A Read of A Dance with Dragons - Part 47

Chapter 46 - A Ghost in Winterfell

People are getting murdered at Winterfell. It starts with deaths that could be accidental; someone falls off a wall. People wonder if there are traitors among them. They are covered in snow, cold and suffering from frostbite. The gates are frozen shut. Someone makes the mistake of saying Stannis' red god has brought the snow in Ramsay's men's hearing. He is whipped and thrown from the battlements.

Abel's washerwoman approaches Theon asking how he took Winterfell. He is too scared to tell her. She wants to see the crypts. He walks the walls and is still too scared to flee.

A squire is found naked and frozen to death. A crossbowman is found in the stables with a broken skull. Theon recalls the similar deaths at Winterfell when he held it. Bolton's knights are arguing about what to do. Frey and Manderly are at each other's throats. Bolton is uneasy. The stable collapses, killing twenty-six horses and two grooms. Then one of Ramsay's men is found with his severed cock stuffed in his mouth. All the horses and men are brought within the Great Hall.

Theon walks the walls again then returns to his chambers. He is summoned by Roose Bolton. He is accused of the murders and Lady Dustin asks him to show them his hands. They agree he doesn't have the strength to be responsible. Some think that Manderly is behind the deaths. Lady Dustin points out that all the knights here had supported Robb.

A horn blows. A drum beat begins. Theon goes to the godswood wondering if he can get killed in the battle. Abel's washerwomen find him and tell him they will kill him quick once he's told Abel what he knows.

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I knew Abel and co were up to something. Hooray! Bolton's alliance is being undone by the waiting and the tension. There's still no sign of Arya/Jeyne. Theon seems a little less scared sometimes, as Ramsay can't really hurt him here.

I felt so cold reading this chapter. Martin really brings the weather to life. Amazing.

A Read of A Dance with Dragons - Part 46

Chapter 45 - The Blind Girl

At the end of A Feast for Crows Arya had killed Dareon and the House of Many Faces had made her blind. This was to train her to use her other senses better. She goes out begging as a blind girl, works in the kitchen, attends to the dead, learns to move around without hurting herself and learns to fight.

Arya goes to an inn where three Lysene pirates are talking. She learns that two slaver ships got blown North and discovered Hardholme. They took on some wildling women and children and then made for the free cities. One made it to Braavos and was taken as slavery is illegal in Braavos. But they will go back as the price of slaves is rising. Arya tells the monk that she knows it's him that has been attacking her in the crypts.

She gets her sight back.

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Oh hai Arya. I've missed you. I love Arya's story and she is one of my favourite characters in the series. I am beginning to wonder how this is going to be brought back in to the rest of the stories. Maybe it's being with Jon's POV again, because their relationship is lovely. How will Arya ever fit back into her old life with her new ninja skills?

I hope Jon gets to the wildlings before the slavers do, but I suppose either option is better than being an ice zombie.

A Read of A Dance with Dragons - Part 45

Chapter 44 - Jon

Queen Selyse (Stannis' wife) has arrived at Castle Black with a retinue of southern lords and a representative of the Iron Bank of Braavos. Jon meets her with his retinue. She mistakes him for a squire or something. They make introductions and Wun Wun the giant appears. He frightens her daughter, Shireen, but Patchface makes him laugh. The Queen is not amused and goes to her chambers in the King's Tower.

Jon asks Lord Tycho of the Iron Bank to talk with him. They go to his chambers. Jon enquires about his business with Stannis. Tycho doesn't reveal the details but says the Iron Throne has stopped paying its debts and he is interested in the views of the other claimants. Tycho arrived with three ships. Jon wants to borrow them to rescue wildlings from Hardholme and the Others. Then he negotiates a loan that will see the Night Watch through the winter.

Then Jon and Tycho go to the Great Hall to eat. Axell Florent, the Queen's Hand, wants to see Val, the wildling princess. Jon says he's not going to parade her in front of them. He goes back to his chambers and falls asleep. He's woken to discover the girl in grey on a dying horse has turned up and is in Clydas' chambers. He thinks it might be Arya and lets himself plan what he would do to keep her safe.

Of course, it isn't Arya. It's Alys Karstark, who is the heir to Karhold. She tells him her uncle Arnolf wants to marry her to his son, Cregan, who has buried two wives already. She appeals to Jon for protection and tells him Arnolf Karstark is only pretending to have declared for Stannis, and is still committed to Roose Bolton.

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I knew the grey girl couldn't be Arya, but credit to Martin's skill at creating suspense because I could never be completely sure. And now Stannis can be warned about the Karstarks.

Clever Jon for arranging the loan. It's a bold move but it might just make all the difference.

I don't like Selyse one bit. In previous books I've felt a bit sorry for her because she's had a tough lot in life, but this chapter presents her in a very negative light.

100 Books in 2011: Sword Song

Book 4 in Bernard Cornwell's Saxon Stories is Sword Song. Cornwell is one of my favourite authors and I am really enjoying the Saxon Stories.

Uhtred is nowhere nearer Bebbanburg. He's busy building forts to protect Wessex from the Danes and raising a family. Then some Danes invade London, try to convince Uhtred to join them by promising to make him King of Mercia so that he will bring Ragnar to join the cause.

At the same time, Uhtred's cousin Aethelred, is married to Alfred's daughter, Aethelflaed and becomes the Lord of Mercia. Not king though; Alfred doesn't want a King in Mercia. Alfred commands Uhtred to drive the Danes from London. He gives Aethelred the nominal command of the mission.

They win the battle for London and the Danes take refuge in the Kingdom of East Anglia from where they raid Wessex. On one of these raids, Aethelflaed is taken hostage and an enormous ransom is demanded. If it is paid, the Danes will have enough money to raise an army capable of overrunning Wessex. Uhtred is sent to negotiate and discovers that Aethelflaed has fallen in love with one of the Danes and they want to run away together. Uhtred is fond of Alfred's daughter and knows that her husband is violent and jealous, and if she goes with her lover then the ransom won't have to be paid and Wessex will be safe. So he agrees to help them escape.

I think I was grinning from the minute I opened this book. I like the character of Uhtred. It's told in first person but from the point of view of the elderly Uhtred looking back on his life, so the character can be presented as arrogant and impulsive, but with the self-deprecating awareness of experience. It's extremely likeable. Uhtred is a torn man. He's bound by oaths he doesn't want to keep and which prevent him following his dream. I can certainly identify with that.

A good third of the book is taken up by a detailed description of the battle for London, which is very exciting, but the consequence is that the plot feels quite thin in this book. I don't remember thinking that for the previous three. However, it is gripping and the Saxon Britain is fully brought to life. As always, Cornwell's skill is evident and the writing is excellent. I thoroughly enjoyed it and am looking forward to book five.

A Read of A Dance with Dragons - Part 44

Chapter 43 - Daenerys

Daenerys has been fucking Daario but now it is nearly time for her to marry. He asks if she is going to hold court, as she hasn't done so in a while. When she says no, he says some of his Westerosi have a gift for her. She says she will hold court the next day, as much because she knows she has to. She wishes she could marry Daario but knows she can't. He acts recklessly and shows no interest in rulership, yet expects to take liberties.

So the following day, Daenerys holds court. The Green Grace wants to lecture her on sellswords. There are many supplicants; some go away happy and some don't. At the end of the day Daario presents his Westerosi. Quentyn Martell and his companions reveal who they are. Quentyn gives Daenerys the marriage contract that was signed in Braavos, promising Arianne Martell to Viserys Targaryen.

Daenerys considers it. But she is staying in Meereen and she must deal with that problem. She will marry Hizdahr zo Loraq.

Next she is prepared for her wedding. Daario goes off in a snit. On the journey Daenerys asks Barristan Selmy to tell her who her parents really loved. He does so, saying Rhaella loved a stormlord and Aerys loved Joanna Lannister, Lord Tywin's wife. Then Hizdahr's precession joins hers and they are married.

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It seems so sad that Quentyn arrived too late. I still don't trust that Hizdahr is on the up and up. I know that Daenerys is putting aside her own needs for the sake of the people she rules, but I'm convinced this is a mistake.

A Read of A Dance with Dragons - Part 43

Chapter 42 - The King's Prize

Stannis Baratheon is marching on Winterfell. Asha Greyjoy is chained up in a baggage wagon. The march starts off well enough and they make good time. Once into the Wolfswood it starts to snow which makes the going harder. The northerners fare better than the southerners but they are losing men and horses, and provisions are running low.

They press on but sometimes are only moving a mile or so a day. The northerners and southerners argue about whether they should have come. The northerners say it's only a little snow and anyway it's better to die fighting than to be frozen to death. They stop at a village where they can fish. In the morning they're completely snowed in.

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Oh, Stannis, it does not look good for you. If you get to Winterfell your men will be starving and weak and all Roose will have to do is let you sit outside, starving and freezing.

Things I have liked this week

Politics stuff
From Men's Rights Activist Marmoset comes the equally clever and funny Internalized Misogyny Aardvark. Brilliant.

Writing stuff

Five reasons why blogging makes you a better writer. I've read a few articles lately about how blogging is a distraction activity and is basically giving your work away for free, so it's nice to read something that affirms that blogging is a useful activity for a writer. It has certainly improved my writing.

Astronomy Picture of the Day

The Sun. So very awesome.

A Read of A Dance with Dragons - Part 42

Chapter 41 - Turncloak

It's snowing at Winterfell. That's good for Roose Bolton and not good for Stannis. Theon has his best opportunity to run but he's scared to because of the game Ramsay played with Kyra. Arya is kept locked in her chamber, bruised and crying. Ramsay Bolton tells Theon he's to keep her bathed because he wants her squeaky clean.

In the great hall, one of the washerwomen wants to know how Theon captured Winterfell. He's too scared to tell her, fearing a trap. He wanders around the castle keeping away from others.

Lady Dustin's men find him. She wants to see the Stark crypt. She tells him Roose isn't happy about how sad Arya is; the northmen love Starks and they need to see her happy or they'll break. The alliance is fragile. In the crypt they notice the three swords that Bran's group took are missing. Lady Dustin says Brandon Stark took her maidenhead and she wanted to marry him. When Brandon was promised to Catelyn, her father had hopes of marrying her to Eddard, but Cat got him too. Then she married Lord Dustin and six months later he joined Robert's Rebellion. He never came home. She is waiting for Eddard's bones so she can feed them to her dogs.

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I think there's more in this chapter than I've picked up on. I don't think the singers are who they appear to be. Surely Stannis is too canny to attack Winterfell straight on - after all he took Deepwood Motte by surprise.

The missing swords are the ones Bran, Jojen and Meera took. I wonder if anyone will work that out.

Daily posting

When I've finished the chapter by chapter review of A Dance with Dragons I'm going to post some thoughts on the process and what doing it has revealed to me.

One of those thoughts was that I like daily posting. But not in the sense of writing a blog post every day. What I like is seeing a new post on my blog each day. I write on the weekends and occasionally in the evenings and often what I will do is write a week's worth of blogs in one go - except for the Thursday Things I have liked this week posts, which I tend to write on a Wednesday or Thursday.

Today I realised that I had no blog. Last weekend I did some worldbuilding for my new WIP, wrote a couple of blogs and then started re-writing a vignette which I plan to post on my DeviantART page. I think I intended to go back to blog posts but didn't quite get there.

As I don't have the time (I'm at work, on my lunch break), to find links to things I want to tell you about, or mess about with pictures, or have access to my notes on ADWD or the A-Z challenge, then you get this. Because I want there to be something new on this blog every day.

Now all I have to do is figure out what on earth I'm going to do once I've posted the review of the last chapter of ADWD. Any ideas?

A Read of A Dance with Dragons - Part 41

Chapter 40 - Tyrion

Tyrion is wearing wooden armour and riding a pig in a joust. The cog that is taking Tyrion and Jorah to Meereen is becalmed and the crew is on the verge of turning nasty. The dwarves are likely to take the brunt of it.

Tyrion and Jorah argue, with Tyrion talking truth about how Jorah is trying to use Tyrion to get back into Daenerys' good books. He reveals that he knows that Jorah was spying on her and reporting back to Varys. Jorah thumps him and says he can't sleep in their cabin any more so he'd best go fuck his dwarf girl.

Then a storm comes up. They were told the ship would never reach its destination and assumed that meant it would go to Meereen. It doesn't. It meant they're going to be wrecked.

The storm lasts for ages. Tyrion stays with Penny and her animals. She tries to kiss him but he puts her off as nicely as he can. He holds her to comfort her. When the storm is over the ship is wrecked, the mast is gone, and it's sinking. The captain is dead and so is Moqorro. Tyrion wonders if he saw that in his fires. Some of the crew take the little boats and get away.

Soon they see a sail on the horizon. Jorah says it's a slaver.

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Tyrion's having a bit of a riches to rags experience here, isn't he? I'm sure it's all character building. I like that he's nice to Penny but he does have a bit of a white knight complex.

Is he never going to get to Daenerys? She needs him! Right now, I'm feeling like two more books isn't enough to finish this.

100 Books in 2011: Pig Island

I'm getting pretty good at judging whether what I've got left of a book will last me to the end of my commute. Unless, of course, the train dies at an obscure little station that I normally never see because my train goes through it so quickly. Which is what happened a couple of weeks ago and my commute in the morning took me an hour longer than usual. Thus I needed a new book for the journey home and I went to the book drop at work (which is a brilliant thing to have) to find something to read.

As I'm now racing to catch up on the 100 Books in 2011 Challenge, I was looking for an easy read. Pig Island by Mo Hayder is certainly that. It's a good five hundred pages but was quick to get through. Joe Oakes is a journalist who specialises in uncovering hoaxes of a spiritual or supernatural kind, after having been taken in by Malachi Dove when he was a young man. His girlfriend, Lexie, comes with him, thinking it is some sort of holiday.

Joe is investigating a video of a devil seen wandering around Pig Island, which is the home of a reclusive cult led by Malachi. When he gets to the island he finds Malachi has left the cult, lives on the other side of the island and keeps his privacy by means of an electric fence.

All the cultists are locked in their church and burnt and it seems like the work of Malachi. Joe goes to investigate and discovers that Malachi had a daughter. This daughter,Angeline, has a tail and appears to be frightened and fragile. Joe takes her back with him. Lexie, until recently a receptionist for a Harley Street plastic surgeon, recognises that what Angeline has is the remnants of a conjoined twin and thinks this will get her back in with her former employee.

Course, not that simple and Angeline turns out to be what everyone thought she was.

It was ok. Neither the characters, Joe or Lexie, are particularly sympathetic. Lexie, especially, is quite unpleasant. Joe seems ok until the point of view switches to Lexie and he doesn't treat her very well. It wasn't scary but it was nicely creepy in places with one or two genuinely shocking moments. The plot was handled ok but I could see the big reveal at the end coming from just after the halfway point. If you're looking for brain candyfloss, this would be just the thing.

A Read of A Dance with Dragons - Part 40

Chapter 39 - Jon

Jon is sending Val north to find Tormund Giantsbane and make him an offer. He sees her past the Wall and she promises to return but won't promise to bring Tormund back with her.

Jon returns to eat. Bowen Marsh, Septon Cellador and Othell Yarwyck want to see him. Jon asks how restoring the Nightfort is going. Yarwyck says it is going slowly so Jon offers him the help of the giant that came back with him from the woods north of the Wall. Yarwyck won't accept. Then the three ask why there are corpses in the cells. Jon says they need to know their enemy and this is an opportunity.

Marsh, Cellador and Yarwyck complain that Iron Emmett and Dolorous Edd are being sent away and complain more about the people Jon is replacing them with - a wildling, Leathers, as master-at-arms and Satin, a boy-whore. They say these are positions traditionally given to the high born. Jon replies that he needs skills and what a man was before doesn't matter once they've said their words.

Then he says they can talk about Val. They say he shouldn't be making offers to the wildlings. Jon points out, rather forcefully, that every wildling left to die north of the Wall becomes an ice zombie that will attack them.

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And I thought Jon was just being compassionate, but no, he's trying to reduce his enemies forces. Clever boy. And he handled the whiners nicely. Bowen Marsh is really beginning to annoy me.

Maybe Jon shouldn't be sending his friends away though.

Stories on DeviantArt

I have two of my short stories on this blog: Innocent, which was published in a now-defunct 'zine, and Hell, which wasn't published anywhere.

Both have moved over to my brand-new DeviantArt page, http://boudicam.deviantart.com/. I'll be posting more vignettes soon. I think I'll also add the introduction to my new work-in-progress, Wormfeeder.

Things I have liked this week

Politics stuff
The entirely hilarious Men's Rights Activist Marmoset. These are a couple of my favourites:

Writing stuff

The Bookshelf Muse is full of helpful and informative stuff. This week I particularly enjoyed this post about using frustration to ramp up your writing. 

Shopping stuff

I bought some clothes from an online store, Holy Clothing, and they are great. I love them. Go look at the lovely things now while the UK£ and US$ exchange rate is still good.

A Read of A Dance with Dragons - Part 39

Chapter 38 - The Watcher

Ser Balon Swann has arrived at Sun Spear to deliver Gregor Clegane's skull to Doran Martell. Arianne is present, as is Ellaria Sand and Oberyn Martell's three eldest sand snakes. The head is delivered and accepted. There is a toast. Obara storms out. Then there is a feast. Doran asks Balon if he knows what was in Cersei's letter; she wants Myrcella and Trystane to come to King's Landing. Doran agrees that the children should all be friends.

Arianne flirts with Balon. Doran mentions that the other part of Cersei's letter was that Dorne should have a representative on King Tommen's small council, but he is not sure he is up to the journey. He suggests he might be if they went by sea. Balon is taken aback and says it is too dangerous.

Doran excuses himself at the end of the feast. Arianne, Ellaria and the sand snakes accompany him to bed. On the way, the sand snakes exhort him to take further revenge. In his chamber, Doran asks them what they would have him do. All the people who were involved in Princess Elia's death are now dead. Ellaria says that she has four daughters and wonders where the cycle of violence will end. Then she leaves.

Doran then tells the sand snakes that he has plans. When they get to the Water Gardens, Myrcella will tell Balon that it was the Darkstar who cut her ear and killed Arys Oakheart, and he has fled to High Hermitage. Obara will take him in search of the Darstar. He tells them that he still has friends in King's Landing and that Cersei plans to ambush them on the way back, which is why Balon didn't want to go by sea.

He says no one treads on the vipers, everyone treads on the grass but it is the grass that hides the viper. Doran is sending Lady Nym to King's Landing to take Dorne's seat on the council and Tyene will go to the High Hill to infiltrate the Swords and Stars. The sand snakes are mollified by the prospect of some action.

He also tells Arianne that a Volantene fleet bound for Westeros has put in at Lys. He thinks it is Daenerys but can't be sure.

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Things are starting to come together. Doran is another one playing the long game. Good to see that something is happening. I bet Lady Nym will wreak havoc in King's Landing.

A Read of A Dance with Dragons - Part 38

Chapter 37 - The Prince of Winterfell

Theon is giving 'Arya' away. In the chamber where she's getting ready she keeps talking as though she's Jeyne Poole. Theon is afraid Ramsay will hurt her if she is not Arya body and soul. He tells her Ramsay is sweet so long as you don't anger him.

As he walks her to the godswood he realises that him giving her away makes it harder for any of the northern lords to question her. The marriage through the old gods is quick and the party then goes to the ruined castle for the feast. Theon hangs back and when he is alone he thinks he hears his name whispered in the trees.

At the feast he sits next to Lady Dustin of Barrowton. Lord Manderly has provided the food. She points out that Roose doesn't eat or drink anything Manderly hasn't also eaten. She thinks Manderly is craven. Theon is not so sure, as his sons were brave enough when they all rode with Robb Stark. A maester brings news that Stannis is marching for Winterfell, the Umbers and Karstarks are also on their way.

Roose takes his war council to another room. Theon is told to escort Arya to Ramsay's room by Sour Alyn. Once there, Ramsay dismisses all his men except Reek to cut Jeyne's clothes from her, tells her to get on the bed and spread her legs. He finds she is not aroused so orders Reek to use his tongue on her.

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Poor Jeyne. She's thirteen and she used to have a crush on Theon.

More mixed messages about whether Theon has been gelded. But now we know why Roose wanted Theon to be involved. He's lent legitimacy to this marriage.

I thought it was interesting that Roose is having his war council without Ramsay. I wonder if he will get killed in the battle - in the last Theon chapter Roose said Ramsay was no swordsman. Roose has good reasons to kill him.

A Read of A Dance with Dragons - Part 37

Chapter 36 - Daenerys

The refugee camp outside Meereen is enormous and the people in it are sick. It is getting harder and harder to feed them. Daenerys takes the food herself, against the wishes of her advisors, and organises burning the corpses.

When she returns to the pyramid, Hizdahr zo Loraq is due for dinner. While she bathes she is told of a tradition in which her husband's female relations must inspect her genitals and womb. She meets with Hizdahr who says it's a silly old tradition which she doesn't have to do. But she could open the fighting pits in honour of their wedding. He also tells her he can negotiate peace but it is at the cost of completely backing down and killing a dragon.

Daenerys is interrupted by Ser Barristan Selmy who tells her Daario is back. He is bloody and ridden hard through enemies to get to her. He says the hills swarm with mercenaries. Some came over to him but the Second Sons have gone over to the Yunkai. Daenerys is distraught. It never occurred to her to distrust Brown Ben Plumm. She orders the city gates closed and takes Daario to bed.

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Didn't see that coming. I think it would be such a huge mistake for Daenerys to marry Hizdahr - he'll just make sure everything goes back to the way it was.

But, yay, she gets to shag Daario, lets hope he's worth it.

Quentyn Martell is clearly in the building. I wonder how he's going to make himself known.

100 Books in 2011: Winter Song

Winter Song by Colin Harvey is the third book I've read from small press Angry Robot. As I've thoroughly enjoyed all of them and have paid for none of them (they've all been freebies from conferences or joining the British Fantasy Society), I'm feeling a bit uneasy. I think I might have to make a point of buying some more books from them.

Karl Allman's spaceship is attacked and he bails out, landing on a barely habitable planet. Centuries ago, humans spread out from Earth. In some cases, people were genetically altered to be able to cope with conditions on planets not habitable by ordinary humans. In other cases, planets were terraformed. Since then, the factions have split and humanity is at war with itself. Allman's ship gets caught in the crossfire and the planet he lands on is one where terraforming was started but not properly finished.

He is found by a community of people who colonised this ice planet so they could live a traditional Icelandic life. In this community, there is a girl named Bera, grieving her dead baby, who is scorned and rejected by the rest of the community because she won't name the father of the baby. She nurses Allman back to health at which point, the head of the community, Ragnar, demands that he work to pay off his debt. He learns that the world is basically poisonous to humans, the terraforming is reversing, and there are other creatures, trolls, that might be sentient.

Allman learns from Bera that the remains of the original colonists' ship, the Winter Song, lie somewhere far to the south. Ragnar won't let him leave so he has to escape and Bera comes with him. They journey across the ice, followed by Ragnar, and along the way, Allman learns that Bera was raped. They also encounter a troll and discover that the trolls are modified humans that settled the planet before it was terraformed. 

I loved this. The story is complex and deals with a number of themes, which are handled so well that it is never overwhelming. Harvey writes POVs from both Allman and Bera and conveys the miscommunication in their relationship brilliantly and with sensitivity. This is an example of really good science fiction. It's a human story that's prime focus is the characters, set in a hard sci-fi world that highlights some serious social themes. The resolution of the story is excellent; it's downbeat but perfect for the story and emotionally satisfying.

And there are sort of Vikings. Is it just me? Am I just picking books that take inspiration from Norse mythology and the Vikings? Or there a Viking theme in publishing right now? 

Anyway, this was really good. I recommend it.

A Read of A Dance with Dragons - Part 36

Chapter 35 - Jon

Jon wants to take six new recruits to say their words to the old gods, which means going north of the Wall. Bowen Marsh says they can swear in the sept but Jon disagrees. He takes a small force and Ghost and goes. He has manned a tower with women and is going to open several others. Some men think the women's tower is a brothel. He gives Iron Emmett a command.

When they come to the grove they discover nine wildlings including a giant. Jon manages the confrontation with the help of Leathers, who can speak the Old Tongue, and there is no bloodshed. He offers them refuge on the Wall. His men say their words and they return with the wildlings and two corpses.

Stannis writes to say that he's taken Deepwood Motte and Alysane Mormont joined his side. He's going to engage the Boltons at Winterfell. Jon reflects on the differences between Robert and Stannis.

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What does he want the corpses for? Is he going to make them practice kills? It's very cool that a giant has joined them. That will help. Seems like Jon is spreading his men very thin.

A Read of A Dance with Dragons - Part 35

Chapter 34 - Bran

Bran is beneath the mountain learning to be a greenseer. They stay for months and Meera says Bran will never leave. Jojen is withdrawn and no one seems to understand why.

Jojen, Meera and Hodor go exploring. It is too hard to take Bran in his basket so he slips inside Hodor, who goes to his safe place while it happens. Bran feels that no one should ever know that he does this. Bran learns to take the skin of a raven and flies over the ice and snow. Summer hunts with his pack.

Eventually, Bran goes into the weirwood trees. He sees through the eyes of the weirwood heart tree in Winterfell's godswood. He sees his father and memories of Starks going back through the ages.

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That chapter was sad and kind of creepy. Jojen is homesick. Why can't he and the others go home? Is it too far and too cold, will they not make it? And what will Bran be able to do as the greenseer under the mountain? I'd so hoped Bran's story would give him the chance to do something heroic; it doesn't look like that will happen now.

It's a nice, if disturbing, touch with Bran being unable to stop himself using Hodor, even though he knows it's abusive and is ashamed of his behaviour.

Things I have liked this week

Dancing stuff
Strictly Come Dancing is back. Whoop whoop! I love Strictly. And while I don't really know who half the celebrities are, I'll be supporting whoever is partnered with Artem or James :-).

Space picture
From Cassini in the shadow of Saturn. An amazing picture that looks like it's not real, but it is.

Writing stuff
This week I read an article about avoiding certain cliched and overused words on your CV. I thought a lot of the advice applied to writing about characters. Basically it boils down to 'give examples and let the reader work out the qualities'. Good stuff.

A Read of A Dance with Dragons - Part 34

Chapter 33 - Tyrion

Tyrion and Jorah Mormont have left Volantis, ostensibly bound for Qarth, but really going to Meereen. Penny, the jousting dwarf girl, is also on board. Tyrion tries to be nice to her but she hates him. Moqorro is a red priest sent to bring the light of Rh'llor to Daenerys. The ship they're on is big, cumbersome and slow. Over the days, Tyrion and Penny get to know each other and move closer to becoming friends. Jorah seems to spend most of the time asleep.

The ship passes Valyria, which is red and smoking. Moqorro tells Tyrion that it was a massive volcanic eruption that destroyed Valyria. He says they must get to Meereen as quickly as possible as there are others that are seeking out the Queen of Dragons. He has seen it in his flames, in particular, he has seen a one-eyed kraken.

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Daenerys doesn't know what's just around the corner. If only she can hold on for a little bit, then maybe she won't have to marry Hizdahr zo Loraq.

Tyrion's friendship with Penny is quite sweet. She brings out his gentle side, much as Sansa Stark did.

So, the doom of Valyria was a volcano. That's kind of what I'd thought but is a bit of an anti-climax. It's a shame it wasn't a big, magickal kerbluey. Also, I recently read about how the presence of whales makes the oceans thrive (link is to an abstract, not the full article) and naturally I thought about how the presence of dragons makes magic thrive.

100 Books in 2011: Irons in the Fire

This summary is not available. Please click here to view the post.

A Read of A Dance with Dragons - Part 33

Chapter 32 - Reek

Ramsay Bolton is staying at Barrowton. He's been looking for someone he didn't find. Usually this would mean that he'd want to hurt someone but he has to be careful around his father's allies. Ramsay orders a feast and has Reek stand in the corner while they eat. All Ramsay's dogs are named after peasant girls he's hunted and raped and killed, but only the ones that gave him good sport. During the feast, Roose Bolton turns up. He tells Ramsay that Stannis has taken Deepwood Motte and given it back to the Glovers. Ramsay asks if he will march on the Dreadfort. Roose says no. They talk about the Frey's that have gone missing. They were travelling with Manderly and they suspect Manderly has killed them, despite how distraught he appears to be and note that he didn't bring hostages as he was supposed to. Roose tells Ramsay that his allies are disturbed by the things they hear about him and that he must be more discreet.

Roose tells Ramsay he will marry Arya Stark and it should be at Winterfell. This will send a message and Stannis will have to come to them. With Arnolf Karstark who is still their ally. Roose tells Ramsay he's going back to where he is staying and that he is taking Reek with him. Ramsay whispers to Reek that he's to keep quiet and tell him everything his father says. Ramsay says that when Reek gets back he'll take another finger.

On the ride, Roose asks Reek what Ramsay said to him. Reek can't speak because he's so afraid. Roose says he knows anyway because he knows what his son is. All of Ramsay's men are actually his. He tells Reek that Ramsay killed his trueborn son. Then he says to Reek that he will give him a bath and clean clothes and terrifies Reek all over again. He says he has wounds and is desperate not to be seen naked. They arrive at Barrow Hall where Roose introduces him to Lady Barbrey as Theon, heir to the Iron Islands.

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So many reasons to hate Ramsay. What an evil bastard. But interesting to hear what his father really thinks of him - and just how much he's prepared to sacrifice for real politik. And what are they doing with Theon now?

I reckon Theon's been castrated. There was a vague reference to this before. That, and possibly he's afraid to reveal the full extent to which Ramsay has tortured him.

The Karstarks are playing both sides, like Manderly and the Umbers. I wonder how that will fall out but Roose Bolton seems to have a better grip of it than Stannis does. I guess it all depends whether Davos finds Rickon.

A-Z challenge: L is for Library

I always wanted to have a proper library: a whole room in the house dedicated to books and reading. All the walls would be fully shelved and there would be one of those ladder things that wheels around the shelves. It would have a chaise longue or day bed for reading in the most comfort.

There would be a roaring fireplace, probably gas because I can't be doing with the bother of a real fire, nice as they are. And of course, I would have acres of free time which I could spend lying around in my library reading all the lovely books.

I find it soothing to be in libraries, just in the presence of books. It's restful and serene and the rest of the world melts away. Bookshops work as well, but then you feel obliged to buy something and that's how book mountain grows.

A Read of A Dance with Dragons - Part 32

Chapter 31 - Melisandre

It is never dark in her chambers and the fire must never go out. Melisandre looks into the fire and prays for a vision. She is looking for Stannis and for the girl on a dying horse. She sees a white wood face and a boy with a wolf's face, memories of her past and the wildwoods. She sees Jon Snow, both wolf and man, and she sees him surrounded by enemies.

Melisandre has kept Devan with her even though he'd rather have gone with Stannis but she thinks Davos has lost enough sons. She needs Jon Snow for something but so far he is immune to her charms. She believes he should have moved into Stannis/Mormont's chambers, she tells Devan she will have breakfast and asks him to send her Rattleshirt.

She uses powders for her effects and conceals them in her robes. Her supplies are low and she can't get the ingredients to make more, but she thinks her true magic is stronger than it used to be.

Rattleshirt arrives. She sees shadows all around him. He has put aside his shirt of bones so she tells him it protects him. The ruby he wears in a black iron fetter around his wrist gives him a glamour and Melisandre says he needs the shirt as well. She wants to send him after the girl on the dying horse. She tells him what she just saw in her vision and he says the place is Long Lake.

A horn blows. Only the once, meaning rangers returning. Melisandre leaves Rattleshirt in her chambers and goes to see who has come back. She goes through the Wall gate with two guards. They're effectively useless but it's all about the show. On the other side of the Wall there are three eight foot spears with three rangers' heads on them. Bowen Marsh says they should never have sent the rangers out. Jon orders them taken down and asks Melisandre to walk back with him. He asks if she knows anything of the other six. She has seen an attack on the Wall and says it is Eastwatch, but she's not certain, what she sees in a vision is not real and has more in common with dreams.

Melisandre asks Jon to come to her chambers. She thinks Jon and Stannis have a lot in common. Rattlesnake is still there and Melisandre tells Jon he's going after the girl. Jon objects on the basis that Rattleshirt is a rapist and brutal killer. So Melisandre reveals that Rattleshirt is actually Mance Rayder and that she burned the real Rattleshirt.

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What is she up to? She's trying to reel Jon in. Beware enemies who pretend to be friends, indeed. Who is the girl? I don't think it could be either Sansa or Arya. Sansa is in the Vale with Littlefinger and Arya is in Braavos. Neither of them is wearing grey and riding north on a dying horse. Who else might it be? Or maybe it's in the future and it will be Sansa? Not that she seems in a hurry to get away from Littlefinger.

Also, it's interesting to have some confirmation that Melisandre is as much a fake as the others.

A Read of A Dance with Dragons - Part 31

Chapter 30 - Daenerys

Skahaz mo Kandaq has been following Hizdahr zo Loraq who has been visiting the nobles of Meereen and the murders have stopped for three weeks.

Grey Worm comes to tell her that a rider has come from Astapor, which has been destroyed. He had the bloody flux. He says the rider says that Astapor was waiting for Daenerys to come and rescue them. The rider was on a pale mare. Daenerys recalls her sellsword companies. Some more Astapori refugees arrive and tell the her the details of the fall of Astapor. Daenerys orders a camp to be set up for the refugees outside the city so the disease does not spread. People are urging Daenerys to use her dragons but they are a weapon she can't control. Others suggest abandoning Meereen. She realises she doesn't have the right counsellors about her. Daenerys doesn't know what to do and everything she tries to help just makes it worse.

Daenerys can't sit out a siege so she must engage the Yunkai'i and make it on her terms. And she decides she must marry Hizdahr.

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Oh, Dany, you can only have two husbands - don't waste one on Hizdahr. She is in such a difficult position and she is not getting good advice. It'll be better when Tyrion arrives. It looks like Quaithe's prophecy is coming true.

Things I have liked this week

Writing and procrastination

The whole You are not so Smart blog is fascinating, but what really resonated with me this week were a couple of posts on procrastination. I procrastinate much more than I am happy with and sometimes that's because I forget that I can't work all the time. Other times it's because big projects are scary and sometimes it's because I want the emotional reward now, damnit!

More writing stuff

I'm worldbuilding at the moment and this week I came across On Thud and Blunder by Poul Anderson. It's about internal consistency and realism in fantasy worlds. Highly entertaining and very instructive. It's published on the SFWA website and is quite long, but a worthwhile read.

Pretty pictures of space

The loveliness of cosmic clouds from Astronomy Picture of the Day.