Ahh you are an exception then
With everything going on up north and Jon's growing significance I personally would be shocked if he did not recover (and by that I mean his end of existence in any form) in TWOW. Given the nature of deaths in these novels just about any wound, short of lopping off someones head (and even then...), doesn't necessarily mean the end. Tearing this character's POV from our grasps at such a time could certainly be considered an extra dose of shock and brutality on top of the initial attack. Ehh wording could be better I admit.
You are right though... shock and brutality is guaranteed in all the
ASoIaF books. I just meant some readers seem to want more than I think is necessary. But that's just my opinion
If truth be told, and I'm not sure how to best express this, I believe most readers (wanting a Jon death) are worried their rough, cruel, remorseless fantasy books might be getting soft. They could be tired of cliffhangers, twists, and close-calls. Maybe they just wanted someone important to die to reinforce our fear of attachment to any one character. I'm fine with you all having your wish down the road, but I need to see my ******* v ******* first!!!
Point taken. You might be right about some people wanting the books to return to the kind of rough and cruel fantasy that it was in the beginning. Personally, I don't believe the books have changed all that much where roughness is concerned. I don't think all that many people started reading
ADWD hoping for a Jon death. But since he was attacked, with the intent to end his life, and we're all forced to endure a cliffhanger ending to his story, what I believe we're seeing is, not the emmergence of fanboys, but of people who weren't the biggest Jon fans to begin with.
I like Jon, but I have always been more attached to other characters. After Eddard and Robert died, I was more attached to Stannis, Tyrion, Arya, and Brienne. I believe Jon can continue to be important, living or dead, just as Eddard is important both living and dead. I don't believe that Eddard's importance to the story died with him, it just sort of changed. Regardless of what happens, I don't think Jon's importance will die either.
Drogo's death gave us three dragons, and set Dany on course to accomplish all that she has ever since.
Eddard and Robert's deaths gave us the War of the Five Kings, the personal journeys of their children, and so much more.
But I also don't see Jon as your typical heroic character. I don't necessarily expect an epic ending to the series for him, though I could see things happening that way. I mean, how many typical heroes perform public executions? It could very well be that we don't actually need Jon's eyes on the wall anymore. I have a feeling, that live or die, Jon is not going to be up and about as Lord Commander of the Night's Watch without the aid of magic. Recover naturally, he may, but if he does, he will be bed ridden for quite a some time.
As for the Ramsey Rivalry, I think it is an interesting idea, but it kind of came out of nowhere. I can still see it not coming to pass. I can see GRRM using it as the catalyst to kill Jon, and leaving the Ramsey thing as unfinished business, kind of like Greggor's execution was unfinished business for Eddard. Stannis's coronation was also unfinished business for Eddard. People die with unfinished business, unfortunately. The reality seems to me that the Night's Watch isn't near strong enough to take Winterfell, and there is a lethal storm raging in the North. It always seemed like an impractical fancy to me that Jon would announce that he was going to march on Winterfell alone, and "Oh, but anyone who wants to come is welcome." As soon as Jon said that, I knew he was in trouble. It all just seems too impractical to me.
******* vs. ******* could very well come to pass, though. Right now, I'm not sure what would surprise me.
