BOOK FIVE SPOILERS

No, not Sam. He's a first son, which is the reason his father sent him to the Wall so that he can make his younger son the heir. But sure, the Hound is a good example, probably the best even, what it means to be a second son in Westeros.

"Stannis’ leeches are a fairly important indicator that Melisandre’s not just making this shit up, since all three of those he named will be dead by the end of next season."

You mean to ask whether he is a wight (zombie), right? (What little we do know about the Others/White Walkers suggests that they are a completely different "race" and that they use humans fallen against them as their agents, raising them as wights.) Probably yes, although he seems to have retained some humanness.…

"There are some lovely little scenes in the episode, but there’s very little attempt to link them, whether via theme or some connective plot point or even that thing the show did earlier in the season where somebody would say someone’s name and we would cut to that person all the way around the world."

I wonder whether those who haven't read the books actually can realize the difference between wights and white walkers. Going by David's review for the newbies, I suppose not. He talks about a "new weapon against those undead fuckers" after "we have long known about burning them". Well, no! This also diminishes the…

I have another problem with this. In the books, Cersei's weariness of the Tyrells doesn't really take off until Joffrey's death, which is when the prophecy of Maggy the Frog becomes such a huge force in her actions, including the bit about the younger and more beautiful queen who will take everything away from her.…

I suppose this is a minor complaint, but I didn't like Joffrey referring to himself as a Lannister when he talks with Sansa. His whole claim on the throne and being "the father of the realm" (lulz) depends on him being a Baratheon, not a Lannister, and Book Joffrey seems to be blissfully ignorant of (or simply…

Is he even going to kill Shae, one has to wonder at this point? They have changed her portrayal from the books where her bickering is increasingly about not being able to wear fine clothes and jewelry as a maid. Here she just seems to be jealous of every woman Tyrion comes in touch with. How are they going to get from…

Finding the Brotherhood and Gendry in the middle of nowhere, for starters?

BOOK 4 SPOILERS:

No, he dies before the Red Wedding. When Tywin informs his family about this and Joffrey demands Robb's head to show it to Sansa, he and Tyrion end up calling each other monsters. Tyrion then says, if he's truly a monster, Joffrey should be careful, because monsters are dangerous and kings are already dying like flies…

Hm, I'm not so sure that people don't find the Boltons weird. When Robb and Catelyn meet with Roose before the Red Wedding, he shows them a bit of skin from Theon's finger, sent by Ramsay, and wants to give it to Catelyn as token of revenge for the deaths of Bran and Rickon. Catelyn does not accept, though, although…

Don't forget that slavery is anathema in Westeros as well, where, however, other forms of subjection are accepted. (After all, Mormont was exiled for selling slaves.) So it's not just a modern western idea; rather the idea that slavery is inacceptable is firmly embedded in the world Martin has created. It's not a…

Spoilers Book 4+:

Varys mentioned Daenerys and her dragons to Tyrion last season already before the Battle of the Blackwater. Tyrion just sighed at the reference to dragons and Varys went on to say that even if the rumors are true, it will be years before they are fully grown. To which Tyrion said "one enemy at a time".
In the books, I…

Meh, Brienne didn't get to bite Locke in the ear as she did with Vargo Hoat's in the book. Which probably means we won't get the story of his piece-by-piece demise either, including the

Having Melisandre pick up Gendry was probably the most stupid adaptation choice so far. I'm not opposed per se to transferring the plot function of Edric Storm to Gendry and, for instance, letting Davos save Gendry's life instead of Edric's. But the way this was done makes me cringe. Melisandre is driving around in…