re: Crackpot ASOIAF Theories SPOILERS

It was very mediocre, and not just because it was the episode that followed the Red Wedding. I really enjoyed/was surprised to see Maester Aemon back, and liked that they set up Stannis going to the Wall next season.

In my opinion, Dany's storyline needs to take a step back next season to everything else that is going to happen. Like show her maybe 5 episodes like they did with Theon/Reek. No need to show that bitch in every episode. She was in 8 out of 10 episodes this season I think, which was probably 2 episodes too many. If they are going to untangle Martin's Mereneese crap plot, they shouldn't feel the need to show her every episode. I think they need to show more of the stuff that is going to happen at the Wall and King's Landing story, especially with Oberyn.

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No need to show that bitch in every episode. She was in 8 out of 10 episodes this season I think, which was probably 2 episodes too many.

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not happening. she's the most recognizable character and biggest money maker

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Anyone have a good reading list for something other than ASOIAF? I'll probably get my re-read in before TWOW comes out, but right now I'm looking for something different.

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Here is a suggestion list I gave to someone in here a bit ago (TLDR edition):

The guy I'd probably recommend most for a fan of Martin would be Joe Abercrombie. He writes a very low magic fantasy series that's very gritty and dark and realistic. Similar to Martin in that there is magic but it's a bit in the background. The main difference between Abercrombie and Martin would be that there are no true good guys at all really in his books, just straight up grey characters for the most part. Abercrombie has a starting trilogy (First Law trilogy) and then three stand alone novels set in the same world with many similar characters showing up in those novels. And he's putting them out regularly at 1 1/2 to 2 years.

There are a couple of guys out named Scott Lynch and Pat Rothfuss that have really good series, but are only on 2 books so far, so you could wind up waiting like you are with Martin for a while. Scott Lynch's The Lies of Locke Lamora I would suggest reading by itself regardless though, it's probably the second best fantasy novel I've read behind Storm of Swords in the past 20 years or so. But Lynch got divorced and had a semi-mental breakdown after he wrote the second book of that series, so the third has been a while in coming. Rothfuss has two books, The Name of the Wind and The Wise Mans Fear that are both very good, but he took like 4 years to write his second book, so who the hell knows how long he'll take for the third of his first trilogy.

Steven Erikson is a guy that I like a lot, he has a finished 10 book series called Malazan Books of the Fallen. These are huge 1000 page books on the lines of ASOIAF. They are fairly dark and gritty, and main characters get killed off on a regular basis kinda like ASOIAF, though unlike ASOIAF it has a ton of magic in the series. He probably has the most in depth and rich world of any series I've read. First book can be a bit difficult to jump into because he just throws you right into the action and piecemeals out the backstory, but it's worth the read. Large amounts of magic and Red Viper style bad asses in this series.

One other guy is Jim Butcher. His Dresden Files series is one of my favorites, though it isn't straight fantasy, it’s more of an urban fantasy. Basically a wizard detective in modern day Chicago where Vampires, Werewolves, Fairies, and all the other magic creatures are real. First couple books are average, but then it kicks into gear and becomes an awesome series, 14 books so far and one each year to year and a half. These are short reads as well, only 400-500 pages so you can zip through the series. Best description I can think of would be if Harry Potter was raised with Voldemort as his adopted father, then wound up finding out Voldy was evil and managed to kill him, then grew up to become a badass wizard detective with a similar personality to Bruce Willis in Die Hard. These are fun reads with lots of great side characters and an outstanding main character.

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There are these limitations, you see, both narratively and financially.

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Mainly being they didn't cast a bunch of characters that needed to be there for the wedding.

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Mainly being they didn't cast a bunch of characters that needed to be there for the wedding.

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They could bring Mace in with some random non-major actor. Mace isn't that important really compared to his mother, daughter, and son to the grand scheme in GoT. I did kinda relent though when I saw him on the casting sheet for next season though, knowing there was now no way that happened.

Oberyn and the Dornish aren't exactly essential to the events of the Purple Wedding. It just felt with the pacing that they were completely building up to the Purple Wedding.

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Oberyn and the Dornish aren't exactly essential to the events of the Purple Wedding. It just felt with the pacing that they were completely building up to the Purple Wedding.

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They aren't essential to the PW persay, but it would have really screwed up the narrative to not have them there. They would have had to work twice as hard to make the story fit later without them there, and it wouldn't be smooth.

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As far as I know Polliver still has Needle, so they'll likely meet him and some other Lannister toadies in an inn just like the book. Her kill this season was just a movement of her original throat slitting that should have happened in season 2, right down to the dropping of the coin to put the throat in range.

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I'd say it will be a mix of Lannister and Bolton toadies in the end. I honestly couldn't tell you what Polliver looked like on the show and I don't even remember him being in it. People will remember the dude who cut off Jaime's hand. Maybe have Arya and the Hound have some sort of run in with him early on in the season, and then a final confrontation at the Inn.

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I doubt he gets there until season 5, it would mean he would disappear for an entire season, and I don't see that happening. Stannis probably won't show up at the Wall till the last third of season 4 anyway, not really a need for Davos solo action next season.

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Actually, I think they're about to start spoiling some shite if Martin doesn't get on the ball. I'd say Season 5 will be some stuff we haven't seen that Davos has been up to.

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I think they will show him travel a bit and introduce Coldhands, but doubt he'll meet TEC, maybe as a season ender though.

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That's what I'm thinking. If I had to bet the final scenes of the season:

1) Arya paying passage to Braavos
2) Tyrion leaves Pentos with Varys (they're not going to put him on hold for two seasons, and instead just have him cross the Narrow Sea with Aegon and Jon Connington, and still kill Kevan and Pycelle as he did in the books)
3) Lysa being thrown out the Moon Door by Littlefinger
4) Jon elected Lord Commander
5) Bran meeting the Three Eyed Crow for the first time.
6) Tywin's funeral and burning down the Tower of the Hand
7) Merrett Frey cornered by BwB and Lady Stoneheart revealed.

Seriously, what an epic finale that would be and really kick the shite out of Season 3's.

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I'd say it will be a mix of Lannister and Bolton toadies in the end. I honestly couldn't tell you what Polliver looked like on the show and I don't even remember him being in it. People will remember the dude who cut off Jaime's hand. Maybe have Arya and the Hound have some sort of run in with him early on in the season, and then a final confrontation at the Inn.

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Polliver killed Lommy Greenhands in the show, and stuck Needle in his belt. That's about all I remember from him. But I think it's safe to say they'll give Needle back to Arya somehow, and killing a guy who killed one of her friends is a good motivator. People may remember Locke as the dude who cuts off Jaime's hand, but I just don't see a good tie in with Arya and the Hound there.

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Actually, I think they're about to start spoiling some shite if Martin doesn't get on the ball. I'd say Season 5 will be some stuff we haven't seen that Davos has been up to.

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Eh, they have zero reason to jump past the books when they have two full books of material to work with, not really seeing it happen. It's not like Davos is a major character anyway, he can disappear for an entire season almost just like Asha/Yara did in season 3. They could have Davos show up on the Fingers, then have him show up in White Harbor three-four times in season 5 with the initial meeting, then more dungeon action, then real meeting with Manderly, then him sailing off to Skagos.

The anticipation for Season 4 is killing me. I really need some new shows to watch in the meantime. I have yet to watch episode 1 of this new season of True Blood because the show is such crap anymore and my FX shows I watch are on October-May.