None of us have any idea how dragon eggs work, they could potentially be able to sit for a long time before being able to be hatched. We are not told if they were supposed to hatch or not
@@josesoldadomoral505 those aren’t the real eggs that’s just show cannon, in the books they’re from Alyssa Farman when she stole them and sold them to build her ship
Ned told Cersei what he knew because he wanted to spare her children. At that time, Robert was still alive and once he heard the news, Ned knew he'd immediately have all of her bastards executed, so he gave them a chance to escape before shit hit the fan. And as to why he didn't join Renly: it would've been treason to support him as king while Stannis still lives. Regardless of how good a ruler Renly thinks he might be, he's still just a younger brother to the rightful heir, so Ned declaring for him would cause unnecessary divisions (and potentially endanger his family even further). So I don't personally think Ned made these decisions carelessly or out of stupidity, but of course as the readers we want to shake him and scream at him. lol I'm also a Sansa defender, I think it's easy to say we would do differently in her place but if you think about it, she is an isolated, sheltered, and manipulated little girl who is trying to survive while coming to terms with the fact that reality is so much different from the fairy-tale dreams she's always had. And of course abuse is still abuse even if you're eating good food and wearing nice dresses. I do feel as the books progress she becomes more likeable and understandable. But that's just my 2c of course :) Anyway, really cool to see the viewpoint of a new reader, and glad you like the book so much! Hope you enjoy the rest just as much or more.
@@erinmoloney_xafter reading each book multiple times and watching countless hours of lore guides I still regularly fail to understand many plot points and routinely have to look them up. It’s just such a deep story and so intricate it takes a long time to understand the minor plot points. Although, it is still an enjoyable story whether you barely understand the plots or know everything about it. To be honest, you comprehended way more of the story than I did on my first read.
Thats actually a really nice comment, thank you. i’ve had so many comments calling me “stupid” and “mental” for making small mistakes where i misunderstood parts of the book or guessed incorrectly.
@@erinmoloney_x I guarantee you all of those people took years to understand the plot as well as they do and probably stole their opinions and theories straight from some TH-cam video that dumbed it down for them. There’s also a lot of ASOIAF fans that think they are a lot more intelligent than they are, and the overly complicated nature of the story makes it extremely easy for them to call someone who doesn’t understand it stupid. It’s like someone watching a TH-cam video on quantum physics, repeating the talking points the TH-cam video used to someone who literally has no knowledge on it, and then acting like that person is stupid for not inherently understanding an extremely complex topic that they themselves barely understand. It’s a cheap and transparent method of attempting to lift yourself up by putting someone down. Just ignore em and keep making content.
Not sure if Sansa had started saying it in this first book, but I love her often thought of, “courtesy is a lady’s armor.” She has to learn to protect herself in this treacherous environment. And she does lean quite a bit on those early teachings that she did receive at home about proper behavior for a lady to deal with everything she goes through. I do have some criticism for Ned and Catelyn not teaching her a little more about the real world versus her fairytales. But I love Ned’s quote in this book when he is talking to Arya and tells her that she and Sansa are so important to each other. It is when he talks about how in winter the lone wolf dies, while the pack survives. They really are two halfs of a whole, with Sansa using the defensive behavior of her lady’s armor, and Arya using the aggressive behavior of her sword play. I agree that Sansa becomes much more sympathetic and interesting as the story goes on. There is a wonderful fan site dedicated to essays that explore various aspects of Sansa’s character called Pawn to Player, in reference to something said to Sansa in one of the other novels. For any fan of Sansa it is a great resource.
As somebody who's halfway through his third read through I have many things I want to say but I'll bite my tongue for now. A few things that might help that were made clear in this book, but you might have missed: The decisions of King Robert and Sandor Clegane (the hound) make more sense if you realize they are drunk most of the time. This goes for some other characters as well, later in the story. Catelyn is largely well meaning but quite narrowminded. Ned is traumatized by the death of Rheagars children at the hands of the Lannister forces, as well as Roberts positive reaction to it. He didn't expect Robert to die and wanted Cercei's children to escape before Robert would kill them. It's not clear that Robert would do that but that was Ned's thinking. The two people Arya heard in the dungeon were probably Varys and Illyrio.
the reason why they're so young in the books is because George planned for their to be timeskips in the series however those never got implemented in the end. Great video, glad you enjoyed the book!
Regardless if that's implemented or not, them being young fits for a medieval age norms and customs, just like irl. Girls are ready to be betrothed when their "flowers bloom" and boys turn to men and fighting age as early as pubescent teen. And there had been boy kings and young rulers as well.
And I still think to this day that this is the main reason he is stuck. Discarding the timeskip ried him down to events that he didn't pre plan having to write. We still haven't technically started the second act of the story, according to the original 3 act structure he was following at the beginning, 5 books in.
@@darksaint0124 yeah.. he's def written himself into a corner with how many characters and stories he's included and now a timeskip is practically impossible for many reasons & i also worry the tv series and the new huge fanbase online has affected his craft and original plan
One thing about jon not being told about what the nights watch is really like is because in the north the nights watch is still somewhat a respected position due to its history yes they know that its not what it used to be and they definitely should have told him what he was signing up for but for the high lord's its still seen as an honourable place as they are protecting the realm from whats up north past the wall as the history of it used to be much better. There are 19 castles along the wall and they all used to be manned and kept up with 10s of thousands of people in the nights watch a lot of them willingly signing up but as time has gone on people have stopped believing in a threat from north of the wall, especially the further south you go, so the lords of westeros and the royal family stopped asking people to recruit willingly and instead used it as a place of exile for criminals who didn't want to receive any other punishment, they also stopped sending certain amounts of supplies and such causing a lot of the castles on the wall to go into disrepair. The reason northern lords still see it as somewhat honourable is because they still slightly believe in the threat from beyond the wall but only as myth and not a current threat, plus the northern houses are also the ones that have to deal with the murderous wildings that cross the wall that raid and pillage their lands.
I read all 5 of these books in a few weeks after binging season 1, and the pacing of the POV chapters kept me up well past a reasonable hour every night. A character's chapter would either be super interesting or end on a cliffhanger, and I'd peek ahead to seee how many pages until their next chapter. If I could justify it I'd keep reading but you'd inevitably get another good chapter that resets the goal posts ha!
As a non-native English speaker, I try to read fantasy books in the original English whenever possible. I first read the ASOIAF books during the pandemic, and loved every bit of it. For whatever reason, I especially loved all the parts and characters which have been left out of the TV series. I haven't been able to watch the show ever since, it's just not the same story without the large and complex character cast of the books.
I think Asoiaf's vocabulary is quite easy to understand for someone whose 2nd language is English. I had an easy time reading it because it's not really that pretentious, and didn't have to stop too often to translate something, it was mostly me knowing what kind of thing something was through description and context but wanting a translation (most of the times the search was fruitless).
@@BananLordOk we all know this is bullshit. George uses a lot of old expressions that simply aren't a part of modern lingo so unless you read a lot of older English texts you'll need to look up some expressions.
It’s great to vicariously watch someone read ASoIaF for the first time! It’s a book that encourages you to really think about it, so I love hearing people’s thoughts on it. Subbed!
Loved your review / reaction! Dany’s dragons came alive because of the blood sacrifice. They were petrified, literally stones. If Daenerys didn’t go into the fire, they wouldn’t hatch. Also there is an interesting detail about the order dragons hatching: one hatches as Drogo “goes” to night lands (This and Rhaego by extension being the First sacrifice for one of the dragons); one hatches right after the mentioning of Mirri Maz Duur (Second sacrifice - second hatching) and one only after Dany herself steps into the pyre - so her sacrificing herself is the final third sacrifice. Or at least this is how I interpreted it :)
2:58, i thought that too, until i got to this quote “you dont understand, sor. My mother died giving me birth, and my father and my brother Rhaegar even before that. I would never have known so much as their names if Viserys had not been there to tell me. He was the only one left. He is all I have." - Daenerys Viserys is dick and deserved to die, but he's a tragic character. lost his whole family at the age of 7 and then spent almost his whole life in the streets running away from Robert's assassins while having to take care of baby sister who didn't understand a thing. dany missing when viserys would tell her bedtime stories about how their lives would get better in the future, it breaks my heart. and after years of hoping, it only got worse. “When Viserys sold their mother's crown, the last joy had gone from him, leaving only rage.” - Daenerys.
Thank you for that perspective. Its a shame that dany loved someone who was so unkind to her, and that he was unkind because of his upbringing and what he went through. I completely understand that he is all she had.
I had similar thoughts when I was first introduced to this series so I enjoyed hearing your review, welcome aboard! I hope you continue the books haha. The writer, George Martin has a reputation of killing off so many characters, but I don't really agree with that. For example, I think Ned's journey throughout King's Landing was filled with his bad decisions which then led to his downfall. Actions has consequences and you have to play smart to survive the "game". Also, I believe Emilia Clarke (Daenerys) and Harry Lloyd (Viserys) read the books too. I remember reading about how Emilia and Harry talked about their characters and House Targaryen, and that they had reading sessions together! So, along with Kit Harrington there are some actors who are also fans of the books! :')
We refer to the chapters as Bran I, Bran II, Tyrion III, Eddard VI, etc Also you can skip the last two seasons of the show. Matter of fact, skip the last four.
Great vlog!! About the unpredictable seasons, George has confirmed it's magic related. We know that ice magic and fire magic are associated with winter and summer respectively, so one explanation would be that the balance between the levels of each of those types of magic determines the current season. There have been many events of severe imbalance in seasons, and one of the most prominent ones is the Long Night, a winter that lasted a generation, with a full blown White Walker invasion of westeros, and thus a prevalence of ice magic in the world. Also, there are two locations associated with these types of magic: ancient Valyria, that lies in the Lands of the Long Summer; and north of the Wall, also known as the Lands of Always Winter.
I am trying to listen to this while doing an intense arm and back workout and my reps are suffering because your commentary is making me laugh over and over. 😂
I like the full spoilers videos it gives me the same experience of knowing what happens but saves a bunch of time hahaha Also I would love to see videos about the other books
Yooooooo When u start reading Clash of Kings, make sure to keep mind on page 628 Dany’s chapter. It has a really cool easter egg you might wanna talk avout
So many answers I want to give....I've been through this complete series of books 5 times, and I notice new hints every time. I read the first 4 books twice in a row for the first time while on a deployment, and the 5th book came out right after I came home in 2012. Been addicted ever since. Won't spoil it though. Once you've gotten all the way through the series, if you're as into it as you seem to be, you should watch some of the youtube theory channels. In Deep Geek, Disputed Lands, History of Westeros, and Joe Magician are my top pics, but there's TONS of really good theory channels.
I think a lot of the hate early sansa gets from the fandom is purely down to her naivete, in a world as cruel as that being naive not only gets you at risk of death but everyone around you this is why people start to like arya because she knows what the world is really like especially later on when she starts experiencing the world first hand, people tend to be more drawn to characters with a better survival instinct because its interesting to see how they deal with certain situations, theyre also more likely to live longer leaving more room for attachment from fans
Firstly. I had to subscribe based on how thoughtful and well spoken you are. Great video, looking forward to the rest. Secondly: One thing I noticed in the books is that Catelyn's decisions ALWAYS were the wrong decision that brings then worst case scenario, and you know she did everything with the best intentions. But, if the people she was influencing did what they were planning instead of listening to her advice, they would have been successful. It's kind of interesting looking back, and seeing that, I wonder if anyone else realized this.
really? im on a storm of swords rn and so far i think a lot of the advice catelyn gives robb is correct, not naming specifics so i dont spoil but maybe your reading of catelyn is a bit harsh.
@user-luciddream it's not harsh, I love her character. I think R.R. Martin was a genius in writing her this way. Her decisions were always the wrong one to make, coming from trying to do the right thing.
@@Twistedstar0320 i agree she made bad decisions but im disagreeing with the part of your og comment that says people shouldn't have listened to her advice. i feel like the reason she made some of the bad decisions she made is because people refused to listen to her (correct) advice. youre right that grrm is a genius, even though the books are decades old theres still a lot of discussions to have.
feels really refreshing to see someone of a similar age to me reviewing ASOIAF, you should deffo continue this series. Also strongly recommend A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, it’s some of my personal favourite ASOIAF literature and it’s a bit of a lighter read, comprising three short novellas. I believe Martin wrote it around the same time he wrote Clash as well so it kinda fits for where you’re at.
These books were so captivating in 2005 when I read them that I credit them with having saved my life by keeping me away from the bar and out of trouble. I had to wait until 2012 for ADWD and still waiting for TWOW. I fear ADOS is exactly that… a dream.
I just subscribed after watching this, I really like the way you comment and review. Varys is one of my favorite characters. All his quotes are gold. Daenerys is my Queen! ❤️
I really loved this video:) I was really enjoying the books but ended up getting busy and put them down a long time ago. Now I want to pick them up again hahaha. I’d love to see a video on the second book!
I understand what you feel about Caitlin, but is good to remember that bastards are known to kill their kin in this books (maybe a false believe, but it does happen, and people do believe it), in order to legitimize themselves. SO, is not only that Jon represents the infidelity, she sees a direct threat to her sons.
Nowhere in the books is that ever brought up, re: bastards. Catelyn just doesn't like Jon because he is the physical manifestation of Ned's infidelity (or so she thinks). That's it. It's that simple. Also, Jon loves and adores his siblings and he's probably the most honorable among them. She has no reason to believe he'd kill them to legitimize himself.
@@mustlovebooknerdsorta kinda. He still is very much a threat to Robb since he is of an equal age to him, has neds look. And he can be used as a pawn for any disgruntled lord(s) that could threaten Robb’s rule over the north. The same can obviously be said about any of her sons, but Jon specifically stands out bc of the things I mentioned. Jon really doesn’t have a choice in that matter. Not to mention that he is raised with the same privileges as the rest of them, that’s even more fuel to the fire.
@@mustlovebooknerd spoilers for the series 2 books later, Ramsay Snow, a bastard, kills his legitimate older brother and essentially forces Roose Bolton to make him heir. All 5 Blackfyre rebellions also all happened because of bastards and Catelyn was a little girl for the last one
I love seeing people coming in blind to these books. Please, please, please don't look for spoilers, can't wait for the rest of the journey. Instant sub!
About the dragon eggs, no way for Illyrio to know they would hatch as they had been dormant for like a hundred years (more or less?) which is how long dragons had been extinct. Yes he knew he was giving them to Daenerys and what they meant to her, he's the same guy who was hosting her and her brother at the beginning of the book - hosting them because they ARE Targaryen. Not going to say anything else as to avoid spoilers, but he's important!
I see Ned as a tragic character. He loves his family and wants to do the right thing but neglects to do the expedient thing even at the cost of his own life. Ned puts his honor above everything. He confronts Cersei because he doesn't want the blood of children on his hands. He's hoping to convince her to leave because he knows exactly what Robert will do.
I dunno if anybody else has commented this yet but George has said the seasons being different lengths is deliberate and has a reason and once upon a time they were normal lengths but has been very aloof about the details
I can't express how happy it makes me that you're loving Jon so much. He is my absolute sweetheart. But the amount of hate his character gets from the fandom is saddening. It largely has a lot to do with the show. Cause they massively fucked everything up. I'm glad that you're loving him like I do.
I looked up the whole Daenerys receiving the eggs and according to what I've read is that the person who gave them to her didn't know they'd hatch... "You need to go to therapy" 😂 Sansa was SO ANNOYING in the beginning and then she became one of my favorites by the end... Arya is AMAZING
I always just assumed that Baelish told Sansa about the Hound because he was a creepy groomer. He wanted Sansa to feel closer to him because he trusted her enough to tell her a "secret."
This is why I loved these books. They are so engaging. I’m rarely so engaged in a story and invested in its characters . George RR Martin is a great writer. 🙌🏾💯
To your comment about the Summers and Winters in Westeros, it's best not to think about it too much or to apply some actual science to it. Just roll with it. In this world the Summers and Winters are not a standard set of months.
A lot of people thought the last two seasons of the show were really bad. I think you made the right call 6 years ago by not watching them! For me, watching the final seasons kinda ruined the books a little bit for me. Now that it's been so long I've kinda been able to separate the two again. Rewatch the show at your own discretion, but definitely keep reading the books! I know I'll be staying tuned to hear your thoughts on them, if you do.
love this!! yes please to a reading vlog of book 2! also! no matter what u do dont watch the last season please!!!!! or if u'll still watch it anyway, treat it as if its not canon!!!!! just take the last season with a grain of salt!!! pretend that it's just a bad fan fiction!!!
Nice review!! Subbed and the bell icon for the next parts! :D I think you had a really great grasp of the story. The dragon eggs hatching was a magical event. You'll find this out more as you read, and it's not really a spoiler, just part of the world, the world is kind of very ordinarily human at the start. No one believes in the Others, so they don't care about the nights watch. Dragons haven't been alive for like 4 generations now, and even the last few dragons were like little runts. The Children of the Forest are extinct. But as time goes on, magic comes back slowly into the world. Dany's dragons, Bran's visions, the wights at the wall, etc. You'll see more and more as you read! And the cool thing is, that whole part of the books isn't explored in the show much, and that parts they did are really watered down, because it works so well reading it, but not so much watching it. I hope you enjoy the next few books! And yes omg Sansa is such a little fool!
God bless the youtube algorithm for making me discover people react to books! Especially the asoiaf series! Girl, you should do a reaction per chapter, I loved your takes (and title them like a 'friends' episode lol.) P.S. There's waaaay more to Cercei than just "wanting power at all cost" and I think book 4 when you get her pov everything will make sense. She's still a stupid psychopath though (Her chapters though, I hope you have a dark sense of humour, cuz omg)
I don't think Illyrio knew the eggs he gave to Daenerys would hatch. He probably just thought it was a fitting gift, and he made so much for his part in selling her to Drogo that he could afford it. Anyone who knew they would hatch likely wouldn't have parted with them. No spoilers, but he has a part to play in the later books. I think Petyr would know that Tyrion had nothing to do with the attempt on Bran's life. You're right that he doesn't work for the Lannisters, he wants to create chaos which he can profit from. Ned told Cersei because he's too honourable for his own good, he wants to spare her children because he thinks Robert will have them (and her) killed when he returns from the hunt. Yeah it was a foolish move to make her aware he'd discovered the same secret Jon Arryn had, and give her time to prepare. I think he doesn't take up Renly's offer for the reason he stated, that he doesn't want to dishonour his friend Robert's memory "by dragging frightened children from their beds", and Stannis is next in line not Renly. It might have been Petyr that said it, I forget, but he says of Ned that he wears his honour like a suit of armour, thinking it'll protect him, but it just slows him down. Ned's just not very good at playing this game. Cersei wanted to send Ned to the Wall, but Joffrey decided to execute him on a whim. It even surprised Varys, who comes running to try and dissuade Joffrey. The first 4 seasons of the TV show follow the books quite closely, but then the show diverges, you'll see. It's my favourite book series, there's so much to it. Looking forward to your commentary on the other books...
@@erinmoloney_x because she was sold a version of what happened and one that was deeply damaging to her. I’m not sure how far through you are so don’t wish to spoil just in case, but the ramifications of what she was told and what she wasn’t are so far reaching they eventually contribute to the destruction of the family. Bastards in Westeros are no rarity,!but bringing them home to live with your tribe in children is a massive slap in the face, from someone who is renowned across continents for his honour and integrity. Now, that anger is better placed at Ned’s feet, but I’m not going to flay the woman for a shitty thing she said whilst in deep grief over her son. Catelyn and Sansa (a literal tween who was BRED to be exactly who she is as a firstborn daughter of a high born house) both cop absolute horror in the fandom, and Jamie is beloved, despite literally pushing Bran out a window for selfish reasons. The double standard drives me insane lol
Okay thank you for your thoughts! from that scene i definitely only saw it from jon’s perspective and how he was just trying to say goodbye to his brother and he is innocent and Catelyn is a grown woman, but Catelyn was grieving and in grief people say things they don’t mean. Everyone in the comments is saying how sansa’s upbringing affected her decisions, again my thoughts about her were definitely clouded by the fact that I relate to sansa because she is the most similar to me in age/gender and what not. I kept thinking about what i would’ve done at her age if i was in her position, especially because I’m close with my sister. this is interesting, thank you for commenting.
At the minute I’m definitely not a fan of jamie although he seems like an interesting character he is definitely a worse person than sansa and catelyn in my eyes, i completely understand the double standard.
@@erinmoloney_x pleasure! Unfortunately, both of these characters get a very hard time from huge parts of the fandom, and I feel deeply protective of them because I feel they’re held to a much higher standard than many other characters, and that the women who are more “masculine” in their behaviours are praised. Like, what about how Sansa learns to navigate an absolute vipers best completely on her own, whilst breaking with a complete psychopath and his freaky ass narcissist mother? And no one suffers more for their sins than Cat. And it’s hard to fully explore the Jin piece until you’re through your whole read (keen to hear your theories on his parentage haha)
Small note on Catelyn. I don't think she mistreated Jon because he's a reminder of Ned's infidelity. They didn't marry out of love, but rather duty (even if there's love now). She reviles him because he threatens the status of her and her children. Women in Westeros exist at the mercy of their husband. The fact that he had a bastard is a stark reminder that he could cast her aside. Bastards have also betrayed their houses and staged revolts in the past, which is part of their negative reputation in-universe. "It should've been you" was obviously far too much, but her being wounded not only by Ned sleeping around, but by raising the bastard in the home, is fully rational. Further compounded by his refusal to say anything about the mother. Is she alive and/or also some form of nobility & thus still a threat? Is she dead or some common prostitute, thus not a real threat to her? Ned won't tell🤫
Every is saying this! Thank you! I want to ask, how did you know that she mistreated jon because of this reason, was it through reading later books or googling or did you get it from this book? i feel stupid for not realising this hahaha
@@erinmoloney_x you have to read the other books to interpret this. I personally see Catelyn's reasons for treating him badly because she feels threatened by him. I see her as a selfish character in that aspect. Like, "as long as it doesn't interfere with my children's lives and mine, I don't care." I don't really understand why fans try to justify her wrong actions. She was bad to Jon Snow, she was unfair to him. She should be angry with her husband who was unfaithful, not with his son who is not to blame. All true. (My opinion) It didn't make me like her any less, I really don't see her as a bad character because of that. She is a woman who is a product in this world. If you try to be a good person all the time in this world you will lose everything or risk your life. She's an intelligent character for that reason, because she's suspicious and doesn't let anyone trample on her rights. She is one of the many gray characters in this world.
None on this list of reasons are Jon’s fault. And TBH, jealousy and bitterness over Ned’s infidelity is, at least to me, the most excusable reason for her treating an innocent child so poorly, but it’s still not “rational” in any way I can think of. It’s a purely emotional response. There’s also very little rationale to raising a child, whom you’re worried might one day “revolt,” to hate you. Wouldn’t a revolt be far less likely if the child felt like he was loved and belonged to the family?
@@MrKurtykurt Ned Stark wasn't a wonderful father either. He was the one who had the obligation to love Jon Snow, not Catelyn. It's a stereotype to think that women are good all the time and have a heart full of love. I don't judge Catelyn for not loving Jon, I judge her for being unfair to him. And even though she is unfair, she is an intelligent woman, because in Westeroes it is necessary to be suspicious and even tough with things. Catelyn in her chapters proves that she doesn't let anyone demand of her what she knows is unfair to her. She is not good or pure of heart, and that does not mean she is a bad woman.
@@MrKurtykurt Man, what we have most in Westeroes are irrational men. There is a man who beat his wife because he was a coward in killing his older brother, so he made an excuse that killing his brother was against the law of the god. And we have many more irrational men who live based on emotion in asoiaf.
When I watched the series, Daenerys was my favorite character. However, after reading and rereading the books, Jon Snow became my favorite character. His personality in the books is much better. Daenerys was a character that I ended up not liking when I read the books. For many reasons, she is a very important character and the things that happen around her are interesting. About Catelyn and Sansa, I really like these characters and I believe that the perspectives they bring to events are essential, however I am not that person who will defend them for the wrong and bad actions they took. Catelyn was a horrible person to Jon, there's no defense against that. Sansa was stupid and treated her family badly, also without defense. But, they are not bad characters for that reason, and the best thing about liking them is that they are not perfect women, but very gray.
another person commented that you have to think about sansa’s upbringing and why she is acting a certain way, it doesn’t excuse her actions, but definitely makes you think. I think so far my favourite character is tyrion, he’s very clever and funny haha
no spoiler! but you should check the map from "the known world" (this is how they called it, since it's not all mapped yet), cause it's HUGE! and the author said that it's at least four or more times bigger than the earth. since it's a fantasy world, your theory about the two suns might not be wrong, although imo I think the world from a song of ice and fire is flat, and that makes sense with a lot of things: the weather, the sunset sea, essos, sothoryos and some sailors' stories about the edge of the world.
Please give us your thoughts on book 2 and dont worry about watching the end of the series, the tv show really falls off a cliff. The ladies of house stark are really frustrating in the first 3 books, seemingly just getting impulsive and betraying the people that they love for no reason but get more reasonable over time. Ned has gotten into 3 arguments with kingrobert that we know of and they all revolve around ned trying to protect children while robert couldnt care less if they are murdered and thatis why he tells cersei imo. He also told cat to prep the north for war andwas told to put his faith in littlefinger by her. If she were a trustworthy confidant, ned would likely have still been alive and well, but cat is very irrational in book one for all her pov tries to trick you into thinking shes somewhat sensible.
yeah thats true, from the interview I watched it seemed like they were encouraged to read the books, but i totally get the actors want to do it a certain way.
This may come as a surprise but Sansa is actually my favourite asoiaf character ! I will say, I understand people disliking her in the first book, though she develops remarkably throughout the series. I think what I grow to love and appreciate about Sansa is that her empathy and kindness grow despite her trauma. She refuses to turn bitter and cynical (as you shall see) because she is a fundamentally hopeful character ; a projection of romanticism if you will. Sansa is very much a product of her upbringing, this is a pseudo-medieval patriarchal world where girls would be expected to act like Sansa, and being 11 years old, a preteen, she really doesn’t know any better and is only doing her duty . There is a lot of pressure on her to act “adult and responsible” and often it falls on to her to manage Arya, when really it shouldn’t be her responsibility. Septa Mordane was a negative influence on Sansa and Arya and her constant placing of Sansa on a pedestal (so Arya doesn’t ever feel like she could be a “proper lady”) only further causes the sisters to clash. And there is certainly resentment on both sides!) because they are two very different girls. They honestly remind me of me and my sister when we were that age haha. Once you’ve finished the series, I would recommend the happy thought tree’s analysis of Sansa and her arc, he is a child psychologist so he approaches things from a very interesting angle ! Anyway great review and looking forward to your thoughts on the next few books ;p
Jon didn't get sent to the wall, he chose to go. Ned didn't want him to go, but he accepted the decision because the Starks treat joining the watch as a mark of honour (obviously Ned's own brother is already a member). Jon could have chosen not to take his vows when he got to the wall, there was no obligation. Also Jon was treated far better than most bastards in the 7 Kingdoms. Ned raised him as part of the family and treated him the same as his other children. Catelyn disliked him and Sansa called him her half brother, but otherwise he's very close to all his siblings.
Catelyn = KAYT-LIN Other than the final season, GoT was such an AMAZING series... I've watched the whole series a few times. Are you watching House of Dragon?? I'm considering reading Fire & Blood Great VLOG!
@@didrikmesicek4825 It didn't just start declining after season four. It started to crack _during_ season 4 and then dived off a cliff as soon as season 5 began.
@@erinmoloney_x it was not a crazy idee, ive seen someone make a modal of a dubbelstar that is synchronous orbit with a planet so always one sun would be visible. you would have a weird moonsicle that would be pronounced. it would explain the apparent lack of other planets.
Hey there, really liked your vlog! I'm currently re-reading asoiaf as well and wanted to let you know that one of the two men Arya stumbles upon beneath the Red Keep is Illyrio Mopatis, the Pentoshi Magister that hosts Dany and Viserys at the start of the book. Keep an eye on that one as you continue reading! 🤞 Other than that, I'd say the sacrifice at the end definitely played a huge role in the hatching of the dragon eggs (“only death can pay for life” and so on), but we as readers are not exactly sure. Also, there is no precedent to Dany's walking into the pyre flames and surviving unscathed, that too is an all-time-first.
As you read you're going to find that many of the characters and their personalities are different then what you find in the TV series. Catelyn Stark is much less likable in the books that she is in the TV series. She's impulsive, vengeful, and makes some very poor decisions.
Same situation. I watched the show years ago and now listening through audiobook. It’s addictive. Some chapters I would skip, but the consequence of that is there may be important dialogue I miss. But it’s fine.
Don't worry about maybe not getting some stuff at times, these books are massive and there is so much to process some things just flies over your head. I must step in here though as Sansa and Catelyn defender #1 XD I totally agree that what Catelyn said to Jon when he wanted to say goodbye to Bran was absolutely wrong and cruel to do. This is not how she generally treats him in the end though, she mostly tries to avoid and ignore him, this incident, as George himself said was a unique situation. Catelyn was without sleep for a few days and in deep grief, which probably intensifies all negative feelings that she bears in her heart. The fact that Ned never had a heart to heart talk with her about it doesn’t help, instead he made her afraid of asking which probably lead to a bunch of resentment building up. And if he doesn’t wanna tell the truth he could at least make up a story and resolve the mystery surrounding it for her. As a married noble woman in Westeros the worst thing to happen is probably developing a grudge on your husband, so it is easier for her to direct it towards Jon (this doesn’t absolve her from responsibility of course, still in the wrong for it, but I would argue she deals with it better than most noble women would). When she captures Tyrion, she has both her sister's warning about the Lannisters and Littlefinger's statement about Tyrion mind, two people she grew up with and therefore trusts. Then it happened twice that Bran was mysteriously hurt/attacked so she probably does not rule out that it could happen again. I think if we experienced the situation solely from her eyes we would as well see it as an urgent matter to be dealt with at the spot. About Sansa and the Hound: The Hound seems like a person who wants to get close to Sansa because her romantic idealism reminds him of the boy he was before his brother scarred him for life. He longs for this part of him, but at the same time finds it ridiculous. He appears to me as someone who is like "I couldn't dream so you should not be able to either" and on the other hand his talks with her are like a warning to not get swayed away by her believing in the fairytale endings. I also think it is not quite fair to say Sansa doesn't care about her family at that part of the story. Sansa has a certain world view where the princes are always gallant, brave and kind, queens and kings wise and gracious. She is in deep denial about this entire situation that happened between her sister and Joffrey, rearranges the situation in her own head so that her view of the world stays protected. It is hard to accept that the person you are supposed to marry, who you thought would be everything you ever wanted in your life, is actually an asshole. Much easier to get herself believing that Arya who dislikes everything Sansa likes would just anger the Prince on purpose just to spoil the situation. Then she is actively put into the position by Cersei to be pit against her by the way she talks about her... Yet she tries everything to defend her father with what she can actually do in her situation. She definitely cares about him and immediately defies the allegations when she is first told. She still begs for Mercy for her father although it is risky. (With good points at that.) I just think it isn't exactly fair to blame her for not asking about Arya when the conversation was about her father who is in the obvious dangerous situation layed out in front of her. She is under extreme pressure there and in the chapter where she does go talk to Joffrey to save her father from execution, she also actively thinks about Arya and speculates about her whereabouts which does show that she cares about her despite their relationship being so complicated. And well when she saw her father's execution, it was absolutely the wake up call for her about the Lannisters amd ultimately proves that her family matters more to her than some boy even if he is royal. Gosh her grieving was definitely intense and got so far that she didn't even care about her own life if it means she can end Joffrey's.
Thank you for taking the time to write this out! I really appreciate you explaining that to me. After reading more books in the series I definitely understand the characters more and the decisions they make. I relate to Sansa the most out of all the characters but was always looking at her from the perspective of what I’d do when I was her age (I’m really close with my sister) and obviously not fully realising sansa’s upbringing would affect her decisions.
You may consider yourself fortunate not to have seen the last two seasons of the TV series. The writing was already terrible in the 6th and it only kept getting worse. You'll be happier just reading the books and waiting for the next one, which may be coming in your lifetime (lucky young people).
Seasons are based on regions in this series. In the north its almost always winter. In the central region its almost always spring. More south its summer. In Dorne its a desert
Noo thats climate not seasons, i was talking about that a winter comes every few years instead of once a year. I got told that it hasnt been explained yet but the author hinted its magic. Dorne isn’t always summer, it has a warmer climate because it’s closer to the equator, same as earth.
the dragon eggs were essentially fossils, they weren't supposed to hatch but it was known that they were real eggs from some time in the past
@@thecockerel86 It is known.
None of us have any idea how dragon eggs work, they could potentially be able to sit for a long time before being able to be hatched. We are not told if they were supposed to hatch or not
Actually those eggs appears in Hose of ther Dragon, those are the ones that Rhanyra gave to de sister of Daemon to take care of them
@@josesoldadomoral505 those aren’t the real eggs that’s just show cannon, in the books they’re from Alyssa Farman when she stole them and sold them to build her ship
@@kingkraken5can you please read fire and blood before you start rambling
Ned told Cersei what he knew because he wanted to spare her children. At that time, Robert was still alive and once he heard the news, Ned knew he'd immediately have all of her bastards executed, so he gave them a chance to escape before shit hit the fan.
And as to why he didn't join Renly: it would've been treason to support him as king while Stannis still lives. Regardless of how good a ruler Renly thinks he might be, he's still just a younger brother to the rightful heir, so Ned declaring for him would cause unnecessary divisions (and potentially endanger his family even further). So I don't personally think Ned made these decisions carelessly or out of stupidity, but of course as the readers we want to shake him and scream at him. lol
I'm also a Sansa defender, I think it's easy to say we would do differently in her place but if you think about it, she is an isolated, sheltered, and manipulated little girl who is trying to survive while coming to terms with the fact that reality is so much different from the fairy-tale dreams she's always had. And of course abuse is still abuse even if you're eating good food and wearing nice dresses.
I do feel as the books progress she becomes more likeable and understandable. But that's just my 2c of course :)
Anyway, really cool to see the viewpoint of a new reader, and glad you like the book so much! Hope you enjoy the rest just as much or more.
Ahh okay thank you so much for this comment. This is definitely helping me whilst reading this series.
@@erinmoloney_xafter reading each book multiple times and watching countless hours of lore guides I still regularly fail to understand many plot points and routinely have to look them up. It’s just such a deep story and so intricate it takes a long time to understand the minor plot points. Although, it is still an enjoyable story whether you barely understand the plots or know everything about it.
To be honest, you comprehended way more of the story than I did on my first read.
Thats actually a really nice comment, thank you. i’ve had so many comments calling me “stupid” and “mental” for making small mistakes where i misunderstood parts of the book or guessed incorrectly.
@@erinmoloney_x I guarantee you all of those people took years to understand the plot as well as they do and probably stole their opinions and theories straight from some TH-cam video that dumbed it down for them. There’s also a lot of ASOIAF fans that think they are a lot more intelligent than they are, and the overly complicated nature of the story makes it extremely easy for them to call someone who doesn’t understand it stupid. It’s like someone watching a TH-cam video on quantum physics, repeating the talking points the TH-cam video used to someone who literally has no knowledge on it, and then acting like that person is stupid for not inherently understanding an extremely complex topic that they themselves barely understand. It’s a cheap and transparent method of attempting to lift yourself up by putting someone down. Just ignore em and keep making content.
Not sure if Sansa had started saying it in this first book, but I love her often thought of, “courtesy is a lady’s armor.” She has to learn to protect herself in this treacherous environment. And she does lean quite a bit on those early teachings that she did receive at home about proper behavior for a lady to deal with everything she goes through. I do have some criticism for Ned and Catelyn not teaching her a little more about the real world versus her fairytales. But I love Ned’s quote in this book when he is talking to Arya and tells her that she and Sansa are so important to each other. It is when he talks about how in winter the lone wolf dies, while the pack survives. They really are two halfs of a whole, with Sansa using the defensive behavior of her lady’s armor, and Arya using the aggressive behavior of her sword play. I agree that Sansa becomes much more sympathetic and interesting as the story goes on. There is a wonderful fan site dedicated to essays that explore various aspects of Sansa’s character called Pawn to Player, in reference to something said to Sansa in one of the other novels. For any fan of Sansa it is a great resource.
It's always fun to rediscover these books through new readers. Looking forward to your vlog on A Clash of Kings.
thank you! I'm going to start reading it as soon as possible haha x
As somebody who's halfway through his third read through I have many things I want to say but I'll bite my tongue for now. A few things that might help that were made clear in this book, but you might have missed:
The decisions of King Robert and Sandor Clegane (the hound) make more sense if you realize they are drunk most of the time. This goes for some other characters as well, later in the story.
Catelyn is largely well meaning but quite narrowminded.
Ned is traumatized by the death of Rheagars children at the hands of the Lannister forces, as well as Roberts positive reaction to it. He didn't expect Robert to die and wanted Cercei's children to escape before Robert would kill them. It's not clear that Robert would do that but that was Ned's thinking.
The two people Arya heard in the dungeon were probably Varys and Illyrio.
Thank you for explaining, this is really helpful.
the reason why they're so young in the books is because George planned for their to be timeskips in the series however those never got implemented in the end. Great video, glad you enjoyed the book!
Thats interesting!
Regardless if that's implemented or not, them being young fits for a medieval age norms and customs, just like irl. Girls are ready to be betrothed when their "flowers bloom" and boys turn to men and fighting age as early as pubescent teen. And there had been boy kings and young rulers as well.
And I still think to this day that this is the main reason he is stuck. Discarding the timeskip ried him down to events that he didn't pre plan having to write. We still haven't technically started the second act of the story, according to the original 3 act structure he was following at the beginning, 5 books in.
In my mind when I read books 3-5 I just assume they are at least a couple years older
@@darksaint0124 yeah.. he's def written himself into a corner with how many characters and stories he's included and now a timeskip is practically impossible for many reasons & i also worry the tv series and the new huge fanbase online has affected his craft and original plan
The people Arya overheard are actually Varys, the master if whisperers and Illyrio Mopatis, the guy that gave Dany the eggs and housed her in Pentos
Yeahh i realise that now! thank you
One thing about jon not being told about what the nights watch is really like is because in the north the nights watch is still somewhat a respected position due to its history yes they know that its not what it used to be and they definitely should have told him what he was signing up for but for the high lord's its still seen as an honourable place as they are protecting the realm from whats up north past the wall as the history of it used to be much better.
There are 19 castles along the wall and they all used to be manned and kept up with 10s of thousands of people in the nights watch a lot of them willingly signing up but as time has gone on people have stopped believing in a threat from north of the wall, especially the further south you go, so the lords of westeros and the royal family stopped asking people to recruit willingly and instead used it as a place of exile for criminals who didn't want to receive any other punishment, they also stopped sending certain amounts of supplies and such causing a lot of the castles on the wall to go into disrepair.
The reason northern lords still see it as somewhat honourable is because they still slightly believe in the threat from beyond the wall but only as myth and not a current threat, plus the northern houses are also the ones that have to deal with the murderous wildings that cross the wall that raid and pillage their lands.
just clocking in to say i’m also a math student and i started reading this series at the same age last year! have fun, it’s an amazing series :D
Loved this vlog sm as also just finished reading it and needed to hear someone else's thoughts - pls keep this as an ongoing series!!
Already making part 2!! Thank you! :)
I read all 5 of these books in a few weeks after binging season 1, and the pacing of the POV chapters kept me up well past a reasonable hour every night. A character's chapter would either be super interesting or end on a cliffhanger, and I'd peek ahead to seee how many pages until their next chapter. If I could justify it I'd keep reading but you'd inevitably get another good chapter that resets the goal posts ha!
Thats such a lovely way to describe your reading experience, I love that!
I remember reading the book the first time after watching the first season of GOT. And LOVED it.
As a non-native English speaker, I try to read fantasy books in the original English whenever possible. I first read the ASOIAF books during the pandemic, and loved every bit of it. For whatever reason, I especially loved all the parts and characters which have been left out of the TV series. I haven't been able to watch the show ever since, it's just not the same story without the large and complex character cast of the books.
I think Asoiaf's vocabulary is quite easy to understand for someone whose 2nd language is English. I had an easy time reading it because it's not really that pretentious, and didn't have to stop too often to translate something, it was mostly me knowing what kind of thing something was through description and context but wanting a translation (most of the times the search was fruitless).
@@BananLordOk we all know this is bullshit. George uses a lot of old expressions that simply aren't a part of modern lingo so unless you read a lot of older English texts you'll need to look up some expressions.
The Actor of Ned (Sean Bean) apparently sat down before every scene he was in and read his chapter of the scene he was about to play!
It’s great to vicariously watch someone read ASoIaF for the first time! It’s a book that encourages you to really think about it, so I love hearing people’s thoughts on it. Subbed!
Thank you!
Loved your review / reaction!
Dany’s dragons came alive because of the blood sacrifice. They were petrified, literally stones. If Daenerys didn’t go into the fire, they wouldn’t hatch.
Also there is an interesting detail about the order dragons hatching: one hatches as Drogo “goes” to night lands (This and Rhaego by extension being the First sacrifice for one of the dragons); one hatches right after the mentioning of Mirri Maz Duur (Second sacrifice - second hatching) and one only after Dany herself steps into the pyre - so her sacrificing herself is the final third sacrifice. Or at least this is how I interpreted it :)
That is very cool!
2:58, i thought that too, until i got to this quote
“you dont understand, sor. My mother died giving me birth, and my father and my brother Rhaegar even before that. I would never have known so much as their names if Viserys had not been there to tell me. He was the only one left. He is all I have." - Daenerys
Viserys is dick and deserved to die, but he's a tragic character. lost his whole family at the age of 7 and then spent almost his whole life in the streets running away from Robert's assassins while having to take care of baby sister who didn't understand a thing.
dany missing when viserys would tell her bedtime stories about how their lives would get better in the future, it breaks my heart.
and after years of hoping, it only got worse.
“When Viserys sold their mother's crown, the last joy had gone from him, leaving only rage.” - Daenerys.
Thank you for that perspective. Its a shame that dany loved someone who was so unkind to her, and that he was unkind because of his upbringing and what he went through. I completely understand that he is all she had.
"never forget what you are. the rest of the world will not. wear it like armor, and it can never be used to hurt you."
Glad you liked it! Take your time. We've been waiting 13 years for the next book. haha.
I had similar thoughts when I was first introduced to this series so I enjoyed hearing your review, welcome aboard! I hope you continue the books haha.
The writer, George Martin has a reputation of killing off so many characters, but I don't really agree with that. For example, I think Ned's journey throughout King's Landing was filled with his bad decisions which then led to his downfall. Actions has consequences and you have to play smart to survive the "game". Also, I believe Emilia Clarke (Daenerys) and Harry Lloyd (Viserys) read the books too. I remember reading about how Emilia and Harry talked about their characters and House Targaryen, and that they had reading sessions together! So, along with Kit Harrington there are some actors who are also fans of the books! :')
One of the nest fantasy series of all time. I look forward to your review on next books
We refer to the chapters as Bran I, Bran II, Tyrion III, Eddard VI, etc
Also you can skip the last two seasons of the show. Matter of fact, skip the last four.
yeahh i saw that online, i meant in the book i was reading it didn’t have bran I, Bran II it just said Bran for all his chapters :)
That's why we do it. "Bran III. You know, the one where he..."
An entertaining booktuber reading ASOIAF? How can I not subscribe?
I don't think Ilirio knew the eggs would hatch when he gave them to Dany.
Daynes and Hightowers are from Great Empire of the Dawn it pre Dragons Empire before Valyira.
Great vlog!! About the unpredictable seasons, George has confirmed it's magic related. We know that ice magic and fire magic are associated with winter and summer respectively, so one explanation would be that the balance between the levels of each of those types of magic determines the current season. There have been many events of severe imbalance in seasons, and one of the most prominent ones is the Long Night, a winter that lasted a generation, with a full blown White Walker invasion of westeros, and thus a prevalence of ice magic in the world.
Also, there are two locations associated with these types of magic: ancient Valyria, that lies in the Lands of the Long Summer; and north of the Wall, also known as the Lands of Always Winter.
Ohh okay, that’s much cooler than I thought. Thanks for explaining that!
Loved your vlogs with your thoughts while you were reading this book. Please keep doing it for all the other books 😄
I am trying to listen to this while doing an intense arm and back workout and my reps are suffering because your commentary is making me laugh over and over. 😂
I like the full spoilers videos it gives me the same experience of knowing what happens but saves a bunch of time hahaha
Also I would love to see videos about the other books
Okay great thank you!
I love how you are sharing your thoughts and feelings. Great job.
Looking forward to see you reading Clash of Kings, which I am currently reading :)
Yooooooo
When u start reading Clash of Kings, make sure to keep mind on page 628 Dany’s chapter. It has a really cool easter egg you might wanna talk avout
So many answers I want to give....I've been through this complete series of books 5 times, and I notice new hints every time. I read the first 4 books twice in a row for the first time while on a deployment, and the 5th book came out right after I came home in 2012. Been addicted ever since.
Won't spoil it though. Once you've gotten all the way through the series, if you're as into it as you seem to be, you should watch some of the youtube theory channels. In Deep Geek, Disputed Lands, History of Westeros, and Joe Magician are my top pics, but there's TONS of really good theory channels.
This book is such a MASTERPIECE 🥰
loved the video you should do one for all 5 of the books ❤
I’m working on doing a video for the next four right now :)
I think a lot of the hate early sansa gets from the fandom is purely down to her naivete, in a world as cruel as that being naive not only gets you at risk of death but everyone around you this is why people start to like arya because she knows what the world is really like especially later on when she starts experiencing the world first hand, people tend to be more drawn to characters with a better survival instinct because its interesting to see how they deal with certain situations, theyre also more likely to live longer leaving more room for attachment from fans
Firstly. I had to subscribe based on how thoughtful and well spoken you are. Great video, looking forward to the rest.
Secondly: One thing I noticed in the books is that Catelyn's decisions ALWAYS were the wrong decision that brings then worst case scenario, and you know she did everything with the best intentions. But, if the people she was influencing did what they were planning instead of listening to her advice, they would have been successful. It's kind of interesting looking back, and seeing that, I wonder if anyone else realized this.
thank you! that's really kind of you. ohh okay thats really interesting, i'll keep that in mind. Thanks for commenting.
really? im on a storm of swords rn and so far i think a lot of the advice catelyn gives robb is correct, not naming specifics so i dont spoil but maybe your reading of catelyn is a bit harsh.
@user-luciddream it's not harsh, I love her character. I think R.R. Martin was a genius in writing her this way. Her decisions were always the wrong one to make, coming from trying to do the right thing.
@@Twistedstar0320 i agree she made bad decisions but im disagreeing with the part of your og comment that says people shouldn't have listened to her advice. i feel like the reason she made some of the bad decisions she made is because people refused to listen to her (correct) advice. youre right that grrm is a genius, even though the books are decades old theres still a lot of discussions to have.
I am also reading the 'Game of Thrones' book. I am now at the part where Arya Stark is chasing the cat.
feels really refreshing to see someone of a similar age to me reviewing ASOIAF, you should deffo continue this series. Also strongly recommend A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, it’s some of my personal favourite ASOIAF literature and it’s a bit of a lighter read, comprising three short novellas. I believe Martin wrote it around the same time he wrote Clash as well so it kinda fits for where you’re at.
Okay thank you!
These books were so captivating in 2005 when I read them that I credit them with having saved my life by keeping me away from the bar and out of trouble. I had to wait until 2012 for ADWD and still waiting for TWOW. I fear ADOS is exactly that… a dream.
The winds of winter is also a dream because you have to be asleep to believe it
@@iRyanMal nah, it’ll be out spring of ‘25. Announcement from GRRM coming soon!
@@JDBloodstone I've heard it will be out shortly before christmas of this year.
you sounded great, if i had a vote id say make videos like this for the reat of the books , i was enthralled.
I’m already making part 2 right now!
@@erinmoloney_x sweet! im freaking exited
Really liking the channel and your reviews. Great insights and takes
This was great, brought me back to when I first read it. I'd love to here you review Clash.
I just subscribed after watching this, I really like the way you comment and review.
Varys is one of my favorite characters. All his quotes are gold.
Daenerys is my Queen! ❤️
I really loved this video:) I was really enjoying the books but ended up getting busy and put them down a long time ago. Now I want to pick them up again hahaha. I’d love to see a video on the second book!
Okay thank you! I’ll definitely do the second book in a video :) you definitely should pick them up again!
I understand what you feel about Caitlin, but is good to remember that bastards are known to kill their kin in this books (maybe a false believe, but it does happen, and people do believe it), in order to legitimize themselves. SO, is not only that Jon represents the infidelity, she sees a direct threat to her sons.
Nowhere in the books is that ever brought up, re: bastards. Catelyn just doesn't like Jon because he is the physical manifestation of Ned's infidelity (or so she thinks). That's it. It's that simple. Also, Jon loves and adores his siblings and he's probably the most honorable among them. She has no reason to believe he'd kill them to legitimize himself.
@@mustlovebooknerdsorta kinda. He still is very much a threat to Robb since he is of an equal age to him, has neds look. And he can be used as a pawn for any disgruntled lord(s) that could threaten Robb’s rule over the north. The same can obviously be said about any of her sons, but Jon specifically stands out bc of the things I mentioned. Jon really doesn’t have a choice in that matter. Not to mention that he is raised with the same privileges as the rest of them, that’s even more fuel to the fire.
@@mustlovebooknerd spoilers for the series
2 books later, Ramsay Snow, a bastard, kills his legitimate older brother and essentially forces Roose Bolton to make him heir. All 5 Blackfyre rebellions also all happened because of bastards and Catelyn was a little girl for the last one
I love seeing people coming in blind to these books. Please, please, please don't look for spoilers, can't wait for the rest of the journey. Instant sub!
About the dragon eggs, no way for Illyrio to know they would hatch as they had been dormant for like a hundred years (more or less?) which is how long dragons had been extinct. Yes he knew he was giving them to Daenerys and what they meant to her, he's the same guy who was hosting her and her brother at the beginning of the book - hosting them because they ARE Targaryen. Not going to say anything else as to avoid spoilers, but he's important!
Okay thank you! I will avoid spoilers at all costs haha
I have the same edition and I absolutely love it. The books are so beautiful (compared to standard ones)
Great, can't wait to see your reaction on A Storm of Swords.
I see Ned as a tragic character. He loves his family and wants to do the right thing but neglects to do the expedient thing even at the cost of his own life. Ned puts his honor above everything. He confronts Cersei because he doesn't want the blood of children on his hands.
He's hoping to convince her to leave because he knows exactly what Robert will do.
I dunno if anybody else has commented this yet but George has said the seasons being different lengths is deliberate and has a reason and once upon a time they were normal lengths but has been very aloof about the details
Okay thank you!
I can't express how happy it makes me that you're loving Jon so much. He is my absolute sweetheart. But the amount of hate his character gets from the fandom is saddening. It largely has a lot to do with the show. Cause they massively fucked everything up. I'm glad that you're loving him like I do.
It's not explained if Illyrio knew that the eggs could be hatched or not. My guess is "no".
I looked up the whole Daenerys receiving the eggs and according to what I've read is that the person who gave them to her didn't know they'd hatch...
"You need to go to therapy" 😂
Sansa was SO ANNOYING in the beginning and then she became one of my favorites by the end...
Arya is AMAZING
Ohh okay thank you, yeah I definitely remember Sansa getting better as the show goes on :)
would love to see a review of book 2
I think the books have more violence and the show has more sex.
I always just assumed that Baelish told Sansa about the Hound because he was a creepy groomer. He wanted Sansa to feel closer to him because he trusted her enough to tell her a "secret."
This is why I loved these books. They are so engaging. I’m rarely so engaged in a story and invested in its characters . George RR Martin is a great writer. 🙌🏾💯
To your comment about the Summers and Winters in Westeros, it's best not to think about it too much or to apply some actual science to it. Just roll with it. In this world the Summers and Winters are not a standard set of months.
I’m reading it now and relieved I saw the show first. The only problem is I know what’s to come and slam the book shut for an hour. 😅
A lot of people thought the last two seasons of the show were really bad. I think you made the right call 6 years ago by not watching them! For me, watching the final seasons kinda ruined the books a little bit for me. Now that it's been so long I've kinda been able to separate the two again. Rewatch the show at your own discretion, but definitely keep reading the books! I know I'll be staying tuned to hear your thoughts on them, if you do.
love this!! yes please to a reading vlog of book 2! also! no matter what u do dont watch the last season please!!!!! or if u'll still watch it anyway, treat it as if its not canon!!!!! just take the last season with a grain of salt!!! pretend that it's just a bad fan fiction!!!
Okay! Everyone is telling me not to watch it hahaha
Nice review!! Subbed and the bell icon for the next parts! :D I think you had a really great grasp of the story. The dragon eggs hatching was a magical event. You'll find this out more as you read, and it's not really a spoiler, just part of the world, the world is kind of very ordinarily human at the start. No one believes in the Others, so they don't care about the nights watch. Dragons haven't been alive for like 4 generations now, and even the last few dragons were like little runts. The Children of the Forest are extinct. But as time goes on, magic comes back slowly into the world. Dany's dragons, Bran's visions, the wights at the wall, etc. You'll see more and more as you read!
And the cool thing is, that whole part of the books isn't explored in the show much, and that parts they did are really watered down, because it works so well reading it, but not so much watching it.
I hope you enjoy the next few books! And yes omg Sansa is such a little fool!
Thank you for your nice comment! Just finished book two today!
@@erinmoloney_x Nice! I hope you're not too depressed haha, Clash is a bit grim
God bless the youtube algorithm for making me discover people react to books! Especially the asoiaf series! Girl, you should do a reaction per chapter, I loved your takes (and title them like a 'friends' episode lol.)
P.S. There's waaaay more to Cercei than just "wanting power at all cost" and I think book 4 when you get her pov everything will make sense. She's still a stupid psychopath though (Her chapters though, I hope you have a dark sense of humour, cuz omg)
hahaha i love this, thank you! Alright i’m looking forward to book four :)
I don't think Illyrio knew the eggs he gave to Daenerys would hatch. He probably just thought it was a fitting gift, and he made so much for his part in selling her to Drogo that he could afford it. Anyone who knew they would hatch likely wouldn't have parted with them. No spoilers, but he has a part to play in the later books.
I think Petyr would know that Tyrion had nothing to do with the attempt on Bran's life. You're right that he doesn't work for the Lannisters, he wants to create chaos which he can profit from.
Ned told Cersei because he's too honourable for his own good, he wants to spare her children because he thinks Robert will have them (and her) killed when he returns from the hunt. Yeah it was a foolish move to make her aware he'd discovered the same secret Jon Arryn had, and give her time to prepare. I think he doesn't take up Renly's offer for the reason he stated, that he doesn't want to dishonour his friend Robert's memory "by dragging frightened children from their beds", and Stannis is next in line not Renly. It might have been Petyr that said it, I forget, but he says of Ned that he wears his honour like a suit of armour, thinking it'll protect him, but it just slows him down. Ned's just not very good at playing this game.
Cersei wanted to send Ned to the Wall, but Joffrey decided to execute him on a whim. It even surprised Varys, who comes running to try and dissuade Joffrey.
The first 4 seasons of the TV show follow the books quite closely, but then the show diverges, you'll see. It's my favourite book series, there's so much to it. Looking forward to your commentary on the other books...
This is really helpful! Thank you for explaining.
I will die on the defending Catelyn hill. ESPECIALLY when you realise Jon’s parentage.
Okay, can i ask why? :) At this point Catelyn herself doesn’t know his parentage.
@@erinmoloney_x because she was sold a version of what happened and one that was deeply damaging to her. I’m not sure how far through you are so don’t wish to spoil just in case, but the ramifications of what she was told and what she wasn’t are so far reaching they eventually contribute to the destruction of the family.
Bastards in Westeros are no rarity,!but bringing them home to live with your tribe in children is a massive slap in the face, from someone who is renowned across continents for his honour and integrity. Now, that anger is better placed at Ned’s feet, but I’m not going to flay the woman for a shitty thing she said whilst in deep grief over her son.
Catelyn and Sansa (a literal tween who was BRED to be exactly who she is as a firstborn daughter of a high born house) both cop absolute horror in the fandom, and Jamie is beloved, despite literally pushing Bran out a window for selfish reasons. The double standard drives me insane lol
Okay thank you for your thoughts! from that scene i definitely only saw it from jon’s perspective and how he was just trying to say goodbye to his brother and he is innocent and Catelyn is a grown woman, but Catelyn was grieving and in grief people say things they don’t mean. Everyone in the comments is saying how sansa’s upbringing affected her decisions, again my thoughts about her were definitely clouded by the fact that I relate to sansa because she is the most similar to me in age/gender and what not. I kept thinking about what i would’ve done at her age if i was in her position, especially because I’m close with my sister. this is interesting, thank you for commenting.
At the minute I’m definitely not a fan of jamie although he seems like an interesting character he is definitely a worse person than sansa and catelyn in my eyes, i completely understand the double standard.
@@erinmoloney_x pleasure! Unfortunately, both of these characters get a very hard time from huge parts of the fandom, and I feel deeply protective of them because I feel they’re held to a much higher standard than many other characters, and that the women who are more “masculine” in their behaviours are praised. Like, what about how Sansa learns to navigate an absolute vipers best completely on her own, whilst breaking with a complete psychopath and his freaky ass narcissist mother? And no one suffers more for their sins than Cat. And it’s hard to fully explore the Jin piece until you’re through your whole read (keen to hear your theories on his parentage haha)
I want to see your reactions to book 2
Great vid!
Small note on Catelyn. I don't think she mistreated Jon because he's a reminder of Ned's infidelity. They didn't marry out of love, but rather duty (even if there's love now). She reviles him because he threatens the status of her and her children. Women in Westeros exist at the mercy of their husband. The fact that he had a bastard is a stark reminder that he could cast her aside. Bastards have also betrayed their houses and staged revolts in the past, which is part of their negative reputation in-universe.
"It should've been you" was obviously far too much, but her being wounded not only by Ned sleeping around, but by raising the bastard in the home, is fully rational. Further compounded by his refusal to say anything about the mother. Is she alive and/or also some form of nobility & thus still a threat? Is she dead or some common prostitute, thus not a real threat to her? Ned won't tell🤫
Every is saying this! Thank you! I want to ask, how did you know that she mistreated jon because of this reason, was it through reading later books or googling or did you get it from this book? i feel stupid for not realising this hahaha
@@erinmoloney_x you have to read the other books to interpret this.
I personally see Catelyn's reasons for treating him badly because she feels threatened by him. I see her as a selfish character in that aspect. Like, "as long as it doesn't interfere with my children's lives and mine, I don't care." I don't really understand why fans try to justify her wrong actions. She was bad to Jon Snow, she was unfair to him. She should be angry with her husband who was unfaithful, not with his son who is not to blame. All true.
(My opinion)
It didn't make me like her any less, I really don't see her as a bad character because of that. She is a woman who is a product in this world. If you try to be a good person all the time in this world you will lose everything or risk your life. She's an intelligent character for that reason, because she's suspicious and doesn't let anyone trample on her rights. She is one of the many gray characters in this world.
None on this list of reasons are Jon’s fault. And TBH, jealousy and bitterness over Ned’s infidelity is, at least to me, the most excusable reason for her treating an innocent child so poorly, but it’s still not “rational” in any way I can think of. It’s a purely emotional response. There’s also very little rationale to raising a child, whom you’re worried might one day “revolt,” to hate you. Wouldn’t a revolt be far less likely if the child felt like he was loved and belonged to the family?
@@MrKurtykurt Ned Stark wasn't a wonderful father either. He was the one who had the obligation to love Jon Snow, not Catelyn. It's a stereotype to think that women are good all the time and have a heart full of love. I don't judge Catelyn for not loving Jon, I judge her for being unfair to him. And even though she is unfair, she is an intelligent woman, because in Westeroes it is necessary to be suspicious and even tough with things. Catelyn in her chapters proves that she doesn't let anyone demand of her what she knows is unfair to her. She is not good or pure of heart, and that does not mean she is a bad woman.
@@MrKurtykurt Man, what we have most in Westeroes are irrational men. There is a man who beat his wife because he was a coward in killing his older brother, so he made an excuse that killing his brother was against the law of the god. And we have many more irrational men who live based on emotion in asoiaf.
Keep reading. Storm of Swords is the greatest fantasy book ever released imo
You should read memory sorrow thorn because it’s a bit lighter than game of thrones and a lot of game of thrones is inspired from it.
People in the fandom use POV chapter counts as where they are in the book. Like Tyrion I or Tyrion IY.
When I watched the series, Daenerys was my favorite character. However, after reading and rereading the books, Jon Snow became my favorite character. His personality in the books is much better. Daenerys was a character that I ended up not liking when I read the books. For many reasons, she is a very important character and the things that happen around her are interesting.
About Catelyn and Sansa, I really like these characters and I believe that the perspectives they bring to events are essential, however I am not that person who will defend them for the wrong and bad actions they took. Catelyn was a horrible person to Jon, there's no defense against that. Sansa was stupid and treated her family badly, also without defense. But, they are not bad characters for that reason, and the best thing about liking them is that they are not perfect women, but very gray.
another person commented that you have to think about sansa’s upbringing and why she is acting a certain way, it doesn’t excuse her actions, but definitely makes you think. I think so far my favourite character is tyrion, he’s very clever and funny haha
@@erinmoloney_x Tyrion is in my top 5 favorite characters.
Yeah In the show they made Jon another ned, in the books he's his own person
@@erinmoloney_xyou're in the majority most people's favourite is tyrion, even the author says writing tyrion is his favourite character to write for
Aww thats cool haha
no spoiler!
but you should check the map from "the known world" (this is how they called it, since it's not all mapped yet), cause it's HUGE! and the author said that it's at least four or more times bigger than the earth.
since it's a fantasy world, your theory about the two suns might not be wrong, although imo I think the world from a song of ice and fire is flat, and that makes sense with a lot of things: the weather, the sunset sea, essos, sothoryos and some sailors' stories about the edge of the world.
Okay thats interesting!
Please give us your thoughts on book 2 and dont worry about watching the end of the series, the tv show really falls off a cliff. The ladies of house stark are really frustrating in the first 3 books, seemingly just getting impulsive and betraying the people that they love for no reason but get more reasonable over time. Ned has gotten into 3 arguments with kingrobert that we know of and they all revolve around ned trying to protect children while robert couldnt care less if they are murdered and thatis why he tells cersei imo. He also told cat to prep the north for war andwas told to put his faith in littlefinger by her. If she were a trustworthy confidant, ned would likely have still been alive and well, but cat is very irrational in book one for all her pov tries to trick you into thinking shes somewhat sensible.
this was a great review
Thank you!
I think actors sometimes don't read because directors have different ideas and they don't want to have to unlearn, compared to the books.
yeah thats true, from the interview I watched it seemed like they were encouraged to read the books, but i totally get the actors want to do it a certain way.
I look forward to when you get to Feast For Crows
This may come as a surprise but Sansa is actually my favourite asoiaf character ! I will say, I understand people disliking her in the first book, though she develops remarkably throughout the series. I think what I grow to love and appreciate about Sansa is that her empathy and kindness grow despite her trauma.
She refuses to turn bitter and cynical (as you shall see) because she is a fundamentally hopeful character ; a projection of romanticism if you will. Sansa is very much a product of her upbringing, this is a pseudo-medieval patriarchal world where girls would be expected to act like Sansa, and being 11 years old, a preteen, she really doesn’t know any better and is only doing her duty . There is a lot of pressure on her to act “adult and responsible” and often it falls on to her to manage Arya, when really it shouldn’t be her responsibility. Septa Mordane was a negative influence on Sansa and Arya and her constant placing of Sansa on a pedestal (so Arya doesn’t ever feel like she could be a “proper lady”) only further causes the sisters to clash. And there is certainly resentment on both sides!) because they are two very different girls. They honestly remind me of me and my sister when we were that age haha. Once you’ve finished the series, I would recommend the happy thought tree’s analysis of Sansa and her arc, he is a child psychologist so he approaches things from a very interesting angle ! Anyway great review and looking forward to your thoughts on the next few books ;p
Thank you for this comment! This is really interesting!
Jon didn't get sent to the wall, he chose to go. Ned didn't want him to go, but he accepted the decision because the Starks treat joining the watch as a mark of honour (obviously Ned's own brother is already a member). Jon could have chosen not to take his vows when he got to the wall, there was no obligation.
Also Jon was treated far better than most bastards in the 7 Kingdoms. Ned raised him as part of the family and treated him the same as his other children. Catelyn disliked him and Sansa called him her half brother, but otherwise he's very close to all his siblings.
I read this in 2000 and kept thinking wow this would make a great HBO show lol but that will never happen
Catelyn = KAYT-LIN
Other than the final season, GoT was such an AMAZING series... I've watched the whole series a few times.
Are you watching House of Dragon?? I'm considering reading Fire & Blood
Great VLOG!
Okay thank you! I’m pretty sure in pronouncing Cersei wrong too 😂 I love house of the dragon, can’t wait for the new season.
GRRM as well as the TV shows pronounce it as CAT-LIN (or CAT-E-LIN). I think this also fits with her nickname being Cat.
@@tijgo6 Oh! I stand corrected then… I could have sworn I remembered her being called KATE-LYN… Time for a rewatch!
Watched the whole series a few times but don't know Cat's name? Okay. And the show has started declining after season 4.
@@didrikmesicek4825 It didn't just start declining after season four. It started to crack _during_ season 4 and then dived off a cliff as soon as season 5 began.
Love people are getting in to it, i wont spoil it but a hint. 2 suns in the sky would be pretty noticeable
Hahaha yep that’s true, and would’ve been mentioned too. Just thinking of theories.
@@erinmoloney_x it was not a crazy idee, ive seen someone make a modal of a dubbelstar that is synchronous orbit with a planet so always one sun would be visible. you would have a weird moonsicle that would be pronounced. it would explain the apparent lack of other planets.
Please come back for the second book...
Hey there, really liked your vlog!
I'm currently re-reading asoiaf as well and wanted to let you know that one of the two men Arya stumbles upon beneath the Red Keep is Illyrio Mopatis, the Pentoshi Magister that hosts Dany and Viserys at the start of the book.
Keep an eye on that one as you continue reading! 🤞
Other than that, I'd say the sacrifice at the end definitely played a huge role in the hatching of the dragon eggs (“only death can pay for life” and so on), but we as readers are not exactly sure.
Also, there is no precedent to Dany's walking into the pyre flames and surviving unscathed, that too is an all-time-first.
Thank you!! thanks for explaining as well, glad you enjoyed it. What book are you on?
As you read you're going to find that many of the characters and their personalities are different then what you find in the TV series. Catelyn Stark is much less likable in the books that she is in the TV series. She's impulsive, vengeful, and makes some very poor decisions.
It's a challenge to find a character who is "likable". No wonder, I like characters that don't have POV
I love how candid you are!
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Same situation. I watched the show years ago and now listening through audiobook. It’s addictive. Some chapters I would skip, but the consequence of that is there may be important dialogue I miss. But it’s fine.
Don't worry about maybe not getting some stuff at times, these books are massive and there is so much to process some things just flies over your head.
I must step in here though as Sansa and Catelyn defender #1 XD
I totally agree that what Catelyn said to Jon when he wanted to say goodbye to Bran was absolutely wrong and cruel to do. This is not how she generally treats him in the end though, she mostly tries to avoid and ignore him, this incident, as George himself said was a unique situation. Catelyn was without sleep for a few days and in deep grief, which probably intensifies all negative feelings that she bears in her heart. The fact that Ned never had a heart to heart talk with her about it doesn’t help, instead he made her afraid of asking which probably lead to a bunch of resentment building up. And if he doesn’t wanna tell the truth he could at least make up a story and resolve the mystery surrounding it for her. As a married noble woman in Westeros the worst thing to happen is probably developing a grudge on your husband, so it is easier for her to direct it towards Jon (this doesn’t absolve her from responsibility of course, still in the wrong for it, but I would argue she deals with it better than most noble women would).
When she captures Tyrion, she has both her sister's warning about the Lannisters and Littlefinger's statement about Tyrion mind, two people she grew up with and therefore trusts. Then it happened twice that Bran was mysteriously hurt/attacked so she probably does not rule out that it could happen again. I think if we experienced the situation solely from her eyes we would as well see it as an urgent matter to be dealt with at the spot.
About Sansa and the Hound:
The Hound seems like a person who wants to get close to Sansa because her romantic idealism reminds him of the boy he was before his brother scarred him for life. He longs for this part of him, but at the same time finds it ridiculous. He appears to me as someone who is like "I couldn't dream so you should not be able to either" and on the other hand his talks with her are like a warning to not get swayed away by her believing in the fairytale endings.
I also think it is not quite fair to say Sansa doesn't care about her family at that part of the story. Sansa has a certain world view where the princes are always gallant, brave and kind, queens and kings wise and gracious. She is in deep denial about this entire situation that happened between her sister and Joffrey, rearranges the situation in her own head so that her view of the world stays protected. It is hard to accept that the person you are supposed to marry, who you thought would be everything you ever wanted in your life, is actually an asshole. Much easier to get herself believing that Arya who dislikes everything Sansa likes would just anger the Prince on purpose just to spoil the situation.
Then she is actively put into the position by Cersei to be pit against her by the way she talks about her...
Yet she tries everything to defend her father with what she can actually do in her situation. She definitely cares about him and immediately defies the allegations when she is first told. She still begs for Mercy for her father although it is risky. (With good points at that.)
I just think it isn't exactly fair to blame her for not asking about Arya when the conversation was about her father who is in the obvious dangerous situation layed out in front of her. She is under extreme pressure there and in the chapter where she does go talk to Joffrey to save her father from execution, she also actively thinks about Arya and speculates about her whereabouts which does show that she cares about her despite their relationship being so complicated.
And well when she saw her father's execution, it was absolutely the wake up call for her about the Lannisters amd ultimately proves that her family matters more to her than some boy even if he is royal. Gosh her grieving was definitely intense and got so far that she didn't even care about her own life if it means she can end Joffrey's.
Thank you for taking the time to write this out! I really appreciate you explaining that to me. After reading more books in the series I definitely understand the characters more and the decisions they make. I relate to Sansa the most out of all the characters but was always looking at her from the perspective of what I’d do when I was her age (I’m really close with my sister) and obviously not fully realising sansa’s upbringing would affect her decisions.
Quick question, which edition of the novel is that? I've been looking for it everywhere.
I have no clue sorry! I’m not at home atm to check, theres a good chance it might be a uk edition, maybe type in uk tv show edition book.
@@erinmoloney_x I found it, and indeed it's a UK edition. Not a TV show edition, though. I personally hate book covers that a film or TV show tie-ins.
Ohh sorry it just had the tv show font on the front haha, glad you found it!
@@erinmoloney_x It's all good!😅
Please read the second one
I have! loved it!
George has said there is no scientific reason for the season’s being out of whack…
You may consider yourself fortunate not to have seen the last two seasons of the TV series. The writing was already terrible in the 6th and it only kept getting worse. You'll be happier just reading the books and waiting for the next one, which may be coming in your lifetime (lucky young people).
Can u read the red rising series next
I’ve read the first four books, love the series!
Seasons are based on regions in this series. In the north its almost always winter. In the central region its almost always spring. More south its summer. In Dorne its a desert
Noo thats climate not seasons, i was talking about that a winter comes every few years instead of once a year. I got told that it hasnt been explained yet but the author hinted its magic.
Dorne isn’t always summer, it has a warmer climate because it’s closer to the equator, same as earth.
The last two seasons have the worst reputation you should look it up, honestly you shouldn’t even watch them they ruin the entire show
Okay hahaha, i’m going to watch the tv show after reading all the books and leave out the last two seasons.
I really like ur accent
Thank you!
Natalie Portman?