Direwolf, Bran's
Spoiler alert.
I would have stopped when Robb and Catelyn Stark died at the hands of the Freys – if I could. That scene affected me much. I remember putting down the 3rd book of A Song of Ice and Fire, Storm of Swords that day, feeling terribly wronged. I have come to love the Starks – who hasn’t? – and followed the lives and the trials of these honourable, flawed, and wonderful men and women (and children!) who bravely played the hand that fate dealt them, making the right – but would turn out were wrong – choices here, and then there.
But that was the last straw, I thought. If Robb and Catelyn were not there, how is everything to end? It was bad enough that Ned was taken from them, scattering their brood. Or that the babies Bran and Rickon were thought of as dead. Or that Arya was lost in the wilderness and mixing with bad company. Or that Sansa had to suffer Jeffrey and Cersei and their evil plots. Or that Jon took the black and then became a wildling and then took the black again. Why would Robb and Catelyn have to die too, and from the hands of people I did not think were major players in the Game? (turned out, well, read the book because I am still guessing too)
What did I expect? George R. R. Martin, American author, screenwriter of fantasy, horror, and science fiction and of Twilight Zone fame is a master storyteller, and he outdid himself in the Game of Thrones. It was lore and sci-fi and medieval greatness – dragons! – weaved into quite an engaging – and obsession-inducing – story.
At the center of it all is the Starks. And that is why I read it. But then there is Daenerys Targaryen too.
I did not love her at first. She is after all the daughter of Aeris II Targaryen, the Mad King, so I paid little attention to her. That is, before she fell in love with the warrior, Khal Drogo and became the Mother of Dragons. I am paying attention to her now – she is the rightful heir to the throne, after all – and also because she is not only young and beautiful but endowed with wisdom and great capacity for empathy. That is rare in a queen, I thought (I need only think of Cersei).
So each of the characters in A Song of Ice and Fire captures humanity and the nature of humans in all their glory – and unglory. The things the characters do – and what they do to each other – is a spectacle to behold. (it is great that there’s HBO to put a face to the characters in Westeros)
So I am glad I continued reading the book.
Although the beginning of the end of the Starks happened when Sansa’s direwolf died at the hands of her father because of a spoiled, rotten, prince, borne by incest…
… although Tywin Lannister died at the hands of….
… and Jamie Lannister… as it happens, there is actually more to the man (or less)…
… and Littlefinger, he seems to be in the middle of it all…
Despite the darkest moments, I am glad I kept on reading.
Because the north remembers. Ergo, there is a silver lining. All should not be lost for the Starks and those who look at them as their champions. (i hope)
And winter is coming.
The best – and probably the scariest and most exciting – is yet to come.
Article by Issa. Art by Danvic.
Copyright 2009-2012.
Website: www.YouWantToBeRich.com
Email: issa@youwanttoberich.com
[ad name=”HTML-2 Blogher Before Comment”]
[ad name=”HTML Truly Rich Box”]
[ad name=”HTML-1 MoneyDoctors”]
Pingback: charles anyadike