I finished A Storm of Swords some weeks ago but life got in the way of my commenting on it ’til now. Here we are.
Ho-ly. SHIT.
Spoilers, people-who-only-watch-the-TV-show.
A Storm of Swords totally made up for the wandering through the woods that A Clash of Kings was. I knew about the Red Wedding and Joffrey’s death, but Joffrey’s death was particularly satisfying, since I think he might be the most hated character in books and on television of all time.
Reading the Red Wedding was particularly bad. It was uncomfortable, mostly because you had the distinct feeling that something was wrong. Walder Frey was too accepting of their apology, things were going too well. The worst part is what they did to Grey Wind. I love the direwolves.
I really liked Tyrion killing his father, and I couldn’t believe Shae betrayed him. I mean, I can, but I didn’t entirely understand how she was discovered. I did feel bad about Bronn leaving, though.
But his father’s death amused me. Finding out that Tywin Lannister did not shit gold was not something I really needed to know but was great all the same. Additionally, I was pretty sad Tywin is gone, but since his main use for me was to tell off Joffrey, once Joffrey was dead it didn’t matter.
Poor Tommen though! He’s going to become a huge target. I like him, he’s a cute kid, so I’m hoping for the best for him.
I also enjoyed that Tyrion tried to protect Sansa from the worst of Joffrey’s and the rest of his family’s cruelties. I might have said this before, but I’ve heard the claim that the TV show really favors Tyrion and makes him look good, but I haven’t found that book!Tyrion is much different than TV!Tyrion, except that we know what’s going on inside his head, but maybe I’m just one of those horrendously jaded people who never really thought that what was going on inside of Tyrion’s head was any different than what was going on inside anyone else’s. He’s smarter than most, not less willing to survive.
One of my favorite parts of reading these books (up until this point) has been comparing the TV adaptation with the books. The relationship between Jaime and Brienne has not disappointed in either adaptation. I thought maybe the TV was overdoing it, but it’s almost exactly the same and I immensely enjoy my favorite duo’s adventures on the page as much as on the screen. The whole thing with the bear? Love it.
Arya is one of my favorite characters in the series, but I feel like she is wasted a lot, wandering through the woods. Her relationship with the Hound in the book is far more developed than it is on TV, and I really like it much better. While she is always secretly scheming to kill him, she never actually goes through with it, and when she finally gets the opportunity, she doesn’t do it. The Hound himself has become a fascinating character – while he claims that he protects Arya (and earlier, Sansa) for money, he never actually gets around to selling them off. What’s even more interesting is that he seems to express remorse to both of them, which is strange, since he spends a lot of time claiming he doesn’t care. He seems to both like and despise Sansa, and he seems to understand Arya better than most people understand Arya.
I’m sad Arya’s relationship with Gendry is over. I thought maybe that wouldn’t be the case, but unfortunately, it is.
Jon’s story with Ygritte is finally done. That took entirely too long. I’m amused at Jon’s shock that he’s been selected Lord Commander of the Night’s Watch. Seems like Winterfell is, indeed, a thing of the past.
Bran’s storyline also needs improvement, as far as I’m concerned. Lots about dreams, not much about anything else. I did like the story the Reeds told him about his father, his uncles, and his aunt at the tournament. Lyanna Stark is the catalyst for everything that happened before the series takes place, and I’d like to know more about her, but given everyone who knew her is dead, that doesn’t seem likely.
One aspect I’m finding the TV series is really neglecting (as far as I’m concerned) is the Stannis – Davos – Melisandre side of things. On the TV side, I understood nothing of it, now at least I get what’s going on. Melisandre is a lot less annoying in print. I don’t think it has anything to do with the actress, and more to do with the fact that they don’t really explain clearly on TV what’s going on, so all she does is lurk and say things that sound scary.
Finally: Daenerys. Does anything ever go wrong for her? At any point? Yeah, her husband died and her baby died, and since then she has been Mary Sue-ing her way through the East. I hear things start going south for her in A Feast For Crows, which is good because I don’t buy that a 14 year old is going to conquer the world without any problems. I’m also amused how the TV show glossed over that whole thing with her and Jorah Mormont. I guess that’s one thread they decided wasn’t important.
As I said, I finished this book some time ago, but life got in the way of my updating this blog about it. I was in the middle of another book, but it was a sequel that hasn’t captured me anywhere near as much as the original, and so I’m putting it down. I haven’t started A Feast for Crows, and for the moment I think I’m going to move on to The Drawing of the Three by Stephen King.
words in scarlet ink 