...finally finished reading is the second Game of Thrones book.

Why am I saying finally? Because it took me damn ages to do it.


I'm not really sure why, but I can guess the reason behind this. It's probably because I already watched the first two seasons of the show and already know almost everything that would happen in the book, so that took out the element of surprise.

Sure, the book is more complete with a bunch more characters that never appeared in the show, and the benefit of actually knowing the thoughts and emotions behind each character's choice. But then, for me that's not nearly enough.

Still the book was pretty entertaining. I especially loved those moments that brought something new with it, like Jojen and his sister, and the conversations between them and Bran.

I think that the last ideas in my last GoT review will definitely come trough with this. Remember the one where I said that I think that Bran will probably become some kind of mage? Well, being a shapechanger would probably top that up. But then Jon appears to be one too. Or is it just my imagination that tells me this?

Well, I guess I'll find this one out later on.

So what else should I talk about?

I still like and hate the same characters, but I added some new people to the list. For example Jojen and his sister go into the "Liked" category, while Theon in the "Hated" one.

I actually don't know why I hate Theon so much, he's just a kid who doesn't really know what he's doing. The fact still remains, tho, that he's also an asshole. After he was treated all nice by Ned and his family, he goes and does something like this? Well, fuck him.

Asha did a good job with not assisting him in any way.

That sums up the Greyjoys. Now let's follow this up with the Lannisters.

Jaimie's character in this book was almost nonexistent. I was actually looking forward to some banter between him and Brienne, but this didn't happen. A shame, really. Brienne is kind of cool, even tho in the book she seems like just a love-sick puppy, while in the series she's a badass.

Tyrion, one of my favorite characters was actually kind of boring too. Sure, he managed to ferret out some traitors and outwit some other people, but for some reason - I think because there was so much filler in the books - all of these didn't seem to make the huge impact he had in the series. The ending with his injury wasn't as emotional either. The movie makes him really devoted to Shae, but in the book Tyrion seemed to me only obsessed with the idea of someone telling him she loved him. He is still hung up on that other whore he married. I can understand this, really, I can, but at some point it gets really boring.

Cersei is the same asshole she is in the show - only in different ways. While in the show she admits that Joffrey is insane and that she is afraid, in the end she is still a sadistic bitch. In the book I didn't see this remorse  at all. Also I hate her because she is clearly also insane for actually bedding once again a family member - it seems she doesn't really learn ANYTHING from past encounters. Tho I don't really understand my revulsion at this, and not at that episode where Jon and the others come across that guy who makes his daughter his wives and kills every son of his. Sick, but somehow that one made sense... Wonder why.

Joffrey was once again a character I wanted to see more in the books. I realized that as much as I hate him, I also can't wait to see where his insanity ends. I'm kind of morbid like that. I actually missed some of the war scenes where he whimpered like a little girl too, but the scene where he scratches his arm on the iron throne and then cries for his momma made me snort in amusement. Also, did I miss something, or was there really no scene in the book with him and those two whores Tyrion gets him. I know that Tyrion discussed it at some point, but I don't think he ever went trough with it. I hope I didn't miss this one, because it was one hell of a scene in the show... it made me want to vomit. Good scene. Good, I tell you.

So, who else?

Sansa is still a whiny little girl. Altho in the show it seemed like they omitted the whole - I'm so happy I'm free, oh fuck, Joffrey's gonna bed me anyway- scene. I also think that Renly's wife - who will now apparently become Joffrey's wife- will be a pretty badass character. Though there isn't much about her yet in the books, the things the series showed and the book only hinted- at show that she is about as ruthless in pursuing what she wants as Cersei. Well, almost.

Robb was also almost nonexistent in the book. Well, I got a few hints at what he was doing, but only from the rumors other characters seemed to share, and the thoughts that go around in Arya's head. Catelyn seemed to step it up a little since the last book, tho.

Reading about her interaction with Jaimie was pretty cool - though I'm not sure that it was because of her, or Jaimie (probably Jaimie). I also find it kinda cruel that she thinks her sons are dead - I don't remember this one on the show, but I guess it IS logical.

But back to Robb.

Since the show decided to put in some random girl, I was also expecting to see how this goes down in the book. Apparently, though nothing of the sorts happened - and i'm pretty glad of it, cause I find there are already enough triangles in the story (I'm not saying LOVE triangles, because there isn't exactly any love going on in there... mostly just lust, obsession and hunger for power, but still...).

Jon's side of the story seemed to have a couple of differences too, and I really wanted to see more of Sam too - who, after the run-in with Gilly seemed to disappear. Which brings me to another question: in the series I seem to remember that Sam took Gilly with them anyway, but in the book there was no mention of this happening. Am I wrong, I wonder? It WAS quite a while since I watched the series, after all, my memories of it might have suffered.

Also Ygritte was pretty badass in the series, while in the book there really wasn't much to say about her. I really missed the whole part where they were supposed to run around, with the girl telling dick jokes every five seconds.

All right, onward now. Bran is starting to become more interesting now, tho I still find Rickon pretty annoying. I actually cheered when in the book they split up, even though I liked Osha. Also, this ending kind of reminds me LOTR with three kids having to walk around practically unprotected. For some reason they make me think of the damn hobbits, which isn't a good thing considering that I hated the damn hobbits.

I have the feeling that they will make the third season that way so Bran, Rickon and Osha run into Jojen and his sister just like that and decide to part ways from there on. (I really don't understand why they didn't include the two kids in the series until now)

And this leaves us with Arya, who is still pretty awesome. Her side of the story went down also a bit differently than what I remember, but this time, instead of the book being disappointing, I think her character is even better than the series. I also can't wait for her to meet up with H'ghar once again. H'ghar was awesome. The fact that the book made her escape along with Hot Pie and Gendry was pretty lame, tho. All right, so Gendry seemed like a nice enough guy, but Hot Pie? Really? I think he is really unnecessary, and he will just make her life even harder than it already is.

Oh, I almost forgot about Dany.

She is once again one of those characters that seemed a lot more interesting to me in the show. I wanted to see more out of her storyline, I wanted to find out more about the blue-lipped wizards, the red-covered guys and especially more about the dragons. Instead I got a whole lot of whining about not having money, an army or ships - and a bunch of egotistical observations about how men don't want anything else but to fuck her for her dragons. I dearly hope it will get better.

Which brings me to what I hope I will see in the third season/book.

First of all, I want to see more of Arya. It's kinda annoying to only read the book, just to get to her parts.

I want to see more of the lands Dany is stuck in. For some reason they seem kind of cool, with all that desert and richness, and the Dothraki, who remind me of the Huns (I wonder if they were the inspiration, actually).

I want to see more zombies. All right, I'm not a huge zombie fan, but white walker seem to have something special in them. A mystery that makes me want to learn a whole bunch of other things. For example, why do they only come out in winter? Why are there so many of them up north, where it seems to me there shouldn't even be that man people because of the cold? Was that part of this world sometime in the past nice and warm? How do they come to life? Is there a wizard who commands them, or some curse that summons them? What do they want? Who is their leader? Can they speak, or think for themselves, or are they just mindless freaks with only instincts to serve them? Damn, there's so many questions about them...

Which brings me to all the magic part of the series. I want to see more of it. How does it work, who has magic, and which magic is good - since as far as we saw, every magic trick seemed to be evil till now. Do all the Starks have latent magic powers? Is shapeshifting a magical power, or does that only occur in their dreams? Will they really be able to become a wolf, or do they only have the ability to possess them? (I bet that this particular trait comes from the Native Americans...)

How about the dragons? Will they have a bigger part? It seems pretty boring to have only three of them, and all of them babies still. Shouldn't people now try to gather all the real dragon eggs to give to Dany to hatch them? I would certainly do that. Also, when was the last time that dragons were hatched? I mean, if she could hatch them from seemingly petrified eggs, doesn't that mean that all petrified eggs could be hatched? In fact, why didn't anyone know that petrified eggs could be hatched, weren't dragons pretty popular for some time? Didn't anyone see a dragon hatch its egg before? How did Dany's ancestors acquire them then? They HAD to have them since they were babies, otherwise they couldn't have been trained to serve them.

Also, what's so special about Dany? What makes her be the only one to be able to train the dragons? Is this like the ability to talk with serpents in Harry Potter? Just conveniently put there, so the hero would possess a pretty interesting, and unbeatable power?

Also, in the book Dany seems like a little brat with her way to not ever listen to whatever she is told. Will she ever grow up, and finally think everything trough? Will she be able to finally travel to the other continent? What exactly is her plan once she gets there? Does she want revenge? Is she just power hungry and only want to be the queen? Will she ever meet up with Arya? (Oh, I wish this would happen, possibly if Arya actually goes to Braavos and meets up with H'ghar... I want Arya to become a badass rogue assassin).

I also want to see more insanity from Joffrey. I want to have even more of a reason to hate him.

Hmm, I think this would be all of it for now. All in all, I have to say that it wasn't a bad read. It was just a bit boring in some points, but this might be only because either I didn't like the character or because I already knew what will happen. Hopefully this won't happen in the third book anymore - and hopefully I will be able to finish that one a lot faster than this.
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