinking about Shea(sp?) and how she's young and beautiful and his. Lord. Shea, we only see her from his POV, but she just seems so dull. I honestly think he just likes her because she's beautiful and is nice to him. I'd really like to have seen him do more sneaky business around the castle. He did a lot, but I felt like he could have done more.
Bran: Lots of important stuff going on around him. Still think he's boring.
Catelyn: I'm so sorry, Catelyn. I want to like you, but I don't. Not really. Your kindness to Brienne (love her!) didn't go unnoticed. Nor did your moments of bravery and your savvy when dealing with all those Kings. But, there is something about you that I just can't dig.
Davos: You are now the only sane man in the Seven Kingdoms. I love you and wish you luck.
Theon: Going all "evil" and taking over WF - not cool. In my last post about this post about this novel, I already discussed the way I feel about his story line. Like how it has to do with his Daddy Issues and wanting to prove himself. I know he does some disgusting and evil things in this novel, but I have a feeling that his journey through the series will be fascinating.
Dany: Girl. . .you are two inches from Mary Sue land. With the miracle dragons and everyone following you because of them and men falling for you. I just can't.
Random: I was told I would be 'shiping Sansa and the Hound aka Sandor. I read all their scenes with interest. And. . .I'm not 'shipping them. If anything I find Sandor's interactions with Sansa to be borderline creepy. He sees her as something pure and beautiful and what he can never be, yes. And strangely there is something beautiful about that. Yet, I just kept thinking that he was going to do something terrible to her. Maybe it's because I kept seeing them as the actors? He is 27 years older than her (and she's 15 or 16!) and I just kept picturing that and. . . maybe when I watch it on tv I'll feel differently.
Game of Thrones:
- Sansa just looks and acts like an abused wife, doesn't she? I just wanted to give her a hug.
- And Joffrey is a terrible little asshole. He's got power now, and he's ready to abuse it. That actor is doing a fab job, because I've never wanted to hit a child before. But anytime he comes on screen, I want to punch him in the face.
- Tyrion you're awesome. I love you.
- Cersei has power now, but she doesn't seem to know what to do with it. And she is quickly losing control of her bratty son. I hate that she had Robert's children killed. You know, this whole damn thing was started because of her incest with Jamie.
- Is Jamie going to be tied up as a prisoner all season? I hope not.
-Catelyn somehow seems dumber her than she did in the book. . . or is that me?
- The Stannis story line seemed a bit rushed to me.
- This whole episode felt like set up for the whole season. Like 'He's here.' 'They are over there.' etc, etc. It felt way too short.
- I feel like Shae has been made a regular, just to give Tyrion more people to talk to. Hopefully they flesh out her character more than in the novels.
- That guy (I can't remember his name)who marries his daughters is gross. And his daughters act like slaves and kidnap victims. The one who spoke (It was Cassie from Skins!) sounded like she had memorized what to say and was just saying it to save her life. Save those girls, please!
- I read that season two will be partly books 2 and 3 of the novel series. I hope that's true. Because some characters should have more to do than sit around all season (looking at you, Jamie)
- Is it weird that I want to 'ship Gendry and Ayra because of that last scene? I know in the books she's ten and he's fifteen or sixteen, so. . . it could work in six years. But, in real life he's 24 and she's 14 (was 13 during filming). . .so it sort of creeps me out. But, I like them for some reason.
A Clash of Kings:
I still believe that GRRM needs more editors or an editor who has a firmer hand with him. My copy of this novel was nearly 1000 pages and at least 300 of those pages felt like padding. I also think that he has some favorite characters and he writes a lot for them. Even when their story lines are just boring or even when one or more of their chapters feel like padding. Arya comes to mind, as does Bran. At least two of Arya's chapters could have been cut. Bran's first chapter could have been cut, too. And some of Tyrion's chapters could have been edited down. I also wonder if he likes Sansa, because her story line could have been so much more!
Arya: I still feel like her story line is all about loss. Not just in this novel, but in the series. She's very young and despite her tomboy ways and her strength - she's very sheltered and maybe even a bit self centered. Or is that just me? Toward the middle of the novel, I felt really drained while reading her chapters. She was always calling people stupid and it just seemed like everything was about her loss and her wants. I understand that she's ten, but it got to me.
Sansa: I came away from this novels liking her quite a bit more than I did before. I just wish her story line was explored a little more. She's a prison of war, her family is on the other side of things, she's alone, and she's being beaten daily. Yet she keeps going. Her only allies are a drunk knight, the Hound, and Tyrion (who is slightly using her well being to assure his brother's safety) - that's not so great. I think she's a much stronger person than people give her credit for.
Tyrion: Oh, I enjoy his wit and the way he plays people. But, I had a real issue with the way he would sometimes slip into thinking about Shea(sp?) and how she's young and beautiful and his. Lord. Shea, we only see her from his POV, but she just seems so dull. I honestly think he just likes her because she's beautiful and is nice to him. I'd really like to have seen him do more sneaky business around the castle. He did a lot, but I felt like he could have done more.
Bran: Lots of important stuff going on around him. Still think he's boring.
Catelyn: I'm so sorry, Catelyn. I want to like you, but I don't. Not really. Your kindness to Brienne (love her!) didn't go unnoticed. Nor did your moments of bravery and your savvy when dealing with all those Kings. But, there is something about you that I just can't dig.
Davos: You are now the only sane man in the Seven Kingdoms. I love you and wish you luck.
Theon: Going all "evil" and taking over WF - not cool. In my last post about this post about this novel, I already discussed the way I feel about his story line. Like how it has to do with his Daddy Issues and wanting to prove himself. I know he does some disgusting and evil things in this novel, but I have a feeling that his journey through the series will be fascinating.
Dany: Girl. . .you are two inches from Mary Sue land. With the miracle dragons and everyone following you because of them and men falling for you. I just can't.
Random: I was told I would be 'shiping Sansa and the Hound aka Sandor. I read all their scenes with interest. And. . .I'm not 'shipping them. If anything I find Sandor's interactions with Sansa to be borderline creepy. He sees her as something pure and beautiful and what he can never be, yes. And strangely there is something beautiful about that. Yet, I just kept thinking that he was going to do something terrible to her. Maybe it's because I kept seeing them as the actors? He is 27 years older than her (and she's 15 or 16!) and I just kept picturing that and. . . maybe when I watch it on tv I'll feel differently.
Game of Thrones:
- Sansa just looks and acts like an abused wife, doesn't she? I just wanted to give her a hug.
- And Joffrey is a terrible little asshole. He's got power now, and he's ready to abuse it. That actor is doing a fab job, because I've never wanted to hit a child before. But anytime he comes on screen, I want to punch him in the face.
- Tyrion you're awesome. I love you.
- Cersei has power now, but she doesn't seem to know what to do with it. And she is quickly losing control of her bratty son. I hate that she had Robert's children killed. You know, this whole damn thing was started because of her incest with Jamie.
- Is Jamie going to be tied up as a prisoner all season? I hope not.
-Catelyn somehow seems dumber her than she did in the book. . . or is that me?
- The Stannis story line seemed a bit rushed to me.
- This whole episode felt like set up for the whole season. Like 'He's here.' 'They are over there.' etc, etc. It felt way too short.
- I feel like Shae has been made a regular, just to give Tyrion more people to talk to. Hopefully they flesh out her character more than in the novels.
- That guy (I can't remember his name)who marries his daughters is gross. And his daughters act like slaves and kidnap victims. The one who spoke (It was Cassie from Skins!) sounded like she had memorized what to say and was just saying it to save her life. Save those girls, please!
- I read that season two will be partly books 2 and 3 of the novel series. I hope that's true. Because some characters should have more to do than sit around all season (looking at you, Jamie)
- Is it weird that I want to 'ship Gendry and Ayra because of that last scene? I know in the books she's ten and he's fifteen or sixteen, so. . . it could work in six years. But, in real life he's 24 and she's 14 (was 13 during filming). . .so it sort of creeps me out. But, I like them for some reason.