This, that and Game of Thrones
Sep. 4th, 2016 10:37 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
shadowkat1. Been puttering on my novel this week, struggling through a plot-bunny. My goal was to kill off two subsidiary characters tragically. They aren't really supporting, they are more like the novel equivalent of red-shirts actually. But alas, no, they refused to die or my protagonist refused to let them - one or the other. Who am I kidding, I'm not telling my story, my protagonist is -- I'm just writing down what she tells me.
Not sure many people reading that will get it. People write differently. My stories sort of come to me. It's why I can't do fanfic effectively -- I channel the story and its deeply personal. Sometimes I think it would be better if I could write fanfic effectively - because in today's publishing world, fanfic genre writers get stuff traditionally published faster due to a built-in fandom.
Oh well, not really writing for those reasons, so probably doesn't matter. Always a bit astonished when people enjoy or grok what I write and send out there. Writing is a solitary sport for the most part, you really have no clue how people will react to it. And usually by the time they do, you've forgotten what you wrote.
2. Game of Thrones
Hmmm, they stuck to the books after-all in some instances. The whole Sam/Gilly and Iron Islands storylines popped up in the third episode, Oathbreaker. Will state that they managed to make Cersei more likable in the television series than she was in the books, and a lot smarter. I think it may be the casting. Same deal with Jamie Lannister. It's odd to be rooting for the Lannisters, but I just can't root for the religious zealots or the Queen of Thorns aka Diana Rigg.
Rather like how they tightened up the Iron Islands story line. Appears they are threading Theon back into it, and separating that story line from the Stannis/Bolton/Winterfell war story line.
* They brought back Jon Snow. And did it in a rather convincing manner. Not as warg, like most people predicted and I think Martin probably was aiming for.
I can see why they brought him back to life. They sort of need to in order to address the whole Lysana Stark/Rhyger Tarragone romance, and whether Jon is in reality the product of that coupling.
Which they are by the way addressing - via Bran, and through flashbacks.
Bran by the way has gotten older since we last saw him. He'd been this little kid, now he's an attractive teenager. Very attractive teenager. Those Stark kids are rather pretty, with the exception of Jon Snow, who does nothing for me in the physique department, but whose character has grown on me.
Anyhow, I'm glad they brought him back -- if only to make a few dangling sub-plots more satsifying.
Also having Melisandra do it, along with Davos, does add a bit of weight to the story line. Both now see John Snow as the promised king, not Stannis. And now that John has resigned from the Night's Watch (hey, I would too after that betrayal) -- he's free to declare war on the Boltons.
Ramsey Bolton won't know what hit him. Jon and the Wildlings have fought the White Walkers, Ramsey will be a walk in the park in comparison.
* Ramsey is a sadistic ass. He fed his baby brother and the mother to the hounds. Granted she was a Fray, but still. I wonder if the Frays/Walders will seek retribution?
* Tyrion remains the best thing in the story and the comic relief. I adored his scene with the dragons. And his banter with the Spider, is a hoot.
* Dany's storyline is frustrating at the moment. And rather sexist. But alas, realistic. Please rescue her soon. Not a fan of the Blood Riders. I keep hoping her dragons will pop up and burn them all to the ground.
* Cersei and Jamie's storyline is far more satisfying and entertaining then it was in the books and I prefer them being paired together. Jamie wandered around too much in Feast of Crows and Dance. Although I do wish we could have that scene with his aunt - where she tells him that Tyrion was like his father and Jamie took after his mother. Not that it is needed, we sort of have been shown in it, no need to tell it too. Martin had a tendency to repeat things or hammer you over the head with stuff, which the television writers are wisely veering away from in some respects.
I think they decided to ditch the whole story about Catelynne's uncle, Jamie's Aunt, the Frays, and the Castle, which makes sense. Actually the whole Catelynne subplot and her family's subplot has been ditched.
Have to say it's interesting to see which subplots the writers ditch and which ones they decide to stick with. I'm rather glad they chose to stick with Aysha's subplot, because she's a great character. I was a bit worried that she'd gotten a bit lost in the story or dropped. But no, they just wrote her out of the Stannis storyline and chose to kick Stannis to the curb, which works for me, Stannis got on my nerves.
This season is definitely better paced than last season and far more satisfying. There's less wandering about and less expository build up.
* I adore Ayra's storyline which has stuck with the books for the most part. Why would they veer away for that one? It's tight and works. And the actress portraying the role is quite good. All the Stark kids have grown into their roles well. They picked good actors for those roles.
*Are they going to kill Ricon? No. Although, it is hard to really care. We haven't exactly been following Ricon and I sort of forgot about him. He does look a lot older, and he's the least attractive of the five kids.
Not sure many people reading that will get it. People write differently. My stories sort of come to me. It's why I can't do fanfic effectively -- I channel the story and its deeply personal. Sometimes I think it would be better if I could write fanfic effectively - because in today's publishing world, fanfic genre writers get stuff traditionally published faster due to a built-in fandom.
Oh well, not really writing for those reasons, so probably doesn't matter. Always a bit astonished when people enjoy or grok what I write and send out there. Writing is a solitary sport for the most part, you really have no clue how people will react to it. And usually by the time they do, you've forgotten what you wrote.
2. Game of Thrones
Hmmm, they stuck to the books after-all in some instances. The whole Sam/Gilly and Iron Islands storylines popped up in the third episode, Oathbreaker. Will state that they managed to make Cersei more likable in the television series than she was in the books, and a lot smarter. I think it may be the casting. Same deal with Jamie Lannister. It's odd to be rooting for the Lannisters, but I just can't root for the religious zealots or the Queen of Thorns aka Diana Rigg.
Rather like how they tightened up the Iron Islands story line. Appears they are threading Theon back into it, and separating that story line from the Stannis/Bolton/Winterfell war story line.
* They brought back Jon Snow. And did it in a rather convincing manner. Not as warg, like most people predicted and I think Martin probably was aiming for.
I can see why they brought him back to life. They sort of need to in order to address the whole Lysana Stark/Rhyger Tarragone romance, and whether Jon is in reality the product of that coupling.
Which they are by the way addressing - via Bran, and through flashbacks.
Bran by the way has gotten older since we last saw him. He'd been this little kid, now he's an attractive teenager. Very attractive teenager. Those Stark kids are rather pretty, with the exception of Jon Snow, who does nothing for me in the physique department, but whose character has grown on me.
Anyhow, I'm glad they brought him back -- if only to make a few dangling sub-plots more satsifying.
Also having Melisandra do it, along with Davos, does add a bit of weight to the story line. Both now see John Snow as the promised king, not Stannis. And now that John has resigned from the Night's Watch (hey, I would too after that betrayal) -- he's free to declare war on the Boltons.
Ramsey Bolton won't know what hit him. Jon and the Wildlings have fought the White Walkers, Ramsey will be a walk in the park in comparison.
* Ramsey is a sadistic ass. He fed his baby brother and the mother to the hounds. Granted she was a Fray, but still. I wonder if the Frays/Walders will seek retribution?
* Tyrion remains the best thing in the story and the comic relief. I adored his scene with the dragons. And his banter with the Spider, is a hoot.
* Dany's storyline is frustrating at the moment. And rather sexist. But alas, realistic. Please rescue her soon. Not a fan of the Blood Riders. I keep hoping her dragons will pop up and burn them all to the ground.
* Cersei and Jamie's storyline is far more satisfying and entertaining then it was in the books and I prefer them being paired together. Jamie wandered around too much in Feast of Crows and Dance. Although I do wish we could have that scene with his aunt - where she tells him that Tyrion was like his father and Jamie took after his mother. Not that it is needed, we sort of have been shown in it, no need to tell it too. Martin had a tendency to repeat things or hammer you over the head with stuff, which the television writers are wisely veering away from in some respects.
I think they decided to ditch the whole story about Catelynne's uncle, Jamie's Aunt, the Frays, and the Castle, which makes sense. Actually the whole Catelynne subplot and her family's subplot has been ditched.
Have to say it's interesting to see which subplots the writers ditch and which ones they decide to stick with. I'm rather glad they chose to stick with Aysha's subplot, because she's a great character. I was a bit worried that she'd gotten a bit lost in the story or dropped. But no, they just wrote her out of the Stannis storyline and chose to kick Stannis to the curb, which works for me, Stannis got on my nerves.
This season is definitely better paced than last season and far more satisfying. There's less wandering about and less expository build up.
* I adore Ayra's storyline which has stuck with the books for the most part. Why would they veer away for that one? It's tight and works. And the actress portraying the role is quite good. All the Stark kids have grown into their roles well. They picked good actors for those roles.
*Are they going to kill Ricon? No. Although, it is hard to really care. We haven't exactly been following Ricon and I sort of forgot about him. He does look a lot older, and he's the least attractive of the five kids.