Tag Archives: hbo

Game of Thrones Wrap-Up – Season 5, Episode 2 – “The House of Black and White”

Hey there noble readers,

Time to talk about tonight’s Game of Thrones!

  • Arya has made it to the House of Black and White
  • There’s friction in Dorne over the Viper’s death
  • The Mereenese are displeased (and hissing) at the Mother of Dragons
  • Speaking of, Drogon’s back! (To protect his mom from unruly rock throwing subjects?)
  • Cersei gets no respect, no respect at all…it’s open season on imps!
  • Jamie’s on a mission to Dorne
  • The Spider and the Imp are on a road trip!
  • Jon Snow is the Lord Commander of the Night’s Watch (and Stannis wants him to be Lord of Winterfell)
  • Brienne of Tarth should probably think about finding another cause.  The Stark girls just aren’t interested.
  • What is Littlefinger up to?

What say you, bookshelf battlers?

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Game of Thrones Tonight!

IMG_1757Just a reminder – after tonight’s episode I’ll be doing a show wrap-up.  So many GOT fan bloggers out there.  Feel free to stop by, chew the fat, offer your latest conspiracy theory, debunk some of mine, and while you’re at it, toss in a plug for your blog.

I’m always happy to do what I can to send my 3.5 readers (including my Aunt Gertrude) your way.

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Game of Yetis – Part 3 – House Bookshelf

Previously on Game of Yetis:

PART 1 – House Bookshelf – Lord BQB hides out from the War for the Iron Throne, coming up with various excuses as to why he’s been unable to assist various claimants to the throne all the while positioning himself to declare allegiance to whoever emerges as the victor.  Alas, a complication in his plan arises when a band of Yetis under the control of Lord Yeti abscond with his supplies of snacks and Dew of the Mountain.

PART 2 – House Yeti –  Lord Yeti of House Yeti, the ruler of Yetifell, a territory North of the Wall, where abominable snowmen love to frolic because it is ridiculous cold, mocks his son Yetyrion, calling him a dwarf because he is 6’5″ (which is really short for a Yeti).

And now Game of Yetis continues…

When Joffrey took the head of his good friend Ned Stark, Lord Bookshelf Q. Battler didn’t cry a tear.

When his old roommate Theon Greyjoy (from that semester at Winterfell Tech) had his, um, appendage removed, Lord BQB chalked it up to “cost of doing royal business.”

When Lord BQB heard that the Stark family was butchered at the Red Wedding, his only comment was, “That must have made the chicken dance awkward.”

Whether Lord BQB was cold or if he’d just grown accustomed to life in a cold world is a question for the ages.  Needless to say, he was a lord who was not easily rattled.

But when Lord BQB saw his supply room bare and a band of filthy yetis running out the back door with his barrels of Dew of the Mountain, he bellowed a terrible scream that was heard all the way up to the wall, down as far as Dorne, and it even made its way across the Narrow Sea.

To this day, there are Dothraki who, during rare moments when they aren’t fornicating or beating each other senseless, ask, “What was that guy yelling about?”

“MY DEW OF THE MOUNTAIN!!!”

“There there,”  Maester Monty said as he patted Lord BQB on the back.  “There will always be more Dew of the Mountain.”

Lord BQB sniffed and looked up at his trusted elderly confidant.  “But it was the Special Limited Edition Code Red Dew of the Mountain.”

“Oh my,”  Maester Monty said.  “That is a travesty, my Lord.”

Lord BQB stood up, withdrew his sword, waved it high in the air and proclaimed, “In the light of the Seven, I shall hack every Yeti I see to ribbons until I get my Dew of the Mountain back.”

“A tall order, my Lord,”  Maester Monty said.  “Yetis are fearsome beasts.”

“You’re right,”  Lord BQB said.  “We’ll need back up.  Send a raven across the Narrow Sea to that place where the Khaleesi gets all her Eunuchs.  What’s it called? ‘Eunuchs R Us?'”

“I’m afraid word has it that the Khaleesi had her dragons burn up the slavers who produced the Unsullied,”  Maester Monty said.

“Confound her hide!”  Lord BQB shouted.  “Isn’t that convenient?  She takes all the Eunuchs for herself, then burns up the Eunuch store so nobody else can have one!”

“Perhaps your banner men might assist you?”  the maester asked.

“Of course!  My banner men!  They are zealously loyal and will follow me to the gates of hell if I ask them!  Quickly!  To the barracks!”

Lord BQB and Maester Monty walked all the way to the living quarters of the Shelftopia banner men.  It was completely bare, save for the following note:

Dear Lord BQB:

We was only in it for the free Dew of the Mountain, we was.  Now that you ‘aint got any, we’s goin’ splitsville we is.

Sincerely,

Your Ex-Bannermen

“Blast!”  Lord BQB said.  “You just can’t get good banner men these days!”

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Join House Bookshelf!

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Game of Thrones – Season 5 – Episode 1 – “The Wars to Come” – Wrap-Up

Dang!  That was one badass premiere!

In the name of the Seven, know that there will be SPOILERS ahead:

Let’s discuss!

  • Young Cersei visits a witch who predicts a younger, prettier woman will take her place.  Is it Margery or Dany?  Someone else we haven’t thought of yet?
  • It’s the buddy cop duo of Varys and the Imp!  Tyrion drank himself across the Narrow Sea but now he’s ready to visit Mereen and join up with Dany.
  • Speaking of, the Mother of Dragons has some rebellious kids.
  • The show still manages to surprise – i.e. the death of White Rat
  • Will Dany reopen the fighting pits?
  • Will Jamie go against Tyrion?
  • Will Cersei still marry Loras?
  • Was I the only one who thought Mance would reconsider and bend a knee as the fires began to grow?
  • Beware the Red Lady.  Beware any character who has their own background music.

What did I miss?  Discuss in the comments below and feel free to link to your own blogs and GOT commentary.

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Join House Bookshelf!

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GOT Season 5 Starts Now!

Stop by bookshelfbattle.com and discuss tonight’s episode right after the S5 premiere!  (Don’t forget to plug your blog while you’re at it while you’re commenting!  It’s ok, we’re pretty shameless about self-promotion here at Bookshelf Battle Headquarters).

Sigil of House Bookshelf

Sigil of House Bookshelf

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“Throwing Out George RR Martin” Isn’t a Good Thing

Sonia Saraiya of Salon.com argues that the television version Game of Thrones’ upcoming deviation from George RR Martin’s books is a good thing.

I have to disagree.

I agree that sometimes everything in a book won’t transfer well to television.

On the other hand, while GRRM didn’t invent the fantasy genre, he is a pioneer of a sub-genre, namely – “Fantasy for Adults.”  His career is one of the many reasons why we have books set in fantasy worlds where the hero doesn’t always save the day, unicorns don’t talk, and all sorts of chicanery ensues, thus keeping the attention of the adult reader.

So while it’s understood the show creators might feel necessary to deviate from the source material, let’s not cast GRRM aside as if he’s some kind of bumbling old-timer.

“Plans” and “life” are two concepts that do not get along.  In life, you might get up everyday and work toward a plan.  You and your friends cheer yourself along.  Then one day – boom – an accident, a catastrophic illness, or some other unforeseen event happens and that’s it.  Goodbye plan.  Adios progress that was being celebrated and cheered on.

We cheered on Robb Stark as the inexperienced underdog won victory after victory against the veteran and fully bankrolled Tywin Lannister.  We hoped this progress would eventually lead to a final battle in which Robb emerges victorious and the North becomes a separate state.

That was the plan…and then…bam!  Throat cut at a wedding…just moments after the host went out of his way to make the Starks feel welcomed and assured them that there were no hard feelings about his daughters being dissed.

Like the gambler who hides an ace up his sleeve, that trick should only work once.  OK GRRM.  We’re onto you now.  You won’t lull us in to a false sense of security again.  We know you’re up to something and…oh hey look.  The Viper just beat the Mountain….good for him…OH MY GOD!!!

M. Night Shyamalan knocked our socks off with the twist at the end of The Sixth Sense.  I remember watching it, thinking it was an ok but average, mediocre movie until…OH MY GOD!  BRUCE WILLIS’ CHARACTER WAS DEAD THE WHOLE TIME!  (Shut up, you’ve had so long to watch that movie, spoilers, schmoilers).

Shyamalan then went on to attempt to recreate that twist in a series of movies that fizzled.

The Village – the monsters in the old timey village are just people who dress up to scare the people from wandering off and realizing that the village exists as an enclave in the modern world.  BOOO!  DUMB!

The Happening  – the plague killing off the world was created by plants, their revenge for the way they are treated by humans.  BOO!  STUPID TWIST!  STOP MAKING MOVIES!  BOO!

Shyamalan just could not recreate that first brilliant twist.  GRRM keeps doing it again and again.  That is why he’s brilliant.

I’m not saying the show will be terrible as it starts to move away from GRRM’s books….but the show runners do have some enormous shoes to fill.

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And Now Our Watch Begins…

Wait another day for Game of Thrones to start???

This a man cannot do.

GOT fans and bloggers!  I hope you’ll feel free to join me in the many discussions that will be held on bookshelfbattle.com as we watch Season 5!

What do you hope to see?  Hope not to see?  Conspiracy theories?  Praise or complaints?  Toss it all into the comments section and you know what?  While you’re at it, feel free to add a shameless plug for your blog while you’re at it.  Tell my 3.5 readers where they can see your GOT commentary and watch your stats surge (with all the surge that 3.5 readers can provide!)

There’s always a battle going on in my bookshelf, but it looks like Jon Snow and Nedd (with head firmly attached head) Stark have things under control.  I’ve assigned them to guard my 20% Target copy of Game of Thrones and thus far they have not failed.

Although between you and me, Jon is a bit of a dummy.  Whenever I ask the guy a question, it’s like he knows nothing.  :::rimshot:::

You know nothing, Jon Snow.  Now guard my 20% off Target book!

You know nothing, Jon Snow. Now guard my 20% off Target book!

Valor Morghulis, friends!  Join in the fun, share what’s going on in your blogs, and have fun this season!

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Game of Yetis – Part 2 – House Yeti

Previously on Game of Yetis:

Lord Bookshelf Q. Battler, consumate bamboozler that he is, has managed to set up a pretty sweet deal for himself.  While Westeros burns in the war for the Iron Throne, Lord BQB remains holed up in his palace in Shelftopia, an island a few miles away from Casterly Rock.

To cover all his bases, BQB has sent ravens bearing messages to literally every player, informing each party that he is with them, along with apologies for not being able to fight himself for a variety of contrived reasons (carpal tunnel syndrome, crusty eye disease, etc).

BQB’s plan was to ride out the war, playing X-Box, drinking Dew of the Mountain, and consuming snacks from his snack reserve and ultimately, pledge his allegiance to whoever arises as the victor.

But alas, a crimp in his plans – his snack stockpile has been raided by a band of filthy yetis, the banner men of Lord Yeti of House Yeti.

Seven Hells, that was a longwinded recap.  You should just go read the bloody thing.

Far from Shelftopia….past Winterfell…and even farther north of The Wall, there exists an enclave of wretched ice encrusted land known as Yetifell.

Why Yetifell? As the legend goes, in long ago days, long even before the First Men, a group of smelly Yetis wondered north, got tired, fell down, and decided the place they landed on was as good as any to remain.

Inhospitably cold, it appeared as a frozen wasteland to humans, but was friggin’ Disney World for Yetis.

Lord Yeti sat in his chamber, drinking a glass of ordinary water.

“Blech,” Lord Yeti said. “Bland and boring. Soon my Yetis will return to me with all of Lord BQB’s barrels of Dew of the Mountain! And then I shall drink and burp till my heart’s content!”

Yetis — they were enormous, each one stood over eight feet tall. All but one — Lord Yeti’s youngest son, Yetyrion, who stood at a paltry 6’5.”

That may have been tall for a human, but in Yeti circles, he was considered a “Dwarf Yeti.”

“Father,” Yetyrion said. “May I partake of some of the Dew of the Mountain when it arrives?”

“Bahh!” Lord Yeti scoffed at the mere idea. “Dew of the Mountain is for man Yetis! You are no man! You are a shameful Dwarf Yeti!”

“I didn’t ask to be born a Dwarf Yeti, father.”

“Yes! Yes you did!”

“Did not!”

“Did so!”

And that went on for hours, until Yetyrion conceded that he had asked to be born a Dwarf Yeti, not out of a desire to agree to such a nonsensical premise, but because he grew tired of the absurd back and forth.

“It does not matter anyway,” Lord Yeti said. “My banner yetis will not be back anytime soon. They will be providing my arch nemesis, the insolent Lord BQB, with a most fiendish form of torture!”

“The rack?” Yetyrion asked.

“No.”

“Water torture?”

“Worse!”

“Whip?”

“Worse!” Lord Yeti said. “They will do what Yetis do best! They will become terrible houseguests and will take over Castle Bookshelf, mess it up, eat all of BQB’s snacks, and refuse to lift a furry finger to help!”

“Wow,” Yetyrion said. “That does sound like torture!”

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THE YETI:  Umm..BQB…you know that’s not a Yeti right?

BQB:  What?  The GOT Make Your Own Sigil Site didn’t have a Yeti icon!

THE YETI:  So you just put a damn bear on a flag?

BQB:  Yeah.  So.  What?  Bears.  Yetis.  They’re both big dumb hairy animals that eat all your food.

THE YETI:  I’m highly offended.

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Game of Yetis – Which House Will You Join? (House Bookshelf)

Winter is coming…and so are yetis.  House Bookshelf.  House Yeti.  House Jones.  As Westeros burns in a glorious war over the Iron Throne, another battle emerges…a side war over the fate of…Lord BQB’s snacks!!!

JoinTheRealm_sigil

 

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What Do You Want to See Happen on Game of Thrones This Season?

Word of Warning – come Springtime, this blog is going to Stark up the place.  I pay the Iron Price, but I always pay my debts, Winter is Coming, and so is Game of Thrones.

As I recall from last year, there are a lot of GOT Nerds in the book blogosphere.  So I hope to get these posts rockin’ with lively discussions – what is that wacky imp going to do next?  Who is George RR going to bump off next?

And where the heck is Lady Stoneheart?

Is it too early to start talking Game of Thrones?  Yeah, probably.  But what the hell.

What do you want to see happen on Game of Thrones this season?

Hypotheticals only.  No spoilers.  I haven’t read the books, so I’m only as far as the series.  That is probably a sad admission for a book nerd, but so be it.

And if you have no predictions or comments as to what you hope will happen, then just feel free to discuss anything going on in Westeros.  Or its neighbors.

Valar Morghulis.  Wait till April?  This a man cannot do.

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