It is here at last - the fifth volume in Martin's epic Song of Ice and Fire series, taking the dynastic struggles around the realm of Westeros on, with yet more journeys of destiny, hidden heirs appearing, viewpoint characters meeting untimely and painful ends, and horrible violence of every variety. And the end of the book does seem to be setting ( Read more... )

Just to start with a few lines on the brilliant TV adaptation of the first book of George R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire series. I thoroughly enjoyed it; the acting and staging were superb, and while I wouldn't go as far as Abigail Nussbaum in extolling its superiority to the original book, I certainly agree that it builds very effectively on ( Read more... )

I think this will prove to be the gateway moment. There will be a certain number of people who watched the first part last week and gave up, finding it all too confusing; but I think anyone who stuck it out to this week's episode will now be hooked for the rest of the series. (I noticed that we go straight into the opening titles this week, no ( Read more... )

So, for those of you who have seen it, what did you think?

( What I thought, not terribly profound )

I feel that I would like to have a bit more content in here, and these 30-day memes which are going around are rather attractive. The "book-lovers" meme starts by asking for your favourite series of books with more than three volumes. I'm going to give several answers, as I imagine will be the case for later installments too.

The Vorkosigan saga ( Read more... )

TV version of George R.R. Martin's A Game of Thrones to be made in Belfast.

Peter Robinson and Martin McGuinness making a joint sytatement about GRRM is, well, bizarre, incredible, unreal and just odd. Great news, of course. (Probably.)

( Read more... )

George R.R. Martin, with support from John Scalzi and Charles Stross, on the reasons why the next Song of Ice and Fire volume is late and how the fans are Not Being Helpful. I've been rather appalled by some of the arrogant and rude comments Martin has been getting from drive-by visitors to his livejournal, and am if anything impressed that his ( Read more... )

2) A Storm of Swords: Steel and Snow, by George RR Martin
3) A Storm of Swords: Blood and Gold, by George RR Martin

I've been rereading the Song of Ice and Fire books over the last year ( A Game of Thrones, A Clash of Kings) because they are just so enjoyable, and sooner or later (I hope)
( Read more... )

communicator links to a fascinating YouTube diary presented by a woman with autism. The behaviour patterns she shows to us are very familiar to me.

A Doctor Who fan-vid using "I'm Gonna Be" by The Proclaimers - hilarious and uplifting.

George R.R. Martin's pizza crawl.

Brian Aldiss is on Desert Island Discs tomorrow.

( last three people )

3) A Clash of Kings, by George R.R. Martin (.co.uk, .com)

Having reread and enjoyed A Game of Thrones last year, and in hope that my rereading the books will telepathically spur
( Read more... )