ADWD - ASOIAF 5

A Dance with Dragons: A Song of Ice and Fire - Book Five (George R.R. Martin)
Chapter Commentary by Stefan from towerofthehand.com

Prologue: 3 - 15 (Varamyr Sixskins)
I assume that this will constitute the Prologue. We witness the demise of Varamyr Sixskins and can see how a pro does the Warg. It was a bit confusing over times, but in a good way. At the end, however, I wasn't quite sure about what exactly happened to Thistle. Is she a wight now? Also interesting to see how One-Eye-Varamyr fars later... :)

Tyrion 1: 16 - 30
First Tyrion-Chapter. Many will know it already as a spoiler-chapter. I'm not quite sure what to make of it now. Seriously, who trusts Illyrio? Tyrion is a real mess. I hope he gets his act together sometime soon.

Daenerys 1: 31 - 46
Also known from GRRM's spoiler chapters. Dany has tedious governing to do, and in the end we witness the first victim of Drogon. All in all, it promises much more to come and sets a very interesting tone.

Jon 1: 46 - 59
First Jon chapter, also known from the spoiler chapters (only one to go). From the intial chapters, I love this one best. It's just so...so GRRM like. The cold north, dark nights full of terror, dangers ahead...great ambience.

Bran 1: 60 - 70
I was most excited about Bran's storyline. It's easily one of my top favourites, perhaps THE favourite of all for me. So, Bran's en route with Coldhands. We still don't know who he is, except that we learn in this chapter that he obviously is a corpse and that he hides his face under hood and scarfe. That's a bit ominous still and seems a bit like the "dark, but interesting" fantasy clichee, so we have to wait and see. That Jojen's sick and probably dying is a hit in the guts, though. We're back in GRRM-Land, no two ways about it. I want to know what happens!
Summer comes by Varamyr Sixskins and they recognize each other as Wargs. This could prove to be the first showdown for Bran as a warg. It remains suspenseful.

Tyrion 2: 71 - 82
Let's meet Tyrion again. He now leaves Pentos, together with Illyrio, in direction of Volantes. We got lot of flavour of the old countries they go through, rich with history and shadows of it, which is great. Besides, nice pieces of dialogue with Illyrio and more of his inner fight. Also love the insights we get about his past at the Rock.

The Merchant's Man 1: 83 - 94 (Note: He's Quentyn Martell)
The title is ominous. Merchant's Man? Soon we discover that it is Quentyn Martell. It's the first time we get some real info. He is stuck in Volantes, trying to find a ship, and everyone expects a big war to erupt between Dany and Yunkai. We learn that half of the Dornishmen died, including Cletus Yronwood, who had to be a decent fellow. One misses him without even knowing him. The chapter ends with a bad clifffanger, I want to know how it goes on!

Jon 2: 95 - 111
Back to Jon again. His story continues being great. Not only do we get the exact same dialogue he had with Sam, we get his side of it, including the order to Gilly and the departure. Easily, this constitutes a great chapter as we watch Jon harden double time. But when he kills Janos Slynt, just like that - I was awestruck. Take that, Frogface!

Tyrion 3: 112 - 122
Tyrion again. There he shall meet a "Griff" who should bring him to Dany. When they finally meet Griff, he lies, obviously, about his nature. Who could he be? A Connington, perhaps? Descendend of old Jon Connington? Very cool how he talks back at the Halfmaester, reciting all that stuff and starting a discussion about science and history.

Davos 1: 123 - 133
Oh my, Davos. I fear he runs directly into his doom. Everyone who argued that Manderly didn't kill him when it was reported to Cercei sees many hopes go out of the window here. Davos is the same old, stubborn, stupid guy he was all the time. He will walk right into it and die, I can already see it before me. Poor sod. The Sisterman was portrayed very cool, though, and we get stuffbites about Jon's parentage yet again, and a nice bit of Eddard's past as well. These flavours already make ADWD a very spicy stew.

Jon 3: 134 - 147
Aaaaaand back to Jon. Holy shit, they're burning Mance Rayder. The King beyond the Wall goes Craven, which is nice to see, since it makes him so human. The whole execution is cruel to a fault, and when the wildlings are freed and made to burn weirwoods, one shivers. Nothing good can come from this forces loyalty and show of cruelty.

Daenerys 2: 148 - 160
Daenerys now has more and more problems. The city is obviously out for the kill, and the problem can't be brought under control. I don't think that the new city watch will do much better than the Unsullied, and she won't gain new friends.
Great bit about the indifference of the succesful fighting slaves, wanna see how this plot evolves.
At last, the dragons. Drogon escaped?! Wholly shit, what a mess! The others are chained up and will surely get sick soon, as this is showing. What will Dany do? Can Tyrion perhaps help her? I have the feeling that something awful will happen here before...

Reek 1: 161 - 168 (Note: Reek is Theon Greyjoy)
Reek. OK, they mean Theon, but I knew that before, having read the spoiler chapter. Ramsay is just so cruel and brutal, one wants to get at him instantly. The two lords could be Umbers, by the looks of them, but we don't know yet. And it remains ominous what Ramsay wants to do with Theon as his "servant". I'm not really eager to know, I have to confess...

Bran 2: 169 - 178
We're in the realms of Fantasy now. Bran not only has to fight wights in ambush, he then meets a child of the forest, follows it down into a secret cave in which Coldhans cannot follow and there meets a...thing, presumably the best of all wargs, a grotesque creature grown inside its own weirwood throne. Everything from its description screams one name: Bloodraven! And he says he has been watching with "A Thousand Eyes, and One". Hell of a cliffhanger here, and I'm really excited to see what happens next.

Tyrion 4: 179 - 191
And there we are with Tyrion again, slowly floating down the river Rhoyne. Martin does such an excellent job bringing the country to live, you almost don't need a story. The chapter is ambience again mostly. Tyrion sobers up a bit, wants to fuck a septa and makes witty remarks while colleting dragonlore from his head. He seems happy with it, without rally knowing. I fear that something bad will happen soon.
As a side note, GRRM used the opportunity to finally clear the problem with Tyrion's artistic abilities: an uncle (probably Gerion) taught him when he was seven, and his father made an end with it. So, no secret powers. Another crackpot theory goes down the toilet, and I'm the happier about it.

Davos 2: 192 - 202
Davos arrived in White Harbor, which fives us the first look on the city ever. The descriptions are beautiful, especially when it comes to the smell. Interesting how the old smuggler tries to get information. And it's so like Davos to walk right in the palace. I'm pretty sure now that he'll die just as it was reported to Cersei.

Daenerys 3: 203 - 217
Pretty long chapter. Xaro is back in Mereen. It seems to be a recurring theme in ADWD that we meet characters from previous books, but they are changed and feel like strangers.
We have much politics in this chapter, especially the attempt from Dany to strike alliances. Honestly, it doesn't go well. Dany is closed in in Mereen. Astapor goes down, her only ally, and she has no real army. She can't escape, and the enemies are closing in. The chapter ends with a real big bang. Eager to read more.

Jon 4: 219 - 231
Winter is coming. The Watch tries to find out how much food she has left, and it's not many. If the winter goes on for more than one or two years, they are all doomed. Worse, Stannis demands weapons for the wildlings, wanting to use them on the Dreadfort. Jon is drawn into Stannis' war, if he wants it or not.
In all but name, he decides for Stannis in this chapter. When he gives him advice of how to win the clans - which was a really cool scene -, he definitely engages in the war as an ally of Stannis. This could get ugly.
I'm not exactly sure what Jon intends to do with the wildlings. Does he want to try to persuade them to take the black? That's unlikely. Why does he want them out of Stannis' control?

Tyrion 5: 232 - 242
OK, now that was a downer. I always hated the theories of this one being secretly alive and that one not really dead. Now, Tyrion discovers the mighty truth after some nice descriptions of the foggy Rhoyne: Prince Aegon never died, he was instead rescued. The Griff really is Connington, as I already suspected. But Aegon lives? I don't like that at all.
Now, letting the disappointment aside, this will play havoc with Dany's claims. This at least will be interesting to play out.

Davos 3: 243 - 252
Davos is swirrling towards his end. A fool's errand to begin with, in Manderly's throne room he can't do much more but to insult the Freys and to try to speak with the King's voice valiantly before going down.
The twelve year old girl pleading the right thing is a nice touch, and the flashes in which one can see what the northmen really think of the Freys too. But Manderly doesn't seem hero enough to rescue Davos with some ruse. The Onion Knight is dead.

Reek 2: 253 - 266
Reek's chapters are strange. Your bowels want to turn when you read them, their ugly and you loose all appetite. This one makes no difference. Theon happily betrays some Ironmen who are slaughtered in the most obvious of all treasons. Then the Boltons meet the first time in the books, and the false Arya comes up. The chapter mainly seems to set some paces and events for later unfolding.

Jon 5: 267 - 276
Jon is recruiting wildlings at Molestown. The situation is dire, not enough food. He seems half certain that he can use their muscle, but that's not really sure. We get another glimpse at wildling culture and the everyday problems of the Lord commander.

Tyrion 6: 276 - 292
We see Volantis again. The city is as strange as the other Free Cities. Tyrion gives advice to young Aegon, who doesn't really seem to grasp much more than the "I am the King of the Cool" part yet. Tyrion has a setback in becoming sober, fucking a whore in his fool's quest of finding Tysha. It is not yet clear why he sometimes makes up false hopes. He won't find Tysha, and he knows it. He seems more to be obliged by it.
Jorah Mormont capturing him is nice. Does the Bear hope for a pardon?

Daenerys 4: 293 - 305
So, Dany again. Obviously she's horny as hell, poor girl. And desperate. Seldom a good combination. She seems to give in in the whole "marry a Meereenese" business, but the ninety days could be a livesafer. Militarily, the situation sucks a great deal. She's loosing, and she knows it. Finally she can see Daario as the bastard he is, and perhaps, perhaps she gets her act together and pulls one of the "I'm the blood of the dragon" stunts that she did in the previous books.

The Lost Lord: 306 - 319 (Note: The Lost Lord is Lord Jon Connington)
Wow, a Connington chapter! That's nice. Love the mentioning of the Battle of the Bells and how they lost the war then and there. Connington seems to confound the idea again that soldiers make no good rulers. His idea of presenting himself to the Golden Company seems not too good...very interesting mentioning of Rhaegar again, however.
The whole camp of the Golden Company is rich with history. Names of long dead lines in Westeros, here they are. Obviously, Tyrion's ruse was succesful, and it's nice to see how Illyrio's and Varys' plans crumble to dust. You can't plan everything. Now they make for Westeros - let's see how that turns out.
Oh, and nice cliffhanger with Connington.

The Windblown: 320 - 331 (Note: It's Quentyn Martell)
Of course I missed one. Quentyn and his guys at their mercenary company, trying to make for Meereen. They ploy how to desert best when they get the mission to feign a desertion and present themselves to Dany, in hopes of assassinating her or learning something clever.

The Wayward Bride: 332 - 350 (Note: She's Asha Greyjoy)
Asha. That one came as surprise. The timelines from AFFC and ADWD seem to have joined now, since we know that the Ironmen's storyline began in ASOS. She is in Deepwood Motte, desperate (someone can see a pattern here?), surrounded by foes. The fucking of Qarl is fitting and very well written; again, the Ironborn are very cool to read. Tris has some idea about the Kingsmoot that appeals to Asha, but before she can clarify it enough so I can get it all hell breaks loose. The battle in the woods is very cool, too. Martin really has a gift for describing fights in a way that is so much better than the stupid hacking and slaying of most fantasy novels. Whispering Wood, Blackwater, Green Fork, now this - all battles feel different, feel real. Great writing, the northern story reads so much better than the stuff in Slaver's Bay, at least yet.

Tyrion 7: 351 - 371
This Tyrion chapter is enlightening. He found his wits back, and the actions in the Merchant's House, the whore, the dwarf - it's the world of Martin we're in, where everything has consequences and flals together somehow. Really good to see this all. I'm now more eager than ever to know where Tyrion is headed.

Jon 6: 372 -381
Jon's chapters continue to be the greatest stuff of the books. Ramsay Bolton has invited to his marriage with Jeyne Poole, but Jon is wise to decline. More likely than not, they would have taken and flayed him.
Mel can control Ghost, but that does not really come as an surprise. The offer of help she makes to Jon doesn't surprise as well. It was coming long ago, and Jon will need her. The question is, will he take her?

Davos 4: 382 - 394
O-h m-y g-o-d. I was always a strong advocat for "Davos is dead as Manderly reported". There seemed no real chance for him, and he craven. But this turns everything around. I totally forgot about Rickon. God damn it, I love the North. All hail Winterfell. All hail their king. Godspeed, Davos. Go to Skagos.

Daenerys 5: 395 - 406
Dany grows more and more desperate. The situation is catastrophic. She can't hold the city, she can't fight the enemy outside, and her dragons are useless. The marriage seems the only way out, but it will bar the way to Westeros, and she knows it. The drama gains speed.

Melisandre: 407 - 418
I had almost forgotten that Melisandre has a chapter as well. It gives us a glimpse of how her sorcery works and makes her weaker and more human, but I'm not sure if it's a good thing. The eerie aura she had before vanished, and she remains a mighty illusionist. So, Mance Rayder is still alive. Wonder if Stannis does know.

Reek 3: 420 - 433
Reek again. We learn more ugly things about Ramsay. The guy is simply mad. For the first time since ACOG, we meet Roose Bolton. He takes over Reek. After you have read the dialogue between the two, you can't nearly stand it anymore. My god, these guys are so...insane.
Who is the women in the end? I don't get it yet.

Tyrion 8: 434 - 447
Finally, we get the whole human drama back that Tyrion was all the time in the other books. His relationship to Penny is heartbreaking, and he honestly cares about other people, even when he tries so hard to tell himself and the world that he doesn't.

Bran 3: 448 - 460
It feels so good to be right. Brynden Rivers. Bloodraven. The Targaryens seem to have more impact on the world than could have been noticed on the first glance. It's a real tragedy how Bran loses Meera and Jojen and transforms Hodor in a vassal of his own desires, but he gets access to the weirwoods for it. Now we can understand why the Andals put them down. The glimpses of Winterfell are great. Eddard, praying for forgiveness for Jon. Lyanna and, presumably, Benjen or Eddard or Brandon fighting. Other lords, and later kings, and then the ritual slaying...my god. This is so good. ADDED: Jojen is sick, is all. they are still alive. He just loses them in terms of human relationship.

Jon 7: 461 - 472
The North doesn't let us out of its grasp. I wonder what Jon wants with the bodies, but the tenderness in the godsgrove was beautiful. Stannis is indeed marching into a trap. Who could the girl be that Mel saw in the flames? Not Arya, that's for certain. We have to wait and see. Oh, let the North prevail.

Daenerys 6: 473 - 483
Dany's situation has worsened once more. It didn't seem possible, but it is. When she walks the Astapori, she overstretches the "Blood of the Dragon" part a bit, deliberately forgetting that the great Spring Sickness took several Targaryens not protected by their blood. The Westerosi gone over to the Storm Crows could and should include Quentyn Martell. When she finally fucks Daario in the end, one wants to scream. MISTAKE MISTAKE MISTAKE! Let's see what comes out of it.

The Prince of Winterfell: 484 - 499 (It's Theon Greyjoy)
Shivering again. Boltons are the pestilence of this world, that's clear to see. The cruelty of everything that surrounds them is so appalling, and the fate of Theon so disgusting. I almost have to reek myself only thinking of the broken teeth. Let's hope that Stannis can pull all of it somehow.

The Watcher: 500 - 513 (It's Areo Hotah)
I had not expected to see Areoh Hotah back. Does this mean that we have reached the ending of AFFC in the timleline and that from now on the story goes on into unknown waters? It is nice to see Dorne again, I like its description, but Doran's plans will soon falter, despite all his cleverness. Let's see how he reacts to the news of Aegon coming.

Jon 8: 514 - 524
Jon has good ideas, no doubt. Besides all the sternness in him and being hard, he still is an idealist. He hopes that he can forge a great alliance of all the living against the dead, which is a noble deed. Noble, and doomed to fail. The only question is how bad it will fail.
And, of course, when the first of his brothers will turn against him. Jon does forget or ignore - more like the latter - that he can't force too much change at once on the people, especially on a lot bound together by millenia of tradition. He needs not fear Tormund and neither Mother Mole, but treachery from within.

Tyrion 9: 525 - 535
Tyrion is lost in transition. Somehow it seemed clear that he would not reach Mereen fast. I wonder if he will warm up to Penny. Doesn't seem likely, though.

The Turncloak: 536 - 548 (It's Theon Greyjoy)
At least someone has sense in the whole Bolton business. Keeping false Arya "happy" would be a smart thing to do. The Lady ryswell is enigmatic, I give her that. Besides from giving a POV of the Bolton side of the events, I don't see where Theon's storyline is going in the moment, but that's not necessarily a bad thing.

The King's Prize: 549 - 563 (She's Asha Greyjoy)
Let's make this comment one of the Starks: Winter is coming. It's an Asha chapter. She is imprisoned by Stannis who marches on Winterfell to defeat the Boltons, and the snows rise and rise, people die left and right until everything comes to a halt in the mother of all blizzards.

Daenerys 7: 564 - 578
Oh good lord, another crackpot theory made possible. Did I say that I hate them? So, King Aerys obviously wanted to fuck Joanna Lannister. Perhaps he DID father Tyrion after all. Hey, what's another Targaryen turning up suddenly, where there are so many? Dany and Viserys, the last Targaryens, my ass.
Besides that, nice chapter. Quentyn finally can present himself, very uncomfortably, and his offer is regarded as the joke it is under the present circumstances. Poor guy, nobody could have known that ruling Meereen would be such a mess. I wonder if Dany will loose a second husband soon...

Jon 9: 579 - 592
Jon's chapters continue to be the biggest thing about the new book, I absolutely love them. His fleet to rescue the wildlings from Mother Mole is more than clever, using their beliefs to his purpose. It proves pragmatism as well as empathy, and a good deal of foresight and cunning.
The same is true for the business with Lord Tycho. The man from the Iron Bank is an opportunity not only for Stannis - Jon grasps that quick enough - but for the Watch itself, and he grasps it. Again, Jon shows real qualities.
And then comes Alys Karstark. Now it is too late for everything. Jon is a participant in the war, if he wants or not. If he does nothing, he could declare for Bolton on the spot. If he warns Stannis, he declares for him, simple as that. The days of the Watch as an independent order are over, and I fear Jon will stick too long to the illusion for his own good.

The Blind Girl: 593 - 604 (It's Arya)
I always presumed that Arya was way ahead in the timeline after AFFC, after all the months that were mentioned having passed. But there we are, at two thirds of ADWD, joining her again. Really well told chapter: we see perfectly how she gains some assassin skills by being blind, of which we now know that it was no punishment but part of the training and not permanent besides; big relief. It is really interesting, though, that Arya develops more and more Warg skills. Not only is she Nymeria every night, who is a continent away, but she begins to see through other beasts as well and uses these talents in a way that even surprise the kind man, which was especially satisfying.

A Ghost In Winterfell: 605 - 617 (Theon Greyjoy again)
Interesting how quick a tide can turn. Yesterday, Stannis seemed beaten, Bolton the winner. Now, he is trapped in Winterfell. It's so cool to see how he looses it, how Winterfell itself seems to devour them. It's not theirs, we know it, and they will experience it soon enough. What's it with Abel and his washwomen will soon be disvovered. I'm eager to know more, more than ever. Die, Boltons, die!

Tyrion 10: 618 - 631
Tyrion is a slave now and has to perform stupid japes to please the crowd. It's pure irony. I'm not sure who the sellsword is who wanted to buy him, but his tender nature again came forth when he rescued Jorah Mormont. Let's see if he can win something by fighting in the pits under the eyes of Dany.

Jaime: 632 - 646
Jaime is back. So, we are definitely behind AFFC now. He makes an easy defeat of the Blackwood-Bracken thing and takes hostages. It's impressive how good he is at governing; he would be a splendid advisor and second-in-command for anyone. Pity no one wants to have him.
It's difficult to write this down looking at the last half page. Brienne is back, and she tells him a stupid tale of having found Sansa. When Jaime follows her, he is dead meat.

Jon 10: 647 - 660
Heeeeello Jon. Melisandre is staging a wedding, and GRRM manages to keep us THREE FUCKING PAGES in the loop about who weds. Mel sings, prays, everyone blatters around, it's cold, but after three pages finally Alys Karstark and the new Magnar of Thenn marry. We learn that her uncle, the traitor, has turned up. Jon intercepted him, denying him bread and salt (a dry Walder-heh for him here) and confining him to the ice cells. Again, great ruling by Jon here, love what he is doing. The chapter ends with horn blows. You count as excited as the black brothers. One blow. Rangers. Two blows. No one even thinks wildlings, all wait for the third. But no others yet. Tormund and Val, it seems.

Daenerys 8: 661 - 672
Dany's wedding. Everyone jolly, on the outside. On the inside, everything is foul. A slaver's market directly under the walls of Meereen makes the new peace with Yunkai a joke and insult, but there is nothing to be done. Dany tries to scheme with some mercenaries, but the Second Sons should have taught her a lesson there. She shows the two dragons to Quentyn, who doesn't know more than her, but at least some history. He refuses to leave her, as was to be expected. We now know it was Brown Ben Plumm who bid for Tyrion on the slave market: we will see what happens when the two meet, which should be in the next chapter, provided Dany watches the fighting pits.

Theon 1: 673 - 686
OK, I was blind. Abel and his washwomen obviously are Mance Rayder and the spearwives. Totally overlooked that. They are plotting to free Arya Stark, haha. They risk their life for Jeyne Pool. The chapter is lables "Theon", so finally he got his name back, and his actions are more his than ever in the book. He is still full of fear, but in the end, Bran has brought him back when he whispered his name through the Hearttree.

Daenerys 9: 689 - 699
Daenerys is in the fighting pits. The old gladiator combats of Rome must have been like that, bloody, ugly, cruel. Dany is sick about it fast, and only by chance and without knowing it she rescues Tyrion from certain death. The chapter is typical to this point - barbarism everywhere, Dany repulsed, she tries to do something, like we have seen her do several times now. But then, suddenly, Drogon comes back and makes a slaughter in the middle of the arena. Dany jumps to him, fights him, tames him, flies him - a cliffhanger if there ever was one. Go, Dany, go forth and burn your enemies!

Jon 11: 700 - 716
Jon and Tormund made an alliance, and now three thousand wildlings settle in the old castles. Bowen Marsh is really unhappy; it seems like he will openly defy Jon soon. In a matter of a few weeks, when everything works as Jon wants it to, nearly all surviving wildlings will be south of the Wall, thousands. The North changes, that's for certain, and the Watch with it. It is so darn exciting to watch this, and brillantly written.

Cersei 1: 717 - 729
Ah Cersei chapter. That's a surprise, I hadn't expected one. Obviously, she hasn't changed. She puts a mummer's farce before the High Septon about confessing, and he believes her, the fool. Kevan comes to her and brings tidings of mercenaries landing in the Storm Lands. They think it's Stannis, but it reeks about the Golden Company and Aegon. But why there and not Dorne? Damn those fickle reports. Since Arys died, Zombie-Gregor can now be made a kingsguard, which is exactly what Cersei wants. Let's see how that works out.
Oh, and there are reports that Jaime has left with Brienne, taking no one with him. Great.

The Queensguard: 730 - 740 (Barristan Selmy)
The first chapter for Barristan. Dany has not returned, no one knows if she's dead. On her flight, Drogon killed over 200 Yunkai'i, who have built scorpions everywhere. These AA guns won't help them much, I hope.
Volantis has set sail to invade Meereen. The city is doomed if Barristan does not act and bring Dany's Unsullied into action who have closed themselves in the barracks. The plan is a surprise attack on the Yunkai'i. Sounds familiar. But Barristan isn't exactly the big schemer, and his new allies are dubious at best. Let's hope he doesn't pull a Ned Stark here.

The Iron Suitor: 741 - 753 (Victarion Greyjoy)
Victarion's first chapter. His hand festers from the wound Serry give him on the Shields, and he loathes the Maester. His days are numbered, as we Victarion's taste for the lot. They fish the sorcerer Moloqqo from the sea. I have to admit, I lost track with whom he was earlier; I guess with Tyrion. Now he heals Victarion, who then kills the Maester. Circle closed. They set sail for Meereen, determined to rescue Dany. She isn't there at the moment, but they can't know that...

Tyrion 11: 754 - 768
Tyrion is back for good. He made for Second Sons and presented himself to Plumm. The chapter is full of Tyrionesque cunning, like we used to love it. Welcome back, Halfman.

Jon 12: 769 - 782
I just quote the last sentence of the chapter: "Night falls, and now my war begins."
Sends shivers through your spine, doesn't it? Tormund is through, and 3319 wildlings with him. Cotter Pyke has encountered horrors in the northern bays where he was sent to collect Mother Mole's wildlings, the message he sent is queer and strange, talking about "dead things in the water". It's not good, and Winter is coming. The day was sunny and warm - for the Wall - which is a nice touch in the chapter. Now, winter is upon them all, and the Long Night starts.*shiver

The Discarded Knight: 783 - 792 (Barristan Selmy)
A second of Barristan's chapters. Dany is still not back yet, and Meereen falls apart around everyone. War is soon to come. The real danger lies for Quentyn Martell, though, who lets a false understanding of honor get in the way of leaving the city before he is crushed. The boy has learned much from his father, but not nearly enough.

The Spurned Suitor: 793 - 800 (Quentyn Martell)
Back at Quentyn Martell. He boy is mad, but in a good way. Since the Martells have some Targaryen blood in them and Dany doesn't show up, whilst Meereen comes crashing down, he wants to steal a dragon. After all, it has three heads, so why shouldn't he be one? His plan also requires the company he deserted and betrayed to even get there, so his task is a cakewalk.

The Griffin Reborn: 801 - 813 (Lord Jon Connington)
The invasion of Westeros has begun. Jon Connington captured several castles in the Stormlands, and all his actions indicate that he is a strong military mind. He also sees clearly the need for polical alliances. Everything rests with Dorne at the moment, one way or another.
Connington mentioned that he wants to take Storm's End with a ruse; I'm interested to see how he'll do it, especially since Aegon has it in his head that he should lead the venture.

The Sacrifice: 814 - 826 (Asha Greyjoy)
Asha is with Stannis still, they are trapped in snow. Men are burnt as sacrifice, and as so often, either the Red God or chance brings new tidings: Theon and Lord Tycho arrive. It's the cliffhanger of the chapter, so we don't know what tidings they bring, but it will be interesting.

Victarion 1: 827 - 834
Back with Victarion. The chapter describes his journey to Meereen, capturing ships left and right. It's funny how he tries to free slaves as Dany does ("It's a great honor to row for the Iron Fleet", "Now you have to please only one man instead of many") and how he falls for the Red Priest Moloqqo, who healed his festering arm - which is no permanently blazened or sth like that - and takes the Red God as a second god who loves the Ironborn. Victarion is too stupid to shit, it seems. Good for him that he has the priest who reads the glyphs on the dragon horn for him, since in this antique user's manual is written that everybody blowing it dies. Poor Victarion, he was so eager to do it. The priest also tells him that it doesn't matter who blows it, the dragons will come and head the master of the horn. To become that, you have to bind it with blood.

The Ugly Little Girl: 835 - 847 (Arya)
Arya's training takes a new step. For the first time she gets a new face, which is a real ugly process, and then sets out to kill a man. I honestly don't get how exactly she did it, it's left in riddles. Perhaps the conclusion comes to me later. When she said that she was no one at the end of the chapter, the kindly man didn't correct her as usual, but I don't think that she really has left behind everything else. Nor that she will.

Cersei 2: 848 - 859
Cersei had confessed, now she atones. She has to walk naked through King's Landing, with all the people insulting her and spitting her. No Lannister will help her. It just feels good to see her suffer. When she reaches the Red Keep, the new Kingsguard is there: eight feet tall and mighty. Zombie Gregor.
A sidenote: Cersei mentiones that Littlefinger proposed to marry Sansa when they struck the bargain with Ned, but she declined because of his low birth. Was that the moment he decided to persuade Joff killing Ned? That he wouldn't get Sansa? Possible.

Tyrion 12: 860 - 871
Tyrion gives out debt papers left and right to get taken into the Second Sons. Now that he is officially a sellsword, he promises Penny - who is totally down since she lost dog and pig - that everything is fine, and Jorah that the Second Sond will turn cloak again soon to the Meereenese.

The Kingbreaker: 872 - 886 (Barristan Selmy)
Ser Barristan finally decides to throw in with the Shavepate and to imprison the king. His honor forbids him attacking the Yunkai'i or doing anything other clever, but the ruse successes nonetheless since the king is stupid. We see Barristan in an actual fight, which is quite nice. In the end, the city is shouting red fire since the dragons are loose.
I ran through that quickly to come to the important part: Barristan remembered the Tourney of Harrenhal in the Year of the False Spring. He said Arthur Dayne was much closer with Rhaegar than him, and that somehow this had to do with the tourney and the drama that followed (although he did not say why). He also said that Varys poisoned Aerys' ear so the king came to Harrenhal as well. Somehow, the drama was affected by this fact too. And lastly, Ashara Dayne was "dishonored" at the tourney in Barristan's eyes by Eddard Stark. Barristan loved Ashara himself and said she miscarried her child, which is why she through herself from the tower.
That's an awful much of new information on the topic, but it does not as yet present us with the whole picture. May the new speculation begin!

The Dragontamer: 887 - 898 (Quentyn Martell)
That's the last we see of Quentyn Martell, it seems. Together with some other fools he entered the dragonpit to tame Viserion and Rhaegal, and the chapter ends with him on fire. Don't see how he survives that.

Jon 13: 899 - 913
The last Jon chapter. It contains a twist that's comparable only to the execution of Eddard Stark and the Red Wedding, so I put it in a spoiler warning for all those who don't want to know beforehand. And I really, really advice you all not to click it. That said, go ahead.
[ BEGIN SPOILER >>Jon receives a letter from Ramsay Bolton. Mance Rayder is captured, Stannis and his host slain. If he doesn't give up everything else, Ramsay marches the Wall. Jon gives up the idea of leading a ranging to Hardhome to get the rest of the wildlings and leaves that task to Tormund Giantsbane. He holds a speech and gathers volunteers to march on Winterfell and attack Ramsay Bolton. And then the black brothers kill him. Jon Snow is dead. ADDED: He is stuck with four blades before falling unconscious or dying, with many conspirators falling upon him, so it's safe to assume that there were more stabs after the fourth. Jon made the Caesar at least. He is dead, I'm fairly certain, which says nothing of what Mel might do, that's right. But dead he is.<< END SPOILER ]

The Queen's Hand: 914 - 928 (Barristan Selmy)
Ser Barristan is Hand of the Queen now, trying to rule the city. We can imagine how that pays out. He tries in some ploys, but he's hopeless. In the end, the Yunkai'i declare war once again and start throwing corpses in the city, presumably full of pestilence.
Quentyn Martell died of his wounds after three days, and the dragons burned half Meereen. It is not entirely clear where they are now, but they seem to hide in the pyramids of Meereen.

Daenerys 10: 929 - 943
Last Dany chapter. She is lost somewhere at the edge of the Dothraki sea, starving since she can't really control Drogon. She has visions and is fearful, and she has to find to herself. The whole Meereen thing was a failure, she knows it now, and the visions confirm it. Meant to conquer, not to plant, for war, not peace. When you look at Westeros, that seems not as bad as once.
In the end, she mounts and halfway masters Drogon, flying out in the Dothraki Sea to conquer the biggest Khalasaar she can find. If she will be succesful remains to be seen; the chapter and book ends with her besides Drogon, awaiting the arrival of the Khaal, thinking of Qaiths prophecy: to go forward, you have to go back. Will she become Khaleesi again?
The Dance is over, only the Epilogue waiting for us. No I understand Martins problems with the Meereenese knot. It is all very complicated, many try to reach her, only few do.

Epilogue: 944 - 959 (Kevan Lannister)
The POV of the Epilogue is Kevan, so we know he dies now. A pity, I liked the character, but no one ever survived prologue or epilogue with Martin. Deadliest fate one can have.
He argues with the Tyrells, who grow more and more bold. He sees that he misjudged the situation, and that Cersei was right: the Tyrells aim to take over the court piece by piece, and Lannister might crumbles. They discuss the landing of Connington, not knowing yet that the nameless Targaryen pretender is Aegon. They discuss, but to no end.
After that, Kevan visits Cersei, who seems humbled. Knowing her, I judge she is just biding her time.
Kevan is then summoned to Pycelle, who got a message by raven. Entering his rooms, a white raven is there. Winter has come. But that's not the end. Pycelle is dead, and no sooner Kevan sees it, he is shot by Varys, who tells him what a fine king Aegon will make and that his death will set apart Tyrell and Lannister since Cersei will suspect Highgarden and Tyrion to have a hand in his demise. Then, all the little birds come at Kevan with daggers in their hands and make an end.

End

Full Review for ADWD by Stefan:
http://oeffingerfreidenker.blogspot.com/2011/07/buchbesprechung-george-r-r-martin-dance.html

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