A Song of Ice and Fire: Book 5

[brigdh]

Chapter 61 (Connington):
Well, since we'd nearly run out of contenders for the Iron Thorn - it was down to just Stannis and Tommen, since Crow-Eye doesn't seem to be doing anything- I suppose we needed to add a few more back in. I wonder how much of a threat Aegon will really be? How many people are actually going to come to his side?
So far they don't seem to be having much trouble. Though I suppose that's what happens when a land has been ravaged by war for four books- defenses are not as strong as they once were.
I wonder if Dorne will ally with them. Arianne and Aegon could marry!
For as many battles over Storm's End as we've done, it doesn't seem like all that strategic a castle. Go get the Frey's bridge, or something with a good location.


Chapter 62 (Asha):
I totally thought they were actually planning to burn Asha at the beginning of this chapter.
Yep, vivid descriptions of people burning to death was totally what I needed. Thanks, Martin.
Hmmm, Karstark is very eager to go to Winterfell. I wonder if he still plans to betray Stannis, or if Alys's wedding has made him change his mind. What happened with her, by the way? We haven't heard of her since the wedding. Is she still at the Wall, or did she go back to her own castle?
"Cunt again? It was odd how men like Suggs used that word to demean women when it was the only part of a woman they valued." Good observation.
It's Tristan! I did not expect him. And the Iron Banker, whoa! That is an odd alliance. And Jeyne and Theon! They lived, yay! I really want to know what is going to happen here. Also, interesting that they arrive just after the human sacrifice. Did R'hllor send them? Also, I can never remember how to spell R'hllor, so I've probably misspelled nearly every time I've mentioned him in these notes.


Chapter 63 (Victarion):
Still rumors of Dany's death. I hope she shows up again soon, I'm curious as to what's happened to her.
More human sacrifice! What a happy book.
Oh, man, I hope Victarion doesn't get to ride a dragon. That would be terrible for the world.


Chapter 64 (Arya):
I wonder who the "plague face" who talks to her is. Could it be Syrio/Jaqen H'ghar?
This changing faces thing is very creepy. Do they cut the faces off of everyone who dies in the temple? WIll Arya be able to change back and forth between her face and this girl's face at will, from now on? I have so many questions! I like that some of the memories of the person come with the face. That seem appropriate.
...So, was the coin poisoned? Or was it like, a magic coin? I guess since they mentioned he bites all the coins he gets, it must have been poisoned, but that seems like a risky, complicated plan. Still, I suppose it must have worked.


Chapter 65 (Cersei):
Poor Cersei. I don't have a lot of pity for her, but this seems like a terrible punishment. And I'm not sure she'll ever be able to have power afterwards. This chapter was hard to read. While I think Cersei made a lot of terrible choices, sleeping with a handful or two of men was not one of them. It's hard to see her punished so thoroughly for that.
So, the new Kingsguard knight is unusually tall. Could it be the Mountain? Is he somehow still alive?


Chapter 66 (Tyrion):
What is Tyrion buying the Second Sons for? Does he mean to ally with Dany, or is he heading back to Westeros to do... something. Ally with Aegon? Attack Cersei? Do something else?
Oh, Tyrion. Don't hit Penny. That is so very unnecessary.


Chapter 67 (Barristan):
"The Prince of Dragonflies loved Jenny of Oldstones so much he cast aside a crown, and Westeros paid the bride price in corpses." A bit more of the Summerhall backstory. Still wish I knew more about what happened there.
More about Ashara Dayne, too. Barristan does say her that she turned to Stark- which seems to be a popular rumor. I wonder if it could have been Brandon Stark who fathered her child, rather than Ned? If the common rumor about Jon is accurate.
Did Hizdahr try to poison Dany? He denies it, but of course he would even if he did it. I'm not sure if he's guilty or not.
Dragons! Oh, man, what is going on!


Chapter 68 (Quentyn):
It seems like a bit too much of a coincidence that Quetyn's plan and Barristan/Skahaz's plan happened to go down on the very same night, but I suppose it's possible.
This whole "kidnap a dragon" plan just seems so very, very terrible. I can't believe they actually went through with it. Where are all the sensible people in Quentyn's entourage?
I did really love the scene with the dragons, though. It's good to see them as *dragons*, and not just pets, which they seemed to be for the previous books. They are very creepy here.
It's interesting how very much this plan fails. I wonder why? Because Quentyn is not a Targaryen? Because the dragons can smell his fear? Because they don't do a good job of staying in control? There's so many factors that could have contributed.
And oh, Quentyn. You weren't that interesting of a character, but that is a painful way to die.


Chapter 69 (Jon):
The new "King of the Wildlings" - I would not be bragging about having king's blood anywhere near Melisandre. Just sayin'.
I would love to see the scene where Queen Selyse instructs Val "in the duties of a noble lady toward her lord husband". Wow.
Interesting that Ghost's behaving strangely. What does he sense?
The Ramsay letter... I wonder if he could be lying? If he really defeated Stannis, where are Jeyne and Theon? On the other hand, I suppose the fact that he knows Melisandre wasn't with Stannis might prove he does know what he's talking about. I don't know. It seems strange for Stannis et al to really be disposed of off-screen. I think there's more going on here than Ramsay admits and/or knows.
I really don't know what Jon's thinking, deciding to attack the Boltons. Yes, they are terrible people, but... Ice-Zombies. Jon has bigger problems.
Whoa! I did not see the attack on Jon coming AT ALL. ...I'm still kind of confused, actually. Is this because he's planning to attack Winterfell? Or was it planned before that twist? I did not realize that enough of the Watch disagreed with him to form a mutiny. ...Or maybe it's not a mutiny? Maybe it's a small group? SO MANY QUESTIONS.


Chapter 70 (Barristan):
Interesting plan with the other Dornish knights. Not sure it's a good idea, though. Dany et al do not need to be detoured by conquering yet another city on her way to Westeros.
Not all that much else really happens in this chapter. Setting the stage for the next book, I guess.