We know, we know — it’s not The Winds of Winter. But Fire and Blood, the new release from George R.R. Martin about the history of the Targaryens (the first half, anyway) is still damn fine reading, and fills the gap nicely while we wait for both Winds and Season 8. On a bonus episode of The Night’s Cast, the official podcast of Watchers on the Wall, join Vanessa and Samantha as they discuss their overall impressions of the 700-plus-page tome, memorable characters, foreshadowing, parallels and more!
The Night’s Cast is available on iTunes and SoundCloud, and you can follow us on Twitter as well. Happy listening!
Forget Targs for a second. How about a YMBQ?
https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2018/12/07/00/7115738-0-image-a-12_1544141078141.jpg
F&B shows GRRM is not above writing about women being passed over because of sexism.
His personal views on it dont matter. He is more interested in 1) being accurate to the world he’s built, and 2) having a logical motivator for conflict. From a writers perspective its very easy to use “sexism” as a device to launch plot/character change. Plus, it’s instant sympathy from the reader.
He’s not writing a feminist manifesto where women triumph over the patriarchy. He’s writing women the same as men.
And one final thing about F&B that is interesting to me: how obsessed GRRM is with succession politics. Not with magical heroic battles of good vs. evil.
Ten Bears,
Really cute picture! I’m not accustomed to Maisie’s pink hair yet, but it seems this girl can choose any crazy style and look good.
That is why she is the Many-Faced Goddess.
This was an outstanding podcast, Sam and Vanessa! It really brightened my morning commute. Full of insights and commentary, talking foreshadowing and mpnarrative symbolism (and legit frustration at trying to remember Targaryen family trees.)
I have not finished Fire and Blood yet, but the podcast got me jazzed to do so.
Great job!
Oh good, I’ll have this episode of the Nights Cast to look forward to after I’ve read my Xmas pressie book!
(Yes, I already know I’m getting Fire and Blood for Xmass.)
Sorry to come back to this so late, a month and more, but I want to comment to signal my appreciation of what you do with the podcast.
It’s always a pleasure to listen to (well, tbh, only if Bex isn’t on, she grates on me).
I got the book for Christmas and only finished reading it a few days ago. The first 100 or so pages were a such a slog I put the book away for days. I’ve never been a Targ fangirl.
Fortunately, I picked up the book again. Interesting story, and, I’m sure, lots of tidbits that might be foreshadowing for the main ASOIAF cycle. I don’t want to analyse this book to death as regards the main ASOIAF story, but there might be clues there. Especially because GRRM seems to have lost interest in the original story of the Starks and the Lannisters and gone off to write more and more about his new darlings, the Targs.
This book, while a very entertaining read (after the first 100 or so pages that bored me to death), is not what ASOIAF fans really need. We know what we need, but it isn’t up to us, it’s up to GRRM.
All that notwithstanding, I really enjoyed youse guys talking about this.