George R.R. Martin is a Sadist...and We Love It!

What do we know of George R.R. Martin? He writes brilliant, epic, fantasy novels. He takes *forevah* to write a new release in the series. (A Song of Ice and Fire series has been around since the publication of A Game of Thrones, in 1996!) Oh, and he will kill off the characters we love, as well as the characters we love to hate. No one is safe in his world! Yet, still, like the idealistic, hopeful fools we are, we believe that he can't shock us *again*! Oh, yes, he can.

If this intrigues you, I urge you to read this series. It is not a super easy and quick read, especially with the average book being approximately 1,000+ pages. I promise you though, it is SO worth it.
 
A Song of Ice and Fire series order of books:
A Game of Thrones (1996)
A Clash of Kings (1998)
A Storm of Swords (2000)
A Feast for Crows (2005)
A Dance with Dragons (2011) 

HALT! Go no further unless you have read ALL the books in the series or have been spoiled through book #5, A Dance with Dragons.

I will start off by saying that book #5 in A Song of Ice and Fire series was going pretty slow. I had been tandem reading (which I wrote about here) books 4 & 5, A Feast for Crows and A Dance with Dragons, the whole way. There was so much new plot building and so many new characters. I yearned for more, more, MORE of the old characters! I wanted story lines wrapped up. I wanted the evil ones (I’m looking at you, Cersei) to pay! I’ll admit it. I wanted somebody to die. Somebody always dies. Where are the deaths you promised me, GRRM?! 

Be Careful What You Wish For

On page 1000, of ADWD, my heart was ripped out of my body and stomped on by Mr. George R.R. Martin. 

Wait. Let me back up a bit. The chapter before this one, I was sorry to read about a foolish young Prince Quentyn’s demise. Yet, I didn't know him that well. I didn't respect him very much. I thought he seemed a bit foolish before he got himself killed. Yet, I was still surprised that he was killed off so quickly. I really feel sorry for his father, Prince Doran Martell, the Prince of Dorne and Lord of Sunspear. Dorne just can’t catch a break! Prince Martell had all these awesome plans, and they've all gone to shit! It's a real shame. However, it didn't rock my world.

Then...page 1,000 happened. 

And I was like, "Wait. What's happening?!"...

And I started cursing GRRM...

No. This isn't happening. If I don't keep reading, it didn't happen.

Oh, Jon Snow. Dear, brave, honorable, Jon Snow. You know nothing. He had just given that rousing speech to all the men about going after Lord Ramsey Bolton at Winterfell. He was goaded into it, by the letter he had just received from Bolton. Bolton is a despicable man, true, but when it comes to POS’s like him, it’s best to use your head and outsmart them, rather than rush to action fueled by anger. Before this scene, Jon had also just let all those wildlings through the Wall. He also wanted to save more wildlings, risking the lives of his own men. Furthermore, he seemed to be backing Stannis Baratheon. And all the while, he keeps repeating these words in his head: “The Night’s Watch takes no part.”

What did we learn in A Game of Thrones, Jon Snow?

This right here, is why we should have seen Jon's murder coming. If he had just stayed out of it, the matters concerning the realm and his family, I believe that the Men of the Watch would not have turned against him. Jon really did try to stay out of it, time and time again. However, I could see that he was becoming more and more involved. He was a new Lord Commander. Yet he was acting like a king setting new precedents, rather than upholding tradition. He had no council, and was making all these decisions on his own. He'd sent away everyone he truly trusted! Sadly, Roose Bolton's letter was the catalyst, the proverbial straw that broke the camel's back. As they say, hindsight is 20/20.

I'm a Believer Now

This post is about the pain that GRRM inflicted upon me when he killed another beloved character. However, I'd also like to touch on something notable from ADWD. Melisandre stayed behind when Stannis headed for Winterfell. I thought this was odd, as did some of the characters in the book. Now, I see why. She stayed behind because she knew Jon would need her. Jon never knew it himself, even up until the very end. She tried to warn Jon that he was in danger. She had seen it in her fires. 

Melisandre of Asshai, page 448, 449. She is looking into her fires.

Now he was a man, now a wolf, now a man again. But the skulls were here as well, the skulls were all around him. Melisandre had seen his danger before, had tried to warn the boy of it. Enemies all around him, daggers in the dark. He would not listen. Unbelievers never listened until it was too late.

 I pray for a glimpse of Azor Ahai, and R’hllor shows me only Snow.

Wait, what now? I didn't catch that the 1st time.

I will only touch on speculation just a bit. This quote would have me believe that not only did Melisandre see the danger ahead for Jon, but even SHE is not seeing that Jon might be Azor Ahai. I'll tell you this though, if she's bringing him back like the red priest Thoros did with Lord Beric Dondarrion, I want no parts of it. Dondarrion became a total freak of nature. That's not the life I'd hoped for Jon Snow. All we can do now is speculate on what may happen. Either he's really dead. Or he's Azor Ahai and comes back. Or maybe he will warg into Ghost, his direwolf (also not the life I had hoped for Jon). 

Bottom line, if you love this series, then it's going to amaze you with it's brilliance, shock the crap out of you, and cut you deep. But it's worth it. 

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