Game of Thrones begins....

[Martinus]

I just got the books and plan on knocking them back shortly.  I also read the two Hedge Knight Graphic novels as a semi-intro to the series.  Should I watch the first episode while reading the beginning of the book or wait till I've finished the whole first book before watching the show?  Also, as I was reading some intros to characters, a thought popped in my head:  Is Jon Snow actually Lyanna's son with either Robert or Rhaegar and that is what she made Ned promise?  To claim him as his own son and to promise to raise him?  Just curious if I totally misread the short character background or not about him.

That's the popular theory (i.e. being a Rhaegar's son), and it also sheds some light on Lyanna being quite a willing "kidnapee". The plan is that he will marry Danny - Ice and Fire reunited - to save Westeros from the Others.

There is also a more obscure theory that Tyrion is a son of Aerys the Mad King (Tywin's wife being actually raped by him - that's why Tywin suddenly left King's Landing and later switched sides). This is much more tenuous, supported only by such stuff as Tyrion's apparent affinity with dragons, and him "standing tall as a King" and the like.

So, in the end, Jon, Danny and Tyrion will be the three heads of the dragon, as in the old days.

[Martinus]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s7L2PVdrb_8

I must say that the opening credits are stunning and nerdgasmatic. I hope they're specific for every episode. 

I liked Rome and John Adams credits better. Looks a bit too steampunkish for Asoiaf 

Nah, I think it's fine. They are working to bring up the aspect of this being a "game" of thrones (so it looks like a game board) and also all the "gears within gears", so it works as far as I am concerned.

[Maximus]

Especially good is Joffrey. That little cunt gets on my nerves without even uttering a single word.

This is so true.

[Slargos]

On the Sandor Clegane question;

http://www.westeros.org/Citadel/FAQ/Entry/Is_Sandor_dead/

I think its a fairly convincing argument. In general I can't think of a major character killed without the reader being a direct witness through a POV character.

Yeah. Reading that made me recall why I was so sure he was alive to begin with. There is little doubt that he is indeed alive.

[Josquius]

Seen it.
The Hound is wrong. He's not as burned and nasty looking as I imagined. His helmet looks a bit silly too. My dad even chuckled at it.
Sansa- thought she'd been aged up, was wondering how her plot would work with the young adult she looks to be, turns out...she says she's 13. Ah. So its Westeros 90210 then.
One big dissapointing thing is that I know not too much will happen north of the wall now, that bit was awesome though.
Pentos was undewhelming. The whole thing there just...felt so very made for TV. Which it is but...yeah. Was expecting it to look grander.
Nude Dani was...nice. Hot.
I think a lot of people watching it are going to be very dissapointed after the initial battley lead in its going to be all politics with no others to be seen.

[Sahib]

Sansa- thought she'd been aged up, was wondering how her plot would work with the young adult she looks to be, turns out...she says she's 13. Ah. So its Westeros 90210 then.

The actress was 14 when they were filming, turned 15 few weeks ago... so yeah.

[Josquius]

Yeah, went and investigated and it seems so. She really does look old for her age.

[Martinus]

Wonder how long till they photoshop the pedobear into the Game of Thrones captions.

[jimmy olsen]

I will say this: Most misgivings I had about the casting are swept away. They simply Work.

I maintain that Cersei simply isn't stunning enough, but it's a minor quibble.

You remember how almost everyone in Crusader Kings was ugly, and even the best looking avatar merely looked good? The Middle Ages were kind of like that. Even the royals had poor nutrition, poor medical care, and poor cosmetics by our standards. Cleopatra and other legendary beauties of the pre-modern age probably wouldn't look that great to us, especially once they were out of their early 20s.

[Slargos]

I will say this: Most misgivings I had about the casting are swept away. They simply Work.

I maintain that Cersei simply isn't stunning enough, but it's a minor quibble.

You remember how almost everyone in Crusader Kings was ugly, and even the best looking avatar merely looked good? The Middle Ages were kind of like that. Even the royals had poor nutrition, poor medical care, and poor cosmetics by our standards. Cleopatra and other legendary beauties of the pre-modern age probably wouldn't look that great to us, especially once they were out of their early 20s.

You, of all people?

For shame. 

[jimmy olsen]

Sansa- thought she'd been aged up, was wondering how her plot would work with the young adult she looks to be, turns out...she says she's 13. Ah. So its Westeros 90210 then.

The actress was 14 when they were filming, turned 15 few weeks ago... so yeah.

Just a year and some change is pretty damn good for Hollywood.

[merithyn]

Sansa- thought she'd been aged up, was wondering how her plot would work with the young adult she looks to be, turns out...she says she's 13. Ah. So its Westeros 90210 then.

The actress was 14 when they were filming, turned 15 few weeks ago... so yeah.

I was going to say that if she wasn't 13 or 14, she did a damn good job of looking and acting it.

[jimmy olsen]

Did anyone else think the direwolf looked to be about horse sized?

I mean, they are supposed to be big, but that is a bit much.

The real dire wolves weren't all that, so I think it's okay. They only averaged about 1.5 metres (5 ft) in length and weighing about 110 kg (240 lb). Also they were stupider than real wolves. Making them a little bigger and smarter is fine by me.

[Razgovory]

Did anyone else think the direwolf looked to be about horse sized?

I mean, they are supposed to be big, but that is a bit much.

The real dire wolves weren't all that, so I think it's okay. They only averaged about 1.5 metres (5 ft) in length and weighing about 110 kg (240 lb). Also they were stupider than real wolves. Making them a little bigger and smarter is fine by me.

240 pounds is pretty good sized.  That's about the size of a Black Bear.

[The Larch]

Well, after watching the episode last night, I must say that it's awesometastic. Sure there were cuts here and there and I can perfectly picture the Martin Talebans screaming to high heaven about how they omitted a key quote or some minute detail, but in my book it was supremely well done.

And the direwolf puppies are so goddamn adorable...it's going to be heartbreaking when they execute Lady.