Juliajms

George R.R. Martin. The first book is "A Game of Thrones".

Article about the new show runner: http://www.deadline.com/2011/07/glen-mazzara-to-succeed-frank-darabont-as-walking-dead-showrunner/

It sounds like he may stay on in a limited capacity, but that the grind of working so many hours a day was too much for him. It's too bad, since one of those articles mentioned that he had been trying to bring this to series for 5 years.

I think this article spells out the issues more clearly. Quotes some of the things he was saying behind the scenes at SDCC: http://www.tvguide.com/News/Walking-Dead-Frank-Darabont-Showrunner-1035739.aspx Sounds like they have a lot of season 2 wrapped up.

Yeah, I'm sort of concerned as well. I'm reading book 5 right now and I'm not convinced he can bring this home in two more books. Not to mention that the show runners said they think book 3 will take between 11/2 and three seasons!? They also said that they would feel like they had achieved something if they could film up to a particular event in book three (I won't name it for the sake of avoiding spoilers). So, I'm not sure they have any intention of filming this series to the book's conclusion. Ultimately, I guess I suspected that all along. It took GRRM six years to write this last book, if you've read even the first, you can see how complicated they are. I don't see that he can turn them out much faster than he has been. And he's not even planning to start the next book until next year. Perhaps the idea is to film the last books as mini series or movies. I imagine it all depends on the series gaining veiwers from season to season.

The videos are basically spoiler free (thanks Q, for posting). There are actually 5 parts, you'll find the other three by watching the first. At one point he does mention an event that happens in book 3, but he doesn't tell what happens. It would sort of be like someone saying "If we get to the filming of the Battle of the Bulge, we'll consider that an achievement", when the person they are speaking to has no idea what the Battle of the Bulge actually is. I'm slightly distressed by the idea that book 3 might take up two seasons. I just don't see how that is practical and yet...I don't see how it could be done in less than two without serious cuts. The writers sound like they would be happy just to get to the end of book 3, but I won't be happy! :-) There are to be 7 books total. I want to see this story filmed to it's conclusion. It'll be interesting to see what happens. Maybe, by season two this show will be popular enough to warrant 13 season episodes. That would help.

Synopsis of the GoT's Comic Con panel: http://www.aoltv.com/2011/07/22/comic-con-game-of-thrones/ To me this is the most interesting part:

Ugh! I see more of my teenage self than I like in Sansa. Not the "my prince will come" crap, but the taking my teenage angst out on innocent victims stuff. I agree it's going to be a long wait until season 2.

Season 2 casting news: http://insidetv.ew.com/2011/07/19/stannis-melisandre/

Sansa is not one of my favorites by any stretch, but I do feel sorry for her. I don't think she ever wanted a crown in the way that most of the players do. Sansa isn't after power, she's a girl who was raised on fairytales. She was snotty to both her father and the Septa, but to me that's just being 15 years old. She took her father and Septa for granted and was acting out against them because of what happened with Lady. And yes, it was her own fault for lying, but she's a teenager, she had no idea how high the stakes really were in King's Landing. I loved the way the Septa tried to protect Sansa in the end. She and Syrio were so loyal. That said, I almost wish she had pushed Joff over that ledge. She would have been executed, but it would have been worth it.

The show got 13 Emmy noms: http://winter-is-coming.net/2011/07/game-of-thrones-garners-13-emmy-nominations/

Did you get all 3? That's awesome. I want one of the steins.

I'm excited about Natalie Dormer being cast. I liked her a lot in The Tudors.

Robert and Lyanna were set to be married. Rhaegar Targaryen stole her away, remember? I think that Jon is either Rhaegars child with Lyanna, or maybe the bastard son of Benjen Stark. Either way, Ned is not his father, imo. But I also wouldn't put it past GRRM to punk us all.

It is stuff that's already been on the show or more like theories.

All that could happen, or Jon could die in the next book. GRRM Martian likes to do the opposite of what people expect. The last 4 books have shown that if nothing else.

^ I wouldn't call it a rumor. There was plenty of evidence in that first season. In fact, almost all the evidence is in that first season, since Ned is dead, so I feel free to discuss it now. read no further if you don't want to hear theories on the matter. Ned has a ton of honor and the only thing that made him break in the end was his love for a child. He wouldn't even break for his own life, so I find it pretty unlikely he broke it for a woman. We know that Rhaegar Targaryen had Lyanna for months and that she died while he was off fighting Robert. Robert wanted to kill all of the Targaryen's and he made that very clear to Ned. He even wanted to kill Dany, while she was pregnant, he hates them that much. Ned looked like he was lying when he had that conversation about who Jon's mother was, so it seems pretty clear to me that he's Lyanna's with Rhaegar. In the books, it is still unknown, so that is not a spoiler. Also, Jon is still a bastard and a brother of the Night's Watch, no matter who his parent's are.

Drogo was just a catalyst for Dany to come into her own. I didn't feel especially sorry for the witch. The Dothraki destroyed her life and people, so she took some revenge on Dany. That was understandable, but she took revenge on the wrong person. She may not have lied, but she certainly didn't tell Dany the truth either. After the way she made a point of telling Dany her baby had been deformed and enjoyed it, I was ready for her to die screaming. One of the other kings you mean. Renley has declared himself King and Stannis has done the same. Everyone and his brother is a king right now, with a Queen coming their way with dragons. And as Osha keeps telling people, they are all marching the wrong way.

I think it was the witch's death ("only death pays for life") plus the fire. Remember Dany had instinctively kept the eggs near fire and put one on that brazier. Some part of her thought understood that dragons are born from fire, but she was still sort of young and innocent. She didn't know yet that life only comes through blood and pain.

Osha finally combed her hair! Thank you, God. I love that she has become part of the Stark household and is protective of Bran. Tyrion as hand of the King is going to be great. I can't wait, although part of me wishes he was safe away from that little monster. How I wish that Sansa had pushed him off that tower. Damn the hound for stopping her. I'm so glad that Sansa is getting tougher. Dany's scenes were good too. I was worried about how that scene with the dragons would come across on TV, but I thought it was good. I cannot believe Cersei is screwing Lancel. That poor boy. She'll eat him alive.

I know! This season went by so fast! I think the finale is going to be really good though.

Yes, I heard he was stabbed in a bar fight and kept on drinking.

I thought it was interesting that Varys was more worried about Stannis than he was about Robb. That means Stannis knows that he is the heir. Ned's messenger must have reached him.

That is odd. How is Ned more of a lead than Jon? I think perhaps they are going by actors experience more than relevance to the show. Even Jaime and Tyrion seem like leads to me.

Ugh. That was so harsh. Ned finally betrays his honor for Sansa and he dies anyway. My only joy is knowing that Cersei, Pyrcell and Varys were horrified at Joff's decision. You could see them flipping out and trying to change that little psychos mind all to know avail. If only Cersei knew that Robb holds Jaime, she would have been freaking out even more. I was so glad that Ned managed to tell Yoren where Arya was. I was glad Ned got to see her before she died and knew that she had a chance of being saved. God, I love Tyrion. He is my favorite character. Lord Tywin is a complete SOB, but the actor is perfect. Yeah, i think that's going to be an ongoing problem unfortunately. It's a weakness that involves time as much as money I think. I liked the way that Maester Aemon was revelaed to be a Targaryen. I felt bad for Dany tonight. She is really screwed.