So a few thoughts on A Dance With Dragons (possible spoilers)

[Will]

Oh yes, I definitely think your ideas on what might happen are just as valid as any other, as, like you said, the books are quite unpredictable. Honestly, though, I think Stannis has already had a pretty significant role in the books so far, even though he is basically just being pushed into a larger role by Melisandre.

[Rosanna]

Yeah, I'm wondering how many wargs are out there, too. You might be on to something with the crow.
I think if Jon really is dead, I would be tempted to stop reading!

[Ana]

LOL^^

But think about it: they attacked the lord commander. The only lord commander who came to an agreement with the wildlings. They did it in front of a HUGE number of wildlings. They couldn't possibly outnumber them. I guess this attack was prepared and everything, otherwise, the wildlings would go crazy and try to kill "every crow" they saw around. I really want to know what happened there. I doubt Tormund Giantsbane and his people would just watch it and do nothing.
But, well, anyway, we just saw the story from one perspective. Who knows how many people want Jon's death.

In another unrelated topic, that guy from the bank in Braavos that went all the way to the Wall to talk to Stanis... and then went after him, in the middle of a war zone... -.- how absurd is that? The idea was: If Stannis accepted to be in charge of the "Iron Throne's debts" the bank would provide enough money for him to hire sellswords and everything else... I don't know... the last we read about him, they found Stannis' camp.. who knows what happens there.

[Diver]

Ok, ok, lot's of great talking going on here!! This is why i wanted to post this thread in the first place.

So keep in mind that The Bastard of Bolton's sigle is the flayed man? or woman? Maybe when Reek escaped that some of the Spearwives were left behind. A tortued person will tell you anything you want to here. The letter made it to Jon, who in most chances isn't dead, befor his "sister" or his old friend Theon did. I think maybe someone got skinned and told Bolton all they could.

Second, do not mix the show with the books. If you need a refrence for that simple look at the true blood story compaired to the books. They could do what the want with the T.V. show all they want.

Last, don't count out the wild card of Tyrion ever. GRRM has stated very publicly that Tyrion is his favorite, so definatly look for him coming out on top.

[Ana]

I agree about TV shows: they are not the same as the books. BUT, in this case, we have the author himself helping CHANGE a lot of things in the show WITHOUT changing any major events. One of Dany's bloodriders and her silver were killed in the show. That doesn't really affect the main turns of the story. Same way with the House of the Undying - everything was changed about that part: dragons being kidnapped, Dany seeing Khal Drogo. But it made no difference because the result was she destroyed that place and created an animosity in Qarth (same "conclusion" in the book).
We also saw Littlefinger having a huge argument with Cersei. That never happened in the book BUT in the show it was really helpful to set the mood between them (Only in a chapter where Littlefinger talks to Sansa in the Eyrie, I guess in Book 4, we "hear" him say that he might need take Cersei out of the game of thrones sooner than he expected).

[Rosanna]

How involved in the show is GRRM? I definitely noticed the changes you mentioned, and you're right, they don't affect the big picture.
For sure, Diver, I think Tyrion makes it to the end. Because he's headed toward Dany, I think she will sit the iron throne in the end.
I'm a little fuzzy on the more recent developments in Starkland, with Hilton, Stannis, the spearwives, Jane, and everything else. I might should reread that. Probably closer to the release of book 6, though, so its all good and fresh. :-)

[Rosanna]

That's supposed to say Bolton, not Hilton.... silly phone.

Also, your Bravos banker gives more creedence to Stannis being alive than anything else in my opinion. That place produces some BAMFs and we should never underestimate their power.
Which reminds me of my favorite character: Aria. Any thoughts on her role in the rest of the series?

[Ana]

I might be wrong but I read GRRM is helping the producers of the show. This way, the main ideas persist but character development is faster. He also produced the "Blackwater episode".

I also read he already knows the big ending of the books and have an "agreement" with HBO: in case something happens to him they are supposed to end the series in "his way".

Well it's possible those are all pure "show gossip".

[Ana]

Well I think Arya will have a MAJOR role in the story. She will probably use all her knowledge as a "faceless girl" to work as a weapon of revenge. Plus she is a warg and she has to find Nymeria. I can't wait for her to "get together" and start her own war. It wouldn't make sense otherwise because if she only changed her heart and accepted a life or servitude... no great plot in that -.-

[Rosanna]

I had totally forgotten about the Blackwater episode. Also, didn't know they had an agreement. That's pretty cool, but I'm surprised he would let anyone at all know the ending.
Whatever Arya does do, its going be awesome. It just has to. Like you said- if not, what a waste of a plot! I love knowing that Nymeria is off ruling the wolves of the Riverlands. Every time she is alluded to, I have to smile. She's not done yet.

[Diver]

At least GRRM put some insurace incase he cannot finish the story, hopefully there wont be any leaks like with Lost and such.

I also am starting to think Cerci will meet her end by Jamie's hands and not Tyrion...."wherever whores go"

[Rosanna]

Yes, I think Cersei dying at the hands of Jaime would be poetic justice.

[Karen]

Has anyone ever wondered about (view spoiler)[the young man, half Dornish, from the Citadel? His nickname is the Sphinx and there was something in the book about 'the sphinx is the riddle, not the riddler'. I didn't catch it the first time around, or it got buried in all the other information, but on the third time around this part kind of leapt out at me. Correct me if I'm wrong, but wasn't Rhaegar's wife Dornish? What if he is actually the son and the other boy is a smokescreen? (hide spoiler)] GRRM swept past this information so quickly that it makes me suspicious, lol!

[Rosanna]

Oh, snap! Karen, that's something I'll definitely have to pay attention to the next time I read them. Nice catch. I think you could have a viable theory.

[Ana]

I don't know what to think about the "Sphinx". But he didn't have silver hair or the right eye color to be the son of Raeghar. I do want to know more about him and I guess we will, now that Sam is there!

[Josh]

i'm not sure why so many are hung up on the hair and eye-color. yes, it was common for targaryens to have that coloring, but that was mostly because of inbreeding. when a weak line mixes with a stronger one you are going to see variations.

a perfect example is the entire subplot of the first book, identifying whose children were actually robert's

i have a suspicion that there may be targaryen descendants in essos that do not necessarily look like danaerys and viserys. i think that aegon was likely selected due to his coloring. if you'll recall, lyseni and some volantenes (even dornish who descend from the rhoynar) are also prone to this coloring. he could very well be anyone's son. maybe illyrio's...