Erik
Westeros 
Erik
Posts: 478
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Post by Erik on Oct 28, 2014 12:06:49 GMT -5
I only preordered a couple days ago, so I don't get it until tomorrow. Oh well, got midterms and shit that I should probably be studying for.
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Post by Lady Visenya Targaryen on Oct 28, 2014 12:14:16 GMT -5
You guys better hurry up and get it!!!!!! I want to go on and on about it without spoiling any of the fun bits for you kids!
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Erik
Westeros
Erik
Posts: 478
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Post by Erik on Oct 28, 2014 12:20:11 GMT -5
Go right ahead, I can always not read the thread. Not too worried about spoilers anyway, not like I would be if it were a narrative.
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Post by Lady Visenya Targaryen on Oct 28, 2014 12:32:05 GMT -5
Yeah, I feel you there. I just don't want to be the one prattling on one-sidedly.
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Post by Lord Lyonel Harroway on Oct 28, 2014 12:35:01 GMT -5
Am I the only person totally not into that book? I have never loved GRRM's world like the rest of you guys so I should not be surprised. I mean song of ice and fire is like my fifth favorite fantasy setting. Like ninth if I include movies and TV.
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Erik
Westeros
Erik
Posts: 478
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Post by Erik on Oct 28, 2014 13:01:51 GMT -5
Everything I know about you is apparently built on a lie.
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Post by The Black Dread on Oct 28, 2014 13:06:39 GMT -5
Haters gon' hate.
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Post by Lord Lyonel Harroway on Oct 28, 2014 13:10:10 GMT -5
Sam did you just sing a Taylor Swift song at me?
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Post by The Gambler on Oct 28, 2014 13:16:01 GMT -5
Now I just want to hear your top 10
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Post by Vhagar on Oct 28, 2014 13:24:27 GMT -5
Am I the only person totally not into that book? I have never loved GRRM's world like the rest of you guys so I should not be surprised. I mean song of ice and fire is like my fifth favorite fantasy setting. Like ninth if I include movies and TV. Banishes Smith to the naughty corner (aka the Black Cells). My local Waterstones did have a few copies but I was not in a position to take a sneak peek after all. They had a much smaller display than I expected. Shame on them. Half the display stand was taken up with the diaries and the Jon Snow toys. Mine is supposed to arrive by Thursday but I am kind of hoping for tomorrow. Though if I'm honest, later is more practical because I have two job interviews to prep for this week and have to prep for Nanowrimo as well. But I really want it ASAP... |
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Horas
Westeros
is Horas.
Posts: 1,146
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Post by Horas on Oct 28, 2014 14:25:34 GMT -5
I think the world/setting might be my favorite part of the series. I mean the characters are great, the plot is interesting and twisty (though bogged down in the last two books), the quality of writing is decent (though it has its issues too), but the world is really what sets ASOIAF apart from other books. It's just so in depth, and it seems to me that it's why this group has come back to the setting so many times.
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Post by The Gambler on Oct 28, 2014 14:35:06 GMT -5
I agree. The grounded element really appeals to me as well as mirroring actual history. The near obsessive compulsive amount of history and detail for over a hundred houses is also appealing. The setting is what keeps me coming back.
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Post by Vhagar on Oct 28, 2014 14:38:37 GMT -5
Definitely. The world itself is described magnificently and as George himself is fond of saying. he takes aspects of the real world and makes it bigger and more colourful. That's great, especially when you get all the different ideas mixed up together. I especially love how Westeros has all the different regions with their cultural backgrounds which have developed as different groups colonised the continent. It's very rich. I've said on many occasions that the history of Westeros is particularly intriguing to me. I love all the background info, which is why the new book is perfect for me. it won't be enough, of course, because I want to know everything, but it's a start  |
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Post by Vhagar on Oct 28, 2014 14:42:48 GMT -5
In the interview from the other day, George talks about how the settings in fairytales were all rather generic and you didn't get to hear anything about the history of the realm and you didn't know anything about the world you were "visiting" but that all changed when Tolkien invented Middle Earth. Now everyone expects a fully detailed secondary world. And it's true. A fantasy world that is not vividly described and doesn't have its own culture and back story sounds flat and wrong now.
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Post by Vhagar on Oct 28, 2014 15:26:33 GMT -5
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Post by The Gambler on Oct 28, 2014 19:18:56 GMT -5
Fuck you traffic! I want my book!
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Post by Vhagar on Oct 28, 2014 19:30:14 GMT -5
My book has to come 3 hours across the country according to the tracking website. I think it's unlikely to come tomorrow  I thought they would send one from a local depot but apparently not! Now I wish I had done the in store pick up as then I could have picked it up today. |
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Post by Daemon Waters on Oct 28, 2014 20:33:58 GMT -5
Which one are getting the black one or the red?
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Post by Vhagar on Oct 28, 2014 20:46:05 GMT -5
Black is the UK version, red is for the US. I don't know what colour book other regions are getting. Mine is definitely going to be black though. Guess that makes me a Blackfyre.
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Post by The Gambler on Oct 28, 2014 22:00:00 GMT -5
50 pages in and so far so good. Aegon's Conquest gets it's own little 20 page Princess and the Queen style writeup. I've skipped around a bit, but am just reading cover to cover now. A few interesting tidbits so far:
-Asshai is even more awesome than I thought. Oriax was actually a pretty accurate portrayal of them. Apparently they have to import ALL their food and fresh water but have a ridiculous amount of gold and gems, which explains why ships actually go there. Lot of talk of fornicating with demons, which made me think of Dragon Age. Also confirmation that dragons live there.
-We were off mark on the Summer Islands with our Ewok villages. Their architecture is actually pretty impressive, only second to the pictures of Valyrian architecture. Haha we weren't off about the sexual elements though. The temples are just giant orgies.
-The section on Maegor the Cruel (still my favorite Targ king) was awesome but sad after this game. He really did just love war.
-There's a ton of Ironborn info. A game set during their height in the Hoare reign pre-AL would be awesome, especially of we figured out a naval combat and ship upgrade system for it.
-There are 227 VS weapons currently in Westeros
-A game set during the height of the Valyrian Empire would be cool too. We might have enough info to pull it off now, though some of you might have had your fill of dragons for the moment.
-And my favorite bit so far: There was a war fought over a turtle!
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Post by Lady Visenya Targaryen on Oct 28, 2014 22:11:52 GMT -5
I've been skipping a lot of stuff but the illustrations are just delicious! I like all the bits concerning the various keeps and castles.
All the narrative concerning Tywin Lannister has been a favorite of mine so far. And some bits actually give a great deal mor credence to some of the theories regarding Tyrion.
I hope no one misses that one of the Ninepenny Kings was a Saan....
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Post by Daemon Waters on Oct 29, 2014 5:49:27 GMT -5
Then I'm going to be a Targy  You guys are making this book sound so GREAT!!! I just ordered mine this morning. |
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Post by The Black Dread on Oct 29, 2014 8:24:13 GMT -5
Did anyone else notice the "Rule of Six"? It seems that Amelia Lannister was indeed unjustly treated; Aranya, we might owe you an apology "The 'Rule of Six', now part of common law, was established by Rhaenys as she sat the Iron Throne while the King was upon one of his progresses. A petition was made by the brothers of a woman who had been beaten to death by her husband after he caught her with another. He defended himself by rightly noting that it was lawful for a man to chastise an adulterous wife, so long as he used a rod no thicker than a thumb. However, he had struck her a hundred times, according to the brothers, and this he did not deny. After deliberating with maesters and septons, Rhaenys declared that, whilst the gods made women to be dutiful to their husbands and so could be lawfully beaten, only six blows might ever be struck - one for each of the Seven, save the Stranger who was death. For this reason, she declared that ninety-four of the husband's blows had been unlawful and agreed that the dead woman's brothers could match those blows upon the husband." |
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Post by Lady Visenya Targaryen on Oct 29, 2014 9:23:41 GMT -5
I did notice the Rule of Six. I really liked that they included so small a bit of common law.
Did anyone else think that the descriptions of the really far away lands that had little to no bearing on the Westerosi in general (ie the things in the Shivering Sea, Yi Ti, other things that have not even been mentioned in the books nor seem likely to be mentioned) seemed to be written a lot like a setting guide for tabletop game campaigns? Or maybe I am biased...we are HERE after all!
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Post by The Gambler on Oct 29, 2014 11:04:32 GMT -5
We traded 6 strikes for 1 brand. The math clearly checks out Also notice that the fact she died wasn't the issue, but the number of times he hit her. So the trick seems to be to kill her in six. |
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I thought they would send one from a local depot but apparently not! Now I wish I had done the in store pick up as then I could have picked it up today. 
Hopefully going to kickstart the festival too
Jul 3, 2014 12:43:09 GMT -5