A Game of Thrones by George R. R. Martin (Tina, LS, Angel, Po and Jill) Start date: May 28, 2012

[Jill]

@Angel- On page 323. Still forgetting some names, especially the "minor" ones.

Will post my thoughts later.

[Heldervert]

i'm just 30% done. I like tyrion, he's full of mystery and believe it or not i got two quotes from him already.

1.0 Death is so terribly final, while life is full of possibilities...

2.0 Mind needs books as a sword needs a whetstone, if it is to keep its edge.

[Heldervert]

your right ms LS..

a..i disagree with you about Sansa (view spoiler)[ she deserves it, why does she turned her back to her own blood, because of that malfoy-like joff??? that's not love..... (hide spoiler)]

Cursed the queen..

That's what kept me excited and stayed until 3am..because of Bran..Long live Summer. (view spoiler)[ Who's that kalaguyo of the Queen kaya? hehe (hide spoiler)]


What do you think about Jon "the bastard" Snow. How bout my favorite imp, Tyrion??

[K.D.]

I am in Book 2 of LOTR. For those of you who have read LOTR, don't you see a lot of similarities between this series and LOTR?

I also am reading "The Rough Guide to LOTR" book and saw George Martin commenting positively about LOTR. This book was published I think it in 2003 (between the showing of Book2 and Book3).

[Angel / YA rules!/]

LS wrote: "I'm back to listening to the audiobook. Hehehe it seems that all I needed was to familiarise myself with the names of the characters first. It's the names that confused me.

I'm now at Arya II."

must. finish. book... the funny thing is i've read a lot of books with it that I tend to forget to read it... =) will try to double the effort...

[Angel / YA rules!/]

LS wrote: "I'm back to listening to the audiobook. Hehehe it seems that all I needed was to familiarise myself with the names of the characters first. It's the names that confused me.

I'm now at Arya II."

must. finish. book... the funny thing is i've read a lot with it that I tend to forget to read it... =) will try to double the effort...

[Jill]

Halfway done. Flagging possible spoilers.

1. Does Varys, who supposedly knew all the things happening around, know who murdered Jon Arryn? If he knew the littlest of information, then he surely must not miss the true cause of Jon Arryn's death.

2. (view spoiler)[How is the book and King Robert's bastard related to Jon Arryn's death? (hide spoiler)]

3. Is Tyrion truly and fully innocent? When you read his chapters, he seems a very likable character, but is this sort of a twist only?

4. (view spoiler)[It turns out, Bran has amnesia. I knew it!! Conviction for Jaime and Cersei should not be that easy. So how would everyone know of their affair? (hide spoiler)]

5. Is Viseyrs really the last dragon? The way his character is built is definitely not one you would want to fight against the seven houses. (view spoiler)[ Or is it Dany or her child? (hide spoiler)]

Will post further later as I would resume working :)

[Angel / YA rules!/]

ooohhh, as to number 5, he's (view spoiler)[ NOT! since he will die and Dany loses her child... I know this because of the HBO series. (hide spoiler)]

[Jill]

@Heldervert -- Although Sansa's actions of not telling the truth and seemingly choosing Joffrey over her sister, I don't think she deserves to have her pet killed, especially that a direwolf is representative of their house. Wouldn't that be too brutal? She is still young and the book and the series has a long way to go to have her character turn around. ;)

[Charles]

K.D. wrote: I am in Book 2 of LOTR. For those of you who have read LOTR, don't you see a lot of similarities between this series and LOTR?

I also am reading "The Rough Guide to LOTR" book and saw George Martin commenting positively about LOTR. This book was published I think it in 2003 (between the showing of Book2 and Book3)

Hi K.D.,

For me, the two series are opposites.

Tolkien was very influential (arguably too influential) in shaping the epic fantasy or high fantasy trope (but it's also been bastardized... magic in Lord of the Rings for example is subtle as opposed to flashy and direct, which has changed over the decades).

Three of the core elements of Lord of the Rings for example is:

a) focus on world-building (including the fictional Elven language),

b) clear moral dichotomy (i.e. Orcs are corrupted elves, hence inherently evil; Trolls are corrupted Ents, hence inherently evil).

c) journey (from the Shire to Mordor and back).

A Song of Ice and Fire, on the other hand, is an anti-thesis to those elements:

a) While there is world-building present, it's not the focus. A lot more emphasis goes to the characters, and many of the settings are exaggerations of actual locations. Even High Valyrian and Dothraki is just a few words or two and not codified.

b) Gray morality; enemies look villainous until you read their point-of-view (so while we don't get everyone's perspective in the first novel, it starts to change in the succeeding books as we get their side).

c) Static location. While there is some traveling happening, it's mostly in established, explored locations. And conflict comes to the various character's homes, as opposed to them seeking it out.

[K.D.]

Oo nga, Charles.

Yon lang kasi ang naging pakiramdam ko while reading. May wall. May wizards na di naman masyadong powerful. May battles na gory. May mga knights. May impending doom lurking at them. May mga fairy-like women. May mga unano. May dragon. Mga towers. May maps (although sabi mo nga mas na-stressed ang setting sa LOTR kaysa AGOT). May ulila. May powerful characters na naging villain mula sa pagiging mabait.

[Charles]

K.D. wrote:

(view spoiler)[
May wall.

...naisip mo ang Mordor = wall?

May wizards na di naman masyadong powerful.

Pero makapangyarihan ang mga wizards sa Middle-Earth :) Nag-aaway pa nga eh :)

May battles na gory.

Sa totoo lang, hindi gory yung Lord of the Rings. Baka na-imagine mo yung movie, kaya may parang ganun na comparison.

May mga knights.

Ganun din po. Hindi gaano kadaming tauhan sa Lord of the Rings. Baka yung sine ulit ang naisip mo.

May impending doom lurking at them.

Tama ka diyan.

May mga fairy-like women.

Ito ba yung The Others? Sa Lord of the Rings, sila yung pinupuri. Dito inaaway/pinapatay sila...

May mga unano.

Oo pero hindi siya matakaw :)

May dragon.

Walang dragon sa Lord of the Rings. Sa The Hobbit meron.

May powerful characters na naging villain mula sa pagiging mabait.

Sigurado ka naging mabait sila? :P
(hide spoiler)]

[Jill]

Here's a link to an interview of George Martin, part of which asked him regarding Tolkien's influence on his writing.

http://www.smartertravel.com/blogs/to...

[Heldervert]

Jill wrote: "@Heldervert -- Although Sansa's actions of not telling the truth and seemingly choosing Joffrey over her sister, I don't think she deserves to have her pet killed, especially that a direwolf is rep..."

yap it's brutal, but that's the repercussion of her action. pity to lady.

[Jill]

so...kamusta na kayo? LS, Angel, Heldervert, Ms. Tina? :-)

[Heldervert]

Hello. MS. Jill, mag uumpisa pa lng gyera hehe...im not done yet..but i think ms tina e tapos na..kaw ba??
pero a couple of hours matatapos na ako...anong masasabi mo sa book??

[Angel / YA rules!/]

sorry di pa rin tapos... i'll try talaga this week... =D

[Tina]

I finished yesterday! :D What a book. I'm not particularly enthralled by everything, but what a book (and what an accomplishment, lol).

One comment lang muna. Not sure if it's really a spoiler, but I'll put it inside na lang. :)
(view spoiler)[
Is it just me, or did anyone also find the Lannister motto Hear Me Roar! kind of...well, corny?
(hide spoiler)]

[K.D.]

Onga, Charles. Ganyan nga ang imagination ko. Nabasa ko sa book, inimagine, then naala-ala ko ang movies. Presto, yong mga battle scenes na di makakalimutan.

Hmmm. Di na lang ako magco-comment muna. Nakapangako ako kay Maria na di magi-spoil hak hak. Stick na lang sa Book 1 kahit tapos ko na ang Book 3. I will read Silmarillion next week! :)

[Charles]

K.D. wrote: Stick na lang sa Book 1 kahit tapos ko na ang Book 3.

Akala ko Book Three ng Song of Ice and Fire :P

[K.D.]

LOTR Book 3 :)

[Charles]

K.D. wrote: "LOTR Book 3 :)"

Oo nga, napansin ko :P Dahil hindi ka nagaganahan basahin yung A Clash of Kings...

[K.D.]

Charles, oo. Pero ako itong makulit na magbabasa ng Book 2 ng Song and Ice starting mamayang gabi.

[Heldervert]

hay,,,katatapos ko lng book 1...pero game ako..ill join you guys,,,

and..di ako mkatulog kakaisip kung ano mangyayari hehe

[Jill]

Book 2 is quite interesting, Clash of Kings, agawan na talaga ng trono. (view spoiler)[So who are you rooting for: Stannis, Renly, King of the North, Daenerys...or Joffrey(?!!!) or Tyrion (diba pinapaupo sya ng tatay nya sa trono)or are you with Catelyn for peace? (hide spoiler)]

I am not going to read Book 2 yet as my books on my TBR are screaming in their queue. Next month na lang siguro :)

[Heldervert]

but jill, ang hirap ng nag iisip kung ano mangyayari, andami di nasagot hehe,,,kaya,,,kahit paparating na winter..tuloy pa rin hehe

[Malot]

waaaaaaaaaaaaaaa ang daming spoilers!! nasa prologue-catelyn pa lang ako. hahahha!!!

[Angel / YA rules!/]

yey, nasa prologue ka palang... sana sabay tayo matapos... medyo naantala pag basa ko nito due to percy jackson, book 4 na ako... hopefully, i can get back after i finish the series... =)

[K.D.]

Yan ang problema pag di sabay ang pagbabasa hak hak

[Tina]

Jill wrote: "Book 2 is quite interesting, Clash of Kings, agawan na talaga ng trono. [spoilers removed]

I am not going to read Book 2 yet as my books on my TBR are screaming in their queue. Next month na lan..."

(view spoiler)[King of the North! Haha I like the good guys. Well, sort of good guys. :)) (hide spoiler)]

I'm changing my reading plan for A Clash of Kings. I'll watch the series first before I read, to see if it feels the same when I read it. :D

[Heldervert]

@Maldita and Angel.habol....iwas lng kayo sa mga nakahide na spoilers...ako natetempt ako lagi

[Malot]

Hahahaha!!! Na kay Daenerys pa lang ako. Kung saan pinapakilala pa lang sya kay i-forgot-his-name.

Ang hirap ng mga pangalan.

Mejo nahihirapan akong sundan yung kwento, paano kasi nakasulat lahat vantage point ng bawat character. Pero im still hanging on.

Makakahabol din ako. I decided to put aside Fifty Shades. Ana is too dumb-cliche character for me. O cge na mejo bias pa kasi chapter one pa lang natapos ko dun.

However, AGOT apparently won my attention. =)

[Heldervert]

@MAldita pinkilala sya ke khal drogo, hehe..jan din ako nahirapan dati..sa mga pangalan..pero madali n lng pag nkagitna ka na sa book..sabi ni LS dati e ilista daw..pwede rin

am i right ms LS??? tuloy na para book 2 na tayo hehe

[Malot]

Hi LS!

@Heldervert: yup kay khal drogo nga. Naku ililista talaga? hahahha!!! oo nga eh hirap mag recall ng storyline kapag nalilito sa mga characters. Meron naman ata Notes option etong ereader ng mama ko. Ma-try ko nga. Thanks!