Hey folks! Next up is a pretty big chapter, where Jon fights in the Attack on Castle Black to the tragic conclusion of his and Ygritte’s relationship. However, I haven’t even outlined that chapter so it’s going to be a while coming (especially since I have grading right now).
In the mean-time, though, I’ve got some choice stuff on the tumblrs…
ASOIAF:
- How did London and the City of London co-exist in the same space?
- Municipal governments of capital cities.
- What’s the difference between a guild charter and a city charter?
- What would negotiations over a guild charter look like?
- Was guild membership open to women?
- How did inheritance work for different classes?
- How would an intact Winterfell change the Battle of Castle Black?
- A series of posts on serfdom and slavery:
- Medieval smuggling.
Non-ASOIAF:
- Is it bad that superhero stories get resolved by fights? No.
- Is DC more romantic or idealistic compared to Marvel?
- Jordan Peterson has a problem with Captain America.
Patreon Questions:
- “1. Dear Steven, since the focus of your “The Mystery Knight”-essay lies on the Blackfyre Rebellion, do you have any thoughts on Ser Glendon Ball, Ser Kyle the Cat and Ser Uther Underleaf, and what these characters say about knighthood and chivalry? 2. If Rhaegar hadn’t abducted Lyanna Stark (or she hadn’t run off with him), and thus Brandon would never have had any reason to storm off to King’s Landing, what would have probably been the most likely political developments in Westeros? Thank you for your efforts.”
- 1. So Kyle and Glendon are the most direct opposites, in that Kyle takes a fall in order to get a position and fails and Glendon refuses to take a fall in order to get a position. I think we’re meant to think that Glendon is the truer knight of the pair. Uther is somewhere near to Kyle in that he deliberately manages his tourneys in order to never win and gain reknown, but he maintains more independence and self-respect, although his attitude is more mercenary than chivalrous.
- 2. Eventually Rhaegar overthrows his father. Whether that happens peacefully or involves a civil war is uncertain.
- “Hi! Had Westeros had something like a magna carta, do you think it would have changed anything in asoiaf? Or would it be just ignored during the 5 kings war?”
- Magna Carta was designed to manage royal versus noble relations, not noble versus noble relations, so I don’t think it would be relevant to the War of Five Kings breaking out, because it wouldn’t really have applied to the Starks and Lannisters.
- “1. Do you think the Valyrians avoided conquests in Westeros because of bad omens from their sorcerers? 2. One of the adaptations being is of the Nine Voyages of Corlys Velaryon. What destination do you think would be the neatest to see on screen? 3. Just speculating, but do you think Sothoryos looks like an inverted Africa, with a big, vast desert south of the jungle parts? Or that Essos’ Gray Waste curves up into the Lands of Always Winter?”
- 1. Somewhat, but I think the bigger issue was the difficulty of administering so far westward. Easier to run trading outposts.
- 2. I want to see Asshai.
- 3. Maybe, no I don’t think they link up.
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