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Playing The Game of Thrones With Season 2: Ep. 2 – A Review

Episode 2: The Night Lands

Elena: What was so fucked up about the last 15 minutes that got you all riled on Twitter?

Rachel: Right, so to explain without being spoilery – I went to bat for this show’s last episode saying that it could end up being better than the books, and this week the show reminded me why that will never happen. I get that everything needs to be simplified, but I feel like they are writing to the lowest common denominator. I.e., We gotta write boobs and we gotta take out anything that requires brain cells to understand. This oversimplification results in scenes like the one between Stannis and Melisandre. A complicated and by no means confirmed suspicion of Davos’ in the novels becomes a hypocritical sex scene, and I don’t think it’s good writing.

Lots of fans think Melisandre and Stannis are lovers. Fine. It’s up for interpretation, so any opinion is valid. But Stannis goes to great lengths to prove to people that he is not a hypocrite and simple seduction is NOT at the heart of that relationship. No WAY is that all there is to it. Stannis does things because they are right, and he does what needs to be done to keep the right way. Seduction should not work on the Lobster King. If he is seduced it’s not because of Melisandre’s boobs and CERTAINLY not because she can give him a son. Stannis would not be interested in a bastard son. He just WOULDN’T. So that entire scene was dumb. And humph.

Elena: Speaking of boobs…Any thoughts on the Ros/Littlefinger scene as it relates to the exposition of his character on screen vs in the book?

Rachel: Well, Ros isn’t in the books. Didn’t you know that? You know that. She’s entirely made up. So Ros exists entirely as a tool of exposition. Mostly for Littlefinger at this point. In the books we know Littlefinger is sly because everyone says so. The show feels the need to actually give us examples of his cunning and wit. So it lulls us repeatedly into thinking he’s a decent person and then BAM – reminds us that he is the person you should trust the least. Poor Ros. If I were her I would tread carefully. Littlefinger talks to her too much and we know he regards knowledge as power.

She also exists for boobs.

Elena: On to happier subjects! What did you think of Yarra Asha? I know you heart her so…did they do her justice?

Rachel: Dude, (can I call y’all ‘Dude’?) Asha was AWESOME! Gemma Whelan even had the walk down. She’s snarky, confident, cool, she’s got leather pants! Can’t wait to see her throw an axe around!

The people who are all up in arms about how Asha “isn’t hot enough” should really re-examine how they interact with society. Asha is plenty hot and Gemma’s costume and makeup is appropriate for the character. Asha the character isn’t alluring or desirable because her face is pleasantly symmetrical and she wears eyeliner and boob hoisters – it’s because she’s a warrior woman who gives orders and splits heads. She’s always got something smart ass to say (Greyjoy trait), and to compare her to Melisandre – she’s also a woman of agency. It’s not about getting married or protecting her children or even her “maidenhood” (Asha would make a dirty joke here). It’s about paying the iron price. Done.

Haters to the Wall!

PS – does everyone else think that the Greyjoy armor is going to be the best armor out of all the armor?

What is your opinion on the Greyjoys so far?

Elena: They are…not what I expected. I don’t know what I did expect. Something more like Baratheons on the Sea, perhaps? Even knowing that the father rebelled and all that did not prepare me for meeting them. I am FASCINATED by their family ethos. They are like…House Pirate. Or maybe House Honey Badger (the Honey Badger doesn’t give a shit. It takes what it wants! Oh, it’s eating grubs? That’s nasty—but it’s hungry! Honey Badger doesn’t give a fuck).

I just…I loved the iron price. I loved him calling Theon a nancy boy. I loved Balon’s point about “I am not going to let someone put a crown on my head, I’ll win it for myself.” And Yarra Asha was awesome! She’s the first woman we’ve seen who is grabbing power and influence on the strength of her own self rather than her family. I mean, yes, she is a Greyjoy and all the brothers are gone, but instead of letting the house fall into despair or pin its hopes on Theon she has stepped into that void and made the fact of her sex irrelevant.

Also…what happened to Theon? He didn’t turn out a proper Stark or a proper Greyjoy. He just fails on all levels. And he looks like a terrible lay. Theon…the Theta Chi president of Westeros.

And, yes, their armor is going to be AWESOME.

Rachel: Tyrion is in top form but I’m not sure how wise it is to challenge Varys, what do you think?

Elena: Is Tyrion challenging him? Or just telling him to tread lightly? Sometimes a display of power is all you need to make diplomacy look a little more viable…I took it as Tyrion saying, “don’t fuck with me because I can and will do something about it.” Which is a little different from saying, hey Varys, I’m going to replace you as spymaster. I mean, I guess since no one knows Varys’ game anything that interferes with what he wants to do—which could easily be a hand of strong will and intelligence and at least some treachery, like Tyrion—might be a challenge to him, but I took it more as Varys and Tyrion feeling out each other rather than an actual challenge.

Tyrion’s Axiom of the Week: I’m not Ned Stark. I understand how this game is played.

Rachel: Gendry and Arya should get their own books/series, agree?

Elena: They would make an excellent sword and sorcery type adventuring pair. They definitely need to just say fuck Westeros and sail off into the wide blue yonder. As far as we know this planet isn’t Waterworld, so, you know, there’s other continents out there. And obviously Salador Saan does just fine as a pirate, so that’s always an option. I would read that, especially if it had the promise implicit in all non-GRRM/GRRM-derived fantasy that the main characters won’t fucking die. But, yeah, the two of them were hilarious together! And hilarious with the other parts of the To The Wall Contingent. So maybe the going off alone doesn’t actually work.

Anyway, Gendry surprised me. I expected him to be…dumb. Yes, I have that academic-nerd prejudice about jocks, and I assumed something about a blacksmith apprentice. He’s not dumb. He may not be edumucated, but he’s well spoken and funny and insightful. I look forward to more Gendry.

Also I hope Yoren continues to be such a badass protectorate if Joffrey’s minions come back.

(And speaking of Joffrey: hahahahaha I totally called that it was him and not Cersei behind the dead babies! I win!)

What did you think of Hotpie and friends?

Rachel: Hotpie looks exactly like how I pictured him in my head, and Lommy Greenhands ACTUALLY HAD GREEN HANDS, ELENA! Give that costume design team an Emmy. Just do it. DO IT FOR LOMMY!

We’ve also got Rorge, Biter and Jaqen H’ghar! And I actually can’t say a damn thing about them without spoiling you so let’ s just say they are criminals. Which was obvious. I liked ’em!

Sam’s plan to save Gilly is hilariously bad—how do you feel about what is shaping up north of the wall?

Elena: Sam is so easily manipulated by the first girl person who calls him brave. I would say I am surprised he’s behaving this way, considering what his father did to him, but part of it is probably his projecting what he would have liked someone to do for him (step in and save him/help him), and part of it is that maybe he realizes her father treats her even more shittily than his father treated him.

But the plan was just…stupid. Has Sam like….never actually seen a pregnant woman? Because I don’t think that’s going to work out too well on a march across the frozen north.

As a side note: did Sam read romance novels or something? Given that he’s said he’s read about sex and birthing babies? What kind of library did his father have?

Also…what the fuuuuuck are they doing still at Craster’s? Did they have to rebuild his hold in exchange for a night’s shelter? NOT WORTH IT.

Rachel: Ah, yes. Camping with Craster. That is what I call all the bullshit filler in tv/novels/movies from now on. BECAUSE WHY ARE THEY STILL CAMPING AT CRASTER’S? This isn’t the first time the show has struggled with the passage of time, but even if you haven’t read the books it is weird. In the last episode the Lord Commander said they wouldn’t be staying long, and Theon is journeying, and Arya and Gendry are journeying, and Dany is dying in the wilderness so we know at least a few weeks have gone by! Except in the North where time … passes more slowly because time is very cold.

I guess in editing they decided they didn’t want to really move the Jon Snow plot line until later in the season so they would just…keep them camping at Craster’s.

Which sounds kind of like a terrible local access television show about….

Nevermind.

Rachel: It’s also really sad that Live-Action Aladdin died. Let’s have a moment of silence for Rakharo.

Want more? Then check out the latest episode of Team More Wine Sir as we pour more wine and talk more about “The Nightlands”!

6th Annual BSC Book Tournament Winner Revealed!

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Congratulations to author Sara Grant who’s novel, Dark Parties has come out on top as the winner for the 6th Annual BSC Book Tournament!

We started the contest out with 32 entries into the March Madness style competition. We called this years tournament “A Taste of the Hunger Games” given that all the novels were ones that fans of the Hunger Games trilogy would enjoy. Each novel in the tournament took a look at dystopian futures.

After weeks of voting by our readers, Dark Parties has come out as the winner of it all.

Dark Parties follows Sixteen-year-old Neva who has been trapped since birth. She was born and raised under the Protectosphere, in an isolated nation ruled by fear, lies, and xenophobia. A shield “protects” them from the outside world, but also locks the citizens inside. But according to the government, there’s nothing left on the outside, ever since the world collapsed from violent warfare. Neva and her best friend Sanna believe the government is lying and stage a “dark party” to recruit members for their underground rebellion. But as Neva begins to uncover the truth, she realizes she must question everything she’s ever known, including the people she loves the most.

Grant’s dystopian novel has caught the attention and love of readers all over the world making it this year’s winner!

I would also like to thank everyone who participated in the tournament this year as well. They were truly all fabulous books. You can see the list of novels included in this years tournament here.

6th Annual BSC Book Tournament Championship Begins!

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Today begins our championship of the 6th Annual BSC Book Tournament: A Taste of the Hunger Games. We have featured 32 different dystopian novels, and over the last few weeks our readers have voted it down to the remaining two books.

We have Dark Parties written by Sara Grant who was originally featured in the Female Lead Bracket VS The Eleventh Plague by Jeff Hirsch who was originally featured in the Global Catastrophe Bracket. These two will square off in our final championship and one will be crowned the winner of Optionated’s 6th Annual BSC Book Tournament.

First, Ill give you a little background of each novel, and you can vote for which one you want to win at the bottom. Voting will continue through till April 10th, with the winner announced April 11th.

Dark Parties written by Sara Grant

Publication Date: August 3, 2011

Sixteen-year-old Neva has been trapped since birth. She was born and raised under the Protectosphere, in an isolated nation ruled by fear, lies, and xenophobia. A shield “protects” them from the outside world, but also locks the citizens inside. But there’s nothing left on the outside, ever since the world collapsed from violent warfare. Or so the government says…

Neva and her best friend Sanna believe the government is lying and stage a “dark party” to recruit members for their underground rebellion. But as Neva begins to uncover the truth, she realizes she must question everything she’s ever known, including the people she loves the most.

About the Author

Sara Grant is an American living in the UK. Born and raised in Washington, Indiana, Sara graduated from Indiana University with degrees in journalism and psychology. She now works as a freelance writer and editor for Working Partners, a London-based company creating series fiction for children. She lives in London with her husband. This is her first novel.

The Eleventh Plague written by Jeff Hirsch

Publication Date: September 1, 2011

In an America devastated by war and plague, the only way to survive is to keep moving.

In the aftermath of a war, America’s landscape has been ravaged and two-thirds of the population left dead from a vicious strain of influenza. Fifteen-year-old Stephen Quinn and his family were among the few that survived and became salvagers, roaming the country in search of material to trade. But when Stephen’s grandfather dies and his father falls into a coma after an accident, Stephen finds his way to Settler’s Landing, a community that seems too good to be true. Then Stephen meets strong, defiant, mischievous Jenny, who refuses to accept things as they are. And when they play a prank that goes horribly wrong, chaos erupts, and they find themselves in the midst of a battle that will change Settler’s Landing–and their lives–forever.

About the Author

Jeff Hirsch graduated from the University of California, San Diego, with an MFA in Dramatic Writing. THE ELEVENTH PLAGUE is his debut novel. He lives in Astoria, New York, with his wife, and you can visit him online at www.jeff-hirsch.com.

You can begin voting for the championship below!

Game of Thrones Refresher Course: Episode Recap For Season 1

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1 “Winter Is Coming” April 17, 2011

Robert Baratheon (King of the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros) and his Queen, Cersei Lannister, travel north to make his old friend Eddard “Ned” Stark – Lord of the frozen land of Winterfell – an offer he cannot refuse. Across the narrow sea in Essos, the exiled Prince Viserys Targaryen forges a new alliance to regain the Iron Throne; he will trade his sister Daenerys in marriage to the savage Dothraki warlord Khal Drogo in exchange for Drogo’s army. Back in Winterfell, Ned’s wife Catelyn receives a clue that may implicate members of the royal family in a murder, and their young son Bran makes a jaw-dropping discovery.

2 ”The Kingsroad” April 24, 2011

Bran’s fate remains in doubt. Having accepted his new role as the King’s Hand (the King’s closest confidant and chief bodyguard), Ned leaves his home in Winterfell with his daughters Sansa and Arya, while Catelyn stays behind to tend to Bran. Jon Snow, Ned’s bastard son, heads north to join the brotherhood of the Night’s Watch, protectors of the Wall that keeps the vicious “Others” and the savage wildlings from entering civilised Westeros. Tyrion Lannister, the Queen’s brother, decides to forego the trip south with his family, instead joining Jon’s entourage heading to the Wall. Viserys bides his time in hopes of winning back the throne, while Daenerys focuses her attention on learning how to please her new husband, Drogo.

3 “Lord Snow” May 1, 2011

Ned joins the King’s Small Council at King’s Landing, capital of the Seven Kingdoms, and learns just how poorly Westeros is being managed. Catelyn decides to go covertly to the south to warn her husband, but is intercepted by an old friend, Councillor Petyr “Littlefinger” Baelish. Jon struggles to adapt to life on the Wall, as he trains with a number of low-born recruits who are not impressed by his bloodline. Tyrion, also visiting the Wall, is beseeched by the Watch Commander Lord Mormont to plead the King and Queen to send more men to join the Night’s Watch, for powerful enemies are massing beyond the Wall. Bran, now awake, is unable to recall how he fell. Daenerys, now possessing no small measure of control as Drogo’s “Khaleesi”, begins to stand up to Viserys.

4 “Cripples, Bastards, and Broken Things” May 8, 2011

Ned searches for clues to the unexplained death of Jon Arryn (the former King’s Hand), and in the process uncovers King Robert’s illegitimate son. Robert and his guests witness a tournament honoring Ned. Jon takes measures to protect Samwell Tarly, an awkward and friendless boy, from the abuse of the Night’s Watchmen; a frustrated Viserys clashes with his newly-empowered sister; Sansa dreams of life as a queen, while Arya envisions a far different future. Catelyn rallies her father’s allies to make a point, while Tyrion finds himself caught in the wrong place at the wrong time.

5 “The Wolf and the Lion” May 15, 2011

Robert and Ned have an argument over how they should deal with the advance of the Targaryen/Dothraki alliance. Catelyn and Tyrion arrive at her sister Lysa’s home in the Eyrie. News of Tyrion’s kidnapping reaches King’s Landing where Jaime Lannister, the Queen’s twin brother, demands answers from Ned.

6 “A Golden Crown” May 22, 2011

Viserys threatens Daenerys’ safety when Drogo refuses to pay his debts. Ned is left in guard of the Iron Throne while the King goes to hunt, and learns the secret left by Jon Arynn.

7 “You Win or You Die” May 29, 2011

Ned confronts Queen Cersei over the truth of Jon Arryn’s death as Robert, mortally wounded during his hunting, prepares to name his successor. Jon Snow takes the vows of the Night’s Watch. Khal Drogo summons his army to invade Westeros after Robert conspires to poison Daenerys. Robert appoints Ned as Regent of the Iron Throne, who will rule until his heir is of age. Ned brings the King’s declaration before Cersei, Joffrey (eldest of the King’s children), and the Small Council. Ned asks Baelish to secure the cooperation of the City Watch in removing the Lannisters from the throne – Joffrey is not Robert’s son but Jaime’s, he reveals, making Stannis Baratheon (Robert’s older brother) the true heir. However, the loyalty of Baelish and the City Watch lies with the Lannisters: Ned is swiftly captured, and his men killed.

8 “The Pointy End” June 5, 2011

As the Lannisters press their advantage over the Starks, Ned’s eldest son, Robb, rallies his family’s allies to war. Sansa pleads with Joffrey to spare her father’s life while Ned, still captive in the dungeons, finds an unexpected ally in Councillor Lord Varys. Jon and the Night’s Watch confront an ancient evil from beyond the Wall, while across the Narrow Sea, Drogo’s army marches west towards the Seven Kingdoms.

9 “Baelor” June 12, 2011

As the Stark and Lannister armies prepare for their first battle against one another, Tyrion leads his barbarian allies into battle while Robb and Catelyn bargain for a renegade Lord’s help. With Drogo dying from his infected wound, Daenerys goes to desperate measures to save her husband’s life by using a witch’s blood magic, much to the horror of the Dothraki. At the Wall, a Targaryen reveals himself – and the price of loyalty – to Jon, who worries about events outside of the Wall. In a final bid to save his daughters’ lives, Ned falsely confesses to conspiracy and swears fealty to Joffrey as the rightful heir to the Iron Throne. To the horror of Ned’s daughters – and delight of the assembled crowd- Joffrey has him executed regardless.

10 “Fire and Blood” June 19, 2011

The news of Ned’s execution quickly spreads to all corners of the Seven Kingdoms, triggering seismic events for each member of the Stark family. The North secedes from the Seven Kingdoms and proclaims Robb as their King. With Jaime captured by the Starks and Robert’s brothers challenging Joffrey’s claim to the throne, Lord Tywin Lannister assigns his son Tyrion as King’s Hand to keep Joffrey and Cersei in check. Jon plans to desert his post at the Wall to avenge his father; his friends convince him to stay, and he joins the Night’s Watch in an expedition to confront the foes massing beyond the Wall. Daenerys learns to her sorrow that her unborn son is dead and her Drogo has been left in a vegetative state due to the witch’s treacherous magic. Unable to bear her husband’s ruin, Daenerys ends his life and lights a funeral pyre. She burns the witch alive alongside Drogo’s body and her three dragon’s eggs, and walks into the flames herself as the fire reaches its peak. When the embers die the following morning, Daenerys rises, unharmed, flanked by three newborn dragons.

Playing The Game of Thrones With Season 2: Ep. 1 – A Review

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Episode 1: The North Remembers

Rachel: How does it feel to be back in Westeros? Enjoying a bigger budget and critically acclaimed actors?

Elena: It feels GREAT to be back in Westeros! Damn. I was definitely starting to feel like I could get back into playing the Game of Thrones before the season started, but pretty much from the rundown of the most salient points of last season I was thinking fuck yes. It’s just…so devious! And so dangerous! And there are so many beautiful men; I just don’t know where to look. I feel like Mozart in Amadeus: “They’re all so beautiful! Oh, why don’t I have three heads?” Except that usually there is only one on screen at any given time, so, you know, I get by with just the one. And the costumes are looking sharper, and the scale seems bigger, and we have gotten to see that the pretty excellent dragon effects from last season were not a fluke. Pretty much the first episode was everything I hoped it would be.

This is also the first season I’m watching with no idea where the story is going or who any of the new characters are (other than those I can identify by name or prior reference, such as Asha “Yarra the Pirate” Greyjoy or Stannis Baratheon). I actually think it makes it more fun for me, because then I can discover the story and have the insane reactions to events that all the non-book-readers enjoyed last season.

…If I’m being honest, I have to admit I am enjoying the show more than I enjoyed the part of the first book I read. I think the reading speed I was limited to made a difference—this show just seems to move so much faster than the book did (whereas if I had been reading the books at a normal speed I probably wouldn’t feel like it was THAT big a difference, because I would expect the book to be a 10-12 hour read straight through).

At this point I am planning to just let the series ride and go read the books after the show is done. However…I reserve the right to change my mind if at the end of this (or any future) season I can’t stand not knowing what happens next! I think the lack of a final book in the series will hamper that impulse, though…if I have to wait one way or the other, why not just pace it out with the show?

Rachel: The first episode opened with Joffrey! He’s your favorite! Do you think Sansa is doing well?

Elena: HA! Your assessment of Joffrey in the anticipation post, that he is the one character we are meant to hate unequivocally and as such should be cherished, really helped me with him. Now I can revel in his bastardry (heh—literal AND figurative) and not have to worry about keeping an open mind on him or whether I’ll have my mind changed when I see his point of view the way I’ve heard happens with Cersei/Jaime in later books.

Sansa is…surviving. And for that she gets serious props. She has been thrust into a shit situation (okay, she also thrust herself into it BUT she didn’t really understand it and, while, WELCOME TO REALITY, WHERE ACTIONS HAVE CONSEQUENCES, PRINCESS…she is also a sheltered young lady who is being abused, threatened, and is living in fear of her life). And yet she is still alive, and more than that, she is not just looking out for herself or trying to become like her keepers, but in her own way is still exercising her own will. Saving that man? That was ballsy.

Show Sansa is actually kind of admirable. I don’t want to emulate her, but I like what she is doing. My problem with book Sansa was that I got her point of view, not just her actions, and her point of view convinced me she was functionally retarded…some kind of daydream savant or something. If I don’t have to see her FUBAR point of view, I can project some kind of practicality and shrewdness behind her behavior here. Yay, Show Sansa! You might make it to the end alive!

Rachel: Thoughts on new characters? Stannis, Davros, Melisandre, Craster?

Elena: Stannis kind of disappointed me. He was so…uncharismatic. Definitely not like either of his brothers. And we thought Ned Stark was inflexible? Shit. Stannis makes Ned look like an anti-hero of ambiguous morality. “My brother rebels? Kill him for a traitor. Dead Ned Stark’s son rebels? Kill him as a traitor.” Stannis does not play the Enemy of My Enemy Is My Friend Game. He only recognizes enemies.

Melisandre is really interesting to me because she is the first female we have met who is gaining power through her own agency (as opposed to who she was born or whom she married). I also reveled in her unspoken Princess Bride reference: “I’ve spent the last three years building up an immunity to iocane powder.” In our Skype discussion Rachel asked me if I thought she had done some subterfuge like that or if she is protected by her god. I vote that she is not touched by the divine but is simply a master manipulator. I think it would be more interesting, narratively speaking, if she DOES have the backing of a god whose power she can call forth at will…but I have yet to see any damn evidence of any god manifesting in the world, and so for now I am taking the cynical view on her.

Craster is…the fundamentalist who marries his daughters and wants to bang Jon Snow, Who Knows Where to Put It, because Jon is prettier than half his daughter-wives? Yeah, that guy was crazy. I hope his daughter’s riot over Jon Snow when he leaves. Lol.

Rachel: Five kings (ok, 4 and a queen). Place your bets! Stannis or Renly? Is Dany doing it with her bloodriders? Did you like Robb’s decision to send Theon to the Iron Islands?

Elena: Stannis lasts longer than Renly—because Melisandre is going to give him an army of true believers, and that is going to trump gold and political ideology/hero worship.

I think Dany is about to start doing her blood riders…menstrual days give the term a whole new meaning (…I know. ICK. Sorry. Had to!)

Robb is entering a world of pain with that choice. YOU ARE KING IN THE NORTH, SO STAY IN THE NORTH. DUH. I understand Theon’s point that if you want to win the war you have to take King’s Landing. The thing is…Robb doesn’t need to win the war. He needs to not lose the war until the south gets tired of fighting the north. No one can get behind him the way they can in the south thanks to the bottleneck on the continent. Winter is coming, and he and his men know how to survive in the winter better than any of the thin-blooded southerners. They are all about to start infighting. All he has to do is make the conflict with his army last so long and be so costly they give up. Eventually even the Lannisters would if Robb can make the costs outweigh the benefits.

Rachel: Next week will probably be more Ayra and Renly, less King’s Landing. What are you hoping for next episode?

Elena: More of the same! And a Nymeria/Arya reunion!

Tyrion’s Axiom of the Week: If I were capable of tricking father, I’d be emperor of the world.

Elena: What did you think of the new-to-show characters–Melisandra and Stannis & co, and northern hut guy?

Rachel: Seeing as I’ve read the books I’m more interested in seeing side characters that I love hit the small screen (Davros! Dolorous Edd! Gilly! Ser Dontos (that Elena called “that man” LOLZ)), but I’m also really really excited for Team Stannis. Because as Elena has said, Stannis is the wet blanket of Westeros. You can always count on him to come in and ruin your day. He IS worse than Ned. He’s totally and absolutely unforgiving. There’s the right way to do things and the wrong way to do things. Stannis is the arbiter of right. It makes him so interesting to me. You can tell in his intro scene with the burning of the Seven and Melisandre telling him to draw out the burning sword, that he might not give a shit about any of it. When he is finished with the ceremonial duties of Melisandre’s R’hllor show (that is the one true god’s name btw, R’hllor) Stannis just leaves the sword on the beach and marches his uppity butt back up to Dragonstone to write a snippy letter. You get the feeling that Stannis does not put up with any nonsense, and yet he’s putting up with all KINDS of nonsense with this R’hllor business.

Which is exactly why I asked Elena if she thought Melisandre had magic/god on her side. Those of us who have read the book tend to say Melisandre definitely has some magic. She does some crazy shit! We’re hoping she can pull off another piece of magic in the next book (c’mon George!). I can’t wait for that thing that is going to happen just to get Elena’s reaction. I predict lots of fuck words.

Elena: Any changes from the book that you found significant, even if the change itself isn’t that big?

Rachel:I think it is significant that Littlefinger is so confrontational. The Littlefinger in the novels is much slyer, to the point where any commotion he causes makes me think he is trying to distract those he confronts from juicier meat. I LOVE the scene between him and Cersei, but it also comes off (like the monologue with the prostitutes from Season 1) as something Littlefinger just wouldn’t do.

The rest of the episode remains a set up and introduction of new characters. I have no complaints whatsoever. As I say in the podcast – television might actually be a better medium for this story.

Elena: Who’s winning the badass CG/CG enhanced pet war, direwolves or dragons?

Rachel: Definitely the dragons! The direwolves look great, Grey Wind was all huge and wolfy, but he also looked slightly like he’d been pasted over Robb and foreshortened. I was hella impressed with the dragons. Not only do they look like they have weight and leathery texture, but they also look great in the full sunlight of the red waste. That’s hard to do with CGI.

I’m sad because it also looks very expensive so I don’t think we’ll be seeing too much of the dragons or all three at once. HOWEVER, we can tell that the budget has been increased. The costumes are richer, there’s more location shooting, the CGI is def. better and most importantly the Wig Budget has been raised! YES!!!! Cersei is free of that horrible contraption they had on her head! It’s amazing! She looks soooo much better!

Elena: Now that Martin’s got 2 books left, any thoughts on what happens when the show catches up to him? Or do you think he can pull off a book every 2 years to stay ahead of the series?

Rachel: Here is where I defend myself with regards to my previous statement.

I was talking about the show with a friend, and they made a very valid point. The show definitely takes advantage of the fact that GRRM is a screenwriter. He is extremely aware of how his work would translate visually. Game of Thrones is great television, period. The New York Times can suck it. It has fewer characters than most soap operas and more drama. There are teams and individuals that viewers can root for. There are vistas and clothing and food and magical animals and bawdy jokes. It’s television! What the show does BETTER than the novels is cut the bloat. It gets rid of all the stuff we don’t need. That stuff might be nice to read, but it would be hell to sit through, and so it gets cut.

We know book 3, A Storm of Swords, is being cut into two seasons. Fine. A very lot happens in that book, plot wise. I don’t think you can say the same for Feast or Dance but it’s arguable due to the amount of characters involved that they too can be cut into multiple seasons. Cool. Let’s say we DO catch up to Dance with the series. If George maintains his 6-year time frame for writing the novels…we might catch up with him for the last novel. This could happen. George has a lot of demands on his time now that the books have gotten so popular and the TV show requires his attention and screenwriting on occasion, plus his other projects and tours and conventions. He could very well take 6 years to write the next book. Will the show then become canon?

He’s told Benioff and Weiss the ending. Presumably because HBO wouldn’t sign on to a project they didn’t have a full outline for. So if they follow that overall plan will George then produce the exact opposite in his novels? JUST TO SCREW WITH US? Who knows!?

Honestly, I don’t think it’s something to actually worry about. But it does make for nice conversation – books vs. the show: what is canon?

Can’t get enough of us? Then listen in on our brainstorming conversation for this episode! The podcast is back…well, like a White Walker it has come back from the dead as a less formal but more lethal version of its former self. No guests. No structure. Just Elena and Rachel discussing the episode over drinks. More wine, sir?

Game of Thrones Refresher Course: Notable Characters

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Yesterday I covered the two major warring families, The Starks and The Lannisters. But there are a lot more characters at play that don’t belong to either one of those families. You can see some of the notable characters from season one below.

:::Note: There might be spoilers ahead if you haven’t finished season 1, or read the novel series by George R.R. Martin.:::

Daenerys Targaryen: The exiled princess of the Targaryen dynasty. “The Stormborn” Sister to Viserys. She and her brother were smuggled to Essos during the end of Robert’s Rebellion. She spent 17 years under the care of her brother, only to have him marry her off to the powerful Dothraki warlord, Kahl Drogo. Even though she is first afraid of her new husband, she learns their ways and their language; she genuinely falls in love with him. The more she embraced the Dothraki culture, the more powerful and courageous she became and later rebels against her brother who is still trying to control her. She becomes pregnant, and her baby is prophesized to be a conqueror that will unite the world. Unfortunately, she loses both her husband and her unborn child due to the tricks my Mirri. In revenge she kills Mirri by burning her into a pyre, but this ends up hatching the three dragon eggs Daenerys carries with her.

Played by Emilia Clarke.

Viserys Targaryen: The exiled prince and heir to the Targaryen dynasty. People call him the “Beggar king” because of his search for an army that will help him reclaim the throne. He is incredibly arrogant, and self-centered and abusive both physically and mentally to his sister. He marries his sister off in exchange for an army to recapture the throne but the Dothraki are less than receptive to his disrespect of their culture and their new queen, his sister. In a drunken rage he threatens Drogo and Daenerys. Drogo kills him by pouring melted gold over his head; giving him the “golden crown” he always wanted.

Played by Harry Lloyd.

Petyr Baelish: The Master of Coin in King Robert Baratheon’s Small Council. He grew up with Catelyn Stark and had actually fought Ned’s brother for her hand in marriage. He knows most of the ongoing affairs across the Seven Kingdoms because of several of his spies. Petyr is initially thought to be an ally of Ned, but he secretly resents him for marrying the love of his life Catelyn. He also aims to take the Iron Throne and punish the powerful nobles who look down on him.

Played by Aidan Gillen.

Jorah Mormont: An exiled knight I service of Daenerys. In order to fund his wife’s lifestyle of the wealthy, he sold poachers on his land to slave traders, which is illegal. Instead of being punished, he fled to Essos where he banded with the Dothraki. They know him as Jorah the Andal. He also serves as an advisor and translator for the Targaryens for all things going on in the kingdoms. Jorah is actually a spy for lord Varys in exchange for pardons on his crimes. But he falls in love Daenerys and ultimately decides to help and protect her.

Played by Iain Glen

Theon Greyjoy: A hostage and ward of the Starks stemming from a failed rebellion. Despite this, he is loyal to Ned and is good friends with Robb and Jon. He never questions his position until Tyrion tells him he nothing more than a servant. Nevertheless, he remains loyal to Robb when he goes to war against the Lannisters and supports the decision of succession.

Played by Alfie Allen.

Robert Baratheon: Former king of the Seven Kingdoms. He was originally meant to marry Ned’s sister Lyanna, but she was killed and he entered into a political marriage with Cercei Lannister. He becomes deeply indebted to Cercei’s family during his reign. He is killed while hunting, and unknowingly leaves no rightful heir.

Played by Mark Addy.

Renly Baratheon: The Lord of Storm’s End. He is the youngest brother of King Robert and Master of Laws in the Small Council. He is handsome and well liked among the people. He is also secretly the lover of Ser Loras Tyrell, the Knight of the Flowers. Renly challenges his nephew, Joffrey’s, claim to the throne.

Played by Gethin Anthony.

Tywin Lannister: He is the Lord of Casterly Rock, Shield of Lannisport and Warden of the West. He was the former Hand of the King to King Aerys II. He is also the father of Cercei, Jaime, and Tyrion. He given the Hand of the King position again by Joffery, but after Ned is executed, and Joffery’s claim to the throne is questioned, Tywin decides to remain in the field commanding forces.

Played by Charles Dance.

Game of Thrones Refresher Course: The Lannisters and The Starks

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The politics between the two major families of HBO’s “Game of Thrones” can get a little confusing. You can see a breakdown of the major characters from both families below:

:::Note: There might be spoilers ahead if you haven’t finished season 1, or read the novel series by George R.R. Martin.:::

The Lannisters:

Tyrion Lannister: A dwarf nicknamed “The Imp”. He is the younger brother of Cersei and Jaime Lannister. He was blamed for the death of his mother during childbirth. He described as being the “cunning” brother and often uses his wits and quick thinking to his advantage when in tight situations. Unlike the rest of his family, he initially does not hold any ill feelings towards the Stark family. That does change when he is wrongly captures and imprisoned by Lady Catelyn. He is later sent to rule as Hand of the King.

He is portrayed by Peter Dinklage.

Cercei Lannister: Queen of the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros and the wife of King Robert Baratheon. Despite being married to the king, she has carried on a lengthy incestuous affair with her brother Jaime since childhood. She does claim to have loved King Robert once, but due to his never-ending love of Lyanna, she grew to hate him. Her current three children are actually she and Jaime’s. She wants nothing but her family to be all-powerful.

She is portrayed by Lena Headey.

Jaime Lannister: A member of the Kingsguard and the Queen’s twin brother. Spent his life having an incestuous relationship with her and fathered all three of her children. He is nicknamed the “Kingslayer” because he killed the previous king, Aerys II, even though he had sworn to protect him. He truly hates the fact that no one feels he deserves his rank and position. Despite the constant animosity between Ned and Jaime, Jaime does respect him. He considered Ned to be a great warrior and his equal. Unlike his father and his sister, Jaime cares a great deal for Tyrion. Going so far as to attack Ned when Tyrion is imprisoned. Jaime later joins his father’s campaign at the Riverlands but is later made a prisoner of the Starks.

He is portrayed by Nikolaj Coster-Waldau

King Joffrey: Eldest son of Cersei and her brother Jaime. Even as a child he is vicious and cruel and will lie and cheat to get what he wants or get out of trouble. But when someone actually confronts him he is a coward. He does not know that Jaime is his real father. He is made king, against his father’s will. He is a puppet king, taking orders from his mother. His downfall begins when he refuses to honor the promise of sparing Ned’s life and instead has his executed. His kinghood is threatened when Jaime is captures by the Starks and his uncles Renley and Stannis challenge his claim to the Iron Throne.

He is portrayed by Jack Gleeson.

The Starks:

Catelyn Stark: The Lady of Winterfell and wife of Lord Eddard. She had figured out that the Lannisters were to blame for the attempts on her son, Bran’s life. During a chance encounter with Tyrion, she arrests and imprisons him. After Ned is arrested and her eldest son Robb goes to war, she joins her son’s war council. After learning Ned was executed, she vows that the Lannister family will pay for the act with their lives.

She is portrayed by Michelle Fairley.

Eddard “Ned” Stark: The Lord of Winterfell and Warden of the North. Serves as The Hand of the King after Jon Arryn’s death. His sister Lyanna was kidnapped during Robert’s Rebellion. Ned cares little for politics and prefers to rule with honor and law. While investigating the death of Jon Arryn, he uncovers that all of the Queen’s children were fathered by her brother. When he confronts her about it, he gives her a chance to flee before telling the King. Instead she imprisons him and accuses him of trying to steal the throne from Joffrey. After being promised e would serve on the Night’s Watch, Joffrey has him executed.

He was portrayed by Sean Bean.

Bran Stark: The second son and fourth child of Ned and Catelyn. He called his direwolf Summer. He accidently catches the Queen and Jaime during a romp, and Jaime then shoves him out the window almost killing him, and ultimately crippling his legs.

He is portrayed by Isaac Hempstead-Wright.

Robb Stark: The eldest son of Ned and Catelyn and the heir to Winterfell. He named his direwolf Grey Wind. Robb becomes involved in the war against the Lannisters after he father is arrested for treason. He called upon his father’s bannerman and his mother’s allies to lead a war effort against the Lannisters and they successfully capture Jaime. After Ned is executed, the North and the Riverlands declare independence from the Seven Kingdoms and proclaim Robb as their new King.

He is portrayed by Richard Madden.

Sansa Stark: The first daughter and second child of Ned and Catelyn. She is set to become the future bride of Joffrey. She named her direwolf Lady. Sansa lives in a world of naiveté and fairytales. She is unwilling to see the harsh realties of the world around her especially in regards to the politics and rivalries forming. Her world first begins to shatter when Lady is killed and her father is arrested. She becomes a hostage to the Lannisters in order for them to have a claim to the North. She finally sees the world and Joffrey for what it is after he executes her father despite promising her he would spare him. Sansa plans to kill Joffrey to avenge her father.

She is portrayed by Sophie Turner.

Arya Stark: The youngest daughter and third child of Ned and Catelyn. A tomboy through and through. She would rather train with weapons than sew or worry about who she will marry. She named her direwolf Nymeria. She takes sword-fighting lessons from her “dance” teacher Syrio who later manages to help her escape the Lannisters. She disguises herself as an orphan boy by a Night’s Watch recruiter, Yoren, in hopes of getting back to Winterfell.

She is portrayed by Maisie Williams.

Jon Snow: The bastard son of Ned. He joins the Night’s Watch. Ned claimed that his mother was a wet nurse named Wylla. He named his direwolf Ghost because of its albinism and quite nature. He also has the best hair ever seen.

He is portrayed by Kit Harington.

Game of Thrones Refresher Course: The Complex History of Westeros

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The history of Westeros appears to have been going on at least 12,000 years, give or take a few hundred years. Beginning with the time that the First Men appeared with their bronze weapons and their relatively domestic horses.

As always there was a war between them and the Children of the Forest, a diminutive race who lived in harmony with nature and employed powerful magic. However this was resolved when the Pact of the Isle of Faces was created with the First Men taking control of the open lands and the Children remaining in the forests, allowing peace between them for 4,000 years.

Unfortunately, The Pact was weakened after four thousand years by the emergence of the Others, an enigmatic race from the furthermost north, who swept south into Westeros and caused great death and destruction, bringing about a night that lasted a generation and a winter that lasted decades.

Then, as it always happens, the Andals came (roughly 6,000 years ago) and they brought deadly iron weapons, and a brand new religion and with that the slaughtering of children and even more despair.

It is believed that the six southern kingdoms during that time fell to the Andals while the North as we know was not overrun.

Over time six great and powerful kingdoms were forged across Westeros: the Kingdom of the North, the Kingdom of the Iron Islands, the Kingdom of Vale and Sky, the Kingdom of the Rock, the Kingdom of the Storm Kings and the Kingdom of the Reach. A seventh kingdom—that of the Riverlands—was repeatedly conquered by its neighbors and eventually destroyed altogether, while the small desert kingdoms in the far south of Westeros were divided by constant war.

Five centuries later, the expanding Valyrian Freehold had reached the east coast of the Narrow Sea and established links with Westeros, using the island of Dragonstone as a trading port. A century later the Valyrian Freehold was destroyed by a cataclysmic disaster of volcanic eruptions and earthquakes, known as The Doom of Valyria, and resulting in a smoking unstable wasteland of ghosts and legends. The Valyrian family that controlled Dragonstone, the Targaryens, spent a further century in preparing their forces, and then launched a devastating invasion of Westeros under Aegon the Conqueror. Although their forces were small, they had with them the last three dragons in the western world and they were able to use these to overtake the continent. Six of the Seven Kingdoms were conquered in this initial war, but Dorne resisted so fiercely that Aegon agreed to let them remain independent. The Targaryens adopted the native Faith of the Seven (although they still married brother to sister in the ancient Valyrian tradition in defiance of the Faith’s teachings) and Westerosi customs, and within a few decades had crushed all resistance to their rule. Dorne was eventually absorbed through marriage-alliance. The last dragons died out a century and a half into the Targaryen rule, but by this time they had become the ruling power on the continent and their rule was not challenged.

It is said that after the Andals, things in the world began to settle, and became more strictly recorded creating the accepted history.

The oldest histories we have were written after the Andals came to Westeros. The First Men only left us runes on rocks, so everything we think we know about the Age of Heroes and the Dawn Age and the Long Night comes from accounts set down by septons thousands of years later.” (A Feast for Crows)

It should be noted that since the oldest parts of the history were written after the Andals, that everything known before than is merely rumor and hearsay. Legends and stories, and oral histories are what make up the tumultuous years before.

This opens the history up to questions, which does happen with Samwell, who is the first to begin questions the truth behind what is claimed to be history. While pre-Andal history is more than murky and questionable, even the post-Andal world is uncertain when it comes to certain dates and events.

Another problem with the complicated history is that much of the popular history comes from oral stories passed around from troubadours, to travelers, to gossipers all over the world. Did the singers take Aegon the Unworthy’s innuendos about his siblings the Dragonknight and Naerys and turn them into one of the great romances of the Seven Kingdoms? It is probable. While this form of storyteller is quite magical and attention catching, it doesn’t help that things are often exaggerated, and misunderstood which in turn creates a new story for history.

While there is no answer, yet, about why all of a sudden the commonly accepted history is now being questioned, I think we can reasonably assume that this will come up eventually and probably affect everything we have come to accept about the setting of A Song of Ice and Fire.

6th Annual BSC Book Tournament Bracket Finals

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We are finally down to the final four contestants in our 6th Annual BSC Book Tournament.

The winner of both of these match-ups will determine bracket winners as well as who will continue on to our championship.

Our match-ups are:

In the Female Bracket:

1. 21 Erased by Barbara Rayne vs Dark Parties by Sara Grant

In the Global Catastrophe vs the Future Apocalypse bracket:

1. Birthmarked by Caragh O’Brien vs The Eleventh Plague by Jeff Hirsch

The round will continue through April 5th. The championship will begin on April 6th and continue through till April 10th.

If you experience any technical issues with the polling, please email Sarah@boomtron.com with the problem.

“Game of Thrones” Refresher Course: How The Seasons Work

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For new fans of the hit HBO series, “Game of Thrones” things might be a little confusing at first. Everything is foreign (unless you have read the series by George R.R. Martin) and you might need a refresher course on the series.

So, for those who need it: How the seasons work in the world of “Game of Thrones”

The weather is one the first things anyone ever mentions when describing the setting of the book or the series. This is mainly because the weather and seasons of the world plays such a huge role in the lives of everyone who lives there. “Winter is coming” is not merely a weather forecast by House Stark, but a phrase of foreboding and even terror for those who have never seen a winter.

The problem comes with that fact the seasons are hardly predictable. What we do know is that when it is summer in Westeros it is also summer for the rest of hemisphere. The southern hemisphere however, will experience the opposite.

It is unclear what causes the wild unpredictable seasons in the world but with the several theories out and about in the forums, the author of the series has stated simply that it is magic. It seems that magic causes some sort of planet wide force that affects the tilt of the earth or manages the seasons in erratic ways. While many dislike this answer, it is about the best we get for explanation.

When talking about the seasons of the world, the question of measuring years always comes up. Martin has stated that since a year is related by the completion of one revolution around the sun and the seasons are just a minor effect. It is reasonable to assume the Masters of the Citadel are doing a good job keeping up with time using their observations and data using the stars. While this is most definitely a daunting task, it makes sense since the Conclave of the Citadel goes over amassed records before they declare the start of a new season.

Another one of the most popular questions asked is how people are expected to survive a TEN year winter. And even more, how did people previously survive the Long Winter, which was rumored to have lasted a generation? It seems that we won’t know those answers. For starters we don’t know how long the Long Winter really was, but we do know for sure there have been several years long winters in recent memory not to mention they southern hemisphere is experiencing one currently in the series.

However, it seems unlikely that those of the poorer regions, would be able to survive without food stores that could last that long (considering even grain can only be stored for roughly 3 years), or get the proper vitamins and nutrients they need in years and years of winter. The rich and well off could make it, given that they have the resources in place for such winters. But maybe the easiest answer is just to say once again it is magic.

Basically, the famous phrase “Winter in coming” is a terrible omen of the hardships that are to come. Also don’t think too hard about the actually mechanics of the seasons, remember: It’s magic.