Book: A Clash of Kings
Chapter: Bran VII
Narrator: Bran Stark
Discussion Date: December 11

Okay, you got me. I forgot to post yesterday. In my defense, I'm ill again. I have like the worst immune system ever.

Anyway, we'll be starting A Storm of Swords tomorrow. Please tell your friends about this community. I'd love to get more and/or new contributions!

Questions

First question: right off the bat, some people in fandom have questioned the description (from Summer's POV) of "... in the sky he saw a great winged snake whose roar was a river of flame." Do you hold with the theory that this is a dragon or do you think it's just Summer's way of conveying the smoke and flame? If it is a dragon, do you think it fits the prophecy of being woken from stone?

Why do you think Summer and Shaggy fight over the horse? Again, some have argued that this is foreshadowing of a future struggle between Bran and Rickon, do you think that is the case?

Bran thinks his father's statue looks sad when they leave the crypts. Why do you think this is? Is he mourning for Winterfell? Or is Bran just imagining things?

Bran sees gargoyles that fell where he did and wonders how he survived such a fall. Magic?

It's interesting that Osha and Meera are the two brave/fighter types of this band. Does this strike you as odd? Osha is very perceptive; she is the one who notices the Ironborn are dead. Do you think it will be important that Bran knows who did this?

Thoughts on the death of Maester Luwin? "What could you do when a maester was hurt?" Sob. Poor guy. I liked that he knew it wasn't Bran and Rickon because the Miller's boy had healthy legs. I wonder if anyone else noticed?

Maester Luwin gives two possibilities for where Osha should take Rickon: White Harbor and Last Hearth. Which do you think is more likely? Or would she take Rickon to neither?

How do you think Rickon will fare with Osha? He's a bit wild but she's a wilding, so she knows from wild. But will he remember who he is?

Am I the only one who cries when I read these last lines? It was not dead, just broken, Like me, he thought. I'm not dead either.

Stuff I Always Ask

What passages, if any, do you have flagged or underlined?

What stands out in your memory from the first time you read this chapter?

What jumps out at you now--after having read the rest of the series--that didn't when you first read it?

Are there any meaningful passages you think we should discuss?

Book: A Clash of Kings
Chapter: Jon VIII
Narrator: Jon Snow
Discussion Date: December 9

We're almost done with Clash of Kings! I'll post about the final chapter (which always gets me) tomorrow and then... I guess we'll start Storm of Swords? Does anyone have any suggestions for how to handle the third book? New ideas welcomed!

Questions

This is Jon's introduction to the wildlings. I have to admit, I sort of saw this coming when he saved Ygritte earlier. Did you? What do you think of Jon in this chapter?

What do you make of the message the Halfhand would send to Lord Mormont: Tell him that the old powers are waking, that he faces giants and wargs and worse. Tell him that the trees have eyes again. It's sort of what we knew already, from Dany's chapter about the magic coming back. But earlier it was attributed to dragons being in the world again. This all started before the dragons? Which came first, the chicken or the egg?

The vows of the Night's Watch seem important. Do you see anything prophetic in them?

"Honor means no omore than our lives." Do you think Ned Stark would agree? (Keep in mind what he did, at the end, for Sansa's life.)

There's an interesting aside about how the Halfhand taught himself to use his left hand having losing (part of) his right. Do you think Jaime could do this? Or does he lack the discipline that Qhorin has?

Why do you think Qhorin was so concerned that Jon's blade be sharp?

What did you think when you heard the wildlings were marching on the Wall?

Stuff I Always Ask

What passages, if any, do you have flagged or underlined?

What stands out in your memory from the first time you read this chapter?

What jumps out at you now--after having read the rest of the series--that didn't when you first read it?

Are there any meaningful passages you think we should discuss?

Book: A Clash of Kings
Chapter: Tyrion XV
Narrator: Tyrion Lannister
Discussion Date: December 8

Questions

Tyrion "dreams" of the dead. Do you think he regrets what he has done? Should he?

Help me, someone help me. Jaime, Shae, Mother, someone... Tysha... I find it interesting that in his groggy state Tyrion knows enough not to wish for his father, but for some reason calls for his mother who has been dead all his life. What do you think this list of people says about him?

When they look at Tyrion, Tywin and Cersei frown; Littlefinger makes a quip; and Varys sighs. Why do you think Varys sighs?

His wits were all he had. Do you think this is true?

I wrote "Aww" in the margin near Tyrion's dream of singers singing of his "great deeds", his father approving and Jaime knighting him. Tyrion seems to really crave approval from everyone.

The dreams of Tysha are interesting too. They are our only glimpses of her. Do you think Tysha really loved Tyrion as she said? Or is he making that up?

Hee. I'm also highly amused by the description of Pod as the "Odd boy." I heart little Pod.

Any other thoughts on this chapter? On Tyrion's wounds?

Stuff I Always Ask

What passages, if any, do you have flagged or underlined?

What stands out in your memory from the first time you read this chapter?

What jumps out at you now--after having read the rest of the series--that didn't when you first read it?

Are there any meaningful passages you think we should discuss?

Book: A Clash of Kings
Chapter: Sansa VIII and Theon VI
Narrator: Sansa Stark and Theon Greyjoy
Discussion Date: December 5-6

Questions


Stuff I Always Ask

What passages, if any, do you have flagged or underlined?

What stands out in your memory from the first time you read this chapter?

What jumps out at you now--after having read the rest of the series--that didn't when you first read it?

Are there any meaningful passages you think we should discuss?

Book: A Clash of Kings
Chapter: Arya X
Narrator: Arya Stark
Discussion Date: December 4

Questions

Were you surprised to see that Roose Bolton treated the people of Harrenhal worse than Lord Tywin? What do you think it did to Arya, who thought hers was the "good" side?

I find Arya's brief exchange with Elmar Frey terribly amusing. This is the boy she is to marry. What a match! I hope your princess dies!

A lot of girls would jump on the chance to be a princess, yet it doesn't seem to have crossed Arya's mind that she is one now that Robb is king. What does that say about her?

If Winterfell is truly gone, is this my home now? Am I still Arya...? This thought makes me very sad. Poor Arya.

What do we learn about Roose Bolton from the way he treats "Nan"? (There's a moment in Harry Potter when Sirius tells him you can tell more about someone from how he treats his inferiors than superiors. I thought of that when reading this passage over.)

Earlier Osha told Bran that the gods could speak through the trees if you listened right. Here, Arya hears the voice of her father in the godswood. Do you think this is significant? Do you think it will be important for Arya to remember who she is?

Gendry doesn't seem convinced of Arya's story about Vargo Hoat. Why do you think he comes with Arya?

The final scene here is pretty intense. In the rain, Arya kills the guard (a Northman) and says "Valar morghulis". Very visual. Arya has killed before but this is the first murder. Thoughts on this? Also, Arya says she will howl when all is clear, but it is a real wolf that howls. Nymeria?

Stuff I Always Ask

What passages, if any, do you have flagged or underlined?

What stands out in your memory from the first time you read this chapter?

What jumps out at you now--after having read the rest of the series--that didn't when you first read it?

Are there any meaningful passages you think we should discuss?

Book: A Clash of Kings
Chapter: Dany V
Narrator: Daenerys Targaryen
Discussion Date: December 3

Questions

Xaro tells Dany that "the glass candles are burning." Later, in AFFC, we will see more glass candles. What do you think it means? Is this glass related to dragonglass?

What do you think of Dany's interpretations of the prophecies? Do you think any are correct?

Do you think it is a coincidence that Rhaeger named his children after Aegon and Rhaenys? In Dany's vision, he spoke of a third. Do you think he expected and Visenya?

Yay! I love this chapter because Barristan is back. I love Barristan. Did you know who "Arstsan" was at this point? I will confess I assumed he was someone important but did not guess a name, at that point I was too busy trying to keep the main characters straight let alone the ones who disappeared last book!

Who do you think sent a Sorrowful Man to kill Dany? Xaro?

When Dany asks why Illyrio sent the Belwas and Arstan, Belwas says Illyrio wants her (presumably wherever Illyrio is) and Arstan says the Seven Kingdoms have need of her. These seem... not the same?

Naming ships after dragons: cool or lame?

Stuff I Always Ask

What passages, if any, do you have flagged or underlined?

What stands out in your memory from the first time you read this chapter?

What jumps out at you now--after having read the rest of the series--that didn't when you first read it?

Are there any meaningful passages you think we should discuss?

Book: A Clash of Kings
Chapter: Sansa VII
Narrator: Tyrion Lannister
Discussion Date: December 1

Day two!

Questions

Is this the only time we see Lancel stand up to Cersei? Do you think this is when he falls out of love with her?

Sansa makes a better queen than Cersei y/n?

Why do you think the Hound was sleeping in Sansa's bed?

Do you find the moment when he almost kisses her and she is powerless to stop him romantic or creepy? I will admit to feeling a bit of both.

What did you think of Ser Dontos's tale of Renly? Did you believe him? Were you wondering how he wasn't dead?

Stuff I Always Ask

What passages, if any, do you have flagged or underlined?

What stands out in your memory from the first time you read this chapter?

What jumps out at you now--after having read the rest of the series--that didn't when you first read it?

Are there any meaningful passages you think we should discuss?

Book: A Clash of Kings
Chapter: Tyrion XIV
Narrator: Tyrion Lannister
Discussion Date: December 1

We're back!

Questions

Pod doesn't say much but he sure doesn't seem to lack courage. He is even able to kill Ser Mandon, who is a very skilled knight. What do you think of him?

Why do you think Tyrion cries "King's Landing!" when the battle is joined? (I ask because when he fought in GoT he refrained from yelling "Casterly Rock!")

Tyrion twice speaks of the world being "narrowed" to a thin strip of vision, and of feeling drunk, the "battle fever" Jaime had told him about. I've never been in a battle, but I find Martin's battle scenes pretty realistic. What do you think of this description?

I always laugh a bit at "Those are brave me. Let's go kill them." Do you have any favorite passages in this chapter?

There are many theories about why Ser Mandon tries to kill Tyrion, what is your favorite?

Why do you think Tyrion assumes Pod is Jaime?

Stuff I Always Ask

What passages, if any, do you have flagged or underlined?

What stands out in your memory from the first time you read this chapter?

What jumps out at you now--after having read the rest of the series--that didn't when you first read it?

Are there any meaningful passages you think we should discuss?

Book: A Clash of Kings
Chapter: Sansa VI
Narrator: Sansa Stark
Discussion Date: November 5

Questions

I'm sorry. I'm dead tired from watching the US election results come in so I don't have a lot of thoughts in my brain for this chapter.

Do you think Sansa ever takes Cersei's advice about being a woman?

Cersei talks about her and Jaime's childhoods. How do you think this shaped her into the woman who would cut off her own head rather than see Stannis crowned?

What mistakes do you think Cersei makes during this passage? Ex. Should she have ordered Joffrey pulled back?)

Were you surprised to learn what Ser Illyn was there for, or did you know from last chapter that he wouldn't protect Sansa?

Stuff I Always Ask

What passages, if any, do you have flagged or underlined?

What stands out in your memory from the first time you read this chapter?

What jumps out at you now--after having read the rest of the series--that didn't when you first read it?

Are there any meaningful passages you think we should discuss?

Book: A Clash of Kings
Chapter: Tyrion XIII
Narrator: Tyrion Lannister
Discussion Date: November 4

This is not a political community, but since I'm the daughter of a politician I am required to remind everyone who lives in the US to get out and vote today. Also, I hear if you play the game of thrones you win or you die. Don't let your candidate die just because you were too lazy to stand in line!

Questions

I've seen ASOIAF fans talk about Tyrion's childhood love of dragons. Here he compares the wildfire to dragonfire and wonders if this is what Aegon felt like. Do you think these dragon riding mentions are foreshadowing or is it just natural to think of dragons when there is fire?

Tyrion thinks that the inferno is as much Stannis's work as his. Do you think this is true? (It takes two to tango, after all, but Stannis never thought THIS would happen.)

Joffrey whines about his ships when everyone else is cheering. What a n00b.

Any thoughts on Sandor's fear of fire? Poor guy. His ear came off his helm, kind of like... well his real face.

Do you think Tyrion was smart to lead the sortie himself? Should he have picked Moore or someone else (who)? Riding into battle gets him in trouble, but it seems to get the men back in the fighting spirit. What would Jaime do?

This is your city [he] means to sack, and that's your gate he's bringing down. So come with me and kill the son of a bitch! I have to admit I kind of like this speech as far as rousing battle cries go. Way to give Henry V a run for his money, Tyrion. What do you think?

Stuff I Always Ask

What passages, if any, do you have flagged or underlined?

What stands out in your memory from the first time you read this chapter?

What jumps out at you now--after having read the rest of the series--that didn't when you first read it?

Are there any meaningful passages you think we should discuss?