Maybe my favourite book series! Intelligent dialogue dealing with consequences of even minor decisions. The hierarchy is criticised constantly, shown for being trivial, hypocritical and based almost entirely in violence and threats based on strength in numbers (implied and real).
I can't choose a favourite character or arc, but I really love ADWD for really elaborating on and setting up new goals for stories that had more or else finished their first act.
I also enjoy that while GRRM indulges in 'pure evil' characters such as Joffrey, The Mountain, Ramsay and Euron (Read that TWOW preview chapter- it's Godly!) he still establishes that most people commit horrific acts while being actual complex people in a shit system (Theon, Jamie, Stannis).
Main two characters also should be noted are a staunch abolitionist (Dany) and a man who sacrifices himself for refugees who he successfully migrated (Jon). Considering the ramifications they both faced for their decisions they both managed to be awesome, intelligent and compassionate, despite the consistently horrific implications and threats.
What are your favourite characters, arcs, worldbuilding or quotes? Any real life political figures you'd like to compare to ASOIAF characters?
It really is an impressive feat of deep worldbuilding, and I've been into the series since before the show aired, and long before the show shit all over the story. Anyway, there was a discussion not long ago in one of the associated reddit subs that seems particularly relevant here. It's always nice seeing leftist thinking pop up in somewhat unexpected places:
I completely agree. I think GRRM does a good job of exposing the cruelty and hypocrisy of the elite class in so much as it is possible to do so when seen only from their perspective. But I also can't help but feel my fists clenching at the missed opportunity to really deeply examine the class conflict that is interwoven throughout the story and integral to most aspects of the plot.
I know that's not what these stories are "about" per se, and I'm grateful it gets touched on as much as it does, e.g., displaying some of the consequences of the wars of nobility on the smallfolk in Brienne's chapters. But for the most part, we only get the perspectives from the people at the top without much consideration from them that they aren't actually superior beings to the masses below.
Then again, it's a fantasy series with magical bloodlines, and it's unrealistic I suppose, to expect serious class analysis in such a format, but holy shit I can't shake the "so close yet so far away" sense of what could be done in that respect.
Yeah he definitely needs to have a commoner POV. I guess Davos is the closest, but he surrounds himself with the elite.
It might be because GRRM wants us to have bigger picture for the violence, the reasons the elite allow ______ to happen.