Post by alienfetucine on Mar 12, 2009 16:10:18 GMT -5
Apart from the horrible writing schedule of the author, George R.R. Martin, one of the greatest series on the planet. With only 4 books currently out.
The books are, in chronological order:
A Game of Thrones
A Clash of Kings
A Storm of Swords
A Feast for Crows
There are also several short stories.
The story takes place (mostly) on the continent of Westeros, as well as several parts of the Free Cities, a collection of independant city-states on a continent a short ocean away.
The central story is full of politicking, black-and-gray morality, and generally the screwing-over of every heroic character type ever, and the schemeing evil bastards winning at virtually every turn.
It begins in A Game of Thrones, when the King on the Iron Throne, Robert Baratheon, comes up north to visit his ol' pal, Ned Stark. He proceeds to make Ned the King's Hand, essentially a Grand Vizier who does the actual running of the kingdom.
Most of the book is taken up by setting up for the following books and Ned's investigation of what happened to the previous King's Hand, Jon Arryn.
It ends with a false king on the throne, 4 other kings rising in rebellion, and Ned Stark dead as a dodo because of his "honor".
It proceeds to get worse.
A Clash of Kings and A Storm of Swords are generally considered the highpoints of the series, with A Feast for Crows considered the worst in the series. This is because the author split the 4th book in half, and, instead of just taking what he had and splitting it in the middle, rewrote the book so it told the entire story for the characters that pretty much no one likes.
Families and Characters include:
[glow=white,2,300]House Stark:[/glow]
House Words: Winter is Coming.
The rulers of Winterfell, the northernmost civilized castle in Westeros. Characters include:
Jon Snow, bastard of Ned Stark and an unknown woman. Immensely badass. Has an albino wolf named Ghost.
Lines: He doesn't need no lines. He's that badass.
Robb Stark, first son of Ned and Catelyn Stark. The King in the North.
Lines: Erm. >.> Book 3. Just... Book 3. <.<
Arya Stark, daughter of Ned and Catelyn Stark. A ten-year-old girl. Who manages to be more badass than her father and all her brothers but Jon combined.
Lines:
Valar Morghulis.
Fear cuts deeper than swords.
[glow=yellow,2,300]House Lannister[/glow]
House Words: Hear Me Roar!
An incredibly rich family, with an ancestral home of Casterly Rock. Cersei Lannister is the current Regent, until her son Tommen comes of age. Characters include:
Jaime Lannister, Lord Commander of the Kingsguard. Due to the 4th book, possibly the single most awesome character in the series.
Lines:
The things I do for love.
"My sister outdid herself, I'm told. Seventy-seven courses and a regicide, never a wedding like it."
[He] had wanted to be Ser Arthur Dayne, but someplace along the way he had become the Smiling Knight instead.
"You've seen our numbers, Edmure. You've seen the ladders, the towers, the trebuchets, the rams. If I speak the command, my coz will bridge your moat and break your gate. Hundreds will die, most of them your own. Your former bannermen will make up the first wave of attackers, so you'll start your day by killing the fathers and brothers of men who died for you at the Twins. The second wave will be Freys, I have no lack of those. My westermen will follow when your archers are short of arrows and your knights so weary they can hardly lift their blades. When the castle falls, all those inside will be put to the sword. Your herds will be butchered, your godswood will be felled, yourr keeps and towers will burn. I'll pull your walls down, and divert the Tumblestone over the ruins. By the time I'm done no man will ever know that a castle once stood there." Jaime got to his feet. "Your wife may whelp before that. You'll want your child, I expect. I'll send him to you when he's born. With a trebuchet."
Tyrion Lannister, known as The Imp, a dwarf. Wisecracking Magnificent Bastard, who also manages to be a serious character. And it works.
Lines:
Tyrion: What sort of man do you take me for?
Cersei: A small and twisted one.
"In the dark, I am the Knight of Flowers."
"They say I'm half a man! What does that make all of you?" (Right before riding out nearly single-handedly against 10,000+ enemies.)
Joffrey Baratheon, King on the Iron Throne. Son of Robert Baratheon and Cersei Lannister. Massive jerkass, general villain.
Lines: "I'll get you with child as soon as you're able. If the first one is stupid, I'll chop off your head and find a smarter wife. When do you think you'll be able to have children?"
[glow=red,2,300]House Targaryen[/glow]
House Words: Fire and Blood
The previous rulers of Westeros. It's been repeatedly said that they had a pretty much 50/50 shot at being a magnificent ruler or a crazy bastard. Also, twincest. A lot.
Daenerys Targaryen, last surviving member of House Targaryen. Sister of Viserys, the Beggar King. Exiled to the Free Cities following Robert's Rebellion, which ended Targaryen rule.
Lines: Most things she says are awesome.
The books are, in chronological order:
A Game of Thrones
A Clash of Kings
A Storm of Swords
A Feast for Crows
There are also several short stories.
The story takes place (mostly) on the continent of Westeros, as well as several parts of the Free Cities, a collection of independant city-states on a continent a short ocean away.
The central story is full of politicking, black-and-gray morality, and generally the screwing-over of every heroic character type ever, and the schemeing evil bastards winning at virtually every turn.
It begins in A Game of Thrones, when the King on the Iron Throne, Robert Baratheon, comes up north to visit his ol' pal, Ned Stark. He proceeds to make Ned the King's Hand, essentially a Grand Vizier who does the actual running of the kingdom.
Most of the book is taken up by setting up for the following books and Ned's investigation of what happened to the previous King's Hand, Jon Arryn.
It ends with a false king on the throne, 4 other kings rising in rebellion, and Ned Stark dead as a dodo because of his "honor".
It proceeds to get worse.
A Clash of Kings and A Storm of Swords are generally considered the highpoints of the series, with A Feast for Crows considered the worst in the series. This is because the author split the 4th book in half, and, instead of just taking what he had and splitting it in the middle, rewrote the book so it told the entire story for the characters that pretty much no one likes.
Families and Characters include:
[glow=white,2,300]House Stark:[/glow]
House Words: Winter is Coming.
The rulers of Winterfell, the northernmost civilized castle in Westeros. Characters include:
Jon Snow, bastard of Ned Stark and an unknown woman. Immensely badass. Has an albino wolf named Ghost.
Lines: He doesn't need no lines. He's that badass.
Robb Stark, first son of Ned and Catelyn Stark. The King in the North.
Lines: Erm. >.> Book 3. Just... Book 3. <.<
Arya Stark, daughter of Ned and Catelyn Stark. A ten-year-old girl. Who manages to be more badass than her father and all her brothers but Jon combined.
Lines:
Valar Morghulis.
Fear cuts deeper than swords.
[glow=yellow,2,300]House Lannister[/glow]
House Words: Hear Me Roar!
An incredibly rich family, with an ancestral home of Casterly Rock. Cersei Lannister is the current Regent, until her son Tommen comes of age. Characters include:
Jaime Lannister, Lord Commander of the Kingsguard. Due to the 4th book, possibly the single most awesome character in the series.
Lines:
The things I do for love.
"My sister outdid herself, I'm told. Seventy-seven courses and a regicide, never a wedding like it."
[He] had wanted to be Ser Arthur Dayne, but someplace along the way he had become the Smiling Knight instead.
"You've seen our numbers, Edmure. You've seen the ladders, the towers, the trebuchets, the rams. If I speak the command, my coz will bridge your moat and break your gate. Hundreds will die, most of them your own. Your former bannermen will make up the first wave of attackers, so you'll start your day by killing the fathers and brothers of men who died for you at the Twins. The second wave will be Freys, I have no lack of those. My westermen will follow when your archers are short of arrows and your knights so weary they can hardly lift their blades. When the castle falls, all those inside will be put to the sword. Your herds will be butchered, your godswood will be felled, yourr keeps and towers will burn. I'll pull your walls down, and divert the Tumblestone over the ruins. By the time I'm done no man will ever know that a castle once stood there." Jaime got to his feet. "Your wife may whelp before that. You'll want your child, I expect. I'll send him to you when he's born. With a trebuchet."
Tyrion Lannister, known as The Imp, a dwarf. Wisecracking Magnificent Bastard, who also manages to be a serious character. And it works.
Lines:
Tyrion: What sort of man do you take me for?
Cersei: A small and twisted one.
"In the dark, I am the Knight of Flowers."
"They say I'm half a man! What does that make all of you?" (Right before riding out nearly single-handedly against 10,000+ enemies.)
Joffrey Baratheon, King on the Iron Throne. Son of Robert Baratheon and Cersei Lannister. Massive jerkass, general villain.
Lines: "I'll get you with child as soon as you're able. If the first one is stupid, I'll chop off your head and find a smarter wife. When do you think you'll be able to have children?"
[glow=red,2,300]House Targaryen[/glow]
House Words: Fire and Blood
The previous rulers of Westeros. It's been repeatedly said that they had a pretty much 50/50 shot at being a magnificent ruler or a crazy bastard. Also, twincest. A lot.
Daenerys Targaryen, last surviving member of House Targaryen. Sister of Viserys, the Beggar King. Exiled to the Free Cities following Robert's Rebellion, which ended Targaryen rule.
Lines: Most things she says are awesome.