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#76 | |
Super Moderator
Join Date: Dec 2002
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Two other things to mention. First is the Icewall. It's a rough analog to Hadrian's Wall. North of the wall is a bitter cold wilderness, occupied mostly by the "Wildlings." Think of them as barbarian Scots, and you won't be far off. The wall is manned by a small force of "rangers" known as the Night Watch. (Some of the the guys we saw in the introduction.) Their main job is to keep the Wildlings pinned up behind the wall - preventing raids into Westeros. Some of the soldiers in the Night Watch are volunteers; others are criminals or exiles who were sent there permanently, as punishment. It's basically a life sentence, so deserters are hunted down and executed on the spot. That is part of Stark's job as warden of the north. Second is the whole deal with the seasons. On this point, my memory is vague, but Westeros has a pattern of very long summers (or temperate seasons) - sometimes a few years at a time, followed by long and harsh winters. Some winters last an entire year or more - which is really tough on the food supply. As a general rule, the longer the summer, the longer and nastier the winter that follows it. As the story begins, we've had a very, very, very long "summer" and there is some concern that when winter finally comes, it's going to be a real biatch. But people have other things on their mind and no one is really in a panic about it just yet. And I think that anything else I say would just be a spoiler. |
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#77 |
Cubicle Pimp
Join Date: Jan 2005
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![]() iirc there's no defined length to the seasons, but the summer they are experiencing now has lasted for over 10 years.
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#78 |
Ring of Famer
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Location: Bailey
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Adopt-a-Bronco: Trevor Siemian! |
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#79 | |
Super Moderator
Join Date: Dec 2002
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Why did they do this? Some of it is probably a nod to modern sensibilities which would be a little freaked over 11 and 12 year olds getting married. Historically, the book is probably a more accurate version of medieval matchmaking, but there you go. As a more practical matter, it was probably just a lot easier to work with slightly older actors and actresses - especially since the series could theoretically go on for a few years. |
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#80 |
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![]() Old Dude gives a good background summary. Here's some character information
A "quick" run down on the most important characters introduced in the first episode: Most on this list are main/important characters. --------------------------------------------------------------------- On the continent of Westeros, land of the "Seven Kingdoms" previously conquered and united under the rule of the Targaryens. House Stark -- Rulers of Winterfell, Wardens of the North. Lord Eddard Stark [Sean Bean] -- Noble who helped Robert Baratheon usurp the throne from the Targaryans. Lord of Winterfell. Baratheon travels to Winterfell to ask Eddard to become the "Hand of the King" after the death of the previous hand. Lady Catelyn Stark (nee Tully) -- Married off to Stark to seal the alliance between house Tully and House Stark. Has grown to love her husband deeply. Robb Stark: Eldest Stark son (15) and heir apparent to Eddard Stark Sansa Stark: Eldest Stark daughter (13). Betrothed to Prince Joffrey Baratheon. Brandon "Bran" Stark: Middle Stark son (10): Fantastic climber, which leads me to discover the incestuous relationship between Jaime and Cersei Lannister. Gets thrown off the a Winterfell tower by Jaime Lannister. Arya Stark: Youngest Stark daughter (8-9). Tomboy (hates her needlework!) and general little pain. ![]() Ricken Stark: Youngest Stark son (5) Jon Snow: (16?) Bastard son of Eddard Stark. In Westeros bastards always take the same surname in each region. In the north the surname taken is "Snow". Wants to join the Night's Watch on the wall as his position as a bastard makes his life rather increasingly uncomfortable in Winterfell. Theon Greyjoy (16?): Ward/Hostage of Eddard Stark. In Westeros it's common for children to be taken as ward/hostages to force compliance of treaties, etc. Heir of House Greyjoy. Close friend to Robb Stark. The Lannister Children Cersei Baratheon (nee Lannister): Queen consort of King Robert Baratheon. Involved in an incestuous relationship with her twin brother Jaime. Jaime "The Kingslayer" Lannister: Member of the Kingsguard (an elite guard for the King). Slayed the last Targaryen king while a member of the guard. Involved in an incestuous relationship with twin sister Cersei. Tyrion "The Imp" Lannister: Dwarf son of Tywin Lannister. Younger brother to Jaime and Cersei. Highly intelligent and sardonic. Despised by his father. House Baratheon: King Robert Baratheon: Usurper to the Iron Throne. King of the seven kingdoms of Westeros. Once a great fighter, now a reluctant ruler: occupies his time with whores, hunting and drink. Leaves the ruling of his kingdom to his "Hand". Was once betrothed to Eddard Stark's sister who was kidnapped and presumably murdered by the Prince Rhaegar Targaryen during the rebellion. Prince Joffrey Baratheon (12): Eldest Baratheon son. Betrothed to Sansa Stark. ---------------------------------------------- On the Eastern Content (The Free Cities) -- ancestral home of House Targaryen The Surviving Targaryens: Survived the sacking of King's Landing in Westeros and the Targaryen purge. Fled to the free cities on the eastern content after the rebellion. Viserys Targaryen (late teens). Cruel, unstable and has grand ambitions (but no real means) of retaking the Iron Throne. Sells his sister to Khal Drogo to form an alliance. Danerys "Dany" Targaryen (early teens). Younger sister to Viscerys. Born during the Baratheon rebellion. Victim of mental, physical and sexual abuse by her brother. Sold as wife to the warlord Khal Drogo to purchase the services of his army. Others: Khal Drogo: One of the most powerful warlords in the east. Commands an army of over 10,000 horSeimian. Jorah Mormont: Exiled knight who enters the service of Viserys and Danerys at the wedding of Dany and Drogo. Last edited by Fedaykin; 04-19-2011 at 11:51 AM.. |
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#81 | |
Ring of Famer
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#82 | |
In The Arena
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I want a Mistborn TV series. Last edited by lostknight; 04-19-2011 at 05:49 PM.. |
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#84 |
In The Arena
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Adopt-a-Bronco: C.J Anderson |
![]() Interesting enough, I think Martin realized that he wrote the characters too young. He always had a idea that he was going to take a five year gap to let surviving characters get a bit more mature. He since scrapped that since he was doing too many flashbacks, but if his posts are too be believed, it's one of two things that really ****ed up his story, and he has had to work to fix.
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#85 |
Producer of Nonsense
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Sun and Beachville
Posts: 14,050
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![]() I don't get the reference. Are they folding them there because they're so large? I like the way this is headed, if so.
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#86 | |
Pro Bowler
Join Date: May 2003
Posts: 603
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Sigh. WOT sucks ass. So much so, that I've read all 13 books. |
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#88 |
Cubicle Pimp
Join Date: Jan 2005
Posts: 3,531
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![]() Wheel of Time is a good story for the first 5 books or so but Robert Jordan has (had, sorry) some pretty annoying writing habits, which is what lostknight and antilles are referring too.
Last edited by scorpio; 04-19-2011 at 08:13 PM.. |
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#89 | |
Post here Vine
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: California
Posts: 2,035
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Martin just made the books so hard to read after the third book. I am not even going to finish the series, but I'll watch it! Rothfuss and Sanderson are putting out some good books Peter Brett is holding his own too |
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#90 |
In The Arena
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Posts: 3,898
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![]() Robert Jordan has a distinctive writing style. Mostly formed by repeating certain phrases over and over. Wheel of Time is a work of genius, unfortunately like most geniuses there is a certain amount of idiosyncrasy that the author unleashes from time to time.
The great news is that Sanderson is doing a phenomenal job wrapping the series. There was a sequence in the last book that was as good as anything that Jordan ever wrote, if not a shade better. |
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#91 |
Three Lombardis
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Ceti Alpha V
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![]() You mean like how he introduces a character for ten minutes and then expects you know and care about him two books later? Or how he takes four pages to explain a table?
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#92 | |
Solid Starter
Join Date: Jul 2008
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Either way, Sanderson has done an admirable job so far, I think. I really enjoyed the last two books. Really am looking forward to the conclusion, but am worried that a lot will be rushed in order to fit it in one book. As to your questions...SPOILERS AHEAD..... Graendal killed Asmo (definitive proof in the last book). Taim is Taim...new dreadlord trained by/working for Moridin. I wondered what happened to Logain in the last book. I am beginning to think Taim might have captured him and it will take the Logain followers to break him free. One of the plots I am looking forward to seeing the resolution on. It will be interesting to see what becomes of the Seanchan and what plays out with the Aiel (given Aviendha's vision). No way a movie would ever do the series justice. Perhaps a mini-series, but I doubt that ever happens either. |
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#93 |
Super Moderator
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: DIA Tunnels
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![]() Hopefully, episode 2 wasn't so hard to follow.
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#94 | |
Solid Starter
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Shaidar Haran also says in one of the last chapters of the last book that Graendal is responsible for the deaths of 3 of the Forsaken (implication...Aran'gar, Messanna, and Asmo). |
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#95 |
Solid Starter
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![]() Yes, the dream spike. Because she didn't finish Perrin and allowed him to move the dream spike which prevented Mesaana from escaping. It's been a while since I read the book, but I think early on Moridin warned Graendal about being careful with the spike.
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#96 | |
In The Arena
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#97 |
In The Arena
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Adopt-a-Bronco: C.J Anderson |
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#98 |
Symbiotic
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 1,641
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![]() Started watching the series yesterday, just finished episode 9 today
![]() Obvi, I dig it! |
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#99 |
"No Fate"
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: SkyNet
Posts: 8,166
Adopt-a-Bronco: CJ Anderson |
![]() I just watched shows 1-6. What a great show. Looking forward to the rest.
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#100 |
Optimum Homo
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Colorado
Posts: 26,482
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![]() I bought the books. It makes some semblance of sense now.
I hate Sansa, by the way. ![]() |
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