New ADWD Update and Spoiler Chapter

[stonStark]

I thought only Dacey went to war with Lady Maege. ????

 

[Boaz]

stonStark, if I recall correctly, then Dacey was the only of Maege's daughters to follow her south with Robb. Now from your questions here I'm not sure if you've finished ASOS. If you have not read ASOS in it's entirety, then you might not want to read what I'm about to write.

Spoiler!
When Dacey and Robb died, Maege was on her way to find Howland Reed, I think. Maege was to enlist Greywater Watch in Robb's assault on Moat Cailin.

News from the South to the North after the Red Wedding must be terribly confused or practically non-existent. Maege presumably is still alive somewhere in the Neck. Yet this news does not seem to have reached Bear Island. All that Bear Island has heard is probably that Robb and all of his followers were slain at the Twins. I surmise that Maege's castellan and maester have urged the young Mormont girl to claim the title of Lady Mormont.

I must say that I've resisted the urge to read Jon's preview chapter.... so far. Hence, I might be missing some details here.

Orion, regarding the new POV... At first glance, I assumed the new POV must be Mel. She's a major player close to a king. She's shown herself to be the most powerful magic user in the series thus far. She clearly has a religio-political agenda. And with the reports of Davos' death in AFFC, we will be losing the ability to watch Stannis... unless Mel is the new POV to watch Stannis.

By the way, you can find the models, referred to by GRRM that might be the new POV, at Dark Sword. As you can see Jon, Jaime, Melisandre, Sandor, and Cersei are the only named characters. There are also four unnamed characters from the Night's Watch.

The second choice for new POV is obviously Sandor Clegane. This may be one that many of us desire to read. Sandor for all his straight forward anger/hatred/brutality is somewhat of an enigma as to his ultimate role in the story. He's served the Lannisters. He's been in the Kingsguard. He's turned outlaw. He's wanted to kill his brother. Now he seems to have resurfaced at the mouth of the Trident in a monastery. His work and wanderings may take the place of Arya's POV by telling us the conditions of the average person in Westeros.

I'd like to raise the possibility of a third choice as well. There is a model for the Keeper of the Ravens from the Shadow Tower. Shadow Tower is roughly halfway between Castle Black and the aforementioned Bear Island. It is the NW castle closest to the Iron Islands. Bran recently passed between Shadow Tower and Castle Black... Bran is looking for a crow, do you think the Raven Keeper of Shadow Tower might help him? This is the man who gets the incoming information to Shadow Tower, might he know something of Benjen Stark's whereabouts? Could he know of Coldhands? Also, with Stannis stationed at Castle Black and the Nightfort, the wildlings must now go around the Wall and Shadow Tower lies on the west end where many wildlings have snuck by the Wall before.

 

[stonStark]

Boaz: I have done ASOS and AFFC. And the NEW JON’s chapter …you will tooJ
Lady Maege has more then two daughters; she has 3 or more… (Don’t know exact number??) and Lyanna is youngest of them…way is she new Lady Mormont??? Where are her elder sisters????

 

[Rahl Windsong]

Can't wait for this title because the north holds some of my all time favorite fantasy characters and I don't even want to read the released chapters beforehand I want to read it all at the same time when I have the book in my hands.

George writes slow but I really do love his story...

 

[Falsteed]

For those of you looking for Tyrion's sample chapter.

 

[viZion]

Thanks for the link, Falsteed. Wow, Martin makes a ton of typos and misspellings! Heh, I guess that's what editors are for .

 

[Boaz]

Okay, I broke down and just read Jon's preview chapter from ADWD.

Two things stood out to me.

First, stonStark's claims about the missing Mormont sisters... Where have they gone? Why have they not claimed the the title Lady Mormont instead of Lyanna? Well, it seems to me that if Dacey, Maege's eldest, was trained in martial arts, then why not her sisters? Sand Snakes? No, the Mormont women may be the Forest Bears. They may be raising troops or joining an army of Northmen. Remember, Rickon and the Blackfish are both on the loose... and the Karstarks are the only house to pay homage to Stannis while the Boltons are the only ones giving fealty to Tommen. It seems that all the other Northern houses are at best loyal to the Starks or at worst undecided.

Second, the last conversation between Mel and Jon is interesting.

The ruby at Melisandre's throat gleamed redly. "It is not the foes who curse you to your face that you must fear, but those who smile when you are looking and sharpen their knives when you turn your back. You would do well to keep your wolf close beside you. Ice, I see, and daggers in the dark. Blood frozen red and hard, and naked steel. It was very cold."
"It is always cold on the Wall."
"You think so?"
"I know so, my lady."
"Then you know nothing, Jon Snow," she whispered.

The numerous comparisons between Mel and Ygritte are interesting.

But the real stunner for me was the reference to Eddard's sword. Did you notice it? Ice, I see, and daggers in the dark. Did Mel see ice and knives or did she see the Valyrian Steel Greatsword Ice and some daggers? Then Mel described Ice's appearance. Blood frozen red and hard, and naked steel. Ice's original color was something like white, grey, and blue... but since Tywin had it melted down and reforged the appearance of the new swords were red and smokey. Blood and steel. Ah, you remember who has these swords? One is now Tommen's. The other is with Brienne. It's name is... Oathkeeper.

Mel warned Jon not to fear those who openly opposed him, but those who seem to be faithful, honorable, dutiful, trustworthy... oathkeepers.

Catelyn hates Jon. Maybe the word that Brienne shouted that saved her neck was... snow with a capital S.

Or mayhaps this is all just a reference to Cersei's plot to have Osney murder Jon.

Of course, this was just my first reading... I might change my mind or find other crackpot ideas later.

 

[stonStark]

I love to say “I told you so”…nobody can look away from Jon’s chapter!!!
But who did Mormont sisters follow?? Blackfish?? Is it possible??
p.s. I never noticed ice=Ice!!! Bravo Boaz!!

 

[TK-421]

Just read the Jon preview chapter. Masterful from GRRM as always. It's obvious that Melissandre knows about Ygritte as I think she knows more that people give her credit for.

The wolf dream was very revealing. They are getting stronger. Jon will soon be able to communicate with Arya I think.

Some classic Dolorous Edd in the chapter as well.

 

[DeannaBelle]

Jon may be able to communicate with Arya's wolf, but Arya is still far off, and I don't believe she's currently having wolf dreams. Please correct me if I'm wrong.

 

[Aegon the Unworthy]

Just read the Jon preview chapter. Masterful from GRRM as always. It's obvious that Melissandre knows about Ygritte as I think she knows more that people give her credit for.

The wolf dream was very revealing. They are getting stronger. Jon will soon be able to communicate with Arya I think.

Some classic Dolorous Edd in the chapter as well.

Just from my take TK, I dont think its neccessarily so that Mel knows about Ygritte. The line wasnt forced so it could be coincidental and I just felt George was pulling a writers trick of some sort. I think if it was meant to be obvious George would have made it more obvious. With Mel pausing after telling him she disagreed and then adding "Or should I say, You know nothing Jon Snow." Yes yes, Im arguing with no actual support, just my interpretation....I'm "Boazing" the issue.

Now about those Wolf Dreams....this is Jons first connection with Ghost while inside the Castle Black or whatever. I dont know the import but I would like to point out previously when he "had a moment" with Ghost they were outside the castle but at least on the same side of the Wall. When he lost Ghost after the Magnars attack it wasnt until he left the Keep that he felt Ghost....even though it was clear Ghost was in the area.

I always thought the spells that protected the Wall extended to the Keeps as well, but clearly the Wolf Dreams coupled with the undeads sense of purpose in AGOT (they went after the Lord Commander and First Ranger to the exclusion of all else) leads me to believe that the spells dont cover the keeps. Originally I thought the spells were failing but now Im thinking theyre good and strong but the only thing they protect is the Wall.