Team Revell

Well the first three books came out in rather short order. The fourth took a little bit longer, and then of course there has been the interminable delay for this fifth. But per Martin, the delay was mainly him having some structural problems and really grappling with how to solve one particular aspect of the story that had him stumped. The fourth and fifth were originally supposed to be one book, but then it got too long so he split it and did it by narrative and it turned into a debacle. As long as he doesn't pull a Robert Jordan, we should be in capable hands.

Well it all depends on how long the show goes for I guess. The fifth book is coming out this summer after a VERY long wait. They could easily split some of the books into two different seasons if they so choose. Longer seasons- beyond 10 episodes- is another option. It all depends on funding and how committed the audience (and by extension HBO) is. It can be frustrating as it is a true epic and it can really be overwhelming at times. Luckily the majority of the plotlines and additional characters are as captivating as what we have seen onscreen thus far. It really does remind me of the Wire in terms of scope and narrative structure. Like the Wire there are dozens of characters, and you might not see a favorite character for entire seasons at a time. But it was all telling the same story, just different aspects of it through different character's eyes. Each Season you were reluctant to commit because there were all these new plots and characters, but it ended up being arguably the best show in the history of television. So I think Game of Thrones can manage.

I thought the last scene with Dany was masterfully done. I am so happy that the show is so successful and everyone loves the story. The more successful and popular it is, the bigger the budget that HBO will commit for Season 2. And there are some epic battles and necessary CGI that will need all the funding they can get. Budget issues were the reason that they did not stage any of the large scale battles on screen this season. And I think the one thing which visually disappointed me more than anything was the tournament which totally did not come off how I envisioned when reading. Though of course it was told through the eyes of Sansa so maybe it wasn't as 'larger than life' as it seemed by reading. For everyone starting the series fresh, definitely start with the first book. There are a great deal of nuances and characterization in the novel that it is impossible to portray onscreen and it will serve you well to read the novels first. You will likely be even more upset when Ned dies unfortunately. Also the recaps of each episode done by Entertainment Weekly are both informative and hilarious. Definitely worth a read if you are only watching the show and not picking up the books. They don't give away any spoilers and help you understand who and what is happening in the event that you are confused.

Refreshing to see that this kind of debate is now fodder for the geek board. There are plenty of great blogs out there which expose what a cesspool our economy and country has become. Take the red pill. The more reading you do, the worse it gets. Headlong into the abyss we go....

X-men First Class was a stellar movie.

Even though I knew it was coming, it was still hard to watch Ned die. I had to stop reading for days when I first read the books. Challenges all your preconceived notions of how things are supposed to happen. My wife was bawling and made me rewind and watch it again with her.

Ironically enough, Clarence Clemons actually laid down some tracks on Lady Gaga's new album.

Yeah I re-read the first one while watching this season. Going to re-read two, three, and four over the next month before the long awaited release of book five in July. The books just give it more depth. The show is staying *almost* religiously true to the books, but there is only so much you can fit on screen. Was a little disappointed with how they staged Arya's killing the stableboy. It was a bit clumsier than in the book and not in keeping with her training. You don't learn the fate of Syrio in the book version of the scene either.

James versus Rose was reminiscent of Olajuwon destroying Robinson. Dirk and LeBron are having two of the finest postseasons I can remember. Very happy that both of them who have been dogged as 'not clutch' or 'not winners' despite all the statistical evidence to the contrary are making their critics eat major crow.

Martin has gone on the record and said that much of the story was inspired by medieval history and events such as the War of the Roses and Jacobitism. One of the most defining characteristics of the story are the shades of grey and blurring of good and evil. There are a few outright 'good' and 'bad' guys but they are few and far between. And the books are told through alternating character's viewpoints so you get sympathy or better understanding of the motivations of each side.

If you think it is tough waiting two weeks for an episode of the show, imagine how us readers of the books feel. The first book was written in 1996. The second one came out in 1998. No big deal. Considering the length of the books, two years is a pretty respectable gap. The third book- even more lengthy- followed in the year 2000. Then it was a full five years till book number four in 2005. There were a number of publishing and story issues which accounted for the delay, but needless today it has been six years since the last book. A torturous six years full of red herrings, false release dates, and great weeping and gnashing of teeth. Finally us long suffering fans get the next installment this summer. So if you think two weeks is bad, spare some pity for us poor readers.

I can do 100 without a break as long as I haven't benched or banged MDC's mom the day before.

Probably have to go with Hud, The Hustler, and The Sting as my top 3. Cool Hand Luke and Butch Cassidy aren't far behind. I also love The Long Hot Summer and Cat On A Hot Tin Roof as well. The Verdict, The Color Of Money, Slapshot, Road To Perdition... so many wonderful movies. Twilight and Nobody's Fool were both very underrated gems as well. Now Harper on the other hand...

Ned and the King have a brief discussion regarding Jon Snow's mother in their conversation by the river in the second episode which I am sure you caught. In addition, for those critical of episode 3 being heavy on exposition and character driven I would preach some patience. Totally different genre obviously but the sprawling story is much like the Wire in that you will see characters on screen maybe for a few minutes only in an episode and then they'll pop up two or three episodes later. But it is all advancing the same story in its own way and it is integral that they develop and make you care about the characters. My criticism of episode three was the editing and fast cutting from scene to scene. Even though the show is ten episodes long my biggest fear is it is going to feel too abbreviated and lacking the depth of the novels.