A Game of Thrones, Part 1
Here it goes, first post of the Song of Ice and Fire Re-read! This post will cover the Prologue and first 5 chapters of A Game of Thrones, first book in the Song of Ice and Fire saga.
Prologue
Summary
A raiding party of Night’s Watch brothers is chasing a group of wildlings through the forest beyond the Wall. Their scout comes back to the encampment with report: the wildlings are dead. Leader of the raiding party, Ser Waymar Royce is not convinced and decides that he wants to see the “dead” himself. When they reach wildlings camp they find it empty, all the bodies gone. It becomes extremely cold and brothers face the Others. Ser Waymar tries to put up a fight, but he is killed and then raised as a wraith. As wraith he kills one of the brothers who were under his command.
Quotes
A shadow emerged from dark of the wood. It stood in front of Royce. Tall, it was, and gaunt and hard as old bones, with flesh pale as milk. Its armor seemed to change color as it moved; here it was white as new-fallen snow, there black as shadow, everywhere dappled with the deep grey-green of the trees.
The Other slid forward on silent feet. In its hand was a longsword like none that Will had ever seen. No human metal had gone into the forging of that blade. It was alive with moonlight, translucent, a shard of crystal so thin that it seemed almost to vanish when seen edge-on. There was a faint blue shimmer to the thing, a ghost-light that played around its edges, and somehow Will knew it was sharper than any razor.
Commentary
The first chapter is always setting tone to the entire series, it sets the theme, the main plot of the books. In Song of Ice and Fire the message could not have been more clear: the Others have awakened and are coming back to claim the realm of men. The winter is coming, those words will be repeated throughout the book not letting you forget that even though kings clash and storm of swords is laying ruin to the Seven Kingdoms, the greatest enemy is in the North.
The prologue introduces both the greatest threat in the book, the Others and the defenders of humanity, the Night’s Watch. Reader learns just enough about the world to know what’s going on, which I find really important in the books beginnig. Reader is not overwhelmed with the amount of names, places and nuances that can be caught only after reading the series for the fifth time. Martin focuses instead on the simple, easy to digest and get drawn into events. Mystery of disappearing bodies, brilliant sword-fight and the horror of dead rising again to serve as wraith.
This chapter assured me that if anything, the book is going to have amazing fights and battles, which is enough to at least give it a try.
Chapter 1, Bran
Summary
Bran, along with his father, brothers and small company of men travels to near village to see kings justice done. The deserter from Night’s Watch was captured and put to trial in front of Lord Ned Stark. The punishment for desertion from Night’s Watch is death. The man is beheaded by Ned. On the way back to the Winterfell Robb and Jon find a fresh corpse of a direwolf. The boys also find five direwolf pups which Ned wants to put down, but is persuaded by Jon Snow when he mentions the omen in this finding. Five direwolf pups for five trueborn children of the House of Stark. Ned is convinced and decides that his children will keep the pups. Just as they are leaving for the castle Jon finds a sixth pup, an albino, obviously meant for the bastard child of Ned, Jon Snow.
Quotes
Our way is the old way. The blood of the First Men still flows in the veins of the Starks, and we hold to the belief that the man who passes the sentence should swing the sword. If you would take a man’s life, you owe it to him to look into his eyes and hear his final words. And if you cannot bear to do that, then perhaps the man does not deserve to die.
“Lord Stark,” Jon said. It was strange to hear him call Father that, so formal. “There are five pups, three male, two female.”
“What of it, Jon?”
“You have five trueborn children,” Jon said. “Three sons, two daughters. The direwolf is the sigil of your House. Your children were meant to have these pups, my lord.”
“You want no pup for yourself Jon?”
“The direwolf graces the banners of House of Stark,” Jon pointed out. “I am no Stark, Father.”
Commentary
There are many chapters I can call favorite in the Song of Ice and Fire series (I’ll keep calling them SoIaF from now on). This one is definitely one of them. Main Point Of View (POV) characters are introduced in this chapter. We meet the Stark brothers, Bran and Robb, their father Ned and his bastard son Jon Snow. Seeing those four characters interact I immediately realised the emotional depth this novel brings. Reading this chapter I felt the majesty of Lord Ned Stark and I was humbled by the character of Jon, who has to live all his life knowing that he is a bastard, that his brothers and sisters have completely different destiny than him. So close, yet so alienated. That’s how you suck the reader in, give him amazing characters to follow right from the beginning!
This chapter is significant for one more reason - the direwolves are introduced along with the assumption that they are meant to belong to the Stark children. At this stage the reader suspects that those are no mere wolves, but the full significance of this finding has yet to be revealed.
Chapter 2, Catelyn
Summary
Catelyn finds her husband Ned in the godswood, cleaning the sword Ice like he always does after taking mans life. They discuss the situation beyond the Wall and the finding of direwolves. Catelyn also tells Ned about Jon Arryn’s death and King Roberts journey to Winterfell.
Quotes
The Stark words. Every noble house had its words. Family mottoes, touchstones, prayers of sorts, they boasted of honor and glory, promised loyalty and truth, swore faith and courage. All but Starks. Winter is coming, said the Stark words.
Commentary
After the excitement of the first chapter this one brings the reader into another world of SoIaF, the world of great Houses and politics. Jon Arryn’s death and King Roberts coming bring a train of thoughts to Catelyn’s head. The reader starts to get a big picture, a glimpse of what is happening outside the Winterfell keep.
The second significant beat in this chapter are the Stark words put in the context of awakening of the Others. The words no longer are just “Stark words”. They become a prophecy unravelled for the reader even if not for the characters in the story.
Chapter 3, Daenerys
Summary
Daenerys Targaryen prepares for her wedding with Kahl Drogo, Dorthaki horselord. In the meantime she remembers her entire life on exile. Dany and her brother Viserys were the last of the House of Targaryen, the House that once ruled Seven Kingdoms. Robert’s rebellion put an end to their ruling making Dany and Viserys the only survivors and heirs to the Iron Throne. They live as guests in Magister Illyrio’s residence in the Free City of Pentos.
Dany’s wedding is in reality a trade. The princess is the price her brother pays for a promise that Kahl Drogo will conquer the Seven Kingdoms for him. Dany doesn’t want to marry Drogo not only because she doesn’t like the idea of being sold, but also because she believes she should marry her brother, Viserys, according to Targaryen tradition of “not mingling their blood with that of lesser men”.
Dany, Viserys and Illyrio are carried to the wedding in a palanquin. During the wedding they meet Ser Jorah Mormont, a knight from Seven Kingdoms seeking refuge beyond the sea after committing crime in Westeros.
Quotes
“The savages have queer tastes. Boys, horses, sheep…”
“Best not suggest this to Kahl Drogo” Illyrio said.
“I’d let his whole khalasar fuck you if need be, sweet sister, all forty thousand men, and their horses too if that was what it took to get my army.”
Commentary
Another very important chapter, we’re introduced to the POV character of the second parallel storyline in SoIaF. Daenerys Targaryen’s storyline runs alongside the main story in Seven Kingdoms. The two almost completely independent stories touch here and there in the first four books, but it’s obvious that they will collide before the saga ends.
This chapter, when I’ve read it for the first time made me realize that this is not an ordinary high fantasy I’ve been expecting. The vile character of Viserys and the mention of incest being a Great House tradition were a clear indication that SoIaF is much more real and brutal than most of the fantasy books I have read.
Chapter 4, Eddard
Summary
Robert and his party reach Winterfell. Right after the introduction King went to pay his respects to the dead, not paying any attention to his wife’s protests. Ned and Robert talk in the crypts reminiscing the old times. Robert asks Ned to become The Hand of the King and offers him marriage between his eldest son and Ned’s daughter, Sansa.
Quotes
Lyanna had only been sixteen, a child-woman of surpassing loveliness. Ned had loved her with all his heart. Robert had loved her even more. She was to have been his bride.
“I vowed to kill Rhaegar for what he did to her.”
“You did.” Ned reminded him.
“Only once.” Robert said bitterly.
“Your Grace,” he said. “I am not worthy of the honor.”
“If I wanted to honor you, I’d let you retire.”
Commentary
Very moving chapter. Another key characters (including POV characters from later on) are introduced. King Robert is the key character in the history of Seven Kingdoms. He is the usurper that overthrew the House of Targaryen with the help of Ned Stark.
The main event in this chapter is the proposition Robert makes: Ned is to become the Hand of King, the second most powerful man in Westeros. He’s supposed to leave his home and follow his old friend to the life he does not want. Ned is clearly torn between the loyalty to his King and friend and his own life, his family. He is also not sure if his old friend is still the man he knew from the times when they grew up together.
Chapter 5, Jon
Summary
Everyone in Winterfell attends the great feast. Jon is situated far away from the trueborn children and enjoying the rare moments when being a bastard is a blessing. With no one to watch him he gets drunk on the summerwine. Jon asks Benjen Stark, who arrived from the Wall just for the feast, to take him when he’s leaving Winterfell. He wants to join the Night’s Watch. Jon becomes angry when Ben refuses. He makes a scene and leaves the feast. Outside Jon meets Tyrion Lannister, the Imp. Jon doesn’t want to admit it, but there is a bond building between the two rejects.
Quotes
“Let me give you some counsel, bastard,” Lannister said. “Never forget what you are, for surely the world will not.”
Commentary
In this chapter we’re following Jon, Ned Stark’s bastard. Again he’s alienated, seated far away from his half-brothers and sisters. He knows that Catelyn was afraid that his presence could offend the royal family.
Jon gets drunk and his true feelings float to the surface when he speaks to Benjen Stark. He wants to be more than a bastard and he thinks that joining Night’s Watch is better than being in the House where every day reminds him that he’s not as good as his siblings. In anger he lets his guard down and shows how he feels about bastards.
To be continued…
