How will ADOD continue the story ? (Spoilers)

[Michael Schalk]

Hi,

just read AFFC and it was great. Not as fast-action-paced as the other books, but still very good. Yet the book gets even more complicated as new contenders (Euron, Doran, The Militant Faith, Highgarden, the Citadel/Oldtown) emerge. I keep wondering how George RR Martin will continue the story and would love to share your guesses.



Warning - Spoilers - only continue if you already read AFFC

Warning - Spoilers - only continue if you already read AFFC



Kings Landing: Cersei has alienated even her allies and relatives. Nevertheless I believe she will continue to be a major (destructive) player. There is a hint that Gregor Clegane is not yet dead. Maybe he will be her Champion in a trial of battle. There are also hints in the book that Sandor Clegane still lives. The Hound might reappear to off his brother. I still doubt he is succesful. A living Gregor Clegane would give the Dornish much more reason to take revenge.

Highgarden: Mace Tyrell is marching on Kings Landing, but as Highgarden is hard pressed by the Ironborn, it might be he has to divert his efforts. Or Cersei takes Margaery and Loras as hostages, and Mace has to back down.

Dorne: Doran did everything to avoid open war until he has completed his preparations to bring "fire and blood" on those responsible. If the news of the attack on Myrcella and the death of her bodyguard reach Kings Landing, it might be that open war with the Lannisters is still possible before the Dornish are prepared. It might even be that Kevan or Jaime choose to act on their own if Cersei can not, as she is a relative. His mission to Daeny might well propose an alliance or marriage pact with Dorne.

The Militant Faith: Their efforts might turn into a mix of holy inquisition and bloody anarchy. I doubt they will be a power in their own right, they will just add more chaos to the present situation, similar to the Outlaws.

The Riverlands: As the Brotherhood without Banners is well infomed about Riverrun (Tom Sevenstrings) and Brynden Tully escaped, it might well be that they act in concert to retake Riverrun. The Freys will be systematically decimated until only Walder Frey lives to see the end of his House.

The Ironborn: I think, Victarion will at least be partly successful in capturing at least one dragon. Otherwise it would be too easy for Dany to reclaim Westeros. I also guess there will be a climactic battle between the Ironborn and the Unsullied. Meanwhile, I suppose they will lose the North as the Lords still loyal to House Stark rally and finish off both the Boltons and the Ironborn, and Euron is at war with Highgarden and has split his forces.

The Eyrie: Littlefinger indicated that he will try to regain the North for Sansa. As he is the only major player on the winning side, I think she will win over a lot of northern lords, which should give them the edge. The Boltons will meet their rightful end. Nonetheless it will be a shortlived victory as the Others are attacking beyond the Wall.

Stannis/The Wildlings: First he will alienate the wildlings by burning Mance Rayder. Then some wildling leader will blow the Horn which will bring down the Wall. Probably at the end of "Dance of Dragons". The Others will attack in full force, Stannis will meet a heroic end. The Others will overrun the north and the Wildlings, too. This will force the other houses to rally behind Daenarys, who will retun to Westeros, punish Cersei + in time defeat the Others. But it will be a close-run thing and surely no fairytale ending.

As to Brienne, Bran, Gendry and Arya, I do not have a clue.

[Liadan]

I'm praying for Cersei to die.

I recently read an interesting e-mail from the SSM collection, where a fan was asking whether we'd learn more about the Dance of the Dragons.

GRRM replied that the first Dance will show up in the books from time to time and that the second will be the subject of a book. Does this mean that there's gonna be a war between two Targaryens or just another way of saying that ADWD is going to focus on Westeros' civil war?


BTW, I believe the new title is "A Dance with Dragons," as the Dance of the Dragons dealt with Rhaenyra and Aegon (I think that was the name of her brother... in any case, it's the king that Criston Cole the Kingmaker served.)

[Crusader]

Michael theres a lot of 'good things' in there and comeuppances, things being resolved.

Remember, george RR Martin IS a b*stard, theres no hcanc ein hell he'll be that nice to nay of his characters.




I think theres somethig to do with danys turning her focus on westeros, with a maester coming her way and victorion too she has the fleet she once asked and support, support from dorne too (i think th ewhole idea was for whatshername princess to marry viscerys but now its her brother and danys theyve got planned, sorry for stating the obvious). And please remember that its one book split, the characters we got in AFFC may not appear very often so lets not forget that.

I dont want cersei to die just yet, but i think margaery is going to die somehow, in typical martin fashion she'll bite the bullet, and cersei will be so relieved that the prophecy of a younger and more beautiful queen taking everything she loved aint gonna happen. Then maybe danys will come back to westeros and cersei will realise what a stupid skank she is and we all laugh.


Also im looking forward to some mroe bran chapters, perhaps some clues as to coldhands, who seems interesting, and i want to know what it is exactly bran has to see beyond the wall, i thought t was just amassing wights and others but it cant really with them going up there.

[Liadan]

Originally Posted by Crusader

I dont want cersei to die just yet, but i think margaery is going to die somehow, in typical martin fashion she'll bite the bullet, and cersei will be so relieved that the prophecy of a younger and more beautiful queen taking everything she loved aint gonna happen. Then maybe danys will come back to westeros and cersei will realise what a stupid skank she is and we all laugh.

YES!

I'm looking forward to the Bran, Tyrion, and Dany chapters, as well as the other Arya chapters. GRRM mentioned that ADWD might go a little bit further timewise than AFFC did... anyone else think that that's when Dany begins her invasion?

[Ilaelin]

Hum...do you think she'll be ready? We do still have what 3 more books after ADwD, I don't know maybe too soon? Would be interesting if we did get some glimpse into what Dany has in mind and how here dragons are behaving? I can't wait! *does a little jig*

[Liadan]

Can't think of anything else, and besides, Dany's war is more than enough to take up 3 books. But I hope that the possible Jon-Dany meeting will be soon!

[Crusader]

wouldnt make for much unless the R+L=J theory is true, which it probably is, but then it wouldnt matter anyway as neither of them knows it.

[Liadan]

Howland Reed probably does.

[Crusader]

i know, but as i was saying, jon and danys ist going to do anything unless howland makes it all the wya up from the neck for seemingly no reason (cept maybe looking for meera and jojen, but he would asusme they died not went to the wall). I read somewhere GRRM will reveal the issue at some point, but now seems a bit soon.

[Appaliq]

Can't a girl dream?

[Liadan]

Lol, what she said.