Vikram > Recent Status Updates

‘Tyrion’ as a captor with the battle of wits with Catelyn, seething losing at every turn. Then he saves her in a battle after he’s armed with an axe. ‘I’m willing if she is’ and the start of a beautiful friendship with Bron. ‘Arya’ now heavily influenced by the water dancer Syrio chases cats, finds dragons and deceitful plotters….

‘Eddard’ was brilliant. A captivating chapter which launched with the tourney. Sandor Clegane beating the kingslayer. The hound laughing raucously. Tyrell beating the mountain who the. Kills his horse and goes after the knight of flowers only to be stopped by the hound. Ki g Robert getting ready for the melee. Ned bonding with the king. All to end with the spider whispering in Ned’s ear… see Hugh killed Jon..

‘Sansa’ is so enamoured with the tournament. The chapter ends with a chilling recital of Sandor Clegane’s burning of his face by his brother ‘The Mountain’ setting up one of the great character arcs in the series. Sansa remains poised but is but a child. Charmed by Joffrey. Ser Lloras Tyrell steals her heart. The eerie presence of Peter Baelish also just so awkward.

‘What would the Hand want with a King’s bastard - and why would it cost him his life’… the chapter sows all the seeds of mystery with a big reveal begging more questions. The history of the Lannisters’s origin - deceit and wit. The vivid descriptions of the town. The wildness of the tourney and the councils laughter at Stannis.his piety with Lord Arryn prior to the hands death and Stannis fleeing….

Jon at the wall was brilliant. The introduction of the craven, cowardly Samwell Tarly. His insidious father - cutting out the deers heart saying ‘I should love to hunt you like the pig you are.’ Samwell’s cowardice sets the backdrop for Jon’s newfound leadership. His integrity. And the reason you love him. Great feel good chapter as he’s accepted by his new brothers in a way he never was @winterfell

One of the slower chapters. Ned and Pycelle discuss Lord Arryns death and then Peter Baelish and Ned have a long dialogue following Arya’s Syrio inspired water dancing on one leg.
“Distrusting me was the wisest thing you’ve done since dismounting your horse” the chapter ends…

One of the most uncomfortable chapters but that of ‘bastards, cripples and broken things’.
A convoluted tale of Uncle Brandon, Grand Uncle Brandon, ‘Brandon the builder’ and stories from Naan that made the hair stand on my neck. The introduction on Hodor as Old Naan’s great grandson. And repeated reference to Bran ‘s flying promise from the crow. Tyrion’s gift to the Starks & the wolves attack.

Danny turns 14 at the end of the chapter and with child. Was a brilliant chapter where she starts out in heavy depression- ready to commit suicide. Hating Drogo, in pain and a slave to her arsehole brother. By the end of the chapter she’s transformed into a Khaleesi, orders her brother to walk, standing up to him in the best way imaginable. She mounts Drogo, appreciates nature and dreams of dragons. Feel good!!!

‘Arya’ is perfection. The pain she feels for Micah, her friend, killed by the hound. The guilt. The pain. The loss of not only Micah but her brothers and life at Winterfell. It’s all too much for her as she retreats to her room to cry. The scene with Ned and Arya one of the most precious in the entire series for a father. ‘Summer is the time of squabbles. Winter is coming and the lone wolf dies alone’

Tyrion chapters are always entertaining. His wit to dismiss Ser Alliser Thorne sharp as ever. His wisdom and sincerity when dealing with lord commander Mormont’s requests for men with integrity and his friendship with Jon Snow charming. This chapter set up the larger narrative for the song of Fire and Ice… Winter is coming….

‘Eddard reflects on the long journey to Kong’s landing but this chapter is all about sly, scheming Peter. His incessant quips and antagonising word plays with Eddard. His suggestion that Catelyn is in a brothel. But what I really noticed were two throw away lines. Ned was used to making alliances with people who he hated. How Sansa pleaded for him not to kill the wolf as Lianna once did. Wolf kill omen…

The shortest chapter of ‘Bran’ which depicts a vivid dream. Begged by a three eyed raven not to cry but to fly. Very dreamy but it felt foreboding. The evil presence of ‘The Hound’ and Golden ‘Lannister’. The journey across the land. And the reason to live. Because winter is coming. And Bran awakes….

‘Eddard’ spends 4 sleepless nights looking for Arya. She’s found by Jory but summoned to the King’s justice. A tense scene follows with Ned & Cersei pleading for Robert’s mercy. It feels like a good outcome as the King asks Ned to discipline Arya as he would Joffrey… But then Nymeria is slain by Ned.. and Mikah the butchers boy comes back butchered by ‘The Hound’. Start of a repeating theme for Starks

‘Sansa’ was another epic chapter. The chivalry Joffrey at 12 displays makes Sansa swoon - letting her drink wine and dream. Then the disgusting scene where he threatens the butchers boy Mikah. Loved when Arya hit Joffrey in the back of the head and made that arsehole bleed! Nymeria mangling his arm was also awesome if I didn’t know what follows…

‘Catelyn’ is in a mad stupor - not sleeping and spiralling in depressed thoughts by Bran’s side. Her dedication noble but Rob’s bravery in alerting her to 3 year old Rickon’s needs was touching. The attack in the night of Bran from an unknown man. The killing of him by Bran’s direwolf insane. And the bold decision to let Theon, ser roderick and Robb know about her Lanister suspicions led to the road…

Just finished the chapter with Jon Snow and Tyrion on the roads to the night watch. The episode titled ‘Bastards, Imps and Broken things’ is one of the best of the entire shown and this scene so subtle yet so revealing. Not in the show is the story of Aegon’s conquest and the ‘field of fire’ when 3 dragons were unleashed on Kings landing. Tyrions obsession with dragons and his wit, humour and charm is gold

The subtle hints. ‘Promise me Ned’ Lyanna whispered…

‘How many thousand times did Rhaegar rape Lyanna?’

The ultimate chapter - Eddard. Robert and Eddard fight over the treachery of Tywin Lannister. Not picking a side and pretending to be coming to Aerys’ aide while entering Kings landing and slaughtering them all. The deeper treachery of Jamie - the kingsguard sworn to protect the king slaying him. The Kingslayers audacity to sit the iron throne surrounded by Lannisters as Ned entered.

Just finished the chapter ‘Daenyrus’ where she is wed to Khal Drogo, presented with three distinct dragon eggs and Viseryus’ envy is palpable. It ends with her pleasing of Khal Drogo and a sign of intimacy between her and the Khal. Her love of the gift of wind he gave her in the beautiful horse. A sense of her first freedom.

Just finished two almost perfect chapters. Bran’s tumultuous fall following Jamie’s unforgettable line ‘the things we do for love’. The incest. The indecency. And the shameless killing of a seven year old. Followed by ‘Tyrion’ where the imps two slaps of Joffrey rang out across the land. The imp’s subtle interrogation of his siblings and the ‘you wound me brother, for I love my family so much.’

‘Catelyn’ was so loving of her family yet so cold towards the bastard she could never love. Really empathise with Jon’s sorrow of never being wanted by lady Stark. Forced onto the wall. Lysa Arryn’s note that the Lannisters murdered Jon Arryn sets up the whole tension. Meds decision to go South and the splitting of the Starks so tragic…

Just finished ‘Jon’ Snow - the bastard’s first chapter. Loved the pairing of him and the imp - Tyrion Lannister whose wisdom and wit shine from his first scene. ‘Remember all imps are bastards but all bastards need not be dwarves.’ Awesome connection as a first scene. Love the deep descriptions of ghost and his pleas to Uncle Benjen to join the nights watch.

‘Catelyn’ had such deep descriptions of the Starks godswood and strange stark customs. ‘Winter is coming’. News of Jon Arryn dead and the fleeing of her sister Lysa to the Aerie. ‘Danyerus’ was awesome with Viseryus a right prick from the get go. Nipple crippling his sister and offering her to be raped by all 40,000 Dothraki riders if it meant he’d get his kingdom back. What an enthralling opening…

Amazing discourse on how humans are innately evil or good… on how the general narrative is always focussing on the worst of mankind. Wars, news, atrocities and our addiction to them. Fascinating how we as a race actually struggle to shoot a gun. The study where only 14% of people actually shot a gun was simply fascinating. As was the study of the domesticated foxes and the conclusion of our own domestication

Also I loved the part about the process of the kinder benevolent multi god universe who allowed locals to have their own gods compared to the religions with one god which al must worship. And how despite clashes money was the great equaliser. People would happily trade coins denouncing their own god as much as Osama loved his $US…

2 really big ideas. 1. All colonisation wasn’t just evil as we make it out to be. Every conquering culture set out and believed they were ‘progressing’ cultures. They too were influenced by the conquered, and eventually the conquered form the culture and even become the ruling elite with time. Be it Roman’s, Obama or others. 2. The power of money to transcend borders, and religion to glue cultures together…

The uniquitous patriarchy, racial and caste based imagined orders explored thoroughly. A firm debunking of aggression, competitiveness, muscular superiority or aggression being able to be held as firm reasons for a patriarchy. The case made in point by citing that women should be far superior in organising wars and troops. Shows how crazy our concepts of equity can be when no one questions wealth being passed down

Sumerian’s inventing language. Indians inventing numbers and the pertinence of good organisation in finding what you need in the hordes of data in the meta verse

Loving it so far - loads more detail than the book and love the phonetics with which Hagrid bellows… jasmine is loving it too - that’s the best but