A Game of Thrones: A Song of Ice and Fire: Book One: Ch. 32 through 39

[Chris OConnor]

A Game of Thrones: A Song of Ice and Fire: Book One: Ch. 32 through 39

[Crystalline]

Well, I finished this book and fantasy is still not my genre .

Martin’s writing/prose is good, but this book has too many characters, too many name deviations for each character, too many unimportant characters and each one is also named, when it would have been enough to just describe him or her as a servant or a stable boy.

This world is too violent, cruel, bloody, sinister, and dark. Too much sexual violence. Looking back, I’m not even sure who was the main character, and some of them just disappeared. There was no resolution at the end and if that was done to make me read his subsequent books, he failed.

I was getting bored towards the end and found myself skipping paragraphs just to finish this book. I know that many people just love to immerse themselves into Martin’s kind of world, but I like a book with a gentler, kinder, more civilized story.

So, I’ll say it again, I read it and this definitely is not my genre. Perhaps a different author and a different book would make me reconsider?

Just my opinion, my feelings...I don't think that many people will agree with me, and that's ok,

[Suzanne]

I am glad that you gave it a try and finished it. You really gave it a chance, it is so easy to just give up.

[Taylor]

Crystal; My question is, Did GRRM's presentation give you reason to reconsider the way in which you read books? Were you challenged by the guessing game that I believe he offered us as readers?. For me the answer is yes, It comes with whom I believe is the main character for book 1. Eddard Stark! was a very honorable man indeed, but the very thing that made him,( his honor ) also got him executed. On page 523 there is a very important clue to GRRM's story telling. "Dam her, Eddard thought, Why is the woman not fled? I have given her chance after chance". See, for me this line of Ned's inner dialog shows how weak in the the head he was, He never considered that Cersi in fact had the upper hand in Their particular Game of Thrones, This is why I think Eddard was a fool, he genuinely thought he was in a position to dictate terms. The death of Eddard is a betrayal by a writer to their audience that is just shocking to our morality. The generosity of GRRM is that he leaves us characters whom don't fall into Eddard's trap.

[Crystalline]

I don't think Eddard was a fool; he was just not vile enough, or smart enough to figure out how to win at the game of thrones. Rather than a fool, I think he was weak. He did not want to be the Hand of the King because he was filled with a terrible sense of foreboding, and perhaps fear. He promises Sansa to Joffrey hecause he wants to give Cersey no grounds to suspect his devotion. He sends Jon to the Wall, rather than take him South when Catelyn refuses to keep him. He does not want the turney to happen, yet in the end it does. He suspects that Lannisters murdered Jon Arryn. Even when he learns that Robert has no true born son, he doesn't reveal this to the King. He confesses his treason, proclaiming that Joffrey is the true heir, leaving Sansa in Joffrey's cruel hands, while trying to save himself and be sent to the Wall.

I certainly did not expect Martin to do away with Eddard, and most of all Arya.
I was waiting for Arya to accomplish some kind of un unexpected feat and save Eddard, or at least Sansa, but nothing like that happened. I was disappointed about that outcome.

[Suzanne]

We have to watch out what we say here in this thread. This thread only goes to chapter 39.

I certainly did not expect Martin to do away with Eddard, and most of all Arya.

Martin did not do away with Arya. Remember she is only 8, she has a lot of living to do and who knows what Martin has in store for her.

I have also finished the book and have started on book 2. It's my feeling that these novels are about the children. Look at the difference between Joffrey and Robb. They are around the same age, but their behavior mimics their elders. Eddard was to introduce honor in a dishonorable world.

I don't think Eddard was a fool; he was just not vile enough, or smart enough to figure out how to win at the game of thrones. Rather than a fool, I think he was weak.

Eddard was not ruthless enough.