[Perdogg]

I am assuming that a strongman will emerge from Dany Tagaryen’s Praetorian guard.

I just received my Folio Society’s copy of “The War of the Roses” by Desmond Seward.

[varina davis]

I love Game of Thrones and I don’t even care much for fantasy. The characters are strong, the acting and direction is first rate and it is filmed on location. The story is powerful and intriguing. Can’t get much better than that for a tv series.

[RegulatorCountry]

Despite the excesses, I've really enjoyed Game Of Thrones. Having not read the books I had no preconceptions. The characters are almost perfectly cast, the locations are stunning, the props and costuming are phenomenal and the story is elaborate enough to have the undercurrents and back channels that make for surprise yet it remains true to a simple trajectory.

I have had high hopes for the development of the Daenerys Targaryen “Mother Of Dragons” character, she's physically very beautiful and therefore easy to watch. But, thus far this season, the few examples of stilted or strained storylines or ancillary characters has centered around her. This whole “great white hope” freeing all the slaves is racism masquerading as anachronistic progressivist fantasy. It's as wooden as one of Ayn Rand's protagonists hopping on a soapbox for a chapter-long soliloquy.

Maybe there's more going on, a leader is emerging among “her” people, “The Worm.” Given the particulars though, I'm a little concerned that the author and the directors just can't help themselves and will end up going full Mandingo on us.

It feels that predictable to me at this point. They'll lose me if so.

[matginzac]

Another excellent and recently published book on the War of the Roses is by Alison Weir...not too hard to follow and actually entertaining.