I will begin this second record of my reading of the Clash of Kings, the second volume in the George Martin series of Fire and Ice books after watching the fourth episode of the TV series the Game of Thrones, season two, not from page 54 which concerns Ayra once more but with pages 138-149 on the story of Daenerys Targaryen my favourite of the female characters although Ayra Stark comes a close second.
On seeing the comet Daenerys is convinced it is a sign that her time has come following her emergence from the fire of her husband’s funeral pyre and the hatchings of the dragons from their eggs. Where would she go? Ser Jorah Mormont her adviser now appointed to head her paltry Queensguard was clear, there was only one direction to travel if she was not to be destroyed by those who never accepted her or would now do anything to acquire the three only living dragons in the known world, albeit fledglings without their potential power.
Unlike the TV series the book is explicit on the extent to which the weak in her party commence to die, the old men, the young infants and how everyone suffered from the lack of food and water. She protected the dragons by searing the dead horseflesh and the creatures consumed several times their weight each day, growing in size and strength. The remaining follows retained their belief in her and never questioned her decisions because of what had happened
Just when everyone commenced to fear for their immediate future they came across and empty ruined city but here they found cold water, food and shelter to replenish themselves. Some were hesitant about staying long fearing the place was full of ghosts. It is at this point that the books parts company with the TV series for in the latter they send out riders in each direction to find the best way to go and one returns saying he reached a city on the shore and they had promised a welcome having heard who she is and that she was the mother of dragons. In the book representatives of the city, of the thirteen who governed this city come to Daenerys and ask to see the dragons. In the TV series she approaches the city where all the thirteen wait and demand to see the dragons and when she refuses insisting that her people must enter and be fed and given water first they make as to return and close the gates. One of their numbers dissents and uses his position to act a surety for her and thus she and her party are allowed to enter. My feel us that her story, her role in the series will take time to develop and emerge.
It is therefore to Ayra Stark that I turn next on way to the Wall in secret dressed and shorn to appear a boy (50-59). There is a good description of the state of Kingdom as they travel north and they encounter a posse of Kingsguard on a mission from the Queen to find a boy. The eldest surviving illegitimate son of the late King’s eight known illegitimate offspring brought up as the son of a blacksmith. Ayra who is out of sight thinks they come for her.
The group of thirty orphans, villains and volunteers is led by Yoren the leader of the Crows, those with the power to recruit for the Night Watch. They manage to get the upper hand of the men and send them packing but with the threat that on return they will have the disobedient Night Watch group leader. Ayra has also shows her defiance and lack of fear at the three men who are shackled and caged.
In a second scene (100-108) the position threatened when
they narrowly miss encountering remnants of a battle without knowing which side the men are fighting, They are forced to lie low one night with fires, and short of food the water is said to have the taste of rotting bodies upstream. Ayra is confronted by wolves when she needs to relieve herself. She is miserable, dirty and misses her family and home. The third piece (156-167) brings the story up to the end of the fourth episode in the new series. The group of 30 destined for the Night Watch come across a deserted town where nearby they had hoped to find boats to cross the water. Here they shelter against the instinct of Ayra. Before the night is done they are surrounded by a troop of Tyrion‘s men acting for the said true King Joffrey they say and insisting they yield their secure place while the rest of town is burning.
The group resist when the battle appears lost, Yoren presses Ayra to take the other children away but while she endeavours to do this the men enchained plead with her to set them free. She provides them with an axe before getting into the tunnel of escape. However as they felt this was safe from all the death and fire above ground she hears a noise as the tunnel fills with hot smoke and dust so she bends down to the mud which she kisses and cries, trying to hold her breath. Throughout the ordeal her journey north she has clutched the special sword, “needle” given to her by half brother Jon Snow to whom she had become the closest attached during their childhood together.
Jon as I have said elected to becme a member of the Night Watch after his uncle had taken him to the Wall before disappearing believed dead on an expeidition through the tunnel into the wilding country on the other side. Jon had wanted to leave on learning what had happened to his father and other family members but had stayed after saving the life of the leader of the Night Watch and being appointed his squire.
He is anxious about the expedition beyond the wall that will follow a day of fasting which he admits to gently Sam Samwell Tarly, also a Steward appointed such because neither the fighting skills and abilities to become Rangers, and who had disappeared over night having been sent to the Libary to find some maps for places they would be going. The young man had become so absorbed with the treasures that he had lost all sense of time and of his need of food before the journey commenced. Jon who knew of books kept by his father was not impressed failing to appreiate what books have to offer, This was not to be a small expedition but involve three hundred men, with three quarters of them Rangers.
An interesting revelation reflecting the position of those who take the vow of celibacy is that two of their young friends who were “recruited” and trained at The same time, had gone to enjoy the company of professional ladies of the night. Jon resisted sayng that he had taken the vow, of celibacy.
A new party of recruits arrives at the Wall led by another of the Crows, with news of those outside, especially that Robb, his half brother, has been proclaimed King of the North and there is speculation about this on the eventual life which Robb will lead compared to that of Jon his older but illegitimate half brother. Robb who has declared there is no shame in being afraid of what they will confront on the expedition admits to be troubled by this news but he tells the Old Bear as Ser Jeor Mormont is known, the Commander of the Night Watch, I be troubled but “ keep my vows.” (69-78)
(150-155) Jon then comments on his travels with Mormont as they pass from the tunnel to the land beyond the wall and finds that the villages are deserted of the wildings, the people of these lands. Mormont insists that they continue to journey north to find a lake shown on one of the maps where they will camp and perhaps catch fish for their supper. There was a sense of an enemy being out there which Mormont promised to find, or as John thought in silence, “they find us.”
Back at the fortress home of the Starks the second bother, Bran (179-190) is effectively in charge despite his disabilities cause by Jaime Lannister at the instigation of his lover and twin sister Queen Cersei. He is required to entertain Lord Wyman Manderly the second son of the Lord of White Harbour. He had come to argue that with sufficient gold he could build a navy within a year for sufficient size to take Kings Landing and the Dragonstone. He also suggested that they use the Harbour to build a mint so that Robb would have his own coin.
There is much talk about forging alliance to build up the strength of the new Kingdom but Bran is still troubled by the memories of his fall and the nightmares which continue to beset him.
His reluctant care mother, Catelyn who husband had never spoken to him or her about his birth mother. She was proud that her first born now wore a crown, specially made as the original was lost, and he only a boy of fifteen years. Under the guidance of his mother King Robb, Robert Stark, given the name of his father best friend and former King of the Seven Kingdoms, has entrusted one of the prisoners from the House of Frey with a special mission.
We had met Walder Frey senior during the first season when he had allowed Robb and his men to the use the Crossing short cut and agreed to recognise his cause on the understanding that when the fighting was done Robb would marry one of the man‘s daughters from his eight wives. As part of the deal Ayra had been betrothed a nine year old son of his seventh wife and where Olyvar of the Freys had bcome squire to Robb and where a grandson of the fourth wife Big Walder had become a fostered ward to Catelyn while a grand son of his third wife was also fostered and a ward of Lady Catelyn, known as Little Walder. Despite this entwined connection and agreement to support the cause of the Starks against the Lannisters, one of the sons of first the wife, had married the sister of Tywin Lannister, father of Queen Cersei, twin brother Ser Jamie and the new Kings Hand Tyrion and their son Cleos had fought and been captured by Robb along with Queen Cersei’s twin brother Ser Jaime.
It is Cleos who is asked to volunteer to take the terms of a peace to Joffrey at Kings landing accompanied by a retinue of thrity of Robb’s best men. First he is made a knight and then asked to vow that after delivering the message to Queen Cersei he would return remaining a prisoner. In exchange for his two sisters and the ending of the betrothal to Joffrey Robb stated he would release two of the Queens other cousins now in his captivity. He required the remains of his father and those of the men who died with him to be returned together with his father’s sword. There would then be an exchange of prisoners except for Jaime who would be kept until all was resolved to ensure good faith. He would then be released upon the acceptance that he was reognised by them as the King of the North. They would also yield ten high born hostages who would be treated as guests and released two a year to secure the peace.
Having set this action in train Rob suggests that his mother should become his envoy gaining support from the Lords for more men and also to help him decide which of the Frey girls he should marry. Catelyn then heard news that the Lannisters were raising another army and concludes that she needed to try and gain the support of of the former Kings brothers-the Lord Renly and the Lord Stannis (79-89)
Meanwhile back at Kings Landing Tyrion is already fast at work in his appointed role of the King’s hand when he approaches the Master of the City Watch Ser Janos Slynt and explains that the head of the Night Watch expressed concern to Tyrion on his visit that he had no one to succeed him. The Hand had decided that Janos would join the Watch with view to becoming its Commander and that his family would be provided for.
Ser Janos explodes with resentment sayng that the Queen and King Joffrey would not agree. It was Janos who had put Lord Stark to the sword despite Tyrion and father wanting to use the man as a bargaining counter and it was Ser Janos who was responsible for the carrying out of the order to murder the children of the late King including the child of the whore at the brothel run by Lord Petyr Baelish, known as Littlefinger, the Master of the Coin in the house of the Lannisters and who had always coveted Catelyn Stark.
Ser Janos then finds that Tyrion is well prepared for this reaction and has the newly appointed replacement at head of the City Watch, ready to escort Ser Janos an his trusted men to a ship waiting to take them north to the Wall. Tyrion later speculates how Queen Cersei will take the news that has taken command of the City Watch without consulting her.
He is also approached by Lord Varys, the Eunuch, some call Spider because of the web of intrigue surrounding him through his spies and information gatherers as Council member. He is inclined to appear all things to all men but he has his uses on providing some valuable information that in addition to the now murdered baby of the former kings there is another, a son and older. Tyrion also appreciate of some of the advice and thoughts of the Spider, particular that power resides where men believes it resides no more no less. It is a shadow on a wall but Lord Varys adds that a small man can cast a very large shadow (90-100).
It was Grand Maester Pycelle of the Council who brought the news of the letters circulated by Lord Stannis denouncing the King and his mother (168-178) the queen was full of rage which amused Tyrion because what was being said was true. She fumed that she was being accused of being a whore, something which Tyrion points out was not being claimed, he does not say you were paid for bedding your brother he wickedly fanned the flames. Nor could he see any point in burning all the letters as the claims were now already generally known throughout the Seven Kingdoms.
The queen now wanted the Council to issue an edict that anyone heard repeating the claims would have his tongue removed. Tyrion successfully argues that this would only give credence to the talk and suggests a different approach with the counter accusation that the daughter of Stannis comes from a union between his wife and the court fool. Later at his residence Lord Varys explains that the real problem is that the three children of the Queen are faired headed while the known eight illegitimate children of the King were all dark haired thus giving credence to the charges against the Queen and the illegitimacy of Joffrey. Something which was still being kept from him.
Tyrion (192-204) is holding a kind of court hearing petitions delivers personally deciding who to see and who not, revealing a mixture of common sense thoughtful diplomacy and personal prejudices which could quickly appear to have been counter productive as when a visitor from the Wall is held in virtual captivity because Tyrion disliked the man on his visit without first learning why the man come all this way with a decaying hand in a jar.
He encounters the Queen who is on her way inspecting he defences at the gates and again calls on Tyrion to call on their father to bring his army to defend the city, because of the news that Lord Renly with the power of Storm End and Highgarden is approaching the city with allegedly one hundred thousand men. Tyrion is sceptical about the numbers and the immediate intentions of Renly who he believes is playing a waiting game in the hope that either Robb will defeat the South which will be handed over without shedding the blood of Renly’s men or they will be so weakened throught the protracted conflict that Renly will be able to Kings Landing with the minimum of casualties on his side. He is more concerned that he other brother Stannis would take to his ships they would be sandwiched between the sea and the advancing Renly.
He then confers with Lord Baelish and we learn something of how the man rose to power and his ongoing skill in making money for himself, making appointments which secure his position and avoiding offending anyone who might threaten his situation. To him Tyrion discloses his plan to but the neutrality of the wife of the previous Hand to the former King by betrothing his niece to her son and giving the girl to the woman in the meantime has her ward. Baelish speculates on the reaction of the Queen to this.
The action then moves to the Kingdom of Dragonstone and the influence of the woman Melisandre over the Lord Stannis who would be King not just of the South but all the Seven Kingdoms. The story is viewed through the eyes of the former smuggler Davos now given the place of Maester Cressen who had sacrificed his life in the hope of
ending that of Melisandre and her influence over Lord Stannis. It was she responsible for the burning of alleged enemies as a form of sacrifice to gain support for the cause. It was she who had arrange the theatrical seizing of a flaming sword from one of the fires by Stannis who had had been protected in advance by a padded gauntlet so as to be proclaim that he would fulfil an ancient prophecy that there would come one who would draw a sword from fire who would be the Warrior of Light, the son of fire, the Light bringer, once more to rule and bring his people to their proper place.
It Davos when arranging the ships that news comes that the brother of Stannis, Renly is aso taking to the road in his own cause accompanied by his wife. (I08 -120)
It is not clear how important and what role Theon is to play (121-137) of the House of Greyjoy and who at the age of ten years had been surrendered by his father to Robert Baratheon and given to be a ward of Robert Stark brought up alongside his brothers. He an envoy of Robb to gave to his father a parchment seeking his assistance in the war against Joffrey and the South. He is not a nice man having seduced the captain’s daughter, a maiden, on the voyage and then abandoned her as soon as his homeland shore is sighted.
The TV series introduced one change from the book in that at the he is offered assistance by one who he assumes is a local girl and therefore open to his sexual advances only to discover this is older sister on arrival at the castle keep. In fact in the book he is greeted by another relative aware of his arrival and visit purpose as is his father. His father ridicules the dress and ornaments of his son and then burns the parchment saying he has no intention of siding with the family of those that killed his two brothers. He has plans of his own which will lead him to being king again but for the moment he refuses to disclose to his the son why he has gathered his ships in the bay.
Monday 30 April 2012
Sunday 29 April 2012
A Game of Thrones 2 A Clash of Kings to page 53
I should be completing my reading of Le Carré’s Russia House but the pull of the second series of Game of Thrones with the first two episodes watched before the trip to London and the third and fourth upon my return led to commencing to read the opening chapters of A Clash of Kings, the second of the George R R Martin monster volumes of his series A Song of Ice and Fire with seven volumes in all but with one in two parts and each having at least 700 pages.
It is a good test of the effectiveness of the 10 episode first series and my reading and writing of the first volume as to how much I now remember. There were three principal groups in the first series.
The Stark family are the chosen family to represent integrity, loyalty, justice and honour. The family are happy and content together living in their stronghold Winterfell in a long period of unprecedented peace which appears to have been created through the reign of the King who lives at Kings Landing in the South. He and Lord Stark were close friends who fought to achieve the stability. The King had married the daughter of an ambitious noble family, the Lannister’s, although his heart remained attached to the dead sister of Lord Stark. When the Chief Adviser cum Prime Minister to the King dies in questionable circumstances he visits Winterfell to persuade Lord Stark to return with him to become in his “Hand” and to bring with him his eldest daughter who is beautiful but still a child to become the bride of his son, Joffrey, when he reaches the age of fourteen. He also brings his youngest daughter, Ayra who is a tomboy and realising that that the situation at the Court is thwart with danger he enables his youngest daughter to become skilled in self defence.
Lord Stark has three sons. Robb the eldest son is also a boy who finds himself the head of the family when his father is executed and after the murder of the King and the coming to power of Joffrey who the daughter Sanza has willingly married and made to declare her father a traitor and witness his death. Unbeknown to her mother and the rest of the family the youngest daughter Ayra escapes by pretending to be a boy. A feature of the first volume is that many of future central characters are all in effect children and as they were during the Middle Ages until Victorian times and prepared to fight and to marry as soon as they became adolescents and if they were high born to participate in arranged marriages which furthered the interests of Kingdoms and Noble families.
Robb supported by his mother, Catelyn, assumes not just the title of Lord Stark but is recognised by the Nobles as the King of the North of the Seven Kingdoms which comprises a land area not dissimilar to that of the British island. Robb with the help of the northern nobles has engaged the forces of the family of Joffrey’s, mother, her twin brother and her father. He has defeated them three times and captured the twin brother. He would gladly cease fighting and return home if Joffrey and his allies would accept the division of power and exchange the two daughters for the “uncle“.
Lord Stark has two other sons. The eldest is Jon Snow the name given to an illegitimate child, accepted into the family by Catelyn and who is persuaded by the brother of Lord Stark to joining the Night Watch, an order which guards and patrols the great Wall with separates the lands controlled by Joffrey and the Starks, and others, from the wild cold far North
The seasons in these lands do no go in conventional cycles but cover prolonged periods of Summer, as now or Winter, except that at and beyond the Wall it is a permanent Winter, dark, mysterious and threatening. The Wall is a giant construction with only one access to the world beyond through a tunnel. Jon faces a crisis of conscious when his uncle disappears after investigating developments beyond the wall and seeks to return to Winterfell on learning of the death of his father and the position of his half brothers and sisters. However he stays after saving the life of the head of the Order after a Joffrey associated plot to kill the head and take control of the Order.
There have been disturbing developments north of the wall which heralds the approach of a new and prolonged winter. There was a time of magic and devilish spirits and of dragons.
The youngest son of Lord Stark remains at the family home cared for and protected since he lost the use of his legs having been thrown from a window by Joffrey’s twin brother, Ser Jamie Lannister after accidentally witnessing an adult relationship with the twin sister, the then wife of the King. It emerged that Joffrey was not the legitimate son of the King and but the product of this relationship and was therefore not the rightful heir. Joffrey’s sister and young brother were also conceived through this incestuous relationship. It also emerged that the King had fathered a considerable number of illegitimate children. Joffrey sets out to kill these children reminding of King Herod.
Having mentioned Dragons it is perhaps an appropriate point to introduce another family who form a central role, albeit in parallel to the events involving the Starks and the Lannisters.
The also adolescent young Daenerys Targaryen is the exiled princess of the Targaryen dynasty who were associated with the use and power of Dragons. She is effectively controlled by her brother (with suggestions also of incest and physical abuse) who seeks the position lost by his ancestors and the two are advised and to some extent protected by someone who facilitates their stay in warm climes with deserts suggesting a location similar to southern Europe. Her bother arranges her marriage to the powerful Dothraki warlord Khal Drogo because he promises to use his forces to help the brother regain power.
Daenerys is at first afraid of her new husband but after learning the Dothraki language, she genuinely falls in love with him, after learning that he is a good leader and a kind man. After embracing the Dothraki culture, she becomes stronger and rebels against her brother. She later becomes pregnant with Drogo's son who is prophesied by the Dothraki to be the conqueror who will unite the world.
Her brother resenting the position she begins to hold plots against her but is killed and the former King, on learning of he prophecy also attempts to kill her. The Drogo vows that he will use his forces to conquer the Seven Kingdoms so that she will regain her rightful place and for their son. During the journey to the coast Drogo suffers an infected wound incurred during a fight with a Dothraki tribesman which forces Daenerys to seek the help of healer Mirri Maz Duur to save his life using blood magic. But Mirri tricks Daenerys by using her unborn son's life as a sacrifice to heal Drogo which leaves him a permanent catatonic state, forcing Daenerys to end her husband's life. Losing both her husband and son, Daenerys punishes Mirri by burning her into a pyre which helps hatch the three dragon eggs Daenerys carries. With her baby dragons, Daenerys and what is left of her husband's tribe must find a way to gather new allies to protect themselves and reclaim the Iron Throne.
This brings me to the Lannisters, effectively headed by Cersei Baratheon, nee Lannister, Queen of the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros, and was the wife of King Robert Baratheon. As stated she and her twin brother Jaime have been involved in an incestuous love affair since childhood. She had one son by Robert, who died in infancy of a strange illness. And her three surviving children are her bothers and not the former King’s’ She is calculating, ruthless, and cares only for power and the advancement of her family.
The twin brother is a member of the Kingsguard. He is nicknamed "Kingslayer" for killing the previous King, Aerys II, whom he was sworn to protect. He was allowed to keep his post in the current Kingsguard as he and his influential father helped Robert win the war, but no one feels he deserves this post which frustrates him. Away from the control of his twin sister he has shown some unexpected positive characteristics. The first is his respect for Lord Stark and a commitment to fair play. The second is his support for his brother, the height challenged Tyrion. The brother is captured by Lord Stark’s widow believing that Tyrion was complicit in the attempting killing of her youngest child and in the imprisonment and death of her husband. Until his capture Tyrion was only interested in wenching and drinking but this near death experience as well as a visit to the Wall, changes his approach to life and he seeks the approval of his father by joining the battles against Robb Stark.
His mother died during his birth, for which his father, Tywin Lannister, blamed him as does Cersi his sister. While not physically powerful, Tyrion has a cunning mind, and often uses to his advantage the fact that others constantly underestimate him. His brother captured, his father recognises that Tyrion can play an important part in maintaining order while the war continues as the two brothers of the former King declare Joffrey a usurper and seek to gain the crown for themselves. Tyrion is appointed to be the King’s Hand in place of his father while the war continues, much to the opposition of his sister who sees her power challenged. Peter Dinklage, the only American among the leading cast won a number of awards as best supporting actor for his role in the series.
The new King, Joffrey, is unaware of his true parentage. He has shown himself to be vicious, cruel, a coward and a short tempered. He believes he could do anything he wants when the Crown Prince and on becoming King he quickly begins to act without the guidance of his mother and official advisers. He orders the death of Lord Stark and the killing of the illegitimate children of the former King which he still believes was his father. So it is time for the second volume which begins with a prologue.
A Clash of Kings begins not with the Starks, the Lannisters or Daenerys Targaryen but with the King of the Narrow Sea Lord Stannis Barathon the older of the former Kings brothers and a rightful claimant to the throne over Joffrey. The TV series covers all the events and storylines of the book but in a different order, I will follow that of the book until the end of the fourth part although cover the story in two parts.
It is Stannis who writes to all the Lords in the land of the Seven Kingdoms to claim the Kingship over all, correctly stating that Joffrey and his brother and sisters are the children not of his older brother but of the incestuous relationship between his brother’s wife and her twin brother,
This is the land of the Dragon stone, the former homeland of Daenerys and her now dead older brother. Here Lord Stannis was cared for by Maester Cressen, his former tutor and healer and now an old man but still wise and anxious for the once boy of the three sons who he helped raise after the early death of their father.
His place now had been taken by the woman, the red woman Lady Melisandre of Asshal, called red because of hair and her dress, a priestess, a witch, sorceress, a dealer in the black arts and who no was driving Lord Stannis to take on Joffrey alone without the help of his estranged younger brother or of Robb Stark. Cressen who dismissed the horrible visions of the Stannis young daughter Sireen, only ten years, as nightmares and saw no meaning in the appearance of a great red comet in the sky pleads with his Lord as had to find common cause with Stark and brother, Renly, something which is also supported by Ser Davos Seaworth, his principal adviser a man with seven sons, but their view is challenged by the Lady Melisandre and who in the matter of what their Lord should do was supported by his wife despite his lack of regard for her since her inability to provide him with sons from their occasional couplings. Concerned at the decision which events are being directed Cressen plots the death of Melisandre only to be thwarted by her skills as she turns the tables on his attempt to poison her with wine. He dies instantly but she drinks the rest of the wine without adverse effect.
It was Ayra’s good fortune to be discovered by the man entrusted with the task of replenishing the men sent to join the Night Watch at the Wall. He had been allowed by her father to take his pick of the cut throats and thieves held in the dungeons as well as the volunteers with authority to leave the city and journey north. He cuts the girl’s hair and warns her take care when she passes water so that no one else knows of her sex and identity. Also in the caravan is the eldest of the surviving illegitimate children of the king and therefore a rightful claimant to the throne. They have not travelled long before one of the other youths takes a fancy to the sword given her by Jon Snow. Faced with his challenge she resists his request and beats him badly in their subsequent fight. She is stopped from killing him by the leader who gives her a gently smacking out of sight of the others telling her to cry out in protest and warning her and the others what will happen if they engage in further conflict between themselves. He warns her that half of the company would gladly give her up to the Queen and the other half would rape her first before doing so.
Back in Kings Landing a tournament was held to mark the birthday of the King, but there was to be a poor showing because of the situation. Sanza was expected to play the role of the loving betrothed although her situation had become one of constant torment as she was regularly beaten not just by Joffrey but by his younger brother and his adult companions at his command. She hoped the Queen would also attend because was able to restrain the wilder behaviour of her son. Unfortunately the Queen would not be present having arranged a Council because her father instead of coming to the city to support her was staying away.
When one of the participants worse for drink displeases Joffrey, he is nearly put to death being forced to drink until Sansa intervenes and saves her and the young knight by suggesting he is appointed the King’s fool. She is also supportive of the eight year old overweight brother when he makes a fool of himself trying to be an adult in the lists. This is cue for Tyrion to arrive and surprises Joffrey who believed him dead. Tyrion advises that he has brought his wit as a present for the King and tells Sansa that he is sorry for her loss and she in turn regrets what happened to him when taken by her mother. She has learned quickly to say the right thing although she finds it difficult to control her emotions as well as her words.
Tyrion then has to insist on being allowed into the Council when the news that he has been appoint the Hand by her father and only brought his own men, a few hundred, fills her with dismay and anger. She wanted an army now that Stannis and Renly as well as the Starks had risen again against her son. Tryion is able to convince of his value in acting as a brake upon the wilder actions of Joffrey that she has so far been unable to control. He demands that Sansa remains unharmed as he works out a way to free their brother and he is impressed at almost all the ensures that have been taken to defend the city except for “quickfire” where the quantity created is enough to burn down the city. She demands his allegiance to her and insists that he gets approval from her for everything he plans to do.
Tyrion chooses to reside in the official quarters despite knowing the fate of all those who have held the position in recent times, with the exception of his father. However he has brought with him the young woman, only eighteen years and a professional whore who has shown genuine affection and loyalty towards him. His father had insisted that she was not brought into the court so against her wish to be always with him he promise a home of her own close to him in the city so he can visit he as often as his duties permit. One of the members of the Council, the Eunuch Vaerys is waiting for him at the Inn where he is staying, announcing that eh has come to see the woman for himself thus announcing that hi intelligence service remains as strong as every. Tyrion retaliates by warning that he kills any enemy and he has already shown his serious intent by demanding the heads of those killed be removed from the battlements despite Joffrey ordering that they remain until accompanied by those of Robb Stark, Lord Stannis and Lord Renly.
It was always my belief that the second youngest of the Stark sons Bran, short for Brandon is to play an important role. It is noteworthy that Martin in introducing Bran into his second book explains to the reader that one the boy was so fearless and nimble that he would climb the out walls and spent more time on the roofs of the city than he did in the other pursuits of a son of the a ruler. He is cared for and dependent on his Maester Ser Rodrick Cassels who dismisses his concerns about the dreams and the arrival of the comet.
For explanation Bran turns to Osha a wilding woman taken prisoner and employed in the kitchen but who has a relationship with Bran as well as appearing to know of the ancient powers and ways. She warns that the Comet means blood and fire and nothing sweet and she is also altered that the howling of the dire wolves signals time of change and trouble. The dire wolves play some part in the first volume when the cubs of the mother slain are given as pet guardians to each of the children with that of Sansa killed, that of Ayra Nymeria run off but surely to have an important role in her survival, that of Brandon called Summer, that of the youngest brother called Shaggydog now aged four, that of Jon Snow with him at the Night Watch and called Ghost and that of Robb the Grey Wind.
Osha bring him a potion mixed with honey to make him sleep without the dreams of his being able to run and climb but always ending in tragedy and pain. He is still being called to go beyond the security of the Castle and its grounds. He is certain he has to answer the call or die. The books returns to the situation of Ayra while in the first episode we have also visited the Wall, Robb’s camp where he is accompanied by his mother and across the Narrow Sea to where Daenerys, her young dragons, her adviser and a few of the Dothraki still accompanying her go in search of sanctuary and revenge, across the unforgiving desert.
It is a good test of the effectiveness of the 10 episode first series and my reading and writing of the first volume as to how much I now remember. There were three principal groups in the first series.
The Stark family are the chosen family to represent integrity, loyalty, justice and honour. The family are happy and content together living in their stronghold Winterfell in a long period of unprecedented peace which appears to have been created through the reign of the King who lives at Kings Landing in the South. He and Lord Stark were close friends who fought to achieve the stability. The King had married the daughter of an ambitious noble family, the Lannister’s, although his heart remained attached to the dead sister of Lord Stark. When the Chief Adviser cum Prime Minister to the King dies in questionable circumstances he visits Winterfell to persuade Lord Stark to return with him to become in his “Hand” and to bring with him his eldest daughter who is beautiful but still a child to become the bride of his son, Joffrey, when he reaches the age of fourteen. He also brings his youngest daughter, Ayra who is a tomboy and realising that that the situation at the Court is thwart with danger he enables his youngest daughter to become skilled in self defence.
Lord Stark has three sons. Robb the eldest son is also a boy who finds himself the head of the family when his father is executed and after the murder of the King and the coming to power of Joffrey who the daughter Sanza has willingly married and made to declare her father a traitor and witness his death. Unbeknown to her mother and the rest of the family the youngest daughter Ayra escapes by pretending to be a boy. A feature of the first volume is that many of future central characters are all in effect children and as they were during the Middle Ages until Victorian times and prepared to fight and to marry as soon as they became adolescents and if they were high born to participate in arranged marriages which furthered the interests of Kingdoms and Noble families.
Robb supported by his mother, Catelyn, assumes not just the title of Lord Stark but is recognised by the Nobles as the King of the North of the Seven Kingdoms which comprises a land area not dissimilar to that of the British island. Robb with the help of the northern nobles has engaged the forces of the family of Joffrey’s, mother, her twin brother and her father. He has defeated them three times and captured the twin brother. He would gladly cease fighting and return home if Joffrey and his allies would accept the division of power and exchange the two daughters for the “uncle“.
Lord Stark has two other sons. The eldest is Jon Snow the name given to an illegitimate child, accepted into the family by Catelyn and who is persuaded by the brother of Lord Stark to joining the Night Watch, an order which guards and patrols the great Wall with separates the lands controlled by Joffrey and the Starks, and others, from the wild cold far North
The seasons in these lands do no go in conventional cycles but cover prolonged periods of Summer, as now or Winter, except that at and beyond the Wall it is a permanent Winter, dark, mysterious and threatening. The Wall is a giant construction with only one access to the world beyond through a tunnel. Jon faces a crisis of conscious when his uncle disappears after investigating developments beyond the wall and seeks to return to Winterfell on learning of the death of his father and the position of his half brothers and sisters. However he stays after saving the life of the head of the Order after a Joffrey associated plot to kill the head and take control of the Order.
There have been disturbing developments north of the wall which heralds the approach of a new and prolonged winter. There was a time of magic and devilish spirits and of dragons.
The youngest son of Lord Stark remains at the family home cared for and protected since he lost the use of his legs having been thrown from a window by Joffrey’s twin brother, Ser Jamie Lannister after accidentally witnessing an adult relationship with the twin sister, the then wife of the King. It emerged that Joffrey was not the legitimate son of the King and but the product of this relationship and was therefore not the rightful heir. Joffrey’s sister and young brother were also conceived through this incestuous relationship. It also emerged that the King had fathered a considerable number of illegitimate children. Joffrey sets out to kill these children reminding of King Herod.
Having mentioned Dragons it is perhaps an appropriate point to introduce another family who form a central role, albeit in parallel to the events involving the Starks and the Lannisters.
The also adolescent young Daenerys Targaryen is the exiled princess of the Targaryen dynasty who were associated with the use and power of Dragons. She is effectively controlled by her brother (with suggestions also of incest and physical abuse) who seeks the position lost by his ancestors and the two are advised and to some extent protected by someone who facilitates their stay in warm climes with deserts suggesting a location similar to southern Europe. Her bother arranges her marriage to the powerful Dothraki warlord Khal Drogo because he promises to use his forces to help the brother regain power.
Daenerys is at first afraid of her new husband but after learning the Dothraki language, she genuinely falls in love with him, after learning that he is a good leader and a kind man. After embracing the Dothraki culture, she becomes stronger and rebels against her brother. She later becomes pregnant with Drogo's son who is prophesied by the Dothraki to be the conqueror who will unite the world.
Her brother resenting the position she begins to hold plots against her but is killed and the former King, on learning of he prophecy also attempts to kill her. The Drogo vows that he will use his forces to conquer the Seven Kingdoms so that she will regain her rightful place and for their son. During the journey to the coast Drogo suffers an infected wound incurred during a fight with a Dothraki tribesman which forces Daenerys to seek the help of healer Mirri Maz Duur to save his life using blood magic. But Mirri tricks Daenerys by using her unborn son's life as a sacrifice to heal Drogo which leaves him a permanent catatonic state, forcing Daenerys to end her husband's life. Losing both her husband and son, Daenerys punishes Mirri by burning her into a pyre which helps hatch the three dragon eggs Daenerys carries. With her baby dragons, Daenerys and what is left of her husband's tribe must find a way to gather new allies to protect themselves and reclaim the Iron Throne.
This brings me to the Lannisters, effectively headed by Cersei Baratheon, nee Lannister, Queen of the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros, and was the wife of King Robert Baratheon. As stated she and her twin brother Jaime have been involved in an incestuous love affair since childhood. She had one son by Robert, who died in infancy of a strange illness. And her three surviving children are her bothers and not the former King’s’ She is calculating, ruthless, and cares only for power and the advancement of her family.
The twin brother is a member of the Kingsguard. He is nicknamed "Kingslayer" for killing the previous King, Aerys II, whom he was sworn to protect. He was allowed to keep his post in the current Kingsguard as he and his influential father helped Robert win the war, but no one feels he deserves this post which frustrates him. Away from the control of his twin sister he has shown some unexpected positive characteristics. The first is his respect for Lord Stark and a commitment to fair play. The second is his support for his brother, the height challenged Tyrion. The brother is captured by Lord Stark’s widow believing that Tyrion was complicit in the attempting killing of her youngest child and in the imprisonment and death of her husband. Until his capture Tyrion was only interested in wenching and drinking but this near death experience as well as a visit to the Wall, changes his approach to life and he seeks the approval of his father by joining the battles against Robb Stark.
His mother died during his birth, for which his father, Tywin Lannister, blamed him as does Cersi his sister. While not physically powerful, Tyrion has a cunning mind, and often uses to his advantage the fact that others constantly underestimate him. His brother captured, his father recognises that Tyrion can play an important part in maintaining order while the war continues as the two brothers of the former King declare Joffrey a usurper and seek to gain the crown for themselves. Tyrion is appointed to be the King’s Hand in place of his father while the war continues, much to the opposition of his sister who sees her power challenged. Peter Dinklage, the only American among the leading cast won a number of awards as best supporting actor for his role in the series.
The new King, Joffrey, is unaware of his true parentage. He has shown himself to be vicious, cruel, a coward and a short tempered. He believes he could do anything he wants when the Crown Prince and on becoming King he quickly begins to act without the guidance of his mother and official advisers. He orders the death of Lord Stark and the killing of the illegitimate children of the former King which he still believes was his father. So it is time for the second volume which begins with a prologue.
A Clash of Kings begins not with the Starks, the Lannisters or Daenerys Targaryen but with the King of the Narrow Sea Lord Stannis Barathon the older of the former Kings brothers and a rightful claimant to the throne over Joffrey. The TV series covers all the events and storylines of the book but in a different order, I will follow that of the book until the end of the fourth part although cover the story in two parts.
It is Stannis who writes to all the Lords in the land of the Seven Kingdoms to claim the Kingship over all, correctly stating that Joffrey and his brother and sisters are the children not of his older brother but of the incestuous relationship between his brother’s wife and her twin brother,
This is the land of the Dragon stone, the former homeland of Daenerys and her now dead older brother. Here Lord Stannis was cared for by Maester Cressen, his former tutor and healer and now an old man but still wise and anxious for the once boy of the three sons who he helped raise after the early death of their father.
His place now had been taken by the woman, the red woman Lady Melisandre of Asshal, called red because of hair and her dress, a priestess, a witch, sorceress, a dealer in the black arts and who no was driving Lord Stannis to take on Joffrey alone without the help of his estranged younger brother or of Robb Stark. Cressen who dismissed the horrible visions of the Stannis young daughter Sireen, only ten years, as nightmares and saw no meaning in the appearance of a great red comet in the sky pleads with his Lord as had to find common cause with Stark and brother, Renly, something which is also supported by Ser Davos Seaworth, his principal adviser a man with seven sons, but their view is challenged by the Lady Melisandre and who in the matter of what their Lord should do was supported by his wife despite his lack of regard for her since her inability to provide him with sons from their occasional couplings. Concerned at the decision which events are being directed Cressen plots the death of Melisandre only to be thwarted by her skills as she turns the tables on his attempt to poison her with wine. He dies instantly but she drinks the rest of the wine without adverse effect.
It was Ayra’s good fortune to be discovered by the man entrusted with the task of replenishing the men sent to join the Night Watch at the Wall. He had been allowed by her father to take his pick of the cut throats and thieves held in the dungeons as well as the volunteers with authority to leave the city and journey north. He cuts the girl’s hair and warns her take care when she passes water so that no one else knows of her sex and identity. Also in the caravan is the eldest of the surviving illegitimate children of the king and therefore a rightful claimant to the throne. They have not travelled long before one of the other youths takes a fancy to the sword given her by Jon Snow. Faced with his challenge she resists his request and beats him badly in their subsequent fight. She is stopped from killing him by the leader who gives her a gently smacking out of sight of the others telling her to cry out in protest and warning her and the others what will happen if they engage in further conflict between themselves. He warns her that half of the company would gladly give her up to the Queen and the other half would rape her first before doing so.
Back in Kings Landing a tournament was held to mark the birthday of the King, but there was to be a poor showing because of the situation. Sanza was expected to play the role of the loving betrothed although her situation had become one of constant torment as she was regularly beaten not just by Joffrey but by his younger brother and his adult companions at his command. She hoped the Queen would also attend because was able to restrain the wilder behaviour of her son. Unfortunately the Queen would not be present having arranged a Council because her father instead of coming to the city to support her was staying away.
When one of the participants worse for drink displeases Joffrey, he is nearly put to death being forced to drink until Sansa intervenes and saves her and the young knight by suggesting he is appointed the King’s fool. She is also supportive of the eight year old overweight brother when he makes a fool of himself trying to be an adult in the lists. This is cue for Tyrion to arrive and surprises Joffrey who believed him dead. Tyrion advises that he has brought his wit as a present for the King and tells Sansa that he is sorry for her loss and she in turn regrets what happened to him when taken by her mother. She has learned quickly to say the right thing although she finds it difficult to control her emotions as well as her words.
Tyrion then has to insist on being allowed into the Council when the news that he has been appoint the Hand by her father and only brought his own men, a few hundred, fills her with dismay and anger. She wanted an army now that Stannis and Renly as well as the Starks had risen again against her son. Tryion is able to convince of his value in acting as a brake upon the wilder actions of Joffrey that she has so far been unable to control. He demands that Sansa remains unharmed as he works out a way to free their brother and he is impressed at almost all the ensures that have been taken to defend the city except for “quickfire” where the quantity created is enough to burn down the city. She demands his allegiance to her and insists that he gets approval from her for everything he plans to do.
Tyrion chooses to reside in the official quarters despite knowing the fate of all those who have held the position in recent times, with the exception of his father. However he has brought with him the young woman, only eighteen years and a professional whore who has shown genuine affection and loyalty towards him. His father had insisted that she was not brought into the court so against her wish to be always with him he promise a home of her own close to him in the city so he can visit he as often as his duties permit. One of the members of the Council, the Eunuch Vaerys is waiting for him at the Inn where he is staying, announcing that eh has come to see the woman for himself thus announcing that hi intelligence service remains as strong as every. Tyrion retaliates by warning that he kills any enemy and he has already shown his serious intent by demanding the heads of those killed be removed from the battlements despite Joffrey ordering that they remain until accompanied by those of Robb Stark, Lord Stannis and Lord Renly.
It was always my belief that the second youngest of the Stark sons Bran, short for Brandon is to play an important role. It is noteworthy that Martin in introducing Bran into his second book explains to the reader that one the boy was so fearless and nimble that he would climb the out walls and spent more time on the roofs of the city than he did in the other pursuits of a son of the a ruler. He is cared for and dependent on his Maester Ser Rodrick Cassels who dismisses his concerns about the dreams and the arrival of the comet.
For explanation Bran turns to Osha a wilding woman taken prisoner and employed in the kitchen but who has a relationship with Bran as well as appearing to know of the ancient powers and ways. She warns that the Comet means blood and fire and nothing sweet and she is also altered that the howling of the dire wolves signals time of change and trouble. The dire wolves play some part in the first volume when the cubs of the mother slain are given as pet guardians to each of the children with that of Sansa killed, that of Ayra Nymeria run off but surely to have an important role in her survival, that of Brandon called Summer, that of the youngest brother called Shaggydog now aged four, that of Jon Snow with him at the Night Watch and called Ghost and that of Robb the Grey Wind.
Osha bring him a potion mixed with honey to make him sleep without the dreams of his being able to run and climb but always ending in tragedy and pain. He is still being called to go beyond the security of the Castle and its grounds. He is certain he has to answer the call or die. The books returns to the situation of Ayra while in the first episode we have also visited the Wall, Robb’s camp where he is accompanied by his mother and across the Narrow Sea to where Daenerys, her young dragons, her adviser and a few of the Dothraki still accompanying her go in search of sanctuary and revenge, across the unforgiving desert.
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