(no subject)

[shadowkat]

Still making my way through A Dance with Dragons - and today, I was reminded of why it is a) important to not skim chapters, even if they appear to be filler conversations over a meal with two rather non-substantial characters that you could care less about, because key plot points will be revealed, and b) the plus side to reading things on the Kindle (outside of not having to carry a ten pound tome around with me) is it highlights key plot points - so you'll be sure to not miss them.

Case in point:



So, we're knee in Davos, the Onion Knight's point of view...Davos, for reasons I'll never understand, has once again decided to support Stannis claim for King, at great risk to himself. Personally, I agree with Sallah, go wander off with him and give up on Stannis. Unless of course he's afraid of Stannis...which is understandable. Stannis likes to burn people alive, bloody painful being burnt alive. So, going off to the Sister Isles to help Stannis - since it is far away from him and Melissandra, not to mention the bloody wall, may not be a bad idea. Also safer.

At any rate, knee deep in a rather dull and rambling conversation between Davos and the ruler of the Three Sisters, over a yummy seafood soup with thick black bread, out of nowhere, pops a bit of background information on Ned Stark and Jon Snow. Apparently Ned was at the isles back in the day, drumming up support for Barrathaon. With Jon Arryn's help, he escaped Aeon Tarragaryn's chopping block (only to be killed by Joffrey later, Ned, dear boy, you really don't have much luck with mad king's do you?) And is smuggled out of the isles and away from certain death by a fisherman and his daughter, leaving the daughter with a bag of silver and a baby, who she named Jon Snow.

Now if the Kindle hadn't highlighted this bit, I would have missed it - I was busy skimming, because frankly I could care less about Ned Stark's antics back in the day. But there it is.

Least we've forgotten who Jon Snow is, the next chapter is back in his point of view, right now he's overseeing the killing of Mance Ryder - who dies rather horribly - they put him in a wooden cage which they burn, before he can completely go up in flame, Jon decides to have his archers put Mance out of his misery, regardless of what Stannis thinks. But Jon, why not do that before he's put to the flame? Jon at least is feeling very guilty about all of this, or rather, guilty about sending Sam and Gilly off to safer climes, worrying that they've drowned or worse. (Not to worry, Jon, they are actually better off than everyone else is at the moment.)

Oh well, at least we now know for certain that Jon is Ned Stark's kid and not a Tarragaryn or Dragon. He's a wolf like the others. I can't help but think Martin put that bit of information in there - to stop the continuous pondering by the fandom regarding Jon Snow's birth. Or wild theories - such as Jon was Rhaeger's kid by Ned's sister, so the true heir to the throne and a King. Martin sort of killed that theory, didn't he? Bet the fandom was disappointed.



In other news...MRI scheduled on Sunday at 2pm. They asked if I was claustrophobic. I said a little but I'd been in the tube before. Oh so you've done this, they asked. Wait you said the tube? You've definitely done it. Although my mother and I keep arguing over it - she says I had a Cat-Scan, I say I've had an MRI. Personally I don't think it matters. They had all my info on file, so I'm in their system at any rate.

Also the epidermal/steroid shot appeared to work. No more sciatia, so far. Back still aches.
But better. I have hope.

Work is hurting my efforts to start writing creatively again. I'm too self-conscious.

It's colder now...the weather has shifted again. And rain is on the horizon. Lots of it.
Frequent downpours are predicted. Lovely. Hence the reason the MRI is scheduled for Sunday not Friday.

Comments

[ragdoll.livejournal.com]

The identity of Jon Snow's parents has not been proven or established in any way, shape or form yet. It's still all hearsay by any/all characters. So no one is disappointed as it's not actual fact yet. What Davos is told is just another theory/rumour by a character who isn't in the know.

I suggest you read this (http://www.westeros.org/Citadel/FAQ/Entry/Who_are_Jon_Snows_parents/), esp the things about Rhaegar and Lyanna, which are hardly "wild". There's a lot of inferences for the reader to pick up on regarding that one. Even if it doesn't turn out to be true, there's a lot of evidence to support it, which may be grrm's plan. :) He's still very cryptic about it and if it was something that wasn't true, he would've stated that categorically (like he has with other fan theories).

[shipperx.livejournal.com]

When GRRM demanded that the showrunners prove they had read the books (before agreeing to there being a show) by asking them who was Jon Snow's mother... well who other than Lyanna would there be to answer?

[ragdoll.livejournal.com]

There are some interesting arguments for Ned/Ashara Dayne or Brandon/Ashara Dayne or Ned/someone else, but I don't believe them myself. I figured out the Lyanna thing for myself years ago (long before there was much on the internet -- I've been reading the books since 1996!) and was surprised that it was such a big named thing (L+R=J) in the fandom. :) Lyanna definitely had a baby by Rhaegar in the Tower of Joy. If it's not Jon, then who is that kid?

[shipperx.livejournal.com]

To me it just fits too many things. Ned told Jon he was 'his blood', he didn't say 'his son'. And why keep the kid's mother's name a secret from him? Why refuse to tell Robert who Jon's mother is? Why didn't he try to ammeliorate Catelyn's reaction to the boy? (Except if Jon is Rhaegar's and it ever became known, it would be protection for Catelyn -- and perhaps his kids -- if it is universally known that she never accepted the boy) Given Robert's determination to kill off the Targareyn line, Ned would have more than ample reason to keep the secret. Protecting Jon would be treason, but something ever honorable Ned would promise his sister as she lay dying. And it adds some poignancy to his revulsion over the sacking of King's Landing, his reluctance to send assassins to hunt Dany, and his offer to Cersei to allow her to escape with her kids.

Jon doesn't have to be Lyanna's, but it would fit seamlessly if he were.

[shadowkat67.livejournal.com]

So apparently GRRM is similar to the daytime soap opera writers - in that he likes to talk things to death and give lots of crazy misleads? Good to know.
And I can skim over the Davos chapters because in reality they are either a colossal waste of time or just a big mislead? Also good to know.

Seriously. This writer needs to tighten things up a bit.

Also, a quick reminder - please don't spoil me on the plot of DWD, or I'll never make it through the dang thing. ;-)

[shipperx.livejournal.com]

It's perfectly possible that I missed things, but to be truthful, I don't remember a damn thing about the Davos chapters.

[shadowkat67.livejournal.com]

They aren't exactly memorable so far - but keep in mind I literally just finished reading this chapter -the first in Davos pov since Storm, and apparently there are more to come (oh joy).

But I give you credit for remembering Ned Stark's sister's name months after reading the books and with literally no mention of her in the tv series. Kudos. I honestly had no idea who you were talking about for a bit.