I like how Sam is straight forward about his shortcomings, but he's always bothered me with his lack of will to do anything, he seems to give up before he even tries. (mind you i'm only 300 pages into book 3), but till this point, he pretty much doesn't TRY to do anything well save for mapmaking. As for this…

As to the comments that this series is at it's heart a political/social story, Ned being placed as Hand, and essentially bullied/threatened into the position puts him in a tight spot. Ned is this paragon of honor and integirty, and his disgust at the wonton self-interests and power grabbing that plague the seven…