When Dreams Whither and Die

Life is not what I dreamt it would be:

Knights in armor; oh the chivalry,

Fancy balls, handsome princes, long lovely dresses,

Palaces, fine things, and romantic kisses...

Whatever happened to my dream?

Why does real life make me want to scream?

I can't scream, I must be strong,

Maybe my true strong prince will come along.

Who am I fooling?

All my schooling?

It was all for naught,

If only my sister, with my prince, hadn't fought.

My prince began to loath me,

He couldn't even stand the sight of me,

So I tried my best to win his favor,

In whatever way, whatsoever.

I was selfish,

And as I undid my father, I did relinquish

For a while. Until I realized I did never see the whole game,

I brought shame unto my family's name.

With that shame I still live,

What a heavy burden, which I can not share or give,

My father dead, my mother and brother dead too

Of my other siblings, I have no clue.

They wed me to the imp,

Foiled was the plan to wed me to the cripple prince with a limp,

I was hounded, I was whisked away,

And to the tallest tower to stay.

Whatever happened to my dream?

Why does real life beg me to scream?

I can't scream, I must be strong,

Maybe my true strong prince will come along.

From the tower I came descended,

A whining prince in tow, undefended,

Winter is coming,

And a surprise awaiting.

My new father awaited me,

He said "Guess who your new husband will be?"

I masked my shock and sorrow with joy,

Alas I am still treated as a piece, as a toy.

I was a dreamy young girl once,

I dreamt of gallant princes and Knights,

All to be shattered and prove me a dunce, 

Everything to wither into the winter of night.

I was taught the story that princes and knights were honorable,

I was shocked to learn that this was naught

The queen herself proved to be dishonorable,

This is the new story I have been taught.

I am now a woman grown,

It was not as I thought it would be, and the truth of it makes me groan,

My family gone, and I am helpless with no one to trust,

I am me no longer, but I am another; and men still lust.

Whatever happened to my dream?

Nothing goes my way it seems,

I can't give in, I must be strong,

Maybe my true prince will come along.

Someday...

Till then Winter Is Coming,

For spring I shall wait,

The Summer was strong and shinning, 

The Autumn reality grim and stark with a cold fate.

-Pree for Sansa 9/23/2013

And to the tallest tower to stay

They wed me to the imp

Life is not what I dreamt it would be:

Knights in armor; oh the chivalry,

Fancy balls, handsome princes, long lovely dresses,

Palaces, fine things, and romantic kisses...

More Game of Thrones with Family

Dad- I knew she would tear the paper
Me- The queen?
Dad- yeah and then they captured Ned Stark, what a shame.

Dad- The guy who saved Tyrion is the true king isn't he?
Me- Bronn? No he's a sellsword.
Dad and Mom- What?
Me- A Mercenary. Basically if you send him to assassinate someone, and the supposed victim offers him twice the amount, he'll come back and kill you.
Dad- So the Catelyn gave him money and job no?
Me- But Tyrion can offer twice or thrice as much and more.
Dad- Oh. He prefers stock option... hmm.

Oh Boy!
 
 

Game of Thrones Takes on the Family

My parents finally began watching the TV show "A Game of Thrones". I first tried to get my grandparents and parents watch the show by telling them that George RR Martin based the story on the War of Roses, the history of Britain's succession. By episode 3 everyone was intrigued, my grandmom was grossed out by the gore; not a surprise since she does enjoy softer films. My grandad was hooked, and my mom loves anything BBC or Masterpeice, or British Period films, so she was keen on watching it. My father tags along on whatever my mother watches. At the end of the day she who runs the kitchen runs the remote!

Dad is in and out of the first episode, he's on a business call, then he snoozes, and suddenly I catch him giggling to something Bran says. He is up and watching. My mom is engrossed in it, and has lots of questions, 3 seconds after she asks the question, the question is answered. Episode 2 she asks who's knife was sent to kill Bran? Just as Catelyn has the same question. 3 seconds later, Petyr Baelish says "it is my knife". This happens many times.

Every time they show Bran, my father asks- is this the guy who fell? So now he is known as the boy who fell. Tyrion is ofcourse the dwarf, although they kept asking me who the imp was, whenever the characters referred to Tyrion as the imp. Cersei and Jaime Lannister were named the Incestors by my mom. The King's council became the Venture Capitalists of the olden days; they find investors, and throw large grand parties to run the King's Kingdom. They are both convinced that the the entire King's council other than Ned Stark, is bad, evil, and up to no good. By now they are hooked.

Sansa became Sasha for a while, and the names got confused with Cersei. I have no idea how! They both like Ned Stark, and my dad likes the fat King Robert. I hope they come to like Arya as much as I do. My mother is Jorah Mormont's biggest fan, she might have a crush, and my dad is fearful of Khal Drogo...

Dad: is he Indian? (referring to Khal Drogo and what culture he represents on the show)
Mom: no he's not. He might be french.
Dad: He is Indian!
Mom: No he isn't! If anything he might be middle eastern.
Dad: You know the Syria issue...
Mom and I: Not now!

On the topic of Khal and Dany, on  their wedding night, the Khal whisks Dany away on her horse and consummates the marriage on the beach. The entire time my dad was convinced he was murdering Dany in pretense of marriage. Later in a different scene she is shown alive, and he asked surprised: "I thought she was killed!? Is this a flash back?" Awkwardly I had to explain that it was sex and not murder. Later that night he dreamt that the Khal and his blood riders were trying to take my mother away and he punched and kicked in his sleep to fight them off and keep her safe. Unfortunately my mom had to feel the kicks and pushes!

They are both so hooked, that on Wednesday at lunch break this was the conversation:

Mom- I can't wait to watch the rest tonight!

Dad- don't start the cinema without me!

Me- it's not a cinema!

Dad- it is so long, it's more than cinema!

Then Catelyn took Tyrion prisoner at the inn, both my parents exclaimed shocked: "Why did she do that? He did nothing?"
I had to explain, however the evidence was clear, Catelyn made her first idiotic move.

They predict that Jaime will kill Ned Stark, or Ned will kill Cerse and Jaime. If it was only that simple. Right?

Mom just texted me: Why did the sister still breast feeding?
Me: they are psycho? she has post partem issues?
Mom: Oedipus comlex.

She has a point, but also she coddles her kid too much for some reason.

Mom- who is Baratheon...
Me the dead king and his brothers... (oops i let a spoiler slip)
Mom- K
Mom- how many chpters in each cd?
Me- 2
Mom- thanks. we are on episode 7... omg your father is so hooked on this. he loves it.
Me- what happened on 6?
Mom- the brother got killed. he gets his golden crown.


The joys of getting people hooked on something so good!


Breathe

The Game of...

Everyone plays a game;

There is the game of love,
Until you become jaded and frayed.
Some play silly games, innocent as a dove,
Until your heart is broken from all the games played.

Men play the game of thrones
Across cities, countries and continents,
How the people weep,
When the Rich play their games.

There is The Game,
That no one can never be win,
No throne to claim,
No prize at the end. Just naught. Fin.

Valar Morghulis.

The game of life,
Some are aware of it, Some call it strife,
Some are caught up in the petty,
To worried about wealth, or looking pretty.

The game of life,
We all seem to play,
Some play it with ethics and morals,

Some with another man's wife.


The game of life,
A tricky one it is, some play it with a knife,
Some play it well, some play you for a fool,
Some are conniving, while others... pure evil.

Some play bravely, others are loyal and true...
Which one are you?
What game do you play?
Oh hark, you will pay you toll at the end of the day.

Valar Morghulis.

A Song of Ice and Fire: A Storm of Swords - Chapters 69 - End (Spoiler alert!)

After much analysis, and reflection... I am Sansa. I thought life, this world would be this amazing place, what a bunch of bollocks. In other aspects I am like Arya, but it takes us a while to wake up from childhood, and break free from fairy tales. It can go the other way too, one might think life is harsh and rough all the time, and when they reach a moment of tenderness they are as much in shock as a person who thought the world was flowers and butterflies. Right?

Kids grew up faster back in the day, mortality was shorter for humans then too. Now a days we keep are kids protected from the big bad world, longer than we should. The darkness, the winter, the evil, has ways of seeping in however. I learnt young, to be wary of men; what I didn't learn was how to play the game, the game of thrones. I never liked politics, but it is important to be aware of, kind of like the game "Risk", where we take over countries and such.

It is true, maybe there was some sort of entitlement with the whole middle-class-college-educated-generations. We were told by our parents and society: "get a degree and you'll get a good job", at least that's the way of success since the 70s. Then the colleges began handing out Master Degrees like hot cakes in every field whatsoever. Then catastrophe, economic downfall, war, and loss of jobs occurs. Which gives birth to the "occupy wall-street" movement by the "99%". We forgot we have to work hard to get the job, and keep working harder still after that. What will the Joffreys, Sansas, Margearys, Briennes, Cersei,s Jaimes of the world DO! They have to be like Tywin and write letters, or be like Tyrion and deal with WHATEVER LIFE hands you.You were Sansa one day, and the next day you are a fallen Sansa. Or one day you are Tyrion, and then the next- Tyrion the traitor.

So much to learn from this book, so much. An article I read recently, reflected the racism in the series. Dany the beautiful white haired, white skinned lady, who tames a bunch of brown skinned barbarians. The story has been done before in history- British and the Indians... both the Native Americans and Indians from India. Same story different age! ;-)

This was an amazing book, the epitome of the series although there is a book 4 and 5, and a rumored book 6 and 7! For once I shall not give you any spoilers although I stumbled across many on the internet while reading, however I will say, before going the easy route and watching the show. Read the books, there's more IN it.

Breathe!


 

A Song of Ice and Fire: A Storm of Swords - Chapters 56 - 68 (Spoiler alert!)

If you thought the Red Wedding was big... well especially for all those that didn't read the book... Mr. Martin has more in store for us.

Remember what I said in my previous blog post about Melisandre saying that if Joffrey is killed while still safe behind walls, with all his guards present, then truly the Lord of Light is working. However Joffrey lives and thus Davos argues. Well Joffrey falls drops down dead at his wedding, after humiliating Tyrion over and over again. I say, he got what was coming for him, or you can think poor little rich blonde boy. Eh... I beg to differ, he deserved it for no lesson would set him right. In fact after the way he insulted Tywin I would hope it was Tywin who slipped him the poison, but we still don't know who poisoned Tyrion.

Sadly though Cersei is first to blame Tyrion and he is awaiting a trial and for sure execution. The trial goes horribly, because there is no witness For Tyrion, everyone is against him, because the ever so beloved king is dead. They see that Joff beating Sansa was righteous, etc. Come on people this was a King who was a boy, he didn't even FIGHT. The only blood he ever shed was disciplining slaps from his uncle Tyrion. I am glad to say he suffered, and choked and died. How could Cersei spoil a kid so much, ugh. Worst. Mother. Ever! So we shall see about Tyrion's fate. I hope he kills his sister, and gets vengeance.

However this was waaaay bigger than the red wedding... Joffrey is the sickest #@$%#er ever and he finally gets what is rightfully his! Such a relief, catharctic moment. Oh and while everyone is fussing about Joffrey dying, Sansa slips away... but more on her later. Joffrey is dead! Joffrey is Dead! The wickedest King there ever was, the enemy of all of us here in the North is DEAD! Goodness! No one Mourns the Wicked! Ok that was from Wicked - Broadway musical... check it out if you haven't! He's DEAD!

Jaime gets to King's Landing, Brienne is taken in custody cause Loras Tyrell still blames her for Renly's death. Jaime visits Cersei who is crying at the sept for Joffrey and they do it right there. She kind of is weirded out by his hand, or lack their of, and she estranges herself from him. Keeps him at bay. So I hope he got her pregnant just then cause he did EVERYTHING for her, and this is how she repays him, especially sleeping around with other men. Tywin wishes Cersei to wed a Tyrell or a Martell, doesn't matter. Tywin wnats Jaime to renounce the Knighthood, marry and take up Casterly Rock. However, Jaime has had it, he wants to marry Cersei and rule openly, but instead he just says he will never give up knight hood and Tywin renounces Jaime. What a family I tell you. Jaime asks the kingsgaurd after Tyrions really bad trial if they really think Tyrion is guilty, also if they did swear to protect the king, how the heck did he die? So they all give excuses. In the end I feel Jaime feels the "imp" is innocent, and convinces Loras that Brienne is innocent. Whoopdido.

I forgot what Dany was upto... Oh right! She is still trying to en-capture cities, and people are still trying to kill her. Oh and she find out that the two blokes she trusted the most Mormont, and the other dude Barristan Selmy who called himself Arstan, were actually traitors. Mormont fought for Robert once upon a time, and Selmy was a knight for Raegar and then bent the knee to Robert when the House of Targaryen fell. So she's so angry at them, she tells them she never wants to see them again. Also she finds out the Mormont had been sending Varys stories about her, until he fell for her, and then he stopped. She is super pissed.


 Arya is stuck with Sandor Clegane, although the last chapter made you think she fled for him. As the red wedding took place, war sprung about. In the chaos Arya found out 1- her mother and brother were dead 2- she wanted to see them 3- perfect opportunity to run. So she ran. Clegane hit her up-top her head, she passed out. They escaped safely. She took to being a nobody. Then Clegane wanted to take her to the Eyrie which would be good cause... wait for it.... Sansa was being taken there by Petyr! When she escaped after Joff's wedding (ofcourse she was sad to 1-be wed to Tyrion, and 2-that her mother and brother were killed, but glad to escape to WHAT?), Dantos took her to Baelish who then killed Dantos, and they were off to the Vale, so that Petyr could marry Lyssa, the nutty lady! That's the only drawback Lyssa Tully now Aryn is nuts! Arya has it in her head to head to Jon. Jon is infected and delirious about life, and is made Commander in Chief... oops ... Lord Commander of the Black Crows by the maester. In the mean time Sam, Gilly and the baby cross the wall in a secret underground tunnel. They bump into Meera, Jojen, Hodor, Bran and Summer! Fun times. They cross to the North side of the wall, and who knows ... Sam goes back to Gilly?

That's all folks!

A Song of Ice and Fire: A Storm of Swords - Chapters 31- 55 (Spoiler alert!)

Amazon has paired up with Audible to give us these synced audiobooks- to ebooks! How cool right? I mostly listen to the audiobook though, and the narration is great. Because I hear the story (unabridged), its like seeing it in my mind, while I drive, get ready, cook, clean, pack, exercise. I am living this. So closely entwined am I, that the loss of my great Aunt, was in time with the loss of Robb and Catelyn Stark. The Red Wedding, they call it.

What happened was that Edmure was to marry Rosalin Frey, this would help make amends with the Freys. Since Robb marrying Jane Westerling had spurned the Freys so. Anyway Tywinn on his end won the war with letters as he had promised and told Tyrion. He wrote to the Freys, won them onto his side, and then when the wedding and bedding was on way, everyone else was killed. Bastards. (To get over this Samantha Durante - yes the author I recently interviewed- sent me this link which basically has steps to get over the Red Wedding. It helped - buzzfeed FTW). Anyway I'm glad by reading the books, I won't be shocked and surprised like other people who were astounded by the Red Wedding. Ha! Also I will know what happens in Season 4 and 5 and 6! Read!


Honestly what more is there to say? I feel drained of all my energy thinking of this great loss. What's more... Tyrion's POV, Joffrey the King is acting like HE'd done it. Bragging and all proud. He tells Tywinn, "you write to Frey and tell him I want Robb's head! I will present it to Sansa, and make her kiss it..." What a dou@#$bag! Tyrion will not have any of this, so Tywinn sends Joff to bed, literally! Joff retaliates saying Tywinn is a coward or something to that effect. Cersei apologizes on behalf of her son, and Tywinn sends her to bed too! Anyway Tyrion is set to a new task of entertaining the guests, and keeping them from killing each other before Joffrey's wedding. I hope Joffrey gets his, soon. I'd love to give him my own taste of justice, oh yes. Those Lannisters.

Before Robb died he signed a will sort of thing that decreed his heir... I think it's Jon Snow... but we shall see... oh the cliffhangers!

Arya has her own journey, and finally she flees from Sander Clegane who had taken her from Beric Dondarion. So now she's a free bird, except her brother and her mother are dead. Dead and gone, and to her knowledge Bran and Rickon are dead too. Sansa married off to Tyrion, so it leaves Jon Snow in the North. Should she go there. Ofcourse Arya, and no one else, has a clue that Bran is on his way North, and is holed up some place safe with Meera, Jojen, Hodor and Summer. Bran is like Frodo, they are taking the wolf dreams north to the three-eyed crow. By now Bran can slip between Summer and himself really quickly. He sees Jon craven out of killing an old man, cause them wildings have crossed the wall. So Yigrette (who Jon has been bedding ALOT), does the honors, saying "you know nothing Jon Snow". She has a Irish accent, according to the narrator. Jon Snow rides off to Castle Black, or one of those castles by the wall. He meets up with his Black Brothers, and they trust him after he explains to them why he killed his buddy, and on whose instructions. Now they are preparing for the wildings attack. See the wildings strategically attacked the wall at many places, thus spreading the Crows thin (Crows- Black Brothers- Night's Watch). So this will be a cluster fudge.

Davos receives a letter from the Night's Watch, and guess what he learns! Oh the wildings are crossing south. Blimey, he says this is too troubling, and puts the letter away. Yeah lets ignore the important stuff since we live on an island. In the mean time Stannis discusses with Melisadnre, his wife, and Davos ... Davos is now his hand... whether or not to sacrifice the Robert Baratheon's Bastard (the one who was at Storm's end and Davos saw his taken by the shadow etc.) to give life to a Dragon. Kind of like how Dany had done. Previously Melisandre had done a spell to have the Greyjoy King killed, Robb Stark Killed, and Joffrey Killed. So far two are dead. Joffrey remains. Melisandre says - imagine if Joffrey is killed while he is safely behind his walls, with guards... that would truly mean the lord of light is at work. I hope she does it!

Dany is winning city after city... yes she bought an army of Eunochs and then had them kill their masters. Then she has been conquering all.

Here are some good maps:

Essos (Essos on Left) and Westeros

Westeros

Jaime gets away from Harrenhal after striking a deal with Bolton. Bolton and Frey (REMEMBER) ganged up on the Starks, so they aren't good. Jaime leaves without Brienne, leaving her to the Brave Companions, however he goes back for her, and they travel to King's Landing together. Which is decent of him, he only does this, because 1- he has lost a hand 2- he's been having bad dreams 3- in his dreams only Brienne remains to protect him.

Oh Sam! I almost forgot Sam! He was caught up in the whole take over by the wights at the camp. Then he got to Caster's Castle, and there there was a mess, and the old Bear Mormont was killed. He forgave Jorah before he died. Then Sam took Gilli, and was heading to the wall, when they were surrounded by wights again, and a man on a Stag or some sort of Deer creature rescues them. My guess or prediction is that he is Benjen Stark or a OH RIGHT... ELK!

So that's the big news so far!
Another 25 or so chapters to go!

Breathe

A Song of Ice and Fire: A Storm of Swords - Chapters 1-30 (Spoiler alert!)

"I'm crying because we never found the horn of winter. we opened up half a hundred graves and let all those shades loose in the world, and never found the horn of Joramun to bring this cold thing down!"

So now we know what those cold dead zombies are!

Since the last book many a thing has taken place... Dany has gone to the city to buy slaves. She buys an entire army, in exchange for everything and her dragon - drogon. She claims the army, and then she kills all the slave traders. Her army is the unsullied- they are all eunochs, who are disciplined and only kill for her now. She will soon be ready to amass an army and take over Westeros. Jorah creeps her out, however she has needs, and takes to pleasuring herself.

I was wrong last time, I thought Davos, was captured by the Lannisters but he was stranded on a rock. A ship found him and took him back to Dragonstone, where he learned that Stannis has slunk away into his castle with the red lady, and everything was a mess. He went to Stannis with the intention of killing the red lady, and instead found himself in the dungeons. Then the red lady visited him, and they spoke and the conclusion was he was full of doubts about her, but his loyalty was with Stannis.

Tyrion and Sansa get married. Why!? Why!?!?!? Do you ask Why!?!!??! Because they fell in love! He is her ideal Prince, Knight in shinning armor, Handsome and Gallant! Obviously a perfect match! 
Margaery Tyrell comes to Kings landing with her whole family of Tyrells from High Garden. She is to marry King Joffrey. She also makes sure she befriends Sansa. She learns that Joffrey was absolutely ghastly to Sansa. The Tyrells come up with a plan to wed Sansa to their eldest cripple son, Wyllis. However Cersei gets wind of this. She can not let this happen, because then Winterfell will fall into the hands of High Garden. So Lord Tywinn forces Cersei to marry Wyllis, and Sansa to Tyrion. If Cersei marries Wyllis, it will make the bond between their houses stronger, she will be able to put to rest the "lies" of her incest, she will produce more heirs... So one night Tyrion and Sansa are wed, then they eat with everyone, and Joff whispers to Sansa that he will still bed her, for he is king and is allowed to have whores, even if it is his uncle's wife. Ugh. I hope this kid is beheaded soon. Anyway Tyrion does not bed Sansa that night, and says he hopes she will get to know him and one day maybe love him.

Jon Snow  gets laid! oh yes! With the wildling who works under Mance Raider - Yigrette. He seems to have bought most of their trust, and they climb the wall ... yes THE WALL, and that's when Yigrette says the above line. So now we know. Jon, for a 1/2 stark is a little slow sometimes, although very kind, and noble at heart. Waiting to see his moment. I don't think it has come yet.

We suddenly read a few chapters from Sam's perspective. He's being a craven as usual, after sending some crows off with messages. The waits have attacked the Crows/ Watchmen's camp from all sides. Everyone begins to retreat to the wall. Disaster! Let's hope Sam survives.

Catelyn has been cooped up in Riverun, ever since she let Jaime Lannister go. Robb comes back, and totally apologizes to her for letting Theon go. Also eh comes back with a wife, but not one of Fray's daughters. She is pretty but she was the daughter of the enemy they had come to take over. They were sworn to the Lannisters, but now this. So I suspect they will take the wolves down from the inside. Shucks Robb, shucks!

In this book we are introduced to Jaime Lannister's POV or perspective. What a shocker aye? yep! HE turns out to be very decent to Brienne who is trying to get him safely to King's Landing. We learn everything he has EVER done has been for Cersei. ALWAYS. Super gross right? He's slept with no other woman, but Cersei. GROSS!!!! Anyway they seem to be making their way to King's Landing, but on the way they are intercepted by bandits, and after which Jaime gets the sword from Brienne and they are captured by the Brave Companions who work under the Wolf and Roose Bolton at Harenhaal. He warns Brienne that they will rape her, and she tries to say she was sent by the wolf. No one listens.

Bran is making really slow progress up to the wall. He's listening to stories from Meera, and Jojen, and unable to control his warg dreams. He's a cute kid who just wants to live, and be normal. He loves living through Summer.


Arya Arya Arya!  I love and am partial to Arya POV chapters. Arya escaped from Harenhaal in the last book, and she is on her way to Riverrun. On the way they are coguht by some "Kingsmen", one whom she recognizes from her Childhood at Winterfell. He used to work for her father, but after he died, he switched to the side of the realm, of the side of Ser Berick Dondarion. Anyway they are at some little town, in a ... before which Gendry and Sansa have a little tickling fight, almost brotherly, but seemed like there was some chemistry there... I could be wrong. Anyway they are at the Peaches Brothel for some reason, and GEndry says Arya is his sister to protect her....


Just read the book... aaah!!!

1- how big do these dragons grow? really as big as a man riding a horse may pass through it's mouth?
2- will Gendry and Arya get together?
3- Will Sansa learn to love Tyrion?
4- Will Joffrey die?
5- What will happen to Theon?
6- What about Davos?
7- What will Robb do?

Breathe!


 

A Song of Ice and Fire: A Clash of Kings - Chapter 59 - End (Spoiler alert!)

Dany is almost killed in her last chapter in this book... she decides that she's had enough of Quarth and is looking for a ship. The Xaxoos guy or whatever his name is, tries to bargain ships for one of her dragons, but Dany tells him straight up - dude one of my dragons is worth 1/3rd of the world's ships. So he buggers off, but Pyath Pree is also out to get her so he sends a guy with a fancy box, which holds a scarab which is actually a manticore which tries to kill her. Two strangers who had been following her kill it. It so happens they had been sent from Pentos to bring her there. They have three ships, and of course the bossy girl she has become she changes the ships' names. Also they let her know that Westeros is in deep s#@! and has 4 kings last they were there. She secretly smiles to herself. So hopefully we'll hear more of her side this next book? Or not?

Davos is captured by the Lannisters... but oh wait let's go back to how. Last we heard of Tyrion he had sent off Mycella, and Tommen. Told Joffrey he can prepare himself for war, and Cersei was pissed at that and thus roped in Alayaya into the mess. Shortly after all this they prepared for war, and Tyrion had all sorts of sneaky stuff set up for Stannis fleet arriving by sea, AND on land. That chain of his is finally put to use, and he uses alot of "wild fire" which I assume is bombs.
I digress for a second and point out that in the recent Rolling Stones' controversial article it was revealed that the Boston Bomber kid liked "The Walking Dead" series and "The Game of Thrones"/"A Song of Ice and Fire" series. It really bothered me that these details were so important. I know how people and especially this country tends to profile people, so I just want to say you can like these things and it does not impact how violent one is. Violence is not based on race, immigration/ citizenship, or books, ultimately its a person's decision to perform heinous acts... These books, as crazy as they might be, are by no means turning people into mass assasins.

Back to Tyrion, so he's all getting ready for war... digress again for World News- The Brits have another heir to their heir to their heir... its a baby boy! Oh yay and lucky for him, he does not face the same charges as Joffrey. Back to Tyrion, so The war starts, and since Cersei won't let Joffrey get into harms way, and Joff just likes giving orders, and pretending to go brave, Tyrion is like - eff this shit, am gonna go kill some brave people. In the process he is nearly killed by one of their own allies (some guy who's name began with an M), but I think Tyrion kills him in the end, and almost drowns himself, but his little squire Podrik Payne saves him. He wakes up all delirious and realizes his face is effed up, not like he was handsome before, but he is uglier than before. He's really pissed but happy to be alive.

Skipping over to Sansa, she's all cooped up in the building as war wages outside, with Cersei and a bunch of other Lords' Ladies (apparently the Lords were all off fighting). The Hound is there for some reason, he's on hold to kill everyone in case Stannis wins (Cersei has a beautiful mind). She's so upset her son is outside fighting, her son who whines so much. Sansa wishes he dies the whole time, if it isn't mentioned I'm sure she feels it nonetheless. The queen drinks wine, and whines, and they get news that they are failing the battle, then she gets news of some other tragedy and runs off (which is probably not a tragedy). Sansa stays and tells everyone to stay calm. Then more chaos breaks out, and Sansa heads upto her bed chambers, and looks out her room window to see disaster. The hound is in her room for some reason, and he is drunk, and asks her to sing a song before he leaves. So she sings, the whole time I was a afraid he would rape her, but she squeaks out a song. He leaves touched by her singing, tears in the eyes and all, and he basically abandons the Lannisters. He's probably had enough of their BS. Sansa gets the news that the Lannisters won, and Stannis fled defeated by his own brother. It was actually Lord Tywin to the rescue. The next day everyone is knighted, and honored. The prisoners of the enemy are beheaded, and here we hear Davos speak up, another of King Stannis' men speak up and expose Joffrey as being the product of incest and not the true heir. Joffrey gets angry and orders him dead, but at the same time he gets cut my the iron throne. (Which is a sign that he isn't meant to be any sort of king). Joffrey whines like a baby and his mummy runs to him. Tywinn stands there and accepts to be Joffrey's Reagent. Joffrey before getting scraped and crying like the baby he is, accepts Margaery Tyrell's hand in marriage, casting aside Sansa. This makes her happy, but she appears pouty. She runs to the God's Wood and meets her Knight there. She is happy but he says as long as she remains there, Joffrey can still order beaten and could even rape her, and make her bare bastards. She thought she could get away living there for free and not have to deal with Joffrey anymore... wrong! So he says on the night og Joffrey and Margaery's wedding she would have to escape. Dun dun dun!

Jon Snow is told by Ranger Qhorin to leave the men in black (get it ;-) ) and join the wildings to find out their plans. And turns out Yigrette went back to them, btu she helps spare his life. In the mean time, I'm wondering about Samwell and Ghost.

Bran and Rickon have been holed up in the crypts with Jojen, Meera, Osha and Hodor. They sent the wolves off to create a distraction! Theon was ruthless and made to burn down Winterfell when no one wanted to help him out (actually it was some guy who took over his case, I am so confused). So Theon leaves with some people, Reek is no where to be seen, Maester Luwin is hurt and left behind. Bran and all find him and Luwin tells them to send Rickon and Osha to Castle White, some place south. Bran wants to go North to find Willy Wonka's Chocolate factory... ofcourse not he wants to find the blasted three-eyed-crow! Anyway it's sad but Winterfell is in shambles, so they leave.

Arya decides after learning that her brothers are all dead, that she needs to go to Riverrun. She realizes Roose Bolton is going to give the Harenhaal to the mummers, so she decides to leave. She gets Gendry and Hotpie and sneaks out at the dead of night. She kills the first man ever, but it is no matter, she is a Stark and must be as strong as Robb.

And that's the end of A Clash of Kings.

Now on to " A Storm of Swords"

Winter is Coming!


Breathe

Jon Snow and his Ghost. By Jayson Mondola

A Song of Ice and Fire: A Clash of Kings - Chapter 42 - 58 (Spoiler alert!)

Apparently I feel I am overdue on writing a review on the last 15 or so chapters... Holy Enchiladas!

Let's start of with Dany. Her chapters seem a little dull, although she's in Quarth, has a dragon, is totally smokin hot, single now, and is really driven to take back the throne. If I were her I would let my past go, meditate, and move East with 'what's his face' Mornmont, and life happily ever after with dragons. Oh no, she must have ships to take back what is hers, because after she lost everything, and lost everything again, only war and getting her parent's throne back will make everything ok. Bah! She decides to go into Pyath Pree's (yes there is a character named Pree! but he is not nice at all), house of the living dead, or some such tourist trap. She walks through it with her dragon Drogo, and has visions, speaks to dead people and psychedelic mumbo-jumbo, or if you wish to call it spiritual you may do so. So it leaves us there with that. Her chapters are spaced out and few in this book. Either way I'm just glad her vile brother is not abusing her anymore.

After realizing she had 2 inconsequential men killed, Arya realizes she need Jaquen (spelling) to kill the Tywinn. She can't find Jaquen anywhere though. So she just keeps her eyes, and ears open, and goes about her duties as the little servant person. By night she plays and prays at the wierwood  or Godswood I'm so confused by these damned trees, the trees her forefathers prayed too... the magical ones with faces. While playing Jaquen approaches her and asks her to name a third. She does, she says Jaquen. He asks her to take the name back, for a friend would not do this to a friend. She says only after he helps her, for friends help each other. I forgot to mention, that in between a whole bunch of men who ride under the Stark banner and other banners allied with the Starks were captured and put in the dungeons there. So she says to Jaquen, if you help me free them, I will take the name back. He is true to his word. He sets off, gives her instructions to make some broth. So she goes to the kitchen and does so. She realizes that this Jaquen seems to be magical for how did he get the other two mysteriously killed? Anyway one of the other guys who she had set free with Jaquen way back when, orders her to bring the broth. So they take the broth down to the dungeons for the guards and pour it all over them, while another slays the guards. Arya releases the prisoners, and Halenhaal falls to the Starks! Arya names herself Nymeria, since Weasel is a mean name. She is appointed as somebody somebody's maid. Jaquen takes Arya's leave and infront of her kills his old self and dons a new face... he gives her his business card (or something to that effect), if she ever needs him she should go to Braavos, and seek him out. Dun dun dun!


In the mean time, Bran's warg dream and Jojan's green dream come true. Theon has taken over Winterfell, and is killed the two guys Jojen had foreseen dying - Mikken and another. Very sad. Osha pledges allegiance to Theon, and so does a stinky prisoner named Reek. Bran being a child, Theon tells him it's best you yield and you will be my ward... or something to that effect. Theon is a major #$%#@ Bran yields, sweet little cripple Bran. Life goes on, and one day, Theon wakes up to find Bran missing. Here's how two chapters/ characters collide. Theon sets out a search party (he has the joy of f#@$%ing whores in Eddard Stark's bed), and they realize Meera, Jojen, Bran, Rickon, Hodor and Osha are on foot, along with the Direwolves. This should eb an easy catch, but find no trace of them after the stream, even the dogs can't trace them. Reek thinks they are at the mill, and Theon sends everyone including Maester Luwin back. He comes back with two bodies. He puts the heads on the wall. Osha arrives and makes a couple of points, 1- as a Greyjoy their power lies in the sea, and he has wandered far to inland 2 - he has done so with too few men, far too few! 3- it is folly that he stays there for now everyone in the north is his enemy, and they were not able to win the fight at one other place thanks to Ser Rodrek (captain of Winterfell) 4- he shouldn't have killed the boys, he should have kept them as hostages for leverage. This gives me good hope and confidence that Theon is truly f#@$ed by all means. He has it coming, but as stubborn, prideful, and arrogant as he is he won't leave Winterfell for he is King there now. He points out by killing the 2 boys he has avenged his two brothers, and his father will be proud of him. Osha leaves, leaving him with only 10 men. Theon orders Reek to raise another hundred, and sends him off with money. He worries for Reek is the only one who knows what Theon did. Theon had the Miller's boys killed and used their bodies as evidence of Bran and Rickon's death. Yaaaay! Bran lives! Theon goes to sleep and has dreams of the feast when King Robert visited. However slowly everyone at the table becomes dead, and he wakes very disturbed. Oh how the ghosts of our past take vengeance and eat us in our sleep.

Jon and the lot set out, and Jon begins getting warg dreams too. He sees what is on the other side of the mountain waiting for them. Ghost comes back injured. Jon lets a wilding girl who would have killed him, go. Her name was Yigrett. Anyway the north just seems bleak. Jon finds out the Starks have wilding blood in them or something, and also Mance would keep him alive and not kill him. Mance was once a black brother, but he left... atleast that's what I understood.

Alot of things happen at Kingslanding, and we have Tyrion's perspective, and Sansa's. Tyrion sends Petry to speak to the ex- wife of Renly to see if she would take Joffrey's hand in marriage. He sends Mycella off far away, and sends Joffrey's heir - Tommen, some place safe. So Cersei is pissed, cause all her kids are kind of gone, Maester Pycelle is dead. Cersei finds out that Tyrion means to send Joffrey to war against Stannis. She does not want this, however Tyrion points out that 1- men follow a lord who connects with them 2- who fights besides them 3- men will not follow a guy who hides behind his mother's skirts. Cersei is pissed off even more. I hope Joff dies, and so does pretty Sansa. Anyway, in the mean time Tyrion is in love with Shae, and the queen reveals to him that she has his Whore. Tyrion is super sad, but tries not to show it. They bring the whore in front of him, and lo and behold it is Alayaya (virgin whore, who is Tyrion's cover for his visits to Shae). Tyrion says - if you hurt my whore I will make sure both Mycella and Tommen are raped/ beaten. Cersei let's Alayaya the innocent girl go. The thing is Tyrion doesn't want his nephews and nieces hurt, he continues to do what's good for the Lannisters, but Cersei is a paranoid queen. Everyone thinks Tyrion awful cause of his looks, but he has a heart, more so than any of the other Lannisters. When they were seeing Mycella off at the docks, the people mobbed the "Royal" Family, with some help of King Joffrey's arrogant and ignorant orders. One of the families girl's gets raped by men, and Sansa is hit on her head and suffers some injuries. Tyrion realizes they are not safe at the Keep, and must double security.
Sansa in the mean time plots with her knight, but things go very slow. He says he has a friend within who will help once he returns from a trip. Sansa becomes anxious, especially when one morning she wakes up and she has her period. She panics and sets her bed ablaze, anyway the Queen finds out. Poor Sansa and her silly dreams of Knights and Heroes, she's slowly waking up to reality, the hard hard way. Sansa like Arya prays every night for the death of Joffrey and others.

Oh boy! Davos this new pirate turned knight is instructed by Stannis to go by night with that Melisandre to go to Storms End and take the bastard from some lord who wont yield. So with the help of black magic, and a shadow which Davos knew, they seize the bastard. Maybe the bastard was Robert's true heir. Anyway later on Davos knows it, but none of the other captains of Stannis' fleet of ships would listen to a Onion Knight, they get ambushed at sea at Kings Landing. What a shame.

Last but not least - Catelyn - she is at Riverun and gets the news of Bran and Rickon dying. She worries about Arya and Sansa, memories come back to her. She tells Brienne, the only person she tells. When she says it, it feels like she is making it true. She plots to talk and get answers from Jaime. She goes to the cellar after midnight with Brienne, and she gets him to 1- admit that Joffrey et al are his sons 2- he pushed Bran out of the window 3- everything he ever did was for Cersei 4- he's only ever slept with Cersei 5- the truth of how Ned's brother and father died. In exchange she tells Jaime that his father, Tywinn, Son and Cersei are all ok. She then takes Brienne's sword....

Blimey!


Breathe!

Winter is Coming - By Jayson M.

Lessons of Life and Law Learned from Game of Thrones

Most of us woke up to the news this Sunday that Zimmerman was found not guilty. But we all know that he shot an boy... innocent or not, whatever. There's is a problem with the system here, no doubt. No system is perfect, otherwise we would all be happy gold fish living in a bowl.
People turn to the bible, to family, at this time... I'm turning to A Song of Ice and Fire, or even the Mahabharata, however the Game of Thrones is fresh in my mind.

Remember when Lord Eddard Stark was tried, though innocent, the hand of the king, with solid proof... he was still found guilty by the "King" and beheaded. Sure the system then was different, and the justice a bit barbaric. However those were the ways of men back then. Our children's children's children will look back a 100 years from now and find our system of law and justice barbaric, just as our seniors today see us killing our bodies with food packed with GMOs etc, killing our world by various other means, and our minds with endless use of technology... So on and so forth. Patterns keep repeating, and we never learn from our past.

Eddard Stark had proof of the late King's wishes, but the proof was conveniently dismissed, torn up by the Queen. Although he was loyal to the previous King, who he served as Hand to the King, he was found a traitor, although he had only been traitor to the king previous to who he had served. HE was not a traitor, but the Queen and the Kings own son were the actual traitors. Instead of serving a life sentence of taking the black, and working at the wall, he was beheaded by the "merciful" king (note the sarcasm). Is this justice? No, but it depends on who's perspective. Is this life? Yeah it is sadly.

In our eyes, this new king is absolutely horrid. But in his mother's eyes, in his own eyes, he is correct. It's his pride, arrogance, power, hate, sense of entitlement being a High Born Lord that blinds him, his mother. Maybe there is the notion of survival, flight or fight, fear... its all human, and its one we at our point of evolution should overcome. I sometimes wonder how many people fear me for I live in suburban/ to rural Ohio, the "Midwest". I wonder do they fear me for I look different from them? Although I may believe the same things they do, talk the way they do... they won't see it for 1- We don't don our similarities as well as we wear our skin color 2- they will be blinded by fear/preconceptions/stereotypes OR 3- they may realize - "oh she's an Indian, my doctor is an Indian too she's safe". Ever since I was in Kindergarten I've dealt with some sort of racism, not terrifying, but still it's made an impact. In the eyes of a Caucasian/Anglo Saxon, what they think and see is right, they don't see it from the other POV. So in Zimmerman's eyes he was right in what he did... Trayvon is dead so we will never see things from his perspective; too often though we are stereotyped by the color of our skin, we may just look at pop culture, media, our OWN selves to know this. This is the world we live in: black shooting black is normal. Black shooting white is murder. White shooting black is self defense. White shooting white... they're on crack cocaine. Do we need to go into more colors? Yellow shooting Brown, Brown shooting Hispanic?

Funny - I'm brown on the outside, white on the inside (actually pink), spiritual in my heart, and sometimes I do stand up comedy as an Indian- American Teapublican! It is funny, but this entire post is not at all really. After living in rural America, one learns how life can be hilarious and scary when juxtaposing people of different cities, cultures, races, religions, ideologies, education, accents etc. What where the eff did the Game of Thrones connection go?

Back to "the law", or system, because it's not racism, its not the fact a young underage boy was shot, and killed, a lot of people are pointing out that "the prosecution could not prove beyond reasonable doubt (or whatever the eff) that this fool of a took was a guilty mo fo" (ok so it wasn't said like that but I digress and get carried away). Basically there was not enough proof only the words of the defendant, the killer, the hero...

What about the victims right to stand his ground? Did he not have the right after being stalked like a deer, followed by a tiger? The laws of this land / Florida can be so strange at times. Does a black boy not have right to stand his ground? Following this case only made me angry, because it was their words against a dead boys life. How many of us as kids have wanted to be tough, and bad ass? How many of us have slept through classes and said "we don't need no education!" How many of us have indulged in a little bit of pot smoking until we had better sense? How many of us have worn a hoody cause that was the only clothing around (also as a girl its nice cause then you don't really have to wear a bra :-P ). Proof or no proof, we can only dig up so much based on what HE said. Just like any part of ancient history - unless we were really there, during the Mahabharata, we don't know "beyond reasonable doubt" if Duryodhana was really that much of a jerk. So we have a system in place which work SOME of the time but not ALL of the time. A system that has immense, gaping loop holes. You shot a kid cause you thought he was a what? He took a swipe at you cause why? Maybe he thought you wanted to butt rape him or steel his skittles?

Law as we have studied is the law of the land, the people, and most of all belongs to those who have power. Call me jaded, but after watching Indian politics, American politics, how do we fool our selves with a democracy? What does it even mean? There are no more literal crowns, but it is a fact "crowns" metaphoric, or literal do queer things to the heads of men below it. We have put in place a law: a queer law that serves few, and suppresses many, however we believe that law gives everyone the freedom to become a king with a little bit of competition...

All in all, life isn't fair, it's just not fair: so teach your children that from the start. There are so many people on the planet that you probably will end up dead, hungry or obese. Eddard Stark DIED, and Joffrey the ruthless rules, so does his mother, and his father. They are liars, murderers, and thieves, but Arya, Sansa, Robb, Bran and little Rickon just have to deal with it. This isn't the only example of injustice, but although one tries to be a good person, sometimes evil wins over (Sansa's Lady was killed cause Joffrey needed to see a wolf dead). Does that mean we quit being good? Nope... Do we give up? No. Although life isn't fair, sometimes we get what IS fair, and that's when we count our blessings. Is this the ultimate verdict on the Trayvon Martin murder case? NO! If the law didn't get him, something else will get Zimmerman for sure... I hope it's the Gators or those Pythons. That would be a natural form of justice. But right now I will let it go, for the universe has a way of evening out these things.


Breathe...


PS: actually I realized Sansa being stripped and humiliated at Joffrey's command was kind of like a guy who is just angry attacking something that seemed like a threat. To Joff Robb was a threat so he took his anger out on Sansa: sweet and innocent Sansa. Because he could.

Eddard serving out justice at the Queens order by putting down Lady... all because of Joffrey

Justice for Eddard

Happier days for Sansa and Lady

A Song of Ice and Fire: A Clash of Kings - Chapter 21 - 41 (Spoiler alert!)

ZOMG!

Arya has been captured by Tywinn Lannister's men and after they drag her, hotpie, and Gendry all over the lands, they take her back to Haranhaal. By now everyone knows she's a girl, so they put her to work in the kitchen, but for some reason (defiance?), that plan is scrapped and she is sent to work in the tower under Weese. Weese is a crappy person, punishes everyone, Child Services would have a big problem with the basic culture in this book... Tyrion slapping Joffrey black and blue (serves him right), Sansa being beaten by Joffrey's men, Arya being puniched with spankings till she bled. Not to be crude but they pull down her pants, and beat her, until theirs blood rolling down her legs... so I wonder is the blood due to her hymen being breached due to the beatings, or is the thing she's being beat with so sharp edged? I was slapped as a child but never spanked as such... so I really wonder. Anyway one day she's working away, and she sees some men come back and lo and behold some of the felons that were being taken up to the wall, had joined Lannisters army... Sellswords! She had released them when the Lannister Army had fought Yoren and set their shelter ablaze. She was scared of them however. At night this fellow named Ja'quen or something came and told her- I owe you 3 lives. By this time, Arya's bedtime prayer had become the names of all then men she wanted dead. So she gets two inconsequential men killed, but then realized she should have had Lord Tywinn killed. How we sometimes go after the petty. Also I noticed she always has this pride/ entitlement that "I'm a Stark! How dare they!" But she never acts on it... However the entitlement/ego/pride thing I have an unrelated theory about that behavior though. that's little Arya's story... she's being awesome!

Catelyn is sent down to Storm's End, to meet up with Renly to strike a deal or something. In the mean time, I become rather annoyed, angry and disgusted by the character which is Theon Greyjoy. He was sent to Pyke to forge an alliance between the Starks and the GReyjoys, but because of history, war and old alliances Theon's old dad chooses to attack Winterfell. In the mean time it is revealed that what a lecherous f#$% Theon is. He is kinda sick, he hits on his sister, and she even touches him, and he screws around with the captain of a ships daughter and then leaves her. He is turning out to be a nasty character, but I am told by everyone who has read the book before me, he is what he is. So anyway Theon makes landfall somewhere along the way, and starts deviating from the plans. Since his men don't take him seriously, his uncle is sent with him, who everyone fears. Turns out that Theon's own sister Asha, is a bad @$$ swashbuckling woman. So although Theon is attracted to her, when he realizes she's his sister, he realizes she is competition. After he left (I fear I began too many a sentence with the word - since) as a ward/ hostage of the Starks, the Greyjoys only had Asha to rely upon. As a result or maybe it was fate, but she became awesome. That's what's going on in Northwestern Westeros.

Coming back to Catelyn, she is sent by Robb, to go Southeast to treat (treatise) with Renly. Renly is a gay chap, as in he is merry, jocular and flamboyant. He has taken a wife though to procreate, although he has a rainbow banner, as well as the Barthareon banner, however we slowly realize something is going on between him and Ser Loras Tyrell. Oh yeah! Catelyn gets there, and the good King Renly is having a tourney, despite the north being war ravaged. Oh the sense of kings! So Catelyn and he are talking something very important, when they are interrupted by Stannis taking hold of Storm's End. Dang! Catelyn meets up with Stannis, and he has the Red Lady - Melisandre by him. renly is supposed to come Parley but he wants his brother to wait. Arrogance!!!! Men and their egos. Catelyn talks with Stannis, and then Renly arrives. She finally learns that Joff and the rest and bastards of the Queen and her twin, the Kingslayer AKA Jaime. Epic scene, well written, can't wait to see it, would love to see fan art on it. Stannis is super mad, and Renly stays jocular, and offers his brother a peach, which he refuses. Anyway egos all afire, they adjourn the meeting. Catelyn goes to pray, and when she goes to see Renly the next morning he is mysteriously murdered by telepathy or something. Catelyn escapes with Brienne (Renly's own Knight), and heads to Riverunn. Storms End is all in chaos. The armies have to join forces now. When Catelyn reaches Riverunn, Robb is off East, and her brother is preparing for war with Tywinn. They have a whole plan set up though. What they don't know is Greyjoys are moving too, and so are the Lannisters.

Tyrion recieves the news of Renly's death, and sends Baelish (Little Finger) down to go forge an alliance that Renly's widow marry Joffrey. Joffrey doesn't know this yet, however I think it will not allow him to torture Sansa anymore, or it may increase the tortures. Tyrion feels sad for poor Sansa, and witnesses Joffrey humiliating her, and maybe almost raping her, because of Robb killed his uncle and other tall tales. It is a scary scene and obviously had me enraged. She is utterly helpless, no one in the world there for her, and she is beaten, abused, and now her clothes were ripped off... Tyrion helps her, and tries protecting her to the best of his ability. He questions her later if she loves Joffrey, and she lies well and says she loves him with all her heart. Tyrion notices that she lies well. He lies well too ofcourse, he poisons his sis for a while, so she may fall sick, so he can get things in place his way. He sneaks out at night to go see Shae, I think he loves her. Am waiting for her to betray him maybe, and for him to become even more jaded, OR she get killed by the Lannisters and he turn against them OR she get killed by the mobs, and he gets angrier than ever before. Just theorizing. Part of his plan, is he send Mycella Lannister North East, for safety and to forge alliances... on their way back they meet the mobs, and Joffrey is just idiotic, and Tyrion, as small as he is, takes control of the situation.  Sansa gets lost in these crowds, and injured but saved by the Hound (Clegane). Tyrion realizes what a useless/ruthless king Joffrey is, and things will not last. So they probably have to flee.

Up North, beyond the wall, Jon is traveling with the captain of the night's watch, and all the men. they stop at a crooked dude (Craster), with many wives', place. He is barely hospitable but Jon learns from a woman who wants to escape that the guy, Craster, is making a lot of babies with these women, but only keeping the female babies, and giving the male babies away to the wights. Then they travel further north, they come to a place, make camp, and Ghost leads Jon to a spot where he finds clothes and weapons of the nights watch hidden... the mystery deepens. Theory - so the wights leave this old man alone, cause he gives them boys which they turn into wight warriors. The clothes they found were clothes of Benjen Stark hidden cause he donned some other clothes to pass unnoticed. We shall see.

Bran still a cripple, is learning to live with crazy dreams, no parents, as a lord of Winterfell, with other Wards (the Freys) and two other children - Jojen and Meera Reed. Jojen has dreams about the three eyed crow, and other "green" dreams. No he is not going to join green peace, or sail the rainbow warrior, but he dreams of things that have not come to pass (as Lady Galadriel would say). Jojen shares his dreams, and he knows Bran has dreams too. Bran dreams of being in Summer sometimes, and Jojen reveals to him that he is a Warg. He is a direwolf at heart. How cool! Bran doesn't think its cool, and asks Maester Luwin, and Maester Luwin says it's just coincidence. In real life, I have green dreams all the time, and I don't think they are coincidence at all. Jojen tells of a dream he saw long time ago of Winterfell being drowned by the ocean. So amazine- the Sea being the Greyjoys family- they have the sea in their blood since they live on Pyke, which is an island in the sea. Drowning is a massacre... Jojen has other stories and dreams to share. I think Bran will either head north to the wall, or go elsewhere, and then Winterfell is seized, and dun dun dun...

Dany first creates her own city, but then travels south to Qarth. Mormont wants to go east to Asahi to her, by now Dany realizes that Mormont loves her like a lover, but sees her as a daughter and a princess too. Dany keeps her dragons about her, and at Qarth she is treated as a beggar queen, and she realizes how and why Viserys was so angry, bitter and ultimately went insane. She made a note to be mindful of not letting it get to her. Many people pay to see the dragons, but never selling them. Desperately Dany seeks to find ships to sail to King's Landing and take the throne. It's her right... entitlement! Although she is humble as heck. So her little story and quest continues. No theories here!

This artwork is done by my friend Jayson Mondola! Back when the Khal was still alive!  I hope you enjoy his artwork as much as I do. I will be using more of his ASOIAF inspired art work, as I blog. I hope he creates more too.

Breathing and Reading!

For Fans of "A Song of Ice and Fire" series / "Game of Thrones" TV show

122. CHARLES BUKOWSKI: Roll the dice

Just click the above link...

A Song of Ice and Fire: A Clash of Kings - Chapter 0 - 20 (Spoiler alert!)

Counting the Prologue as chapter 0, I am now on chapter 20 - Tyrion.

After the ending of the last book: beheading of Eddard, capture of Jamie, crowning of Joffrey, Sansa taken hostage, death of Khal Drogo and birth of Dany's dragons... and so much more, one can just wonder how can we be drawn into the series even further?

The lasso that drags that mustang in is Stanis. Oh yes, we are wondering, after all that Renly, late King Robert, Eddard et al. shared with us on Stanis in the previous book, what could be interesting about this fellow. He doesn't like sex, he is a boring, staunch man... what could intrigue us about him?

The once again vague, ambiguous "Prologue", starts out on Dragon stone, with the Maester. This maester is old, and on the verge of death, how to put such a thing lightly, and his replacement has arrived. They receive news of the happenings in Westeros, or should I quite rightly say they "Game of Thrones" that is going on. They discuss with Stanis, and Stanis does not appreciate his old maester's advice. Later we find out, that the old maester in an attempt to assassinate the Red Woman - Melisandre- the maester poisons himself and dies. Melisandre, and Stanis' wife et al.  have different advice to give him, which is basically send out birds to all the maesters stating the truth: Joffrey and his siblings are not heirs of the late King Robert but at instead bastards of Jaime and  Cersei. He, Stanis is the rightful heir, and is going to wage war to be king soon. The birds go out, and the Clash of Kings begin.

So we have King Robb Stark to the North, King Joffrey to the East, Khaleesi Daenerys rising further East across the sea, King Renly gathering forces in the South, and now King Stanis rising out of the West. Lord Tywinn is stuck at Halenhaal and Lysa has her little Rob as Lord! Crazy! Do you hear the "clash" already?

Somewhere within all this, little Sansa, Arya, Jon, Bran, are lost, and somehow surviving. Arya is traveling with Yoren and other men who are traveling to the wall to take the black, when they take up in town run down by the war. Everyone still thinks she is a boy, and she has done well, putting up with bullying etc. Gendry (the late King Robert's bastard), is with them. HE kind of befriends her. It is in this old town they are confronted by Lord Tywin''s men, and Yoren decides not to yield on the basis that those who take the black serve only the realm. They are all burnt down or out, and Yoren dies fighting many. Many are killed save Arya, Gendry, Hot Pie, a crying girl, and another guy who is injured and later is killed by Lord Tywinn's men. They survive a few days on their own, until they come upon a fishing village and risk exploring it. All of them get caught by Sir Gregor Clegane - The Mountain (Lord Tywinn's ally) except the crying girl. However, it is revealed that Gendry knows Arya is a girl, and Arya reluctant at first, tells him who she is.

Dun dun dun!

Robb sends Theon Greyjoy to seek aid from his family. So Theon sets sail, when he gets there his father has different ideas. He does not wish to side with anyone, especially not the Starks. He wishes to strike where the nest is not guarded. This chapter leaves us hanging... till Theon's next chapter?

Bran is biding time at Winterfell, growing restless. He gets in a few tussles with the new boys sent there as Catelyn's wards from the Twins. Osha and he form a sort of relationship, as well as he and Hodor. His dreams carry messages or something. Very slow development here, and some political moving. It is very sure that Bran IS in fact growing up to be the Lord of Winterfell, due to Robb's absence.

Sansa is still stuck in King's Landing, as Joff's plaything. He gives his men orders to beat her when he wishes. Cersei has the maids changed every week so as they not form friendships with her. She has NO ONE, and it is really her own folly, but one can not help but feel bad for her. Get this, one night she finds a note under her pillow which says "Meet me under the God's Wood". Out of curiosity she goes, and finds ser Dontos Hollard, a knight. He was the knight who got too drunk on Joffrey's name day, during the tourney, and was unable to fight. Joffrey wanted him killed, but Sansa pleaded saying "but it's unlucky to kill someone on your birthday" then she added that "wouldn't it be a good idea to have him as your jester, your court fool, rather than as a knight?". As he was so grateful he thought of rescuing her. However it would take a while, and it would be difficult. She is happy about this, but then again he is a drunk knight.

Nothing much on Catelyn yet, other than she is stubborn to leave Robb's side, as he sits "idle" at Riverrun, and keeps trying to advice him. In fact she tells him to send someone OTHER THAN Theon to go seek the Greyjoy's help, but Robb doesn't listen. Will he pay dearly for this? I think he will. Once when Robb and Bean were attacked by Wildings in the woods, near Winterfell, where was Theon? So Robb should have listened to Catelyn. However, what is wrong with Catelyn? Her sun is doomed right now, and her other son, and family are all alone in Winterfell, what is wrong with this woman! Obviously she wishes to be there to make Robb bargain for his sisters. I think he really doesn't care about his sisters at this point. He is a little arrogant since the crown was placed on his head. Someone did tell her, "Crowns do queer things to the heads that wear them", or something along those lines. Anyway Robb dispatches a person to make a deal.

Tyrion is who it's mainly all about this time. He's now at King's Landing, and taking charge of things. He is finding out what everyone is up to... EVERYONE! and taking charge, steps, and making things move. He is being the King's Hand. I don't know what the King is doing, but the King is a jerk, and he probably thinks so too. This needs to be a blog on its own.

Lastly a person named Davos Seaworth is introduced. He works for Stannis. Here they plot too, on Dragonstone!

My predictions:

Renly sounds like an idiot, he and his brother will fight it out.

The Greyjoys will take down Robb Stark from Winterfell. 

Then the Lannisters can stop fretting and only worry about Dany!

Maybe Sansa will escape successfully. Robb might be backstabbed by Theon, Bran will be lord of Winterfell. Jon will find out MORE serious issues to the North... which will head South in later books?

Breathe!

A Song of Ice and Fire: A Game of Thrones - A Review

What a book, what a book, what a book, what a jolly good book!

It's not jolly at all however. The book starts up slow, random, and even confusing. It's a puzzle unfolding, but then you get the flow, you get lassoed in. It's a story about kings, politics, innocence, rape, murder, war and fighting, in a medieval world, with a mysterious magic lurking. There is not much magic at all in this book, its lurking, and not evident and in your face like Harry Potter. The politics and war isn't between a good and bad as between middle earth and Sauron; Although we begin to feel there IS a good, a bad and an ugly, but it changes as fluid as life is itself. We understand each side. It's almost like the Mahabharata, but told differently, in a  different culture, race, a different world.

The story is about the politics and how dirty humans can get. It's about love, infatuation, blindness, loyalty and the opposites of each. It's a story which gets one ready for the real world... a world where everyone is playing a game with your life. I read about the various characters, their personalities, their moves, their weakness, and it strangely reflects real life. I see the game of thrones here in our world politics today, politics at work, the wars between corporations... It has helped me accept the game of life better, waking up to realize I can be whoever I want to be. I can be the wretched Cersei, or Joffrey, or I can be the raw passion of Arya, or blind like the infatuated Sansa. I could be just and righteous like Eddard Stark, and know that even though one means well, there are teams who cheat and are against you. Beware your downfall.

It's an entertaining book, an entertaining way to learn about the brutal world, however there is a certain darkness to it. Although I experience lucid dreams, they have been very dark and troubling whenever I read it before bed time. So I try to read it in the morning, or early evenings. Otherwise the dark tones haunt my dreams and turn them into nightmares.

If you like any of the themes above, or are curious, give the book a try. Once you are sucked in you have to read the next book and the next book and the next. The maps help and downloading some family charts too. There's a lot of characters and its as complex as real life can get.

Breathe! Read! and Enjoy!

Song of Ice and Fire: Game of Thrones - Chapter 1-13 (Spoiler alert and pretty hilarious summary)

Everyone has pretty much heard if not seen the HBO series "Game of Thrones". I heard about it 4 or five years ago, when a friend of mine recommended I read it, along with Ishmael, and a few other books. I bought the first three books, but I didn't really read them, cause the first chapter seemed so dull, out there, and the reader had no idea what was going on. I was confused by all the names that appeared in the first chapter (being the prologue). Also the chapters themselves were broken up by name, for example - Jon 1, Arya 1, Daenerys 2, Jon 2, Ary 2, Eddard Stark 1, Jon 3... and so on. Either way until I saw this movie Eagle Eye, I had a shallow interest in medieval/ dark ages Europe, let a lone England. Although this is considered a fantasy genre, it seemed very different from "The Lord of the Rings", a series which I love. My expectations were crushed.

A word of caution: Do not expect, hobbits, magic, orcs, vampires, or wizards in this book. It is different from most fantasy books... think "Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table" or "Merlin" but even different from those. I haven't seen the show yet, and refuse to until I finish the first book (or finish watching the series Dexter). The prologue is slow, and bland, until the end, which leaves one wondering, unless you've already read the summary of the book. I of course began reading the story with fresh eyes. I had kept myself in a bubble, really sheltering myself from the hype, social/media commentary on the show. So although I was fed up after chapter 1, what kept me going was what happened to Will, a character in the prologue, and was the person who killed Ser Royce a Ice dragon in human form (yes my imagination went wild), and what are these Dire-Wolves that the boys find in the woods? Do they survive? I personally, would love a wolf pup myself.

What I learnt from the first 13 chapters:

There's a girl called  Daenerys, who has an awfully wretched brother, who needed to have died yesterday. He's plotting to wed her off to some guy who is described to be some thug - royalty, in exchange for an army to avenge his family. This brother abuses his sister by saying "you have angered the dragon". I fear he sexually abuses her, and he disgusts me. I want to speculate after she marries the thug-prince Khal Drogo, she gains confidence and power due to her husband, and decides to "off" her brother. By chapter 12 her wedding happens, and her relationship with Khal Drogo unfolds. She gets a house full of wedding presents, it seems, including a few dragon eggs, and a horse that is super special. The newly weds literally ride into the sunset (after her brother, who's name is Viserys, says "please him sister, or else you will anger the dragon very much"... ugh he needs to be b@#$ slapped), and although she is timid at first, the probably end up doing it... consummating the marriage via sex. Yay!

One of the children of the Stark house hold is  Jon Snow, however he is the (let's say this word together) BASTARD son of the Royal dude Eddard Stark, also called Ned. Now Ned's wife is a mean B@#$ to Jon. Ned, however, probably has fond or dear memories of Jon's mother, who is revealed in chapter 13 as Wylla. Jon doesn't know who is mother is, and is treated so badly by Catelyn Stark (stepmother), that it just makes me sad. Jon has a good relationship with his brothers, and his most honorable. He is close to Arya the younger sister, and is tight with Rob, the eldest legitimate son of the Starks. He is the one that finds the direwolves and gives them to all the Stark children, and finally finds a last one for himself. Eventually he is sent away to "the wall". Yes there is an ominous "wall" they talk of, that kind of prevents whatever is on the other side from crossing over. He gets to don the Black, which basically means he becomes a celibate night watchman at the wall. There's not much drama surrounding him yet, other than his stepmother, and his bastardom, Tyrion Lannister (who is the brother-in-law of Robert (the King of the landmass they live on), who is a dwarf, and therefore also a bastard of sorts, gives Jon some advice, on being a bastard. Yay!

Arya Stark is the younger, plainer, more tomboy, daughter of Ned Stark. She is cool, I would totally be her friend. She wants to fight and not freaking do needle work. She names her direwolf after some sort of scandalous warrior woman from history "Nymeria". How lovely is that! Feminist alert! At least I hope so! She is being sent away south with her dad, Ned, who has to follow King Robert. There seems to be a whole bunch of politics, scandals, and trickery down south, because...

Bran the second legitimate son of the Starks is a natural born climber! He overhears the wife of King Robert Baratheon, plotting against the King and Ned, with someone. When Bran peeps through the window (he just happened to be climbing buildings and scouring the rooftops, at the time), and sees the Queen Cersei Lannister, totally getting it on standing up against the wall style with her own very twin brother (ugh threw up in my mouth a little.). Her identical twin brother's name is Jaime, and he pushes Bran to his almost death. Cersei and Jaime seem evil to the bone. Like they need to take over the kingdom cause being Queen and brother of the Queen is not enough for them. This is almost like the Mahabharata, also happens to be based on the War of Roses (the succession story of England)... whoever said they were prudes. The Queen is really mean to her dwarf brother Tyrion, but Jaime isn't so bad to him. Anyway who knows what will happen to Bran, what we do know is his wolf is very very loyal.

So most of the main characters were covered so far, and they are all going down south cause Robert wants it that way, everyone except his wife and Bran. Sansa the older stark daughter is excited to go cause she's totally crushing on Robert's kid - Joffrey, who is a major D-Bag. Robert is clueless about his wife and her brother's affair, and plot. Biggest of all, Ned found out his wife's sister's husband may have been killed by the Lannister twins. Major drama coming up. All this in just 13 chapters, and there are 5 books.


Breathe

This family chart kind of helps keep all the names and characters straight! Just google Game of Thrones - Family Tree

PS: I'm listening to the Audiobook off Audible.com