Spoiler-Free Answers from Readers

Hyzepher

Now that the battle of Blackwater is over, can anyone explain what this chain thing is and what it did in the books?

Tenger

Hyzepher wrote: »

Now that the battle of Blackwater is over, can anyone explain what this chain thing is and what it did in the books?

Historically many ports/harbours had chain booms to block them in time of war/raiding/attack. The theory is that a ship cannot sail into/out of the harbour while the chain is raised.

An example from late 1700's USA can be read about here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hudson_River_Chain

In Games of Throne terms, Tyrion knew about the wildfire and knew how dangerous it was to use. They knew that Stannis would attack using his large fleet. So the tactic was to allow the ships to enter the harbour, raise the chain behind them and then unleash the wildfire. The ships would be trapped by the chain and/or unable to manoeuvre to avoid the wildfire.

Tigger

CastorTroy wrote: »

"Of course Ned didn't die but he was sneaked off into hiding" in the first book when that doesn't get revealed until season 3.

:eek:

Professional Griefer

People have been saying not to google the Rains Of Castamere cause it has spoilers for next season. Was there any significance for it been played at the end of that episode?

DL Saint

Ix Deadmau5 wrote: »

People have been saying not to google the Rains Of Castamere cause it has spoilers for next season. Was there any significance for it been played at the end of that episode?

Maybe just cause it symbolizes Lannister victory?

Professional Griefer

DL Saint wrote: »

Maybe just cause it symbolizes Lannister victory?

Tenger

Ix Deadmau5 wrote: »

People have been saying not to google the Rains Of Castamere cause it has spoilers for next season. Was there any significance for it been played at the end of that episode?

I'm going to be careful here.

The 'Rains of Castamere' (as a song) gives nothing away about the future paths of the series. However I can see how by reading about the song you may stumble upon a spoiler for Season 3.

In the background the song essentially says "don't mess with the Lannisters or you will be wiped out" So its use in this episode is perfectly placed to tie up the 1st half of the War of 5 Kings.

(Lannisters always pay their debts)

mikemac1

Hyzepher wrote: »

Now that the battle of Blackwater is over, can anyone explain what this chain thing is and what it did in the books?

For an Irish example a chain was used across the Foyle in the siege of Derry.

There are some documentaries up on youtube and they recreate this

Professional Griefer

So what did the readers think of that season?
Did it follow the book closely? I remember reading that they kept fairly tight with the 1st book, but this season they veered a bit.
Where does season 2 stop? Is it at the end of ACOK or does it go into the next one?

Sleepy

Season 2 has stopped pretty much exactly where A Clash of Kings ends.

The show has deviated quite a bit from the books this season and to varying effect: Dany's story has been made more interesting, Jon's has been thoroughly rushed, Robb's far more in focus in the series but the woman he's married is a completely different character to the girl he married in the books, some characters have been left out completely, others we know we're going to meet next season instead of this season when they should have been introduced.

By and large, I and the majority of readers seem to be happy with the series as a stand-alone thing at this stage. There are a significant number of purists who aren't overly happy with some of the changes maintaining they're changes for changes sake and, while I can see they have some valid points, I don't see them as being damaging enough to the overall story for it to take away from my enjoyment of it. There's also the few cranks who think the show's been ruined due to things the rest of us can see are clearly necessary due to budget and time constraints.

9 months to wait gives ye non readers plenty of time to catch up for next season!

Funglegunk

Sleepy wrote: »

There's also the few cranks who think the show's been ruined due to things the rest of us can see are clearly necessary due to budget and time constraints.

I'm often tempted to break my one rule and use the rolly eyes smiley whenever I see people doing this. Haven't succumbed yet though!

fitz

Funglegunk wrote: »

I'm often tempted to break my one rule and use the rolly eyes smiley whenever I see people doing this. Haven't succumbed yet though!

It's just silly.

The books are still the same, a TV show can't ruin that reading experience, so just enjoy the TV show as a TV show that's telling the same story. Not every scene from the books can be included. If people think it's been ruined by the changes they should just stop watching.

As it stands, I've started sticking them on my Ignore list so I don't have to read through endless moaning about the slightest deviations. Makes this forum far more readable!

podgemonster

fitz wrote: »

It's just silly.

The books are still the same, a TV show can't ruin that reading experience, so just enjoy the TV show as a TV show that's telling the same story. Not every scene from the books can be included. If people think it's been ruined by the changes they should just stop watching.

As it stands, I've started sticking them on my Ignore list so I don't have to read through endless moaning about the slightest deviations. Makes this forum far more readable!

Ah ya the slating of the show for deviating from the book is ridiculous. The undertaking of this show alone is enormous and yet they find find the slightest altercation and immediately paint the entire series as crap.

I envision some to sit in front of a tv with a notepad and pen ready listing the mistakes and changes in fury rather than actually putting their feet up and enjoying the show for what it is. And what it is, is Brilliant!

Sleepy

Am I the only one who thinks "cool, they're doing this bit different..."?

I like the differences, sure they don't always work for the better, but it adds a layer of anticipation that's missing for us readers in the bits that stick rigidly to the books.

fitz

Sleepy wrote: »

Am I the only one who thinks "cool, they're doing this bit different..."?

I like the differences, sure they don't always work for the better, but it adds a layer of anticipation that's missing for us readers in the bits that stick rigidly to the books.

No, I'm the same.
Though I sometimes end up thinking the deviation didn't add anything or whatever, I don't have an immediate negative reaction, and am always interested in how they're going to interpret things.

Mr Freeze

Sleepy wrote: »

Am I the only one who thinks "cool, they're doing this bit different..."?

I like the differences, sure they don't always work for the better, but it adds a layer of anticipation that's missing for us readers in the bits that stick rigidly to the books.

Some differences are definitely better, the rest I don't complain about.

Better differences include showing Stannis leading the attack on the Mud Gate, where in the books he was way back commanding the attack.

I think The House of the Undying was an improvement too, better that they were trying to keep her there with the visions, rather than showing us 20 something visions, some of which if shown on screen could have caused the non book readers to put 2 and 2 together for upcoming events.

I don't mind what they do differently, as long as the characters seem to end up in roughly the same places they do in the books, like the end of Season 2 is practically on par with the books.

golfball37

Can any of the book readers tell me how the system of Ravens works?

IE- How do the birds know where to carry the message?

Mr Freeze

golfball37 wrote: »

Can any of the book readers tell me how the system of Ravens works?

IE- How do the birds know where to carry the message?

GRRM has stated the following on the matter. LINK.

Sir Digby Chicken Caesar

http://awoiaf.westeros.org/index.php/Raven

Mr Freeze

Works the same as a carrier pigeon really.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carrier_pigeon

Mickeroo

Still on book 1, Skyrim has slowed my progress somewhat

I'm seeing The Children of the Forest getting mentioned a lot, though I hd no recollection of them being mentioned in the series. I'm just wondering, were they basically Elves? Slowly got pushed out of the world by men and the decline of magic, similar to whats happening in LOTR?

Sleepy

They certainly seem quite similar to my reading...