HBO Game of Thrones Inspired by the Moors.

[Yeekim]

Translating names can be done well but it's a hard job best left to the experts (most translators of genre literature, sadly, are not). The common [1] Norwegian translation of The Lord of the Rings is one of those rare examples where it works; the translator went back and delved through Tolkien's notes and tried to basically replicate his English etymology, only in Norwegian (this also fits the spirit of that book pretty well, as it comes pre-packaged with the conceit of "actually" being an English translation of an ancient manuscript written in a dead language; Tolkien does say a few things about what certain names "really" were and how he's translated them into English "equivalents").

I´ll just say this was done with an Estonian translation too - and the guys did a really great job! Of course, Tolkien is a special case, because of the reasons you mentioned.

 

[Leifmk]

Left out a footnote:

[1] There was an earlier translation, which most people don't know about as it wasn't all that great.

 

[Winner]

So I am halfway through ADWD, and I am pleasantly surprised

I've read an opinion of some guy on another forum who thought it was really bad, so I was a bit afraid I'd be disappointed. Fortunately, he was wrong - reading negative reviews beforehand really helps

 

[mitsho]

Well, it just has the syndrome of uncontrolled expansion. Compare Catelyn's Travel South and North in AGOT (incl. the beaming necessary of Tyrion so they end up at the same place) to Tyrion's travelogue down the River (that's halfway in, right? ;-)).

There's just much more world building going on, wether one likes that or not is probably subjective. But I highly doubt, GRRM will be able to finish the series in two more books like he wants to if he goes on at that speed (slowth?).

If he were to write A Clash of Kings now, we would probably see the Westerlands on Robb's Campaign. (or he has something to hide in that story... ;-))

Also, this is not a spoiler, but I had the impression that in ADWD there's so much more "hidden" in the text between the lines that I personally only read about on the online forums afterwards: What, you get that from this short passage? Wow!

But anyways, it's not bad, keep reading, it's just long.

 

[holy king]

the thing is i never got into mereen. i just dont care for mereen, and i think it's because grrm did a bad job of making me care.

 

[Leifmk]

So I am halfway through ADWD, and I am pleasantly surprised

I liked it quite a lot. The most awesome noble house of Westeros is now House Manderly. You will see why.

 

[GoodSarmatian]

I only read ADWD oce, and I finished it n a week so I probably missed a lot, but I don't really have time to read it again now.
I even missed the hints about the nature of the pie until I read it somewhere online.

 

[Winner]

Well, it just has the syndrome of uncontrolled expansion. Compare Catelyn's Travel South and North in AGOT (incl. the beaming necessary of Tyrion so they end up at the same place) to Tyrion's travelogue down the River (that's halfway in, right? ;-)).

I noticed that too. Also, he keeps adding new POV characters, which of course greatly adds to the length of the books.

I don't mind, so far as it remains engaging and readable. But if Martin dies before finishing the series, I'll be really cross with him.

There's just much more world building going on, wether one likes that or not is probably subjective. But I highly doubt, GRRM will be able to finish the series in two more books like he wants to if he goes on at that speed (slowth?).

If he were to write A Clash of Kings now, we would probably see the Westerlands on Robb's Campaign. (or he has something to hide in that story... ;-))

Ha, if he were to write ACOK now, Robb would be a POV character and the book would be twice as long

Also, this is not a spoiler, but I had the impression that in ADWD there's so much more "hidden" in the text between the lines that I personally only read about on the online forums afterwards: What, you get that from this short passage? Wow!

I am so paranoid that every time I find something suspicious, I read it twice and make a note of it I ignore the forums, because they're full of spoilers and I enjoy puzzling things out on my own

the thing is i never got into mereen. i just dont care for mereen, and i think it's because grrm did a bad job of making me care.

He apparently had a lot of problems with the "Mereen knot". Maybe it was supposed to engage the American readership more (you know, freeing the slaves and all that).

 

[holy king]

I liked it quite a lot. The most awesome noble house of Westeros is now House Manderly. You will see why.

Spoiler :

i dont think an obscenely fat man killing kids and making a meat pie out of their corpses is all that awesome. wymen is just another freak.

 

[holy king]

well, the thing is affc (which is a great book) and adwd (which is kind of a patchwork still, after 6 years of work) were never intended to be written at all.
grrm planned to leave a five year gap (to let the stark children and dragons grow up) and carry on with winds of winter, which he abandoned because he would have had to include too many flashbacks.

both books are basically just filler, i expect the pace of the last two to be much higher.

 

[mitsho]

Yes, I don't get the Manderly Love either, as well as the Quentyn Hate. I like Quentyn, he's so normal ;-)

 

[holy king]

yeah, but his appearance in the book was kind of pointless.

 

[Leoreth]

Did anyone of you get the "Mirri Maz Duur's prophecy was fulfilled" stuff with Daenerys? (Answers should probably be in spoilers.)

 

[holy king]

the sun has certainly set in the east, but the other parts are pretty fuzzy.

 

[Leoreth]

So you did see that on your first read?

 

[holy king]

no. i still dont see it, to be honest.

 

[Leoreth]

I wouldn't even have noticed or considered it.

 

[Leifmk]

Yes, I don't get the Manderly Love either

Awesome as in the dictionary meaning: "Causing awe or terror".

 

[Winner]

OK, I just finished ADWD, so I can ask a few questions:

ADWD spoiler warning

Spoiler :

i dont think an obscenely fat man killing kids and making a meat pie out of their corpses is all that awesome. wymen is just another freak.

What kids?

Yes, I don't get the Manderly Love either, as well as the Quentyn Hate. I like Quentyn, he's so normal ;-)

I really didn't expect he would die as he did.

Did anyone of you get the "Mirri Maz Duur's prophecy was fulfilled" stuff with Daenerys? (Answers should probably be in spoilers.)

No. In what way?

the sun has certainly set in the east, but the other parts are pretty fuzzy.

When did that happen?

 

[mitsho]

I am sick of spoilers here. But well..

Spoiler :

What kids? ;-)

He's referring to Little Walder which is the bigger one. Or is it the Big Walder, who is the little one? Either way, one of the Frey Wards at Winterfell got killed by "the hooded man", who could be a) a figment of imagination by Theon/Reek, b) a secret assasin/Big ass MF like the Blackfish or Mance Rayder, c) Crowseye Umber (or something like that?) who found a way inside Winterfell (the hooded man talks to Theon the same way Umber does in the Xmas Gift chapter of TWOW), d) Little Walder/Big Walder to go one up in the heritage chain, e) one of Ramsays men or f) Manderly to avenge, since he's...

eating the Freys already. You got that, right. With Manderley making jokes about the Rat Cook and the missing Freys?

Regarding Quentyn and the Prophecy:

Mirri Maz Dur says in AGOT that Drogo will come back when Dany's womb quickens, when the sun sets in the east, when mountains blow in the wind and so on. Sun sets in the east = Quentyn whose sigil is the sun (and a spear), born in the west, dies in the east. Mountains = Gregor Clegane who will fight soon in Cersei's trial as the undead monstrosity of Ser Robert Strong. So it's yet to come in any way. And the third part I don't remember, though there are some indications that Dany has a period in her last chapter...