ADwD POV's.

[Werthead]

Depends how they do it. Contrary to popular belief, using an author's characters and world without his permission is illegal, even if it's for non-profit purposes. I doubt GRRM would actually sue anyone over it, but a business organisation like HBO is another matter entirely. I suspect harsh emails and letters would be employed.

Presumably you could have your own characters and locations perhaps set in Westeros but without ever using any terminology from the series (never saying 'Lannister' or 'Baratheon' or 'Westeros' or 'Ser') but then it's not really the same thing, is it?

 

[Funky Cthulu]

Presumably you could have your own characters and locations perhaps set in Westeros but without ever using any terminology from the series (never saying 'Lannister' or 'Baratheon' or 'Westeros' or 'Ser') but then it's not really the same thing, is it?

Yes, I see what you mean. I never knew it was illegal - I've seen quite a few disclaimers on the sites, and thought once the ideas were out in the public domain, personal non-profit fics were ok. I know Joss Whedon has apparently said he encourages fan fic for his Buffy, Angel and Firefly series, but being originally a TV show, I guess that's a bit different.

I will freely admit I know nothing about how such things work, but do you believe HBO will enforce the ban after the series is produced? Seems like a lot of work for something that could actually promote the ASOIAF mini series.
I must admit, I feel a little sorry for fans who wish to write ASOIAF fan-fic. I probably wouldn't read it, as I prefer GRRM's prose, but as a budding writer myself, sometimes you get inspired by existing work and blow off a little creative steam by working to an existing world/characters.

 

[Funky Cthulu]

would you consider the dragons WMD's?

I was thinking more immediate, practical purposes - hot water heater, huge BBQ, crop duster (OK, they may not have invented anything to dust crops with, but that's coming), and so forth.

 

[Aegon the Unworthy]

I wouldn't joke about that if i were you mate! If George ever gets to the pount where he just can't be arsed anymore, the final book will probably reveal that Hodor really is TPWWP and be told entirely from his POV


And you know you'd still buy it!

Id buy it and scream BRILLIANT!!!! the whole time. Unless of course it really was written something like my text before in which case Id go back to drinking and reading.

Wow theres like 20 things to respond to....

TK, are you really critizing someone for lazy typing? Really? Isnt that the 4th sign of the apocalypse? I need to lie down.

Boaz, theres a reason I had to add a disclaimer to my joke. You know if I didnt Id get some response roughly worded like this..."I went to 14 book signings and read 7 different websites. Theres never been any mention of a Hodor PoV. I sent George an email asking about it and when he gets back to me (its been 4 days now, Im sure hes busy) Im sure he'll confirm that your a liar." Except the response wont have punctuation and a tad more vulgarity.

FC--Ill take a serious shot at your convential uses of Dragons question. Assuming you meant it as a semi-serious question....

Search and Rescue-this ones obvious. In fact just about anything you can think of a real world helicopter being used a dragon would serve in a pinch. I think I brought up that point tangentially a while back. At least I hope that was me. However payload would be limited to lighter weights so cargo transportation would be out.

Couriers- Strap a message to their leg or a messenger to their back for time critical issues. Probably be limited to war-time or emergency endeavors because what else is really that time critical?

Cartography- Strap a map maker to their back to give them a great birds eye view of Westeros to make the Kingdoms most accurate maps ever.

Clearing Farmland- In fact dont farmers typically burn one field on some rotational basis in this day and age. Send the dragons after harvest season and enjoy the benefits next year. Regardless though, you need new farmland....no problem.

Obviously scouting would be their bailwick. The problem is, they really are a little too specialized to be more useful than they are detrimental. Three is fine as numbers go because you can absorb their impact on the local economy. But once you reach 20 or so youll have to make allowances for them, so a veritable army of dragons is out of the question. Their just not useful enough.

 

[Raven]

Wert: I think 'expressly forbids' is, well, not overstating exactly but gives the wrong impression.

I don't think GRRM is naive about the existence of fanfic based on ASOIAF, he knows it's there and that you can't realistically hope to 'forbid' it and have that be the end of the matter: but he certainly discourages it for the reasons you give, and is always very careful that his public statements on the subject clearly and vigorously assert his rights.

 

[TK-421]

Whoa, Aegon is shooting from the hip again

But, considering Dany's dragons and the history of the Targaryen rule, didn't the last dragons die off during a long period of peace and stability. I suppose there was no reason to have an active breeding program of sorts anymore. I tell you that the rebellion to dispose of Aerys would of probably turned out differently if he had 3 healthy, nasty, melt your face off dragons.

 

[Aegon the Unworthy]

Whoa, Aegon is shooting from the hip again

But, considering Dany's dragons and the history of the Targaryen rule, didn't the last dragons die off during a long period of peace and stability. I suppose there was no reason to have an active breeding program of sorts anymore. I tell you that the rebellion to dispose of Aerys would of probably turned out differently if he had 3 healthy, nasty, melt your face off dragons.

As always TK, I bow to your wisdom. If Dragons were still around at the time of the rebellion I dont think we would have Starks. I could see Robert being dissuaded from committing rebellion by Arryn but theres no way Brandon and father do not ride south, with Ned following soon thereafter.


I was just addressing the very human tendency "If one is good, more is better". I would then refer you to the classic Star Trek episode "Trouble with Tribbles".

 

[Dolorous Edd]

On the subject of Dragons, does anyone else not have the sneaking suspicion that the importance of Danny's Dragons, both to the story and the wider world, will not be in the fact that they will grow to be the medieval equivilents of the Nuclear Submarine, but rather in the side effects their existance is having? Wildfire, glass candles, warging, the heart trees having eyes again etc. All awakening/strengthening because of the Dragons. Maybe that will be their contribution to the defeat of the others? To be honest i half expect Drogon to eat Danny and then bugger off to somewhere where he doesn't have silly little humans trying to sit on him all day and shouting "giddy-up horsey!"

 

[Boaz]

DE, yeah there's a lot about the nature of Magic and the Fantastic in ASOIAF that's being kept under wraps. For maybe the first time, I'm not comfortable going out on a limb and predicting the Dragons' future.

Since this thread has (d)evolved into the general discussion board here (I second Aegon's stir crazy feelings), I'd like to ask a question...

For Wert, Cully, FC, Raven, and everyone...

Do you consider The Sword of Shanarra by Terry Brooks and The Dark Tower Trilogy by Dennis L. McKiernan to be original works, fanfics, or thinly masked plagiarism? Yes, I understand the fledgling fantasy genre needed something to capitalize upon Tolkien's success, so let's not go into that. What do you think the mentioned works represent? Are they originals, homages, or thefts?

 

[Culhwch]

I'd say homages. There's enough originality there to class them as seperate works, even if they are in the Tolkien tradition. If they'd starred characters called Frogo and Arragorn, then that'd be pushing it. And as such I have no problem with a new writer saying, 'I really like aSoIaF, maybe I'll try my hand at writing something like that...' The more the better, I say, so long as it is sufficiently original and well-written. My own writing has been influenced to a certain degree by GRRM, amongst others. But I'd never think to write a story set in Westeros, starring Ned or Jon or Dany or whoever...

On alternate uses for dragons - perhaps Dany can balance that debt she'll inherit by charging for rides. It's like space tourism, but with dragons.

 

[Raven]

If it's not close enough to exercise the copyright lawyers, it's not plagiarism or fanfic. So I think 'homage' is close enough, certainly 'inspired by' another story. (But then most stories are.)

Really this would make an interesting topic for the General Book Discussion forum...

 

[Thoheeks Bili]

"On alternate uses for dragons - perhaps Dany can balance that debt she'll inherit by charging for rides. It's like space tourism, but with dragons.
Or maybe there will be no more debts due to the fact that her little "babies" would possibly make collectors....................shall we say.........hot under the collar........if they so tried to collect?


My Axe............quickly!

 

[Young stormlord]

Imagine this:
Danny parks a dragon in front of bank and comes in.

Danny: Hello I am Daenerys Targaryen, The Unburnt etc. I want to apply for Gold Visa.
Clerk: Sorry but you already have dept of 4 mill dragons. You must pay it if you want a new card.
Danny: Wait a second. I need to call my credit supervisor. That is a lot of money.
Clerk: I'll wait.

Danny gets out of the bank and after 5 seconds gets back with Drogon.

Danny: I spoke with my supervisor. He said that he will pay 4mill but you must say magic word.
Clerk: Please?
Danny: No. DRAKARIS.

 

[TK-421]

I see our Young Stormlord has recently had a issue with a bank and fantasized what it would be like to have a dragon to settle it...

 

[Young stormlord]

I see our Young Stormlord has recently had a issue with a bank and fantasized what it would be like to have a dragon to settle it...

No I work my practice in the bank. And you can change the dragon with the "I know director's son so who are you not to aprove me credit card" Or "director is my friend, I dare you to call him"