Exciting news: Amazon Prime Day is finally upon us once again. Prime Day is a great day of the year for consumers, since there are plenty of awesome deals to snatch up. And just because there's more than one Prime Day per year is because there's more than one Prime Day each year doesn'??t mean you shouldn't get the best bargains when they do come knocking.

Books kickstarted Amazon's rise to worldwide domination and remain, aside from games, of course, the best way to immerse yourself in a g??reat story. Let's help ??you find the best-priced literary masterpieces you can get today.

1984 (George Orwell)

George Orwell's most famous novel talks about a broken world where the government has complete control even while a rebellion stirs, and there's a reason this remains the most popular dystopian tale in existence. It's a prescient novel tha?t remains an essential read even at near??????????????????????????ly 80 years old.

Also, 1984 is just five bucks right now, which likely makes it the most inexpensive dystop??ia you can experience today.

Night Watch (Jayne Anne Phillips)

What's better than getting to buy one of the year's hottest ??books for half its price less than a year after it came out? Getting it for 60% off, but of course.

For a little over $10, you can get Night Watch, 2024's Pulitzer prize-winning novel. It tells the story of a mother and a d??aughter's struggles as they set out to heal from the physical and psychological wounds left by the Civil War. It's a tough read, but one completely worthy of your time.

Three Classic Novels by Stephen King

Getting one book for a ?great price is great, but those of us who have a longer history with Prime Day always get more sat?isfaction from a collection of great works.

If you want a good introduction to King's work, this is a great pick. It's not just three Stephen King novels picked at random �though even that would be pretty great � but Carrie, The Shining, and the recently-adapted Salem's Lot, are three of his best-ever works. For $28 at 51% off, this is quite the deal.

American Psycho (Bret Easton Ellis)

The American Psycho movie adaptation was fantastic and helped cement Christian Bale as a top-tier Hollywood talent, but the book is better even without his star power. If you're looking for great satire of the vile class that?? unfairly inherited the world and tries to justify it by spouting well-meaning but useless performative quotes, then this is the one for you.

At 60% off, you can get American Psycho at just a little over $6, a deal that the story's na??rcissistic main character wou??ld never ever approve of.

Beowulf (translation by Seamus Heaney)

The story of the hero who slays the monster Grendel and his mother is one of the m?ost mysterious and influential in history, and today is the best day to acquire it.

Beowulf is the oldest story in the history of the English language, and this is its most recent and arguably easiest way to read it. Getting this one at 52% off for a little over $7 is a fine way t??o add another essential classic to your collection.

Dune, books 1-6 (Frank Herbert)

This quintessential space opera has recently spawned? two critically and commercially successful movie adaptations, and more is to come. The best way to stay one step ahead of all the spoilers is to spoil ??yourself by buying the first six entries in the saga in book form.

At $52, Dune Saga remains? the priciest pick on this list, but that's still a great deal in comparison to the original $100 price tag.

Foundation (Isaac Asimov)

I hold the opinion that Foundation remains one of the best pieces of Sci-Fi you can enjoy, even in mode?rn times. It paved the way for most other Science-Fiction stories ?touching upon the inevitable politics of space expansion and still remains an interesting read.

This box set contains the original Foundation trilogy, a more than generous introduction to the series, and for a fantastic price. At 62% off, getting the "Foundations" of Foundation at below $20 is quite the catch.

The Song Of Ice and Fire pack (so far??) (George RR Martin)

If you're unhappy with the ending of the final season of Game Of Thrones, then you can try to forget it all by immersing yourself in the original form of the story. Though the series was great for most of its run, this tale of medieval mischief is still at its best when in book form. The only downside is that this collection doesn't feature the completed Ice and Fire series, but that's only because the final ??books are yet to materialize.

$25 at 49% o??ff is just too good of a deal to pass on for such an untainted collection of gut-wrenching books.

The Odyssey (Homer)

And if even Beowulf isn't classic enough for you, then it's time to bring out the even-bigger guns. Homer's Odyssey follows Odysseus? as he uses his ?wits to overcome the myriad of perils waiting for him while he sails back to his home after the conquest of Troy.

Though it's a few centuries older than Christ, The Odyssey remains thrilling, frightening, and a great so?urce of inspiration, should you be interested in writing the next great epic. At just $8, this is quite the steal.

Houseplants for Beginners (Rebecca De La Paz)

Spoilers: this one does not feature the most riveting plot, but in its pages you will find incredibly useful knowledge. Keeping plants alive and healthy is quite the challenge for many, surprisingly, and Houseplants for Beginners will not only help you turn into a hero to your plants, but also pique your curiosity to learn even more about these beautiful green �and s??ometimes not green, that's newfound knowledge ri?ght there �things.

You can get it for $5.59 at 63% off.

Bridgerton Boxed Set (Julia Quinn)

If you're less about Sci-Fi, Fantasy, or plants, and more about period romance written with modern tastes in mind, then you should perhaps give the Bridgerton Boxed set a shot.

It contains the first four books of Julia Quinn's series, meaning you'll get to see a lot of stuff that the Netflix series is yet to cover. You can get it for $34 at 55% off right here.

Dead Girls Can't Tell Secrets (Chelsea Ichaso)

If you're looking for a riveting dark mystery, then Dead Girls Can't Tell Secrets might be the book for you.

For a mere $5.60 at 53% off, you can see the unraveling of a mystery ??that involves family drama, mountain hiking, and a bunch of characters who may be friendly or are all involved in some serious foul play.

The Lord Of The Rings + The Hobbit (JRR Tolkien)

If I didn't own it already and could only get one thing on Prime Day, it would be this box. Lord Of The Rings remains the best piece of modern fantasy you can read, or the gift that will immediately turn you into the coolest uncle in the eyes of any kid looking to get into s??erious lite??rature.

At 54% off for just $16 you get not only the entire LOTR trilogy, but also The Hobbit, just to ensure that you get ??a mind-blowing amount of value. You can do no wrong with this one.

I'm not sure if you know this,? but these books are quite girthy!

The post Top 13 Prime Day book ?deals to check out? today (October 2024) appeared first on Destructoid.

The Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon TV shows have no shortage of iconic characters. But while the likes of Daenerys Targaryen and Jon Snow have cemented their status in the pop culture hall of fame, the Game of Thrones books are also home to an abundance of fantastic characters that sadly didn’t even make it onto the screen. Here are just a few of the best Game of Thrones characters that shou??ld have made the cut- book spoilers ahead.

10. Val

Considered by many other characters to be the princess of the Wildlings, Val is the fierce yet graceful key to bridging the gap between the Free Folk and the Northerners. Towards the end of A Storm of Swords, Stannis Baratheon attempts to name Jon Snow a Stark and marry him to Val. Jon refuses and later sends Val north in search of Tormund Giantsbane. She succeeds easily in this quest, and remains a key figure for the Wildlings at the end of A Dance With Dragons.   

9. Strong Belwas

Belwas first meets Daenerys in A Clash of Kings, and is soon named to her Queensguard after saving her life during an assassination attempt. He has an unexpectedly deep backstory with roots in Daznak's Pit as a fighter, and at first travels alongside a disguised Barristan Selmy a??t the behest of Magister Illyrio. After Daenerys departs from the fighting pits of Meereen on dragonback, he’s named to the city’s ruling council.

8. Jon Connington

Once the Hand of the King and Lord of Griffen’s Roost, the exiled Jon Connington is found by Tyrion in A Dance With Dragons in the company of a boy named Young Griff, who secretly has a claim to the Iron Throne. On their journ??ey south to Volantis, Jon contracts greyscale, in similar to fashion to Jorah Mormont in the TV show??. Jon goes on to assist in leading the Golden Company in the seizure of his former house seat. His loyalty to House Targaryen remains absolute, though his future fate is unknown. 

7. Jeyne Westerling

Jeyne Westerling is the shy and beautiful wife of Robb Stark who for a short time becomes the Queen of the North. Her character is replaced entirely in the TV adaption by Talisa of Volantis, and unlike in the TV series, her marriage to Robb is sudden and unexpected. Also unlike the show, her character does not attend the Red Wedding, and survives to learn that her mother had been using poison to sabotage her and Robb’s attempts at conceiving a child.  &n??bsp;

6. Quentyn Martell

Quentyn Martell is the eldest son of Doran Martell, sent by his father to Slaver’s Bay in an attempt to claim Daenerys’s hand in marriage. His journey is greatly waylaid, and by the time he arrives in Meereen, Daenerys has already agreed?? to marry Hizdahr zo Lor??aq. Quentyn’s story ultimately ends in his demise when he attempts to claim one of Daenerys’s dragons. His death leaves Dorne’s relationship from House Targaryen in shambles. This differs greatly from the TV show, in which Varys is sent to Dorne as an envoy instead. 

5. Victarion Greyjoy

After?? the death of Balon Greyjoy, his daughter Asha and two younger brothers Euron and Victarion gather together to put forth their claim to the Iron Islands in the Kingsmoot. Euron ultimately wins the favor of the masses, and Victarion, after seizing the Shield Isles, is instructed by Euron to bring his brother’s marriage proposal to Daenerys. Victarion, who hates his brother, departs from Slaver’s Bay, but intends to court Daenerys himself. Both Victarion and Euron add considerably more chaos to the Greyjoy’s quest for power than is found in the TV show.

4. Jeyne Poole

In A Game of Thrones, Jeyne is the daughter of Winterfell’s steward and Sansa’s best friend. She travels south with Sansa to King’s Landing, but later goes missing after Joffrey becomes king. In A Storm of Swords, Jaime encounters Jeyne while at Harrenhal, who pretends to be Arya Stark. Jeyne cont?inues north and marries Ramsey under the guise of Arya, all while enduring terrible cruelty at his han??ds. Jeyne’s story is so essential to the larger narrative that Sansa effectively has to step into her place in the TV show.  

3. Arianne Martell

Arianne is the eldest child of Doran Martell, and first appears in A Feast for Crows. Believing that her claim to Dorne is being passed over by her father, she plots against him, attempting to crown Myrcella Baratheon with the aid of Tyene Sand. She soon learns that she has been foolish, and was once to be the queen of Seven King??doms in a marriage with Viserys. Arianne is a fiery, brash young woman who along with her brother gives the Dorne storylines in the books a level of complexity that is absent in the on-screen adaption. 

2. Lady Stoneheart

After the Red Wedding in A Storm of Swords, the Lady Catelyn does not stay dead for long. When her remains are pulled from the river by Arya’s direwolf Nymeria, Beric Dondarrion gives his life for hers in a fire ritual, and she returns to the world of the living as Lady Stoneheart to command the Brotherhood Without Banners. Her quest for vengeance against the Freys and Lannisters along with her terrifying visage make her an ominous presence in? the later books that’s sorely missed in the TV show. 

1. Young Griff

On his way to Volantis in A Dance With Dragons, Tyrion meets a young man on his way to join the Golden Company who claims to be the son of the sellsword Griff. However, Tyrion soon discovers that there is more to ‘Young Griff�than meets the eye, and confronts?? the youth about his identity. Young Griff then reveals himself to be Aegon Targaryen, the lost son of Prince Rhaegar Targaryen, and claims that he was secreted away from the Red Keep as an infant.

Aegon’s claimed right to the Iron Throne is stronger than that of Daenerys, and unlike Daenerys, Aegon chooses a more direct path to his supposed birthright by taking the Golden Company to Westeros and seizing Griffin's Roost. Whether Young Griff has a truthful claim is unknown, but his character is sure to shake up the core narrative of A Song of Ice and Fire in the (hopefully) upcoming Winds of Winter.

The post The 10 Best Game of Thrones Characters That Didn’t Appear in the TV Series appeared first on Destructoid.

The fantasy genre is literally the best literary option to escape the troubles ??of the real world for a s??hort while. A good Fantasy book can sometimes feel like an entire well-lived life.

Let's have a look at our picks for the best books in the purest, richest,? and deepe??st kind of Fantasy literature that exists.

Best High Fantasy Books (Quick List)

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The Lord of the Rings (J. R. R. Tolkien)

While we cannot unsee The Lord Of The Rings as a trilogy nowadays, the whole thing was conceived as one single story. Good, because even though you'd still have an explosion of enjoyment in your brain by reading just one of the books �especially if it's your first contact with the series �LOTR is bigger than the sum of its parts.

It's hard to add anything new to the LOTR discourse because it pretty much kickstarted the High Fantasy craze and was also adapted into one of the most successful movie trilogies in history, but it's not impossible. You likely already know that it all began with the fellowship that wa?s tasked with the destruction of the m?ost powerful weapon in existence, and chances are you also know how the tale ends.

If there's a takeaway here, it's that the movies, though excellent, still leave elements out that are worth learning about via? the books. Also, getting to learn about this story through words and having to? project it on your mind through your own imagination might be one of the most enjoyable exercises you can ever force your brain to go through.

Mort (Discworld series, Terry Pratchett)

Death itself has long been a character in tales of humans, but no one has made it as interesting as Terry Pratchett in his Discworld series of novels, and he's never been in better shape than in Mort.

Mort, in case you're wondering, is the French name for Death, but Mort isn't Death, the character. Mort's actually Death's apprentice. Crude shows like Family Guy tried to ruin the character of Death by making it little more than a one-joke character. Mort, however �a much older story that everyo??ne else should've learned from �manages to not only make Death feel fresh but also fill the character with dep??th, philosophical wit, and heart that you wouldn't expect from such a supposedly grim entity.

The Princess Bride (William Goldman)

Let's get straight to the point: Did you grow up with Shrek? Even if you didn't, you should give Princess Bride a shot. It's one of the first �and arguably the best �??comedic subversions of all classic fantasy tropes.

Do you like the classic tale of the hero who rescues the princess from a vile monarch? Well, the funniest part about The Princess Bride is that even though it turns everything upside down to provide the best laughs imaginable, it still ends up delivering the classic fantasy tale you might've been expecting in the first place. Also, it does all this without ever resorting to direct pop culture references —like Shrek did �and like I am doing. The Princess Bride remains? one of the funniest books of all time, and? it's even more of a rare gem as it belongs in this often too-serious genre.

The Hobbit (J. R. R. Tolkien)

If you want a cozy, jolly, and rather easily digestible tale in the realm of High Fantasy, then you should consider joining Bilbo and casting away your fears to go in the search for adventure. Don't let the bloated and overly stretched-out Hobbit movie trilogy give you the wrong idea about this work. The Hobbit is ??as fun, light, and endearing as anything in the realm of hig??h fantasy can hope to be.

If you already love The Lord Of The Rings or are just looking for a good gateway into the world of High Fantasy, then The Hobbit is probably your best possible pick. This is where most modern fantasy comes from, not just in LOTR.

A Storm Of Swords (A Song of Ice and Fire)

If I could, I'd pick the entire A Song Of Ice and Fire series to put here �the entire thing, Mr. Martin �I would. With that being outside of the realm of possibility, I'm going with A Storm Of Swords, which?? is likely the most eventful out of all the very eventful books in the series.

This?? one has a lot of sword fig??hting, and also two weddings. Now, had I been talking about a different series, one of the elements that I just mentioned would likely count as a problem, but in this one, it's a total plus �trust me.

Naturally, You should not start this series with A Storm Of Swords, and should naturally go with the first book in the series, uh, what's it called, oh, yeah, A Game Of Thrones. Yeah, I think that's the one.

The Colour of Magic (Terry Pratchett)

FYI, you can read the books from the Discworld series in whatever order of your choosing, but I'm leaving you with the starting point b??ecause, well, I just had to fit another Terry Pratchett book in here.

Discworld is the longest and most successful fantasy comedy series, and it all began with The Colour Of Magic. This is the genesis of not just a bunch of hilarious trope subversions but also of something new that breathed new life into even many of the more serious worlds ??of the Fantasy genre?? that we see nowadays.

The Silmarillion (J. R. R. Tolkien)

Even though The Lord Of The Rings is the most famous of Tolkien's works, most die-hard Tolkien fans claim The Silmarillion to be his best work. While it doesn't feature the same kind of character-driven narrative seen in his other books, The Silmarillion tells more or less the whole story of Middle Earth via smaller tales. This means that even if it's not the best High Fantasy work out there, it's at least the most High Fantasy piece of literature out there.

Are y?ou less interested in people fighting for a rin??g and more about seeing how everything came to be in that world? Then this is the one for you.

The Last Unicorn (Peter S. Beagle)

Unicorns tend to show up in stories as little more than set dressing. If you want a tale that finally gives this underused creature its deserved spotlight, you can do no better than The Last Unicorn.

Peter S. Beagle's tale manages a perfe??ct balance between heartwarming and surprisingly dark. The Last Unicorn will likely always stay with you, and its lore will probably pop up to fill in the blanks whenever you see a unicorn in any other story.

A Wizard Of Earthsea (Earthsea Cycle, by Ursula K. L?e Guin)

Do you like magic schools ?and happen to no longer be able to stand the series made most famous for them?

Interestingly, Earthsea handles concepts such as a balance between light and dark and schools of wizardry much better than the Star Wars prequels and the Harry Potter series, two properties that could've probably stood to learn a bit more from the Earthsea Cycle.

This series even got the rare adaptation treatment from Miyazaki's Studio Ghibli, though ?the adaptation is far inferior to the books.

The Goblin Emperor (Katherine Addison)

I've talked about ??a bunch of books that will gift you with the marvel that is comedic subversion and satire, but serious subversion also deserves a spot on the list.

Are you tired of the comedically good-looking heroes who seem to inhabit every single one of these stories? The Goblin Emperor tells the story of a man who?? just inherited an empire after the sudden death of those in line for the throne. As the title gives it away, we're not talking about a regular man but rather a half-goblin-half-elven Emperor. Maia, the new Emperor, will have to deal not just with all the troubles that classic fantasy heroes have to pull through but also with all the foul discrimination one would probably not expect in such a beautiful setting.

The post Best High Fantasy Books: Our Top 10 Picks appeared first on Destructoid.

Despite what many may assume, and irrespective of the sheer number of books out there, Fanta??sy and Epic Fantasy are still burgeoning genres in fiction.

For centuries, writers constrained themselves to literary drama and kept clear of mythology but for a few allusions here and there. And then came Professor Tolkien, a linguist with a knack for names and an even greater g??ift for the imaginative, who, in his toil, started a movement that reconciled literary fiction with mythological storytelling and set the foundations for much of what we today refer to as speculative fiction.

Over the decades since the release of The Lord of the Rings, many writers have picked up the gauntlet and put their own spins on this ever-evolving genre. Picking 10 out of dozens and dozens of these brilliant wordsmiths and inspired storytellers is a bit of a grating tas?k. Still, I think we can all agree that there are certain names whose legacy remains unforgettable when it comes down to it.

C. S. Lewis

The Chronicles of Narnia is one of the most influential fantasy book series ever. To say t?hat Lewis has had a hand in shaping the genre storytelling landscape would be a huge understatement because the world of Narnia is now not only a gateway to children’s literature but also one of the most deliberative works of fictio??n. Many popular contemporary fantasy stories like The Magicians, Harry Potter, His Dark Materials, and Percy Jackson & the Olympians trace their roots to Lewis�work in the early �0s.

Ursula K. Le Guin

Speaking of authors who themselves have helped define a whole generation of storytellers, Ursula K. Le Guin deserves a spot on this list for her many contributions to the genre through The Earthsea Cycle. Her novel A Wizard of Earthsea, now considered a classic of adventure fantasy, is the perfect blend of traditional fantasy (alluding to Tolkien) tropes and modern sociopolitical elements. Neil Gaiman ha??s repeatedly cited the award-winning novelist and poet as a huge influence on his craft, while many other great names like Margaret Atwood, N. K. Jemisin, and Patrick Rothfuss haven’t been far behind in heaping praise on K. Le Guin’s enormous legacy.

George R.R. Martin

There have been many wo??rldbuilders and storytellers after Tolkien, but George R.R. Martin is one of the few who seems to have it all: A knack for crafting fictional places and histories, mastery of prose that comes off as neither flowery nor bland, and the capacity to come up with extremely compelling characters. All of that has turned Game of Thrones and the world of Westeros into one of the most influential wor??ks of fantasy in the past few decades. And sure, much to the dissatisfaction of his enormous fanbase, Martin has yet to bring the series to a conclusion, but that by no means diminishes his influence on the genre. Some creatives certainly take their time getting there, but there’s no denying that the wait is worth it when they do.

Brandon Sanderson

If there’s one name out there who has been as influential as Martin, if not more, it’s the prolific and relentless writing machine who goes by the name of Brandon Sanderson. As the creator of such highly acclaimed works as Mistborn, The Stormlight Archive, the last three Wheel of Time books, and dozens of other praised novels, Sanderson is currently the king and champion of the Epic Fantasy genre. Sanderson is known for his intricate worldbuilding, complex magic systems, nuanced characters, and gob-smacking twists. He’s also the one f?antasy author you can trust to always deliver his sequels on schedule.

Neil Gaiman

Known for popular books like Stardust, Coraline, American Gods, Good Omens, and The Sandman comic series, Neil Gaiman is one of the most prominent figures of literary fiction right now. Gaiman is often praised for his versatility in weaving together different genres, his talent for lyrical and deeply allusive prose, and his massive influence on pop culture. Many of Gaiman’s works have been adapted into films, animations, television sho?ws, and graphic novels. Gaiman’s self-described mission is to “make good art,�and he’s been at it for as long as he’s been able to hold a pen.

Robert Jordan

There are a lot of similarities between Robert Jordan and J. R. R. Tolkien. Both were veterans of a vicious war, Tolkien in the trenches of World War I and Jordan in the unforgiving deltas of Vietnam. Both filled the void left by that terrible experience through telling stories. Both have been credited as heralds and pioneers of the Epic Fantasy genre. Perhaps it would be no hyperbole to suggest that Robert Jordan’s The Wheel of Time was the true heir to The Lord of the Rings and the most popular work in the genre until J. K. Rowling’s Harry Potter took the world by storm. Even now, The Wheel of Time remains the perfect bridge between J. R. R. Tolkien’s traditional take on mythology and George R. R. Martin and many other contemporaries�newer, grimmer spin on the genre. Indeed, in many ways, The Wheel of Time features the best of both worlds.

J. K. Rowling

These days, Rowling is a figure of controversy, engulfed in the culture war raging between conservatives and liberals, but there was a time when everyone with a love for fantasy and the speculative genre had become obsessed with her story of The Boy Who Lived. With over 500 million sales, Harry Potter is still the best-selling fantasy book series of all time, and Rowling’s Wizarding World remains a sensational escapist abode for its dedicated community. Granted, the story may have been derivative to some extent, but there’s no arguing the magic of Harry Potter is still very much real, nor is there any doubt that? Rowling has changed the game forever.

Patrick Rothfuss

The idea of The Kingkiller Chronicle was to come up with a fantasy story that not only combines elements from di??fferent subgenres but also renovates them in inventive ways. It took Patrick Rothfuss more than ten years to finish drafting and revising The Name of the Wind, but all of that toil was well worth it for a book that became a sensational hit in the Epic Fantasy community. The tale of Kvothe Kingkiller is chock full of emotion, adventure, wisdom, and folly, and Rothfuss�flowery prose guarantees a reading experience unlike anything you’ve come across before. We could criticize Rothfuss for failing to release the third and final book in the series through all these years �and rightly so �but there’s no denying that The Kingkiller Chronicle will go down as one of the most influential works of Epic Fantasy and on a larger scale, fiction.

Robin Hobb

Serving as a huge influence on many contemporaries like Rothfuss, George R.R. Martin, and Brandon Sanderson, Robin Hobb remains a behemoth of the genre thanks to his Realm of the Elderlings series, more famously known as the Farseer saga. Robin’s prose is powerful and enchanting, her character work is incredibly compelling and driven, and her themes are dark and contemplative. The Farseer Trilogy might remind you of some of the best qualities in Game of Thrones, but the series as a wh??ole has much more to offer. Be forewarned, though; where Hobb treads, unspeakable, heart-rending tragedy is not far behind.

J. R. R. Tolkien

When t??alking about the greatest authors in the history of speculative storytelling, you can’t fail to include J.R.R. Tolkien �and not merely for spearheading the literary movement. Even now, no author has managed to soar quite as high as Tolkien did regarding worldbuilding. What the Oxford linguist professor did with his so-called “Legendarium�is the history of an entire universe mirroring our own. The story of creation, the song of Ainulindalë, the fall of Melkor, the tale of the Silmarils, the woes of Beren and Lúthien Tinúviel, the War of Wrath, the reappearance of Sauron, and lastly, the War of the Ring, all comprise a tale unlike any other.

The post 10 best fantasy authors of all time appeared first on Destructoid.

A Song of Ice and Fire is considered by many to be one of the best fantasy book series of all-time. Its richly drawn world, iconic characters, and incredible plot twists continue to win over new fans, especially with the continuing release of tie-in TV shows like Game of Thrones, House of the Dragon and the upcoming Knight of the Seven Kingdoms. However, the length and com??plexity of the books can be daunting for new readers. 

If you’re wonder??ing how to read the Game of Thrones books in order and where to get started, you’ve come to the right place.

How many Game of Thrones books are there?

The main storyline of A Song of Ice and Fire is comprised of five books. However, there are a few additional books set within the same world that bring the total to seven, or eight if you include The World of Ice and Fire compendium. Graphic novel editions? of several of the books are also available.

Game of Thrones Books Reading Order 

While Fire and Blood is the first book in the series chronologically, it’s much? better to start reading George R.R. Martin’s books in release order??. Here’s our complete recommended reading order.

1. A Game of Thrones

The first Game of Thrones book is a masterclass in world buildi?ng, character development, and unlike other books in the series, mystery. Ned Stark’s quest to uncover the truth behind the death of ??Jon Arryn, one of the book’s key storylines, sets the entire series in motion and is a compelling read from start to finish.

2. A Clash of Kings

Clash of Kings picks up right where Game of Thrones left off with the War of the Five Kings. The conflict between the Lion and the Wolf continues, while claimants such as Stannis Baratheon and Balon Greyjoy enter the fray and ensure?? the realm’s plunge into chaos. 

3. A Storm of Swords

The longest book in the series, A Storm of Swords, is arguably its best. The sprawling complexity of Martin’s w??orld and story take full shape, with iconic twists and turns we wouldn't dare spoil here. Daenerys continues to gather power, and Jon Snow’s storyline is better than ever.

4. A Feast for Crows

The fourth and fifth book in the series, A Feast for Crows and A Dance With Dragons, take place for the most part simultaneously. However, character perspectives are divided between the two. A Feast for Crows follows? characters in Ki??ng’s Landing, Dorne, and the Vale.

5. A Dance With Dragons

A Dance With Dragons follows events in Slaver’s Bay and the North, and is the latest novel in the main series. Point-of-view characters missing from A Feast for Crows return, though some of the main characters from that book work their way into A Dance With Dragons near its conclusion. By this point, the books and Game of Thrones TV show feature very different stories, s?o even if you've only seen the show, it's a great read.

6. Fire and Blood

Fire and Blood departs from the main storyline of the previously released books, and instead covers the rise of the Targaryen dynasty. As a result, the book takes place between 300 and approximately 160 years before A Game of Thrones.

7. A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms

A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is a series of novellas following the adventures of ‘Dunk and Egg� one of whom is a hedge knight, while the other is the future king of Westeros. The novellas take place about 90 years before A Game of Thrones.

8. The World of Ice and Fire

As an addition to the other stories of Westeros and Essos, Martin and supporting authors Elio M. García Jr. and Linda Antonsson have released a companion book to the series that helps develop its world. It isn’t essential reading, but it’s great for anyone who can’t get enough of A Song of Ice and Fire. 

Game of Thrones Books in Chronological Order

The Game of Thrones timeline starts with Fire and Blood, which begins its story with Aegon’s conquest of the Seven Kingdoms. The next book in the chronology is A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms. After that, it’s the main series in order, beginning with A Game of Thrones, followed by A Clash of Kings, A Storm of Swords, A Feast for Crows, and finally, A Dance With Dragons.

The first two books in the Song of Ice and Fire chrono??logy are the least essential to the larger series, so it’s better to read in release order if you’re new to the books.

Is House of the Dragon based on a book?

The House of the Dragon TV show is based of Martin’s Fire and Blood. However, the opening events of the show occur midw??ay through th?e book.

When does the next Game of Thrones book come out?

The next book in the main series, The Winds of Winter, does not have a scheduled release date. However, Martin has, according to his own blog posts, written three-quarters of the book. A Winds of Winter sample chapter is available on the author’s website. 

In addition to Winds of Winter, a second volume of Fire and Blood is also in the works. After Winds of Winter, the next book in the main series will be A Dream of Spring, which will likely ?be the final book in the saga.

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There’s no con?sensus on what defines a dark fantasy book, but readers usually know when they’re reading one. Grim atmospheres, antiheroic protagonists, and a more macabre approach to the supernatural are hallmarks of the dark fantasy genre, coming together to deliver an experience that skews closer to horror than fantasy.

Dark fantasy refuses to conform to anyone's standards, meaning the genre’s free to explore a near-bottomless pool of plots, themes, and character arcs. I’m not an expert on the genre, but the ten books I chose for this list are excellent introductions f?or newcomers who want to experience the shado??wy world of dark fantasy for the first time.

10. Interview with a Vampire, by Anne Rice

Interview with a Vampire is one of those books that tells you what it's about on the cover. Louis de Point??e du Lac, a vampire, agrees to be interviewed by a reporter he only ever refers to as?? "the boy," recalling in writing the long, violent life his decision to become a vampire forced him to live.

Anne Rice takes full advantage of her unique staging device, using what amounts to an overly long interview to weave together?? an elaborate tale about the horrifying ways time can change a person with no expiration date, all told through Louis' elegant yet brutally honest voice.

9. The Shadow of the Torturer, by Gene Wolfe

The Shadow of the Torturer unfolds in a post-apocalyptic world where torture ranks surprisingly low on the "worst things that ?can happen to someone" list. We follow Severian, a member of a torturer's guild who's forced into an arduous exile after he takes pity on one of the guild's prisoners.

Morality is a pliable thing in Severian's bleak world, and his journey across sun-baked deserts and grimy city streets forces him to question his loyalty to his guild and the corrupt kingdom it serves. By the end, Severian and the reader wonder if he's the hero or the villain of history'?s final chapter.

8. The Gunslinger, by Steven King

The Gunslinger is the first volume in Steven King's Dark Tower series and arguably the horror novel's first real crack at epic fantasy. We follow Roland, a gunslinger locked in a seemingly endless showcase with his nemesis, the "Man in Black." Roland travels through a wasteland infested by demons, mutants,? and madmen, and his fate is forever changed when he encounters Jake Chamber?, a boy from Earth,  a land the gunslinger has never heard of.

Later installments in the Dark Tower series are jam-packed with references to Steven King's library of work, but The Gunslinger keeps things simple. The Wild West-inspired world Roland and Jake journ?ey through is as morbid as it is wonderous, and the tender bond that forms between the two will keep you glued to the pages.

7. The Name of the Wind, by Patrick Rothfuss

The Name of the Wind marks the beginning of Patrick Rothfuss' The Kingkiller Chronicles, and it's a strong start. A story within a story, the novel recounts the life of Kvothe, an innkeeper who, unbeknownst to most people in his life, is a powerful magician who earned a ?mixture of fame and infamy for slaying a king.

Rothfuss's stellar prose breaths to life an equally impressive dark fantasy world with one of the most unique magic systems ever penned. While we're still waiting for the third and final?? installment?? of the series, The Name of the Wind will? keep you ?under its enthralling spell until you've flipped the last page.

6. A Monster Calls, by Siobhan Dowd and Patrick Ness

Lost books have brought tears to my eyes, but A Monster Calls is one of only a few books that's made me bawl. We follow Conor O'Malley, a thirteen-year-old boy who's visited in the dead of night by a colossal monster. The monster tells Connor three stories that, in ways that don't revea??l themselves right away, reflect the hardships the boy is facing, preparing him for the impending tragedy he already knows is coming.

Patrick Ness tells the final story from Siobhan Dowd's mind with the same empathic prose he used in his incredible Chaos Walking trilogy. Many reader?s will relate to Conor's story, and the catharsis his time with the monster helps him reach will make all but the hardest-hearted readers' eyes water.

5. Northern Lights, by Philip Pullman

Northern Lights may be for kids, but that doesn't stop it from delving into dark territory. We follow Lyra Belacqua as she sets out to find her missing uncle and best friend, both of whom vanished after ?they spoke out against the theocracy that rules their world.

Phillip Pullman creates an intriguing world where children are born connected to sha??peshifting spirits, ships sail through the sky, and an organized religion wields far too much power over the world. That world, and the journey Lyra takes through it, asks difficult questions about religious fundamentalism, the hardships of adolescence, and the ways knowl??edge helps us find ourselves and our way in the world.

4. Dracula, by Bram Stocker

Dracula needs no introduction, but I'll try my best. This seminal gothic horror novel recounts the hapless so??licitor Johnathan Harkens' terrifying encounter with Dracula and the chaos that unfolds when the Transylvanian noble follows?? him to London, told in letters, diary entries, and newspaper clippings.

While it wasn't the first book about vampires, Dracula's titular villain has become the q??uintessential vampire. The novel's unique exploration and deconstruction of sexuality, gender role??s, and Victorian values are still heavily discussed in literary circles today.

3. Blood of Elves, by Andrejz Zapkowski

Blood of Elves starts Andrejz Zapkowski's The Witcher saga with a ban?g. We follow Geralt of Rivia as he protects Ciri, the heir to the fallen kingdom of Cintra, from monsters and agents of the mighty Nilfgardian Empire alike.

Blood of Elves establishes The Witcher's world as a place where the typical trappings of epic fantasy have been corrupted almost beyond recognition. Trolls and undead roam freely, kings regul?arly backstab each other to stave off conquest, and elves and dwarves ?have devolved into radical terrorists drowning in their hatred of humanity.

2. Coraline, by Neil Gaiman

Coraline is a modern fairy tale that understands that fairy tales were never the bright, colorful stories that Disney and other companies portray them as. We follow Cora??line as she discovers a secret door in her new house that leads her to a magical realm inhabited by "another" version of her family, where everything'??s a little too perfect.

Neil Gaiman tells one of the darkest children's fables ever, conveying a healthy mix of wonder and horror through his iconic, down-to-earth prose. If my words aren't enough to convince you that this creepy parable is worth a read, the fact that it's been adapted into a stop-motion animated film, a graphic novel, and two theatrical adaptions might.

1. A Game of Thrones, by George R.R. Martin

A Game of Thrones is so much more than the start of George R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire series; it's the beginning of one of the most popular media franchises ever ma?de. Ned Stark, the honorable Warden of the North, travels south to King's Landing to serve as his old friend King Robert's second-in-command. In doing so, he set in motion a series of events that pl??unge the continent of Westeros into a bloody war of succession.

Westeros is home to dragons, blood magic, and the undead, but these fantastical elements are secondary to the compelling political intrigue that drives the story forward. A Game of Thrones has everyt?hing a dark fantasy novel needs, and that's why it's number one on th??is list.

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A new Game of Thrones spin-off series has been officially revealed. The official Game of Thrones Twitter/X account gave fans the first look at the show titled, A Knight Of The Seven Kingdoms.

This upcoming GOT prequel is based on George R. R. Martin’s novel The Hedge Knight. Martin is an executive producer of the show and is involved in the writing of A Knight Of The Seven Kingdoms.

The official image shows Peter Claffey as Ser Duncan the Tall, one of the protagonists of the upcoming show. The official logline for the show, as per Deadline, states: “A century before the events of Game of Thrones, two unlikely heroes wandered Westeros�a young, naïve but courageous knight, Ser Duncan the Tall, and his diminutive squire, Egg.�/p>

A Knight Of The Seven Kingdoms is currently in production, and it is expected to release in late 2025, per Deadline. The Game of Thrones prequel will be rel??eased on Max, HBO’s streaming ??service.

As for other characters, the confirmed cast includes Finn Bennett as Aerion Targaryen, Bertie Carvel as Baelor Targaryen, and Sam Spruell as Maekar Targaryen. Moreover, Tanzyn Crawford is confirme??d to play Tanselle while Daniel Ings will portray Ser Lyonel Baratheon.

Sarah Adina Smith will be directing three episodes of A Knight Of The Seven Kingdoms, and the show will feature 6 episodes in total.

With a late 2025 expected release date, fans have to wait a while. In the meantime, House of the Dragon Season 2 has now premiered on Max, so there’s ample stuff to chew on for those hungry for more Game of Thrones.

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A world with rival houses, big medieval battles, court intrigue, and dragons is undisputedly a fantastic setting for a board game. Many publishers have created tie-ins with both the Game of Thrones TV show and the Song of Ice and Fire book series to bring the stories of Westeros to the game night table. Some of these iterations are quite good, and others are do?wnright fantastic.

To celebrate the start of House of the Dragon season 2 this weekend, we’re counting down the best Game of Thrones card and board games. Each of these games is a fun way to transport yourself back to Westeros, without having to relive the pain of Game of Thrones season 8.

6. A Game of Thrones: B’twixt

A Game of Thrones: B’twixt is a relatively straightforward party game with a healthy dose of strategy, particularly when it comes to outbidding other players for cards. You’ll need to collect a cast of iconic characters from the books for each of the two councils you have in your play space, which are in part shared with the players to your immediate right and left. The player with the most powerful small council wins the ga??me.

5. Risk: Game of Thrones

The Game of Thrones edition of Risk features both a Westeros and an Essos game board, and allows players to select a ruleset that best matches their desired complexity level. If you’ve played Risk before this isn’t anything new, but the core gameplay rema??ins enjoyable and the theme works well.

4. Game of Thrones: The Iron Throne

Building influence, working out truces, and defeating your opponents in one on one conflicts allow you to claim the ultimate prize in this game: the Iron Throne itself. Gameplay is relatively simple compared with the other Game of Thrones board games on this list, but it??’s still a fun party game for three to five players. 

3. Game of Thrones: Oathbreaker

Oathbreaker is somewhat similar to the likes of Avalon, where one player will secretly be a traitor to the throne, another will secretly be the king, and the remaining players will be either conspirators or loyalists. The players then go on missions which either fail or succeed depending on which cards are played. If the majority of missions succeed, the King and his loyalists win; otherwise, the traitor and his conspi?rators reign supreme. 

2. A Game of Throne??s: The Board Game (2nd Edition)

Fantasy Flight’s board main game tie-in with the Song of Ice and Fire books is at this point an iconic game night staple. You’ll play as one of six major houses in Westeros, marshalling troops and battling spaces controlled by your opponents in a bid to take seven castles at once and thus win the game. With the Mother of Dragons expansion, you can also add an Essos board that brings the Targaryens in??to the? mix and raises the maximum number of players to eight.

1. A Game of Thrones: The Card Game (2nd Edition)

A Game of Thrones: The Card Game takes the top spot on this ranking because of its strong strategic gameplay, in-depth thematics, and massive expandable card pool. Unlike the other products on this list, it’s a competitive card game, which means you’ll get the most out of it if you know other players who have the game and own a few of the expansions yourself. However, the game’s meta includes nearly every charact??er and location you can think of from the books, and features plenty of deck building options that ensure a uniq??ue experience every time you sit down to play.

Note that while the game isn't being actively produced anymore by Fantasy Flight Games,?? you can still pick up the second edition core set!

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HBO is gearing up for the second season of House of the Dragon. The Game of Thrones spin-off, based on the George R. R. Martin book Fire & Blood, will finally continue after its initial 2022 season. Here is everything you need to know about the House of the Dragon Season 2 release date, where to watch, an??d more.

House of the Dragon Season 2 release date

The House of the Dragon Season 2 release date is currently set for June 16, 2024. The first episode will premiere then, followed by weekly episodes from that point forward each Sunday night. This long-awaited second season comes almost exactly two years after the series kicked off in 2022. Furthermore, it arrives about five years after the conclusion of Game of Thrones.

Trailers and where to watch, explained

In the meantime while we wait impatiently for the war between the two factions at the heart of this TV series, there are a couple of different trailers for fans to check out. HBO made the intriguing move to release two different trailers, one for each of the core factions. The official Black trailer focuses on the Targaryen side of the war for succession, showcasing brutal sequences of characters like Rhaenyra and Daemon alongside their dragons.??

The other main trailer focuses on the Greens, led by Queen Alicent and her curren??tly reigning son on the Iron Throne, King Aegon II. The trailers give equal time to both sides of the war, hyping up the upcoming wa?r for succession and putting all of the key players at the forefront. The series will be available weekly through the Max streaming service subscription.

Season 2 cast

House of the Dragon Season 2’s cast will feature a large part of the first season’s returning cast members alongside a handful of newcomers. Here a??re all of the key characters fans should?? watch out for:

• Emma D’Arcy: Plays Rhaenyra Targaryen
• Matt Smith: Daemon Targaryen
• Rhys Ifans: Otto Hightower
• Olivia Cooke: Queen Alicent Hightower
• Steve Toussaint: Corlys Verlaryon
• Eve Best: Rhaenys Targaryen
• Fabian Frankel: Ser Cristin Cole
• Sonoya Mizuno: Mysaria
• Bethany Antonia: Baela Targaryen
• Phoebe Campbell: Rhaena Targaryen
• Harry Collett: Jacaerys Velaryon
• Tom Glynn-Carney: King Aegon II
• Ewan Mitchell: Aemond Targaryen

House of the Dragon Season 2 episode count, explained

Unlike the first season of House of the Dragon, Season 2 will only have eight episodes in total for fans to watch. This is two shorter than the first season, which featured a total of 10 episodes. The season will kick off with its first episode on June 16, 2024, titled “A Son for a Son.�It will likely follow-up after the devastating events that happened at the end of th?e first ??season. The series will run for eight weeks straight and conclude with its Season 2 finale on August 4, 2024.

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Do you also randomly find yourself craving a new fantasy book series to lose yourse??lf in, on the off-chance that it might turn into your next big obsession? Because we certainly do!

Fantasy, as a subgenre of literary fiction, has been around for ?quite a while now. The better part of a century, to be precise. But suppose you’re not particularly inclined to echo what snobs say about speculative storytelling and extend that definition to cover the real breadth of the subject matter. In that case, fantasy has existed for as long as people have.

Where once we would call on The Epic of Gilgamesh, or Homer’s Iliad, or The Poetic Edda to read humanity’s collective chronicle, this tradition is now being carried forward by authors who tap into the wellspring of their imagination to speak of? worlds hitherto unseen, characters defiant against the calamity of their doom, and stories lost in the whirlpool of time.

The rise of High Fantasy literature in the mid-20th century, spurred by the enormous success of The Lord of the Rings, ha?s led to the creation of hundreds of imaginary worlds and thousands of fantasy novels. But among a??ll these innumerable tales of love and tragedy, only a few have reached the same heights as J.R.R. Tolkien’s timeless tale, let alone surpass it in quality.

So, gather ye around this imaginary hearth, and let us leaf through the pages of the speculative genre’s rich history to find works that not only build on that mounta?inous legacy but also subvert it in clever ways.

What follows are some of the best fantasy book series of all time, and your? only thought by the end of this lis?t will not be whether to pick up another fantasy series, but which of them to pick up first.

10. Discworld by Terry Pratchett

If you’re looking for a bit of light reading, or are fresh off a grimdark fantasy series and can’t possibly stomach any more of the gloomy stuff, then Discworld by Terry Pratchett is the story for you. Discworld is a book series that spends half of its time not taking itself seriously, and the other half making fun of cliché fantasy tropes. But don’t let Pratchett’s light and absurdist tone trick you into thinking that Discworld isn’t here to discuss important themes, even if it happens to take place on a flat, disc-shaped world resting on the backs of four giant elephants, who in turn are standing on a giant space turtle. Yes, you read that correctly. No, it'll never ??get old, not even after reading the series in its entirety.

9. The First Law by Joe Abercrombie

There have been many attempts in history to subvert J.R.R. Tolkien by going in the opposite direction and doing exactly the reverse of everything he did with his work. As you’d expect, most of th?em have failed. But if there’s one person who can pull off that dark, gritty fantasy storytelling and not come off as an unoriginal try-hard, it’s the Lord Grimdark himself, Joe Abercrombie.

If you love Game of Thrones, you’re going to love The First Law trilogy as well. The story takes place in a world where the only rule is the rule of morally ambiguous, philosophically conflicted ch?aracters; a war-torn wasteland of a society that eerily and compellingly mirrors our world. And did I tell you ??about the prose? Joe Abercrombie is one of the greatest wordsmiths of our time, even if he himself is usually too humble to admit it.

8. The Earthsea Cycle by Ursula K. Le Guin

Speaking of great prose, The Earthsea Cycle by Ursula K. Le Guin definitely deserves a spot on this list, if for nothing besides the fact that it has influenced so many writers over the years. Le Guin is known for her brilliant character work and amazing, lyrical prose. The Earthsea Cycle is a must-read for every fantasy fan out there, as it inherits Tolkien’s legacy and bears it forward with a sense of reverence and simultaneous autonomy that few authors have managed to imitate over the decades. Another great thing about Earthsea is its reasonable length. If you’re not a fan of those chunky, 1000-page fantasy novels, then Le Guin’s narrative structure of mostly 200 to 300-page tales will not disa??pp??oint.

7. Malazan Book of the Fallen by Steven Erikson

As Erikson himself writes in the prelude to Malazan Book of the Fallen, this entire series has been written with only one question in mind: How ambitious can a fantasy author aspire to be before his own artistic volitions get in the way of a good time? Erikson’s fictional world is vicious, complex, and unforgiving. But Malazan is, above all else, challenging.

Those who’ve read through the 10-book behemoth describe it as a life-changing experience, but only if you fight your way through an uphill battle of confusion in the first three novels. Unlike most authors out there, Erikson doesn’t hold your hand. He thrusts you into the middle of his tale, trusting you to pick up the pieces of the puzzle as they move along. And while some may find that notion appealing, others are understandably put off by it. Still, there’s no denying that Malazan has a place in the High Fantasy Hall of Fame.

6. The Realm of the Elderlings by Robin Hobb

If you love fantasy and tragedy, then The Realm of the Elderlings by Robin Hobb is the perfect mixture of those two elements. Beginning with the acclaimed Farseer ?trilogy and taking place in the fictional Six Duchies, this story mostly revolves around a royal bastard called FitChivalry Farseer. It is also narrated in the first-person, with Fitz telling his story to an unspecified audience in the future. Hobb is a master of her craft, and her storytelling chops can give most fantasy authors a run for their money. And that’s not even to mention her brilliant prose.

But I’ll be honest with you; reading the Farseer trilogy left me broken, spiritually and emotionally. In fact, a p?art of me remains broken to this day thanks to Hobb, but I guess at the same time, the bi??ggest commendation I could give her is that I don’t regret it one bit.

5. A Song of Ice and Fire by George R.R. Martin

It would not be an overstatement to suggest George R.R. Martin is the most influential High Fantasy writer after Tolkien. While A Song of Ice and Fire was mostly unheard of before the success of HBO’s Game of Thrones, those in the community had sung Martin’s praises for years, long before his books became a sensation in the public eye. Martin’s strength is in his ability to weave overtones ?of real-world history into his work, often citing the War of the Roses as a huge inspiration for the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros and all the in-fighting that takes place within it. If fantasy is still relevant in today?’s landscape, we have George R.R. Martin to thank for it.

4. The Kingkiller Chronicle by Patrick Rothfuss

Poetic, inspirational, and intimate. The Kingkiller Chronicle is the tale of a burgeoning hero trying to make his way in a? cruel and uncaring world. With nothing to help him but his own wits, Kvothe has to fi?nd a footing in society after his fate goes awry and his life gets upended on its head. We sit in a cozy inn in the middle of a town that is in the middle of nowhere, listening to the tale of a man who has fought with angels, befriended demons, and written songs that make minstrels weep. Now that man is merely a shadow of his former self, broken and forgotten after dooming the world in his folly. Need you a more compelling premise?

The Kingkiller Chronicle is one of the best works of fantasy literature in the past two decades. Patrick Rothfuss�amazing storytelling chops, combined with his flowery and poetic prose, turn The Name of the Wind, the first book in the trilogy, and The Wise Man’s Fear, its sequel, into a majestic journey reminiscent of some of the greatest works of drama. The Tempest, Don Quixote, Cyrano de Bergerac; Patrick Rothfuss' The Kingkiller Chronicle has it all.

3. The Stormlight Archive by Brandon Sanderson

Having written dozens of books in less than two decades, Brandon Sanderson is probably the most prolific writer currently alive. Sanderson has gained acclaim for his amazing stories and outrageously brilliant ideas, not to mention for coming up with rich and detailed fictional worlds you could lose yourself in. And though he has a list of great novels to his name, it’s the planned 10-book saga titled The Stormlight Archive that will become his crowning achievement in t??he future.

The Stormlight Archive is intricate, mysterious, and probably unlike anything you’ve read to this day. If you’re looking for an epic fantasy series with large-scale battles and conflicts, a host of chill-inducing character moments, and detailed, unique worldbuilding, then The Stormlight Archive is the book series to pick up. Just start on The Way of Kings and read a few chapters; before you know it, you’ll have reached the fourth and most recent release, The Rhythm of War. At least that’s how I remember the fevered days?? of binge-reading this seri?es.

2. The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien

As I mentioned earlier, the entire genre traces its roots back to Tolkien, and it’s not without reason that the British linguist has often been referred to as the “father of High Fantasy.�I once heard another novelist describe Middle-earth’s legacy as “Mount T?olkien,�under whose long shadow reside most of the other prominent authors out there. But even Tolkien’s unavoidable reputation aside, Middle-earth (or Arda, the planet on which Middle-earth is found) remains one of the greatest feats of imaginative worldbuilding ever attempted.

The 10,000-year history of Middle-earth, the sheer breadth of its rich chronicle, and all the wonderful characters that have spun their heroics and tragedies within it, still hold their own against the rivals of this day and age. And frankly, even if its beats have been ripped off so many times that the story is now all too familiar even to those who know nothing about it, The Lord of the Rings remains a great tale of love, friendship, courage, honor, and camaraderie, unbowed by the weight?? of the multitudes of ideas and philosophies it tries to get across.

1. The Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan

Eulogizing Tolkien in the manner I did above, one would be forgiven for t?hinking that he should’ve made it to the top of this list. In fact, he probably would’ve been here, if not for an ambitious Ameri?can author who, through the sweat and tears of his scholarly toil, ended up writing one of the greatest works of High Fantasy —nay, of fiction�in the world.

Robert Jordan’s The Wheel of Time is a 14-volume behemoth of a book series that took two decades, more than ten-thousand pages of prose, and two authors to tell in its entirety. That’s right; Jordan himself succumbed to illness before finishing t??he last novel, and the task befell Brandon Sanderson �then an up-and-comer of the genre �to finish what his literary hero had started many years ago.

The Wheel of Time is not just one of the most popular fantasy book series of all time; it is also the perfect bridge connecting J.R.R. Tolkien’s traditionalist tropes to Martin and Abercrombie’s new, grittier take. The Wheel of Time has a host of amazing characters, led by its timeless protagonist Rand al’Thor �who could very well be, as I’ve argued countless times, one of the best-written characters in the English canon. And while at first The Wheel of Time may come off as another spin on the “good vs. evil�tale that’s as old as time itself, Jordan will soon disabuse you of that mis??taken notion, and show how he has inten?ded his work to be a reflection of all of humanity and its story, time without end.

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The game is allegedly going to be revealed at E3

With the TV show out of the way George R.R. Martin i?s back to his old tricks, stirring up internet rumors.

A few months back there was the wild whisper that Martin was working with Souls developer From Software collaborativel??y on a project, but there was very little in the way of evidence that it was actually happening. But just recently, the day after the HBO show was finished airing, he published a precarious passage on his official blog: "I’ve consulted on a video game out of Japan." And there it is.

According to a report by Gematsu, the project is internally referred to as "GR," and will be an open world horse-enabled project that involves famed director Hidetaka Miyazaki. Gematsu also notes that it will be revealed during M??icrosoft's E3 press conference, which would certainly bring the house down on a day when they have no competition from Sony (who backed out of E3 proper). We'll see it when we see it.

So what is Martin doing beyond that? Well he's allegedly back to writing The Winds of Winter (the second to last A Song of Ice and Fire book), and will not give us a window on when that'll be done. After that he has his final novel to finish, which he says will contain ?some changes from the show'??s ending along with his "similar beats" he provided for the showrunners.

An Ending [George RR Martin]

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Those scales though!

A few days ago, Microsoft dropped a hint on the Xbox Twitter account that it was getting involved with Game of Thrones in some capacity or another. Folks saw a burst of flames and imagery that suggested maybe, just maybe, this would amount to a game announcement. Unfortunately (and rather predictably), that's not the case – the? t??ease was for a pair of custom-made Xbox One consoles.

And now your wait begins.
Stay tuned. pic.twitter.com/gfnM1vtAEO

— Xbox (@Xbox) May 6, 2019

The consoles are themed around House Targaryen and the Night King, and you can win one of them by doing the Twitter thing between now and when t?he contest closes on May 22 at 10:00pm Pacific:

Dracarys.

RT for a chance to win a Targaryen Xbox One S All-Digital Edition console. Head to Facebook for a shot at the Night King edition: //t.co/HplIM8awY9

Catch the final episodes of #GoT on @HBO NOW. Pre-order Season 8 on Xbox. #GamerThrones #Sweepstakes pic.twitter.com/WxkmzK5Ydy

— Xbox (@Xbox) May 8, 2019

The timing here makes sense. Game of Thrones is wrapping up soon, and these custom consoles are the recently-released Xbox One S All-Digital Edition models, so it's a promotional push on tw??o fronts.

The attention to detail on the build is quite nice, but it's no fleshy Godzilla Xbox. (Kidding.)

For what it's worth, Microsoft's general manager of games marketing Aaron Greenberg says there's another "[Game of Thrones] surprise planned for fans." We'll see what that's all about next week.

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Enjoy the dragons while you can

News surrounding the Game of Thrones prequel had been sparse since the pilot was ordered but as the final season of the megahit nears, revelations of the new endeavor have become almost quotidian. We know Naomi Watts is set to lead. We know it w??ill take place thousands of years before the current timeline. We kn?ow there's not a lot to know.

One thing we can add to the list of knowns: there will be no Targaryens. And if there's no Targaryens, there very well may be no dragons. In an interview with EW, author George R.R. Martin delves into the prequel, tentatively titled by him as The Long Night. Per Martin's calculations, the show is set to take place 5,000 years prior to the cu??rrent timeline, before the time of any true domineering kingdoms, and before the rise of the Targaryen family. 

Should you wish for more lore on the historic house, however, Martin has you covered. His Targaryen-centric book entitled Fire & Blood hits stores this week, and covers the lineage of the dragonriders some 300 years before Robert Baratheon took the Iron Throne from the Mad King. While The Long Night may not include fai??r ski?n, silver hair, and incestual blood, the option for their story is open with one of the other potential prequels HBO is hoping to line up. 

Of all the houses in the realm, the Targaryens tend to draw the most interest. Nearly wiped out after Robert's Rebellion, fans have seen one killed, one rise to power and another yet to fully realize their lineage. Throw in the special connection with dragons and that just adds to the venerated legacy. Martin has ruled out some speculative stories, but a focus on Valyria and the Targaryen ways would make an obviously smart choice as added fodder for HBO and Martin to keep the GoT fire burning. 

George R.R. Martin gets candid about new book:? 'What excites me most is I finished it' [EW]

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What is dead may never die (because of future spinoffs)

Like the White Walker army approaching Westeros, the final season of Game of Thrones is shambling towards its premiere after taking 2018 off. Throu?gh a new-ish video (with no new footage), HBO revealed that season 8?? will begin sometime in April 2019.

For those not savvy to the?? behind-the-scenes goings-on of the show, the eighth and final season will be comprised of six episodes, episode one written by? Dave Hill, episode two by Bryan Cogman, and the rest written by showrunners and whitest men alive David Benioff & D. B. Weiss, who will also direct the series finale.

On the directors' side, David Nutter, who directed "The Rains of Castamere," will helm?? the first, second??, and fourth episodes, while Miguel Sapochnik ("Hardhome," "The Battle of the Bastards," "The Winds of Winter" episodes) will direct episodes 3 and 5, the penultimate episode. With the show being as secretive as it is, I'm sure that cast and crew received self-destructing scripts, and HBO likely hired a team of assassins to thwart any potential leakers.

I thought that season 7, while it had its moments, was an oddly streamlined and rushed version of what we usually expect from Thrones. Maybe it makes sense as the show barrels towards its conclusion, but having characters seemingl?y teleport from one location to another for the sake of plot progression was jarring for a show that used to devote entire episodes towards people walking from one place to another.

Not to mention, this certainly isn't the end for HBO's depiction of George R.R. Martin's world. The network will be a host for what appears to be several spin-off shows, none with the heavy involvement of Benioff and Weiss. Naomi Watts will lead one of these shows, I presume for at least one season before she is shockingly killed off. Like everyone else in the world, I'll probably continue to watch the final season of Thrones and whatever comes after. I only hope that the filmmakers shot several alternate endings to throw off leaks, and that they'll be released on the Blu-Ray, and one of them ??had better be a rap battle between Jon Snow and the Night King.

In the meantime, we continue our wait ??for those new books.

The post Game of Thrones will return fo??r its final season in April 2019 appeared first on Destructoid.

Winter is coming

Despite being on the most proficient properties on television, video game developers have had a difficult time producing a Game of Thrones title that's up to snuff with the HBO series. Telltale tried, Cyanide tried, Warner Bros. tried, yet nothing has been able to match the majesty and scope of the show. Now, Nerial is taking a shot with Reigns: Game of Thrones, and while it's the best Game of Thrones game by default, it's also the best showcase of the Reigns formula to date.

Reigns: Game of Thrones (iOS [reviewed], Android, PC, Mac, Linux)
Developer: Nerial
Publisher: Devolver Digital
Released: October 18, 2018
MSRP: $3.99

Reigns: Game of Thrones casts players in the role of the Red Priestess Melisandre as she looks into the fire asking R'hilor, th??e Lord of Light, to show her who is the true heir to the Iron Throne. Starting with Daenerys Targaryen, players can rule over Westeros in a series of "What if?" situations by swiping left or right with each prompt they're given. She's only in power for a moment, for the tutorial actually, before we're given control of Tyrion Lannister and set out to unlock the remaining possible rulers.

There are a few Starks, two additional Lannisters, and two bastards who all have a claim to the throne. After each of the possible candidates is unlocked, the real challenge of the game begins: survive winter. Beating the game means destroying the White Walkers with each of the potential rulers, and each character will take their own unique path to do so. Some will call upon their dragons, others walk a darker trail. Surviving winter isn't easy and neither is reaching the season in the first place as every decision?? you make could lead to your doom.

The Reigns gameplay formula boils monarchical decisions down to what is basically Tinder. Swipe left or right to make a decision when prompted, choosing what you think is the most prudent option to keep your reign going as many moons as possible. Successfully ruling means striking a balance between being loved and hated, rich and in debt, pious and sacrilegious, and powerful and me??ek. Grow too strong or too weak in one area and it's curtains for you. Some decisions will take the stress off certain areas, such as when Winterfell announces they have your back no matt?er how weak in power you become, but other decisions might hamper your ability to make impactful decrees.

There are a great many different paths you can lead each character down, including engaging in mini-games like jousting, a guessing game, or war with another kingdom. These types of distractions are all well and good, but they can't mask the fact Reigns: Game of Thrones has a distinct lack of variety. There are well over 1,000 cards to swipe in this game, which sounds like a lot but really isn't when they repeat early and often. While the beginning of each character's reign can change every time you start a new run, the feeling of déjà vu kicks in quickly as you're prompted with the same selection of situations you've gone ??through a dozen times before.

Bribes are always the same, tavern conversations are always the same, and most decisions you have to make repeat with each of the different rulers, sometimes more than once during a single reign. Not only does this level of repetition feel punishing when playing for long periods of time, but it also restricts the game from establishing a stronger, more cohesive narrative; though I suppose that's more a byproduct of the Reigns conceit than any decision made with this particular game. It isn't until you unlock the ability to actually survive winter, to be given the hint on how each character will guide their kingdom to the summer, that the engaging puzzle aspect of Reigns: GoT emerges. There are challenges, or Royal Deeds, to complete but fo?r me, this game is at its most fun when I'm given a ??clue on how I defeat the White Walkers and then I have to figure out how to get to there from where my reign starts out.

Reigns: Game of Thrones doesn't reinvent the Reigns formula but it certainly gets more out of it than either of the last two games. With clever writing and a deductive approach to ruling from the Iron Throne, it's a great way to revisit the world of Westeros as we await the final season of the show. Just don't stay around for too long or you might find yourself growing bored fighting against the Dornishmen for the umpteenth time??.

_{[This review is based on a r?etail build of the game provided by? the publisher.]}

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Queen Sansa FTW

When it’s announced a popular television show or film is receiving its own mobile game, there’s usually no need for celebration. The App Store and Google Play are rife with the titans of entertainment turning a trick on smartphones for the seedy but lucrative microtransaction crowd. Just type in the name of any hit show or movie and chances are you’ll find at least one free-to-play clone ready for download. That’s certainly true of Game of Thrones. A quick search through Google Play brings up Game of Thrones: Conquest, a Game of War clone I won’t soon be adding to my phone. The video game industry’s failure to adequately capitalize on the Game of Thrones phenomenon has been something of a sore spot for me, o?ne that will s??oon be soothed by the team at Nerial.

This October, the world of Westeros and the highly addictive game Reigns are crossing over for Reigns: Game of Thrones. Called a “swipe ‘em up,” Reigns: Game of Thrones takes the successful Tinder-like adventure storytelling and applies it to George R.R. Martin’s masterpiece. Instead of just controlling a single king or queen, players will help guide up to nine characters from the hit HBO series through everyday life as the ruler of the Iron Throne. Problems are presented to players and they’ll have to swipe left or right, depending on the option they choose, to advance the narrative. Make too many bad decisions and it’s off with their head. The Reigns series has always been a good reminder that being an adept ruler doesn&r?squo;t always mean giving your subjects everything they want. 

Reigns: Game of Thrones is set for release this October for iOS, Android, and PC, and will retail for $3.99. Devolver Digital sent over a preview build of the game and this may come as no surprise but Game of Thrones fits the Reigns formula like the last piece of a jigsaw puzzle. So far I’ve helped guide Daenerys, Sansa, Jon Snow, and Tyrion ?through many moons of their reign, forming alliances and starting wars with the other factions of Westeros. The story is presented as a series of what-ifs as seen through the eyes of the red priestess Melisandre and the plot breaks away from that of the show.

So far in my adventures, I’ve pushed Sansa into a tavern fight, executed a member of my inner circle, waged war against the Lannisters, and discovered the secret Targaryen. Like Reigns and Reigns: Her Majesty before it, Reigns: Game of Thrones has the same casual appeal that makes it perfect for informal gaming sessions, but with enough narrative rabbit holes to keep me swiping for the many moons of my reign. Each time I start up a new run, the story cards I’m presented are different from the time before keeping the experience resoundingly fresh. Publisher Devolver Digital is promising Reigns: Game of Thrones will be the deepest entry yet and the score by Ramin Djawadi will probably force me to restart my HBO Now accoun??t asap to catch up on the show and binge watch the entire series again.

Reigns: Game of Thrones is the exact type of mobile app I wish more television and film producers would aim for when they send their properties to smartphones. It’s smartly written and far more engaging than most any free-to-play game. If it proves successful, I’d love to see other HBO properties follow suit. I mean, who wouldn’t want to play Reigns: Veep or The Young Pope Tycoon.

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A Lannister always gets in debt

On Friday, HBO announced their next big endeavor in their plan to expand the Game of Thrones universe. A pilot has been ordered with a script written by The Architect George R.R. Martin and Jane Goldman, writer of both Kingsman movies, Kick-Ass, and several X-Men films . Ever since HBO revealed they’d be roping the bucket into the spinoff well, speculation of what the show could be have been toss?ed around like a Lannister promise. In their official announcement, HBO had this to say:

“Taking place thousands of years before the events of Game of Thrones, the series chronicles the world’s descent from the golden Age of Heroes into its darkest hour. And only one thi??ng is for sure: From the horrifying secrets of Westeros’ history to the true origin of the white walkers, the mysteries of the East, to the Starks? of legend … it’s not the story we think we know.”

Lasting four thousand years, The Age of Heroes is mentioned throughout GoT lore in passing reference or in Old Nan’s tales. One of the most notable and oft-mentioned historical figures is Brandon Stark, better known as Bran the Builder. Creator of The Wall (RIP) and House Stark?, Bran’s legacy is steeply based in his architectural and lineage accomplishments. For thousands of years, his wall stood and kept the realm protected from the likes of wildl??ings and white walkers. And then the Night King got his hands on a dragon and yada yada yada, the Wall came down.

In addition to OG Bran and his Builders of the Wall, the timing fits right in with the early stages of the Night’s Watch and their freshly painted castles and high morale that would become absent over the next few thousand years. It’s here as well that the Children of the Forest provided obsidian on an annual basis to help the Night’s Watch in their defense against the aforementioned white walkers. Fans have gotten a peak at the Children in recent seasons (most chillingly in a vision from current-gen Bran which revealed the Night King's creation), and diving deeper into their story dur??ing this time period fits the bill.

One of the most talked about historical periods in GoT is the Long Night. Happeni??ng thousands of years before current events, many view the Long Night more as a legend than an actual event, to the point where there’s debate about whether or not it actually occurred. Kind of like the moon landing. The Long Night began when the white walkers broke free from the Children of the Forest and made their way South, creating an army of wights along the way. It was this event that raised the need for a magical wall of ice.  

A slightly lesser known name with well-known offspring is Lann the Cle??ver, who spawned the evil empire that is the Lannister family. Lann earned his nickname well as he successfully scammed the Casterly family out of their named Rock, which became ??the Lannister homestead right up until Jaime and Cersei determined it wasn’t worth protecting. Leave it to the incestuous siblings to ruin a family’s home.

HBO isn’t one to casually dive into the spin-off pool, but then again GoT isn’t a run-of-the-mill show. The premium cable network has escalated television into a new atmosphere, and with an author’s well-crafted creation and penchant for detail, it isn’t surprising HBO has found a successor to continue the GoT experience beyond its final season next year. Amazon is already boasting a billion dollar budget for its Lord of the Rings show in hopes to follow the freshly paved path of expansive television universes. With the potential prequel, HBO i??s signifying their intent to continue being the bushwhacking leader through the jungle of television.

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I hope Nintendo keeps supporting it

Time and time again we've seen Nintendo release a peripheral only to stop supporting it hastily after launch, but Labo could be different. We've seen Ariana Grande embrace it, and now, the composer for Game of Thrones.

IGN got Ramin Djawadi to sit down with the piece of tech and work his magic, and? he managed to actually do it. He creates the bass line, melody, and drums, and sticks them all together. As he should, it looks like he had a little fun doing it, smiling and laughing along the way.

With all this publicity out of the gate, odds are we'll see at least one more Labo pack on the Switch, but I hope we get more than t??hat.

The post Game of Thrones composer pl?ays his own th??eme on Nintendo Labo appeared first on Destructoid.

David Benioff and D.B. Weiss: Wookies > Dragons, any day

One of the biggest hopes with Disney's purchase of Lucasfilm and the Star Wars properties was that the cinematic universe would expand. No longer would we wait 20 or more years for the next iteration of films, and so far, this has proven true. And friends, it's about to get a whole lot truer. True-ish? Let's just say, you won't be disappointed to hear that David Benioff and D.B. Weiss, creators and show-runners of HBO's mega-smash Game of Thrones, will write and produce a new series of Star Wars films.

??Why is this a big deal, other than pulling in the team behind TV's biggest hit? Well, these movies will be independent of not only director Rian Johnson's planned trilogy, but also of the Skywalker saga. Also, no Porgs, it's safe to say.

No additiona??l information, incl??uding release dates, has been provided at this time.

G?ame of Thrones Creators David Benioff and D.B. Weiss to Write and Produce a New Series of Star Wars Films [Star Wars]

The post Game o??f Thrones creators sense d?isturbance in force, jump ship to create new series of Star Wars films appeared first on Destructoid.

Read on!

For my money, Game of Thrones is one of th?e best dramas still airing on TV.

Sure, I can find things to complain about in anything (and likely will), ?and for those of you that followed my weekly episode recaps this past season, you know that I did.

Ultimately, my season 7 gripes were satisfied, and my concerns largely allayed with an epic season f??inale that revealed m?uch of what seemed inconsistent to have been driven by careful deliberation all along. In short, season seven was what the other six seasons have been: great.

So, it's with little surprise that HBO has delivered a gift unto its fans just in time for holiday gift giving: the Game of Thrones Season 7 Blu-ray box set! Releasing to the public today, the box set has beautiful design consist?ent wi?th the Blu-ray sets they've released until this point. Sitting on your shelf next to other seasons, it's going to fit right in.

Not only that, this box set is both Blu-ray and digital versions, so when you're on the go and can't carry your entire movie library with you, your digital copy will be available in the cloud. For me there's little better than having a hard copy that's not internet-reliant, and a digita??l copy that, thanks to Disney Movies Anywhere becoming Movies Anywhere (and several partnerships with major mo??vie and content creators and distributors), is available for me to watch through any number of easy means. 

It's a three-disc set with episodes and bonus features including featurettes on art direction and set creation, audio commentary tracks, and behind-the-scenes features on notable moments from the seventh season. The interior box is graced by the faces of Tyrion, Jon, Cersei, and Dany cast in a frozen blue with icy blue ir?ises. It's epic artwork that's been carried from the early promotional posters. The box set simply has the Night King (in the same cast) on one side and "Winter is Coming" on the other. It's simple and perfectly embodies the season's progression.

As an added bonus, this edition of the box set comes with an extra disc, Conquest & Rebellion, an animated history of the Targaryens and their conquest of the seven kingdoms (Westeros). For fans of the show,?? getting some backstory on what happened to Valyria and how the Targaryens came to Westeros and, under Aegon Targaryen, united the s?even kingdoms was fascinating.

This isn't a feature animation; it's not Pixar, or even the next animated Batman film. Its animation is simplified, yet neatly stylized, and features voiceovers from cast regulars like Sophie Turner (Sansa Stark), Nikolaj Coster-Waldau (Jaime Lannister), Aidan Gillen (Littlefinger). I especially enjoyed some of the little quips thrown in by the likes of Conleth Hill (Varys). It's informative and fleshes out the world we've come to know in a more condensed fashion than reading some of George R.R. Martin's companion pieces to A Song of Ice and Fire. 

With Game of Thrones possibly not returning to television with new episodes until 2019 (and Mr. Martin stubbornly refusing to publish more books, because 'Fuck you fans!') it's good to get your hand?s on as much content as you can.

BLU-RAY GIVEAWAY

It turns out that we have a beautiful, brand new copy to give away to one of our readers (complete with digital season and Conquest & Rebellion). To enter, simply leave a comment convincing us of why you're worthy of free things (cut off: 50K words), or leave a comment that says ENTRY.

We'll pick a winner soon and try to get i?t to you in time for the Holidays. 

_{[Flixist was provided a copy of Game of Thrones s7 for review purposes.]}

The post Game of Thrones Season 7 B?lu-ray box set review and giveaway appeared first on Destructoid.

Who'll be the next Game of Thrones?

News broke Friday that Amazon is in discussions with with Warner Bros. and the J.R.R. Tolkien estate to acquire television rights for the epic fantasy classic. Amazon founder and CEO, Jeff Bezos, is looking for content that is "large-scale" genre content and has potential "broad international appeal." And what genre content is not only large, but huge, and, coincidentally, is about to leave a gaping void in television lineups after its final six episodes conclude? Why, Game of Thrones of cou?rse, the show that pioneered big-budget,?? fantasy television.

Everyone and their mother is looking for the next Game of Thrones to anchor their programming, so knowing this, and knowing that come some point in 2019 you'll no longer have to worry about dragons or medieval zombies, what should be on your radar to sa?tiate your fantasy appetite?

The Kingkiller Chronicles

Patrick Rothfuss's purported trilogy currently consists of two novels (and a companion book) that center ??around Kvothe, an arrogant young man with a penchant for music and magic. The novels do borrow from other fantasy canon, but Rothfuss's voice is unique and he's crafted a character that's the right blend of anime-can't-be-beat-must-get-stronger hero and sympathetic wiseass with a way of getting things done that must be ??admired.

Showtime recently announced it had picked up the adaptation by Hamilton creator Lin-Manuel Miranda and optioned it for television. The story is set to begin a generation before the events of Rothfuss's first novel, The Name of the Wind (think Black Sails), leaving plenty of room for story development??, creative license and more seasons.

Why you should care ...

Kvothe is a rule-breaker by nature. He's like a ?too-wise-for-his years Harry Potter at a Hogwarts where Harry tells Professor McGonagall and Snape to go fuck themselves. Oh, and magic -- known as sympathy in this world -- ??can be linked to blood. Kvothe gets dark.

The Wheel of Time

Robert Jordan began publishing his sprawling epic fantasy novels back in 1990, six years before A Game of Thrones hit bookstores, and he kept writing, consistently, up until his death in 2007. At the time, he'd been writing the twelfth and planned final book in the series, but fortunately, he left extensive notes on how to complete the series. His wife sought the help of author and longtime WOT fan Brandon Sanderson to complete the?? ??book, which ended up being three.

Sony acquired the rights to produce the series back in April of this year, though its unclear where it may air and details have been scant since. Originally, I'd hoped for someone like Showtime to do it right, but with their acquisition of The Kingkiller Chronicles this seems unlikely. However, this series d?eserves to be d??one as premium cable content: it should not be watered down for violence.

Why you should care ...

There are 14 books! And this author made sure to leave enough information and plans in motion before his death to complete the story! If you've felt some stories were stretched, or that certain television runs went stale as writers had to take liberties filling in for gaps in the original material, this story will allay all fears. These books take human motivations and unfurls all their complications and pits them against one another through a cast of hundreds of characters: even when the end of the world draws near, people are going to try to get theirs. It will make you rethink what the people around you want. Oh, and all while immersed in a world with magic (the one power) and orcs (trollocs) and a Sauron like figure (Shai'tan). And, have I mentioned Matrim Cauthon? 

The Black Company

Ten books worth of fantasy wizardry comprise the material detailing the annals of The Black Company a band of legendary mercenaries let loose in a world filled with magic and mayhem. Told from the perspective of a defacto grunt rather than a hero, this series will envelop you in its soldiers ethos and language. Highly recommended for fun, light reading, this series also doesn't have a proclaimed home, yet, but expect it to soon, and pray that it's done right. There's a lot of potential here to show you the violent side of magic and medieval warfare that doesn't get caught up in the details of how or why it works?, only that it is.

Why you should care ...

Eliza Dushku, aka Buffy's 'Faith' and David S. Goyer (Blade, The Dark Knight, Man of Steel) are developi?ng. With these two at the helm, I expect great things. And with a different angle than its competitors, this series could fill a niche successfully.

Game of Thrones

So the series we know and love may be drawing to an end, but HBO and George R. R. Martin aren't going to let that stop a goddamn thing. Rumor has it, there are as many as five Game of Thrones&??nbsp;spinoffs, prequels, and companion series in development. Did you really think the originator of this game would let any of the other great houses try to steal their throne? Have you learned nothing from Cersei? 

The post What to (hopefully??) watch when Game of Thrones en?ds appeared first on Destructoid.

Maybe this will fill the void until 2019?

[Update: "This is not a real product – we're sorry for any confusion," a Target spokesperson tells Forbes.]

With how popular George R. R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire book series and modern-day television hit Game of Thrones have be?come, it shouldn't surprise anyone that spin-offs and other forms of media will be follow?ing close behind -- including video games.

A NeoGAF user spotted a new listing on the Target website simply titled “Bethesda: Game of Thrones.” Bethesda is best known for hit RPG series The Elder Scrolls and their own take on Fallout. For many, this would be a match made in heaven.

This could potentially be the early signs of a new game announcement from Bethesda, as they have said in the past they're hard at work at two? new large-scale projects. Although this wouldn't be the first attempt a video game adaption of Game of Thrones.

In recent years we've seen Game of Thrones: A Telltale Games Series and back in 2011 there was A Game of Thrones: Genesis from Cyanide studios and Focus Home Interactive (those same cats behind all the Cycling Manager games, what a perfect pick for Game of Thrones, right?)

But what do you think? Would a Bethesda made Game of Thrones game peak your interest?

Target put up a page for Be??thesda: Game of Thrones [NeoGAF]

The post Target listing for ‘Bethesda: Game of Thrones’ spotted (Update) appeared first on Destructoid.

Game of Thrones is back!

And thus we were left to feel slightly less excited about Sunday evening, a time usually reserved for ??the ?doldrums of the weeks as it foretold the coming of the long winter that is Monday mornings. But boy oh boy, what a rush to get there!

"Finally," I proclaimed to my Facebook feed the moment Sunday's seventh and final episode of Game of Thrones season 7 had concluded, "Game of Thrones is BACK!" It felt like that type of moment for me. It was a brief, seven-week summer journey that left my head spinning and many complaints tumbling over one another, much like w??atching the inside of a washing machine. How can they ignore space-time continuity issues? How can any of this be happening? 

But happen it did, explain it the producers did, as best they could, through good in?tentions and a dire need to progress the story to the point where they could wrap the series in a successful fashion (here, book readers should take note and perhaps cringe in fear--if the show had this much trouble reaching an ending, how will a seven-book series with two books remaining do so when it moves at a glacially slower pace and its story hasn't even reached where season 6 of the television show began?).

But for all my complaints throughout season 7, this episode, "The Dragon and the Wolf," took them, chewed them up, and regurgitated them in one of the?? more satisfying conclusionary meals I've ever had the pleasure to lap up.

Game of Thrones
Season 7 Episode 7: The Dragon and the Wolf

As a capping episode to a season, this episode was near perfect. Major plot points were revealed. Action was progressed. Satisfying reunions and first meetings were omnipresent. There was action. There were twists. There was incredibly satisfying musical mashups via The Rains of Castamere and the Unsullied thematic overture. There was reference to magical dwarf cock and an entire army of cockless badasses in the same span. And what's more, Game of Thrones proved it could still shock and simultaneously please in the same breath. This reviewer found himself to be openly smiling at the T?V like a tweenage fan in the throngs in front of the stage bearing the ultimate boy band dream team. It was a euphoric rush from the moment the Unsullied and Dothraki besieged King's?? landing to the finals shots of well ...

Here we should say it again, SPOILERS AHEAD. SPOILERS AHEAD. SPOILERS AHEAD.

... To the final shots of the Night King ato?p an ice dragon melting the wall at Eastwatch and his army calmly advancing south of the magical barriers that have prevented so from beyond memory. It also m?ade clear just how masterfully much of what seemed askew was crafted with perfect intention to be revealed not as folly, but as the hand of a skilled master directing events at just the right moment.

When I had issue with Bran's apparent lack of action (I mean the guy sits around in a chair with wheels doing nothi?ng all day!), Sansa and Arya's incredible and character-defying naivety while dealing with Littlefinger, Sam's blundering idiocy in missing one of the most closely guarded secrets on the show (Jon's parentage), when would the Mountain and the Hound finally get it on: all this and more was satisfyingly answered or at least alluded to an answer forthcoming. And in knowing that we only have six episodes of the show remaining and now have basically all our cards on the table, you can expect a lot of fighting and a lot of satisfying moments.

But remember too, how far this season has taken us. From its opening high notes of Arya, full-fledged faceless man laying low the Freys, to not one, but two groupings of Starks and pseudo-Starks laying aside petty (and not so petty) differences to face common enemies as strong, united fronts (much stronger than their father, it turns out), this season positioned the Game of Thrones survivors to play meaningful, and impactful roles in the final season. Think how much has happened! Think how many houses are now wiped off the board and how much the character?s remaining have evolved and taken on larger, more instrumental roles.

"The Dragon and the Wolf" also served to reestablish continuity. It largely bypassed the illogical timelines that plagued this season as most of its characters were lumped together geographically, or the action took place in unrelated sce??nes across the land. It focused on plot development and revelation and took what had been seemingly jumbled before, tossed it in the air, and spread it smoothly upon the ground for everyone to hold hands and sit down upon: one big happy picnic. It anchored the season, and simultaneously bogeyed it, raising it from so-so to superior.

The final six episodes planned for season 8, thanks to a wonderful seventh season, should be a shitshow of maneuverings, revelations, triumphs, deaths--we can't seriously expect all of these people to survive, and action. Loads of action. But what we shouldn't find as much of, are betrayals. Most of the principal motivations now lay aligned with Danny, her cause, or her supporters. Only Cersei and several of her principals now roam as free agents likely to sew mayhem (the Mountain, her King??sguard, Qybur??n, and Euron. Even outsiders like Melisandre seem to have proven through remorseful discourse that their intentions (despite past mistakes) are aligned with the common cause of living versus dead.

BIG QUESTIONS SEASON 8 SHOULD ANSWER:

• Who will kill Cersei? The volonqar? Tyrion or Jaime could do it and both have reasons to: Tyrion, plain hate, and both through a comprehension of how Cersei will never change her murderous ways. Or Arya! Will she cross this particular name off her list? She has managed exceptions before (the Hound) ...
• Who are the three heads of the dragon?
• Can Danny have children after all? They've certainly built this up as a possibility, but the GoT show runners have also proven adept at misdirection (as has the creator George R.R. Martin).
• What role will the Hound play (outside killing the Mountain) and how does his fear of fire factor in?
• What role will Theon play? Now that Theon has finally found his balls by proving he has none. He seems to continue to persevere when clearly his character shouldn't and doesn't deserve to. This last resurgence suggests a role to play still.

• What role will Bran play?
• Will the Children of the Forest appear again?
• What role will Gendry play?
• When Jaime is forced to choose allegiance, what will he do? He's clearly beyond conflicted now.
• What does an aerial dragon battle of fire and ice look like?
• What will Danny do when she finds out she's banged her cousin? The honorable thing, of course, would be to feed herself to her dragons.
• How will the united Stark children at Winterfell factor in to events?

We'd love to hear your thoughts on season 7, the finale, and where you think we're headed for the crazy series finale next ye??ar. Drop your comments below.

The post Game of Thrones Season 7 Finale, ‘The Dragon and the Wolf,’ and Review appeared first on Destructoid.

"Beyond the Wall," the penultimate episode in HBO's seventh season of Game of Thrones, concentrates its energies in one place, the north, with much of the action taking place exactly where its title suggests, beyond the wall. There are perfunctory throwaways to Dragonstone to establish where Danny is??, and we get glimpses of the political jockeying unfolding at Winterfell, but the episode serves to move this game forward so that the now inevitable meeting to persuade the Lannisters can take place, and set up the final season, the battle between life and death, fire and ice.

T?he episode starts strongly, following our band of frozen questers north of the wall, but as obvious plot p?oints were ticked off down a checklist of suspected happenings, and improbable travelings, it faded from prominence to one I'd rather forget. Let's get into what happened, what was great, and what made me pull out my little remaining hair.

And to those of you who watched this a wee??k early when the episode was leake?d online, thank you for not spoiling it for the rest of us.

[Editor's Note: This recap will obviously go into detail about last night's episode of Game of Thrones, so there are going to be a ton of spoilers. Final warning!]

Game of Thrones
Season 7 Episode 6: Beyond the Wall

Remember when Game of Thrones started? Back in the very first episode, before you knew just how crazy this journey would get, there were three brothers north of the wal?l who found some slaughtered wildlings. Things quickly got weird, and sort of frightening. Going beyond the wall was a very real chance to face one's mortality. Well, forget all that; going beyond the wall now, in season 7, is just like heading to the bar with your mates for?? a few drinks.

That's how things begin, anyhow, and it produced some of the most memorable lines of the series, and some humorous moments that stood out in the bleak wasteland that is the fate of most Game of Thrones characters north beyond the wall.

UBER DIALOG:

• “Walking is good. Fighting is better. Fucking is best.” (Tormund to Gendry on how to stay alive beyond the wall)
• “You’re the one they call the Dog.” (Tormund to the Hound)
• “I don’t give two shits about wildlings. Gingers I hate.” / “Gingers are beautiful. We are kissed by fire. Just like you.” (the Hound to Tormund and Tormund's retort)
• “I want to make babies with her. Great. Big. Monsters. They conquer the world.” (Tormund to the Hound)

WHAT WORKED

The Airing of Grievances

It was really amazing when going beyond the wall turned out to be just like a night on the town with the boys. You hit up the local pub, throw back a few beers, and really, just hash out the shit that’s been troubling you. You’ve got to air those grievances boy! That’s what bros do: they fight and make up, usually over a beer. So we’re trading in a beer for  Billy Bryson’s famous travel guide A Walk in the Fronzen Woods, but it holds. These g??uys have serious problems with one another, and they put them aside rather quickly because, well, they’ve got much bigger problems.

Tormund Giantsdick

He was at his most hilarious here. Basically, if he opened his mouth, you knew he was about to spit solid gold. Damn, what a great character they’ve made him. And, yes, some of ??you have been harking on his impending doom, maybe even reveling in it, and it seemed you were going to be right, only to have the producers pull a ‘just kidding’ and keep him around. For now. Thank you! If he’d died after being that funny … what a waste. 

Beric

Given ??some screentime and less religiously zealot material, this guy is proving to be an interesting character; it’s too bad he’s been absent for so long.

Flaming Swords

Mostly this party trick has seemed pretty dated and pretty hokey. Until now. Seeing two dudes light up their bongs swords side by side and just start straight smoking was great. Why aren’t they teaching the rest of them this tri??ck? Sure, Thoros ?is a red priest and magic, but Beric’s not.

"I think I preferred him in The Golden Compass, Beric!"

Zombieland

If you’ve ever wondered what an undead polar bear would be like, GoT just went and answered the hypothetical question for you: fucking terrifying as all hell. Bears, and polar bears in general, are kind of scary when you think about it. They’re bigger, faster, and stronger than you, and when facing them with a sword can be daunting. Make the bear the biggest sort, the sort that definitely eats men, and then turn it into the kind that can’t die, and you’ve got problems. This reminded me of the latest Pirates of the Caribbean, wherein they addressed the ‘what if this thing were undead too’ question. And of course, here, it hints majorly at what’s to come. Have we mentioned there are spoilers in this recap?

House of Cards

There are problems with how easily Littlefinger continues to manipulate people; has no one learned? Even Arya, who trusts him literally less than shit, is getting played like she’s a little girl. Never mind that she is! We’ve come to expect a lot from our lady-turned-assassin and that should include better sense than she’s displaying. So it’s problematic, but still effectively building loads of tension. It seems she’s fully hoodwinked, as her verbal attacks at Sansa are too pointed to be mere subterfuge directed at Littlefinger, but we’ll wait and see. At least Brienne is not a total idiot, but that means Sansa is going to send her away to King’s Landing. We can’t have any voices of wisdom here.

WHAT WAS SHITE

Again, my pointed question of why not just kill someone north? of the wall-pick a traitor, any traitor—and let them reanimate seems blatantly obvious, but no, how about the ‘Seven Samurai’ of which there were definitely at least 10 (thanks whomever suggested that parallel) direct frontal assault the Night King and his mobile-zombie-rave. You need every army in the seven king??doms to do it, but why not just come with seven bros instead? Sure, makes sense. Predictably, these guys are in way over their heads and need to send for help to the only possible person who can help them: Danny (and her three dragons).

Rescue Me

Given  day, I’m not sure a proper rant could be constructed to adequately complain about how dumb this was. It’s no surprise how bleak the situation was, so why not just fly up on a dragon to begin with, pluck a zombie, and be done with it. No? OK, then, if it’s not that easy, how does any of this work? Readers have suggested that if ‘I want to enjoy the show more, I should ignore the issues with traveling and time.’ Fair point. Until now. Jon and his cohorts are stuck on a narrow piece of land, in what looks like sub-freezing weather, not moving, and able to stand there long enough for Gendry to run back to Eastwatch, a raven to be sent to and fly to Dragonstone, and then for Danny to fly back to Jon? GoT, GTFO. This was utter horseshit. It was also predictable utter horseshit as the episode progressed, yet I held out hope that it wouldn’t ‘go there.’ Sadly, said hope was misplaced. They did and it made zero sense, and it’s killing the show’s credibility. If Dragon’s have been that fast all along, why hasn’t Danny just flown ahead of her useless armies and burned everything down before Tyrion warned her that she couldn’t just burn everything down. This undermines the believability of everything that’s taken place and everything that’s to come.

Danny is a Shitty Mother (and pilot)

For all the talk about how devastating dragons are and have been, historically, to the world of GoT, they are proving to be utterly useless, or Danny is proving to be the worst Dragon Pilot ever born. Now that the dragons have entered the Frey fray, at long last, they’re sort of easy to kill, aren’t they? Nearly everyone who’s tried has succeeded (or 50/50—100% hit rate though). How does Danny not assess her enemies and prioritize targets? The white walkers are clearly all alone in a little cluster off by themselves, and clearly leaders—why not just dragon fire them? Why?? did she ignore the scorpion on the road to King’s Landing?

"She can't see us, bros. We're in the spirit world!" *snickers*

Many people saw this coming and?? suggested the need for an undead dragon, but lame, just lame, for it to come about lik??e this.

Let's be clear: Game of Thrones has thrived on surprising its audience and keeping them guessing. It’s a real problem when your audience is guessing everything correctly, and you’re not surprising anyone. Especially given that it’s poor execution and what feels like lazy writing that leading to?? this disappointing anticl??imaxes.

Look at how easily Jon killed h?is second white walker. Yet Danny and her three Dragons don’t even try? Are they easy to kill, or hard? Remember back when this series began and they seemed nigh on invincible? Are they? Or they fall apart to dust as long as you have the right weapon?

Speaking of … 

The Swords in the Stone

Why didn’t Jon bring any dragonglass weapons with him? Wasn’t that they whole point of mining the cache under Dragonstone? He knows what these we?apons do and yet doesn’t wait long enough to bring a single one? I don’t get it.

Fear of Fire

The Hound is afraid of fire. We get it. Is this building somewhere useful, ultimately? I guess I shouldn't complain about ??a lack of predictability given my complaints of the opposite, but can he not evolve or get over it already? Sorry Thoros, you're SOL because I'm afraid o??f fire.

"Come up with a funny caption, and Rick might just give you a better shoutout than I got. I'm not afraid. I was pushed."

Holding Hands

Normally a totally inocculous pastime for teenagers and the emotionally insecure, this episode contained more hand-holding than the rest of the series. We get it. Danny. Jon. Danny. Jon. Jon with no shirt on. Jon’s man-bun capable hair. But, predictability! Where has the mystery gone, gen?tlemen?

"Jon, I know you're half dead, but d'you think you'd be up for a little slap and pickle?"

Uncy Benjen

So far, a convenient plot device that turns up whenever someone faces what should be insurmountable odds beyond the wall. How’s he always in th??e right place at the right time? No idea. How has Benjen not turned all the way to undead wight? No clue. Too convient one too many times? Absolutely.

The Money Shot

 Ending the episode on the blue eye of the undead dragon was obvious beyond obviou?s, added nothing to the mystery of what was to come and probably surprised no one by that point. As soon as the Night King threw his ice lance, ?we knew that was coming. Why even do it.

Listen, I’m old; we old people like to complain, so that&??rsquo;s what I’m gonna do. My opinions are 100% right. 

***

For a special shoutout in next week's episode and season recap, try your hand at captioning the picture of "The Dog" above.

***

The post Game of Thrones Season 7 Recap: ‘Beyond the Wall’ appeared first on Destructoid.

Please don't turn me into a marshmallow, your grace.

YOU WERE RIGHT AND I WAS WRONG:

BRONN is spelled with a double n. It's bee??n a while since I've seen all these names in print!

That said, my main point of contention with earlier season 7 episodes continues to problematically rear its head: characters are now moving across this world multiple times in the same episode! As some of you have poin??ted out, this contrasts so greatly with the sequential timing of the rest of the show that it's jarring to watch; we're not used to characters traveling by foot, horse, and wind-powered ships to move from extremity to extremity so quickly. Usually, there have been journeys, or it was only happening with one person amongst the cast, not the entire cast jumping around like Westeros was a checkers board and our cast the checkers. It is a bit much, but it also is what it is.

Maybe they could explain it away m?ore easily if other people started riding dragons? Let's see where that goes.

Outside of the problematic geography and ease of travel, many plot lines continue to build to a forthcoming conclusion and that is sort of fun. Reunions continue to abound, some expected (Tyrion and Jaime) some far less so (read on, spoilers ahead).

In the south, people continue to worry about the problematic nature of dragons, that is, they tend to kill people, and often by burning them alive. Followers of the Mot?her of Dragon aren't really sure how they feel about this, n??ow that it's happening in their own homeland--it's fine to burn a bunch of slavers, but when they start burning Westerosi lords and your former arms-men, it's easy to be conflicted. And enemies of the Mother of Dragons, well, they've now had a taste for the reality of the situation and found it to be ... bitter. Far too much reality, it turns out. Up until meeting a dragon, they thought they could win. Now, not so much.

[Editor's Note: This recap will obviously go into detail about last night's episode of Game of Thrones, so there are going to be a ton of spoilers. Final warning! ~ Nick, copied and pasted by Rick]

[Editor's 2nd Note: Apologies for my drinking my way through the episode and writing this recap, but it makes it hella more fun ya'll.]

Last week’s episode culminated a la cliffhanger with Jaime sinking into a watery grave, possibly? We begin episode 5 with Bronn pulling Jaime’s corpse out of the water. Surprise! Twist! Jaime lived. Well&he?llip; did they walk all the way there underwater? Because they did not swim. Not wearing that armor, and sword, and gold hand. So it’s a fun bit of dialog for Bronn to tell Jaime that a dragon doesn’t get to kill him, he doesn’t get to kill him, only he (Bronn) gets to kill him until he gets what he’s owed, because clearly, Jaime should have drowned.

Cut to Tyrion surveying the battlefield from up close and oh shit, is that dragon dung? Nope, it’s a big-ol-burned-turd of Lannister knights. And um, well, there are some surviving Lannister soldiers. Do they bend the knee to Danny or do they become human marshmallows? Human marshmallows you say! Delicious! At le??ast that’s what Randyll Tarley and his son Dickon (no eunuch there) must have thought, because they opt for death by dragon (mistake!). Thus, m?aking Sam lord of house Tarley! Boom, that spritely son of a bitch is moving up in the world faster than Ser Jorah has his skin peeled.

"Excellent choice, your grace, these human marshmallows really are best burnt to a pile of ash!"

J??aime is?? magically back to King’s Landing telling Cersei that it’s hopeless and they should do something. What he thinks is unclear. But she’s not giving up, oh no. She’ll have the Mountain kill everyone! Maybe?

Back to Dragonstone now. Kee?p up, this is a fast-paced show! And Jon watches Danny land her dragon like a massive hang-glider. I suppose massive scorpion bolts to the wing don&r??squo;t really hurt dragons, because it’s gone and the dragon is showing no ill wear. And then Drogon sniffs Jon. Like sniffs him good. Is it good to eat, precious? Mayhaps, precious! But it likes the JonSnow. It trusts the JonSnow, and so Danny doesn’t turn him into another human marshmallow. Oh well, p??recious, there will be others to eat.

And then Ser Jorah is there! My gawd—sorry—my seven gawds / drowned gawd / gawd of light / gawd of death—Ser Jorah is there, and he and Danny look like they may get it on! She says he’s “looking strong” and Drogon gets jealous because he senses Danny’s got woman heat for the JorahMan. Mayhaps Drogon will turns the JorahMan into a marshmallow? Mayhaps, yes, precious.

Damn, suddenly, we’re with Bran, in Winterfell, and he’s got weird milky eyes and he’s sent ravens out, and the ravens get past the wall, and they see the army of the dead! Well shit, there’s the Night King! And then Bran’s telling his maester to send ravens, for fucks sake! And, apparently, he did, for suddenly we’re in Oldtown and the maesters there are making fun of Bran’s maester. But Sam is eavesdropping and he says, no maesters, don’t make fun of that maester, that cripple is telling the truth about that scary ol’ Night King and his mobile zombie rave. This is getting real. If Lord Sam is going to order those maesters to do shit, they’d better, but oh shoot! They didn’t tell him about his marshmallow father and brother, so he doesn’t ?know he can give orders. Get back to scrubbing skidmarks from be?d pans, Lord Sam.

Dragonstone: Tyrion and Varys drinking and talking ab?out Targaryens turning people into human marshmallows. Are they be?tter black as coal or golden brown? Cheers!

"Let us drink and talk of smashing hos, m'lord!"

Danny and her advisors in her smaller-than-Cersei’s-map-room. Why is it always a competition about size? What to be done about Bran’s bird-message? They’re going to bring a zombie to King’s Landing to prove they’re right. Damn. Ser Jorah and Jon will head north. Tryion’s getting the ol&rsquo??; Onion Knight back to his criminal roots and is going to get smuggled into the Red Keep. Bronn helps. He always had a fondness for Willow and his people.

Jaime doesn’t impale Tyrion on one of the dragon skull horns. A good sign, to be sure. And then, well, emotions are runnin??g high. So he and Tyrion hug it out, like ?real, true Californian bros.

"I prefer to smash bruh. Face-smash."

Ser Davos had business in Fleabottom, but he meant getting Gendry. Which, can I just say, finally, here? And when Gendry tells Davos that swords drool, hammers rule, my heart be still! I love this skinnier, less-beardy Robert Baratheon. May the face-crushing begin! And sure enough, a couple of wiley gold cloaks show up in true convenient form, just to allow Gendry to demonstrate his face-smashing capabilities—which aren&rs??quo;t half bad at all.

No one puts anything past Cersei (except when they do) and when Jaime tries to tell her he’s had a secret meeting with Tryion, she ?already knows. They’ll play the long game to get past the insurmountable odds currently opposing them (mainly Danny and her dragons).

"Jaime, did Miley Cyrus pull off this hairstyle better than me? Answer truthfully, or die."

Jon and Jorah are off for Eastwatch, and it looks like Danny might jump both their bones. It’s weird here, because, being serious for a moment, she waivers between this hard as stone, turn men into marshmallows queen of fire, and then a half-silly little girl who’s sort of got a crush on the emo bastard King of the North (and maybe her step father Ser Jorah, too). It seems, out?? of character, as she waivers back and forth. At least at this?? point in her storyline.

Sam’s leaving the Citadel because he’s ‘tired of everyone else getting to have all the fun!’ And he cuts off Gilly right when she’s about to read something that might reveal the parentage of Jon Snow! Damnit, Lord Sam, you are the worst lord ever!

"Gilly! Don't give away the JonSnow's parentage yet! We're going to dangle that one for a while still! Don't make Lord Sam remind you of who's whose wildling wench!"

Whoops, back to Winterfell, keep up friends, keep up. Even I’m getting confused. As Arya and Sansa have a weird meeting wherein Arya basically accuses Sansa of not quelling potential rebellion so as not to lose potential allies for herself (aka: you’re betraying the JonSnow, witch).

But not all gingers are witches (just ?one that we know of—Mellisandre), so perhaps that one’s unfair.

Then Arya decides it’d be loads of fun to play follow the leader with Littlefinger and it’s obvious that Littlefinger’s got all his little fingers in everything fingers can get in. He’s stll got it! And he’s plotting something. Something nefarious. Unclear what as yet, though things seem to be proceeding according to his design, and once more, he’s several steps ahead of a Stark.

Eastwatch. Like the episode’s title! Jon’s meeting Tormund, who’s super disappointed that Jon didn’t grenade Pod so that Brienne could come pay Tormund a sexytime visit. Jon, it’s bros before hos, bruh. Bros, before, hos. But, Ser Jorah’s there too, with fancy new emo armor to match everyone else, and it turns out so are The Hound, Ser Beric, and Thoros. That’s where they’ve been! Freezing their candied asses off in a tiny ice cell at the wall! Of course. And right about then we begin a frightful bit of dick-measuring as all sorts of past transgressions are brought to light between Gendry and Beric, Tormund and Jorah, and more. Until Jon, remembering what we just said about bros before hos, says, “Yo, m’bros, Calm down. This is gnarly. Like, we’re all on the same side, ??man! I mean, you’re a half-giant ginger with a whale dick, and Ser Jorah, you’re basically a lepper, bro. And Gendry, we’ve both had ginger witches try to give us herpes, but bros! We’re all still breathing! We’re survivors, bruhs. We’re on the?? same side. And they crack open a 30 rack and toast a few toasts before heading north of the wall. Insane, right?

UBER DIALOG

• “I don’t know much about swinging swords, but this [picks up an awesome war-hammer], this I know.” FINALLY!
•  “I’d hurry to your favorite [brothel] or you’ll put a hole in that chain mail.” You see, Ser Davos had just given them a lovely bit of Westerosi Viagra … apparently fermented crab will get your soldier to stand at attention. Only, isn’t fermented crab just rotting crab? Yum.

WHO WAS THERE:

GENDRY: I called for it last week, and we got it: war-hammer face-smashing! That was de-lish. Also, Danny, Jon, Varys, Tyrion, Davos, Jaime, Cersei, Sansa, Arya, Bran, Littlefinger, Davos, Randyll Tarly (ever so briefly, and bye-bye), some other Tarly (ever so briefly, and bye-bye), Ser Jorah, THE HOUND!, Thoros, Ser Beric, The Night King and his mobile-zombie-rave!

WHO'S CONSPICUOUSLY ABSENT:

THE MOUNTAIN: has this dude killed ??anyone since he reappeared in armor? I feel like not, right? They must be building this up for something grand.

With only 2 episodes left in this season, how do you think things will wrap up? Your predictions, please!

The post Game of Thrones Season 7 Recap: ‘Eastwatch’ appeared first on Destructoid.

Everyone loves reunions

Last week, we left Game of Thrones feeling the episode was "effective and sat??i?sfying." Well, HBO heard our applause and answered the call for an encore, delivering us The Spoils of War, which at 50 minutes in running time was short  and that didn't matter at all. There were overtures of and to things that I've harked on already from season 7; players continue to jump about the Westerosi map like they're using Roddenbury-like technology, and Danny feels inclined to ask Missandei about her sexual adventures with Greyworm and his worm--let's be honest--let's hope he's not named for that. But otherwise, the episode delivers many satisfying reunions, mom?ents that define what we've been waiting for throughout? the GoT run, and plenty of just desserts.

[Editor's Note: This recap will obviously go into detail about last night's episode of Game of Thrones, so there are going to be a ton of spoilers. Final warning! ~ Nick, copied and pasted by Rick]

After sacking Highgarden and sending Lady Olena to her timely end, Jaime Lannister and friends have departed for the open road with their spoils (read: looted treasure and supplies), and [probably] Highgarden's legendary collection of bootlegged DVDs. Oh hey, Bron's there too, still being Bron, making inappropriate jokes to inappropriate people and demanding more payment than he's alread??y received. It's good to see that some characters are steadfastly themselves throughout the series' run; no evolution there [or is there?--more on this later].

There is some throwaway material of Cersei with the representative [not a lord] from the Iron Bank, which had predominantly been covered. There are brief allus?ions to The Golden Company whic?h enjoys an expanded and fun role in the novels and also to further help should they successfully pay off their debts. Thankfully, these are short moments, and not a lot of the 50 minutes is spent here.

And now, welcome to the Game of Thrones 10-year High School Reunion where everybody's catching up with everybody! Oh snap, you're a lady now? Do tell, girlfriend. And what now? You're a ninja? When the shit did that happen? The scenes that unfold at Winterfell, with Arya's long-awaited return home, as well as at Dragonstone when Theon unwittingly comes ashore to a none-too-thrilled Jon, and even on the road between High Garden and King's Landing, where a pseudo-reunion be??tween Tyrion and Jaime occurs, are amazing and immensely satisfying. It's easy to forget just how long some of these characters have been separated onscreen. Arya, is separated from the rest of the Starks all the way back in season 1. It has been an incredibly long journey for her, and, as we see, she's come a long way.

Much of the post-episode talk will no doubt center around the culminating battle between Daenerys and her Dothraki 'hoard' and Jaime and his Lannister forces. It's epic, and it's the first time we've really seen any of the dragons, at full-size, take on large-scale forces. It's as epic as you'd expect, and probably satisfied anyone who was complaining about slow-pacing, erroneous sex scenes, or confusing timelines [read: me]. However, for me, the other moments, seeing Jon take Theon by the throat and let him know the only reason he's alive is because he helped Sansa, or seeing Arya reunite with Brienne of Tarth for some good old-fashioned sword-play, are incredible moments. They emphasize just how big George R.R. Martin's wo?rld his, how diverse the cast, and how intricately their sprawling plot lines became. Simultaneously, we're reminded that the end is drawing near, and those many, many loose threads, cast in the wind as the newborn brood of a spider, are all being pulled taught to return back to the core.

There's hardly enough to say of the Arya-Brienne scene, as it's loaded with call-backs to earlier moments, including, if I'm not mistaken, that Arya is displaying a little bit of Sirio Forel's water dancing? She's really stealing the season, thus far--and Littlefinger seems to take heavy notice. Too much notice? I wasn't really sure if he was considering abandoning his redhead fetish ??for something Stark with a little more zest??? Whatever was happening, it was appreciation, or perhaps further apprehension, as we saw develop when he interacts with Bran.

On that front, what's up with Littlefinger giving Bran the assassin's dagger? PLEASE LEAVE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THIS IN THE COMMENTS. It's clear that Bran knows much more about who tried to have him killed, Littlefinger's involvement, or Littlefinger's betrayals of the Stark family in general. This is further solidified ??when Bran regifts the dagger to Arya--someone with the skills to use it.&n??bsp;

FINAL THOUGHTS

• This dialogue between Sansa and Arya was amazing:

Arya: It doesn't look like him. It should have been carved by someone who knew his face.

Sansa: Everyone who knew his face is dead.

Arya: We're not.

• I was wrong about Ser Jorah--apparently no one shared how to apparate with him. He must still be underage. When do you think he'll reappear with Danny?
• Bran's continued hinting at preternatural powers is awesome--he's just making himself so weird, including blowing off Meera Reed, who, this time, at least gets to speak. Why can't he just speak to someone normally instead of cryptically referencing things he clearly shouldn't know about?
• On that front--it's cool that he admits that while he's no longer "Brandon Stark," he still remembers what it feels like to be him. And thus, he sets whatever he's set in motion between Arya, the dagger, and Littlefinger. That Stark part he remembers clearly wants in on the revenge game.
• Why the hell did Danny only bring 1 of 3 dragons? I know you're going to tell me it's because there was no one else to ride them, but we've seen them get in on the action before, haven't we? And if that's the case, what good is it having three? For spares? And why isn't she trying to find other riders?
• OK, so Danny can't ride all three dragons at once, I get it. Why the hell was she blowing up wagons instead of annihilating archers and other soldiers? That one needs more explaining. And, if Bron gives her what equates to a warning shot, why would she possibly just fly the dragon right at the scorpion again? I don't understand the strategy.
• Tyron calling Jaime a fucking idiot is hilarious--also, interesting to see he still cares enough about his brother that he wants him to live; unclear how he expects that could possibly occur while he's at odds with Daenerys.
• Daenerys puts Tyrion in his place--it's odd she only doubts him now after his failures--wouldn't the level of trust have begun that low and possibly improved with time? Not the other way around?
• Hoping The Golden Company makes an appearance, if for no other reason than to see their gold standard of the skulls of their former commanders.
• HOLD YOUR HORSES (and dragons): yes, the supply chain was burned, but Sam's dad, Randyll Tarly told Jaime most of the gold was inside the city. So Cerise's good standing with the Iron Bank is still in tact. Who will her new allies include?

• Jaime is totally under Cersei's finger, again. Even as we opened the season, he was disillusioned with where they stood in the world and subsequently what that world was. She gives him one little bit of sister-brother swordplay and he's ready to sacrifice himself by charging a full-grown dragon on horseback. GOOD THING BRON EVOLVED just enough to save the man holding his money purse!
• Or did he? It's unclear if Jaime will survive or not. After all, he's in full armor and wearing a golden hand. Not exactly easy to float in that. My gut says we've not seen the last of Jaime, though.

WHO WAS THERE:

Jon, Danny, Missandei, Varys, T?ryion, Davos, Jaime, Cersei, Sansa, Littlefinger, Davos, Bran, Meera Reed, Theon, Arya, Brienne, Pod, THE DOTHRAKI HOARD, Randyll Tarly, some o??ther Tarly, ONE DRAGON

WHO'S CONSPICUOUSLY ABSENT:

Sam (I've come to rely on his humorous interludes), THE OTHER DRAGONS, The Hound (where has he wandered off to?), GENDRY (this is the hinted bastard of Robert Baratheon, down to his leg??endary talent with a warhammer--when the hell will he reappear and crush some people with his blacksmith-born musculature? Dying for this! Will he crush Cersei's head? Let??'s hope so. Lot's of people vying for that honor though.

The post Game of Thrones Season 7 Recap: ‘The Spoils of War’ appeared first on Destructoid.

Cersei wants everyone to know she bangs her brother: whatever!

George RR Martin's sprawling "seven" book fantasy series has long been known as A Song of Fire and Ice and tonight's episode played homage by finally 'bringing fire and ice together' and acknowledging as much t?hrough dialogue by red priestess Melisandre. Of course, she's referring to the convergence of central players Jon Snow, bastard, and King in the North, and Daenerys Targaryen, mother of dragons, the unburnt, breaker of chains, storm born, Khaleesi, and more titles than you or Jon Snow expected to hear. Hence the perplexed face (above). There's a dichotomy here, that plays out throughout the episode, that between fire and ice, represented by Daenerys and Jon, and their expectations of one another and how those should play out. It's central to the episode, and there series plot lines, and despite feeling rushed (we go from Jon, at the Wall, saying he will go, to Jon being there in the span of minutes) is effective and satisfying.

[Editor's Note: This recap will obviously go into detail about last night's episode of Game of Thrones, so there are going to be a ton of spoilers. Final warning! ~ Nick, copied and pasted by Rick]

Part of last week's episode focused on the plausibility of Jon heading to Dragonstone to answer Daenerys's summons: should he put his fate in her hands, following in the footsteps of his father heading south to King's Landing? Ultimately, Jon decides he has no c?hoice as eventually, people other than those up in the frozen north are going to need to believe th??at more than wildlings have been amassing beyond the wall.

This episode begins by playing on the tensions of a northerner and Stark answering the summons of a 'southron' lord. Jon, greeted on the beach by Tyrion and a small group of Dothraki warriors, after a delightful introduction via callbacks to season 1 ("The bastard of Winterfell," "The dwarf of Casterly Rock"), is asked to hand over his weapons and fully place his fate (and life) in the hands of his hosts/captors. The drama revolves around two unb??ending points of view: Daenerys believes she is fulfilling her destiny, has achieved her homeland, and has her goals within reach; Jon believes all jockeying for the Iron Throne is the bickering of "children" and that all need to face their common foe in the north ... the White Walkers, army of the dead, and the Night King. Neither position allows for bending or expansion to understand the point of view of the other, so fixated are they on their goals, they're unable to even understand how they appear in the perspective of the other. It's as if they're yelling their respective positions at two opposing walls, and of course, either wall is unable to comprehend or respond helpfully.

Luckily, Tyrion is there, understanding both leaders, their positions, and their unwillingness to appreciate other points of view. He attempts to lead them towards positions of compromise and understanding, advising Jon to try to see things from Danny's perspective: a man she's met once, and knows not at all, is advising h??er to give up her lifelong goal right as it's in hand, to pursue what sounds like fantasy in its stead. Furthermore, he urges Jon not to judge her for her father and to get to know her through the people who serve her and believe her. Reasonable ad??vice, especially as Jon has, by refusing to 'bend the knee' and maintaining himself King in the north, become her de facto prisoner. Tyrion also advises Danny to give Jon something by giving him nothing--that is, access to the weapons-grade stash of plutonium, sorry, dragon glass underneath Dragonstone. A trifle thing Danny didn't know of and does not need.

And it's a good thing Tyrion is proving his worth here, though perhaps imperceptibly to his mistress, as elsewhere, his battle stratagems are being decisively beaten, aka, he's failing miserably.? Last episode we saw their Ironborn and Dornish allies fall to Euron Greyjoy. This week we see Danny's divided forces in the form of the Unsullied take Casterly Rock only to discover it's mostly been abandoned by the bulk of the Lannister forces. And then Euron's armada shows up to destroy the vessels that carried the Unsullied there.

Oh, and those missing Lannister forces, well, they marched to High Garden and beat the snot out of the Tyrell forces. And that old grandma who's been meddling in this Game ??for ??so long? SPOILER: she doesn't make it--though she does go out in style.

FINAL THOUGHTS

• Ser Jorah has conveniently been cured of greyscale. Look for him to be by Danny's side next week.
• After wasting nearly an entire half-episode on a Greyworm sex scene, GoT stuck to the important deets this week and only diverted for some incestuous Cersei-Jaime fellatio and one gratuitous Jaime-butt shot for three minutes, culminating in Cersei declaring that as queen, she can do what she wants, including fuck her brother and let everyone know of it. No offense, but wasn't she queen before when all this started? People still aren't cool with this lady.
• Cersei continues to show just how evil she is when she devises her revenge on Ellaria Sand. It's some skin-tingling stuff, brother. I mean, there are massive overtures that the Mountain is going to do something grotesque, but Cersei goes even badder and crueler. Don't mess with this woman.
• Which brings me to: WHY DO PEOPLE CONTINUE TO UNDERESTIMATE THE LANNISTERS? This includes Tyrion. Everyone is getting outmaneuvered, and most of Danny's allies are dead or imprisoned now.

• There's plenty of alluding to the forthcoming revelations regarding Jon's heritage and status, as Danny beats the 'last Dragon' bit to death. No, sorry Danny, you're not the last. Look for Jon to come out of a fire, unburnt, soon, maybe to end the season? It's coming. Oh, it's coming.
• Ser Davos, Onion Knight extraordinaire, shows his worth again as trusted advisor to leaders everywhere: as Jon is unable to form full  thoughts from his still thawing mouth, Ser Davos comes to the rescue with reasonable explanations and pontifications. Good work there, chum. Though he did almost reveal that Jon's a zombie. WHOOPS.
• The interesting meeting between Melisandre and Varys: what was this about? We know why she's hiding from Jon and Davos, but what was she referring to re. Varys's death, and her own?

• The episode continues to promote the idea that Sansa is 'smarter than she lets on.' Tyrion references it, Jon seconds it, and then Sansa demonstrates it. I get that she's picked up stratagems and the 'game' a bit by being around the likes of Cersei, Tryion, and Littlefinger (and Ramsay, etc., etc.), but what does she know of food stores for armies and armoring soldiers for deep winter? Maybe she knows a lot; maybe she's revealing these hidden depths (clearly absent when the show begins and all she wants to do is see knights and beautiful King's Landing), but that seemed a tad forced--the only part of the episode that did, outside of ...
• TRAVELING HAPPENING IN MOMENTS. The show-runners have long stated that they chose not to focus on travel and instead on what happens when people get where they're going, but due to accelerating storylines, people seem to be hopping about with Star Trek like teleportation technologies. It's confusing at times, as Euron appears to be in three places, simultaneously, maybe just more of an understanding that time is passing between scenes, as is not often clear.
• BRAN STARK IS CREEPY. 'Nuff said.

WHO WAS THERE:

Jon, Danny, Melisandre, Missandei, Greyworm, Varys, Tryion, Davos, Jaime,? Cersei, Sam, Jorah, The Mountain, Sansa, Littlefinger, Jaime, Lady Olena, Davos, Bran, and Meera Reed (doesn't even get a line--she's just there, sort of), Theon, Yara, Ellaria, Remaining Sand Snake, Qyburn

WHO'S CONSPICUOUSLY ABSENT:

Arya

The post Game of Thrones Season 7 Recap: ‘The Queen’s Justice’ appeared first on Destructoid.

Please, try not to scream

HBO has been running its mouth all week about how big its Game of Thrones season 7 premiere was. How big? Well, I'll have to show you? *Unzips notes* 16.1 million viewers watched the premiere, night of, through live outlets and recorded options. They "smashed" records, and they're not even the Incredible Hulk.

And not unsurprisingly, there's also record-breaking piracy going along with that, including airings of the show in India, online, before the official Indian airtime. We, lucky us, get it first here in the U.S. And, in a surprising reversal of posturing from just several years past, HBO is promising to get tough on those illegally distributing their property. In 2014 HBO (and Time Warner) CE??O Jeff Bewkes said, "If you go around the world, I think you’re right, Game of Thrones is the most pirated show in the world. Well, you know, that’s better tha??n an Emmy." He added that piracy of the program ultimately leads to more subscription to their service, and they know this because they've been dealing with the issue for 20 or 30 years. Apparently their 'sub' numbers are down, because even if they're not actually pursuing legal actions, they're threatening it. The old 'sure, steal our shit it'll just make us more money' line isn't holding water any more.

So, what about the re-cap Rick? I'm getting to it, my chums. What with HBO seeming to care about people seeing the show for free, even though it's arguably more popular than it's ever been and their numbers should be better than ever, they're still winding the series down t??owards a now inevitable conclusion. In fact, we've got 11 episodes left. That's right, treasure each and every one, and each and every minute. And with that perspective in mind, allow me to call this episode for what it was: horse shit.

[Editor's Note: This recap will obviously go into detail about last night's episode of Game of Thrones, so there are going to be a ton of spoilers. Final warning! ~ Nick, copied and pasted by Rick]

There is a hell of a lot posturing going on right now, and I suppose that's OK -- it's necessary to allow all the many, many plot lines? to play out?. And believe it or not, they're inexorably condensing down towards some final (dramatic?) conclusions. Much of Stormborn deals with the amassing factions and their plans to deal with one another:

• We have Daenerys on Dragonstone with her sworn and would be allies: Tyrion Lannister, Greyworm for the Unsullied, Varys, Lady Olena (House Tyrell), Yara and Theon Greyjoy (the Ironborn), and Ellaria (Dorn).
• We have Cersei in King's Landing with Jaime, Qyburn (former maester and now Hand of the Queen), The Mountain, and ... well, mostly a bunch of nobody lords they're pandering to, with one major exception.
• We have Jon Snow and Sansa Stark in the north, with their many northern lords, each other, Breanne, Sir Davos, and a potentially backstabbing Littlefinger.

Those are the three arenas remaining to u??s. It's true, Arya's still out there as a roving free-agent, as are the Hound, and Sam, and a few other loose storylines, but for the big intrigues, most of the plot lines have trickled down to these three factions warring against each other, or for the realm, in Jon's case. Much of the episode deals with the leaders of these factions posturing to their would be supplicants to gain their loyalty, inspire them by fear into loyalty, or their various machinations in?? attempting to discern the best path forward.

If this is reading dryly and seems boring, it's because it was, at times. Yes, the episode ends with a bang, thanks to the seven, but it was nearly too little too late and this one you could see coming. When one leader of the world's finest fleet of ocean vessels? tells Cersei he's off to bring her presents and then you find a second fleet of ocean vessels sailing to Dorn with Yara and Ellaria about to fuck in front of Theon -- this guy cannot catch a break can he? At least the last time this happened to him one of the girls wasn't his sister and he still had a dick (if only momentarily) -- you know shit's about to go down, and down it does.

What really burned me though, rather than th?e political posturing, which had plenty of interesting tidbits which we'll cover at the end, was the ridiculous Greyworm / Missandei sex scen??e. It's nice that HBO decided to give Greyworm a chance with the ladies, you know, since he has no penis, but as I've pointed out, we have very few minutes remaining for plots to develop fully enough to conclude this tale, and I feel none of them warrant being spent of Missandei fulfilling the audience's curiosity of 'how will this work when he has no dick?' Oh, it's because he's a master of going down on her! Of course. Well, I never would have guessed that. Good thing we just spent 10 minutes of the episode satiating curiosity. Not precious minutes. Not at all.

Now contrast that with the time spent on Arya's reunion with Nimeria, her dire wolf, and we've got a serious problem. As I'm sure other readers of the books hoped, Nimeria was indeed with a wolf pack; maybe not a pack of hundreds, but a pack all the same. What was less fortunate was the she opts not to stage a Maury-worthy getting back together with Arya, and instead turns tail and runs. This scene was maybe two minutes. Priorities need to be s??hifted. Less unsullied eunuch sex ?and more killer wolf pack attacks and eats Cersei please.

FINAL THOUGHTS

• The producers are doing a great job of keeping Sam's story light and adding some wonderful humor. Seeing him tell Ser Jorah to Please try not to scream while I cut off an entire layer of your skin was fairly amazing. As was the transition from cutting off infected, pus-oozing skin to a spoon gouging into a bowl of pot pie. Boy was I hungry right then!
• Sam is simultaneously attempting to save one of the Danny's biggest champions by curing Jorah of greyscale and locating the source of a cache of weapons to fight the undead army. This dude is singlehandedly getting shit done while everyone else is just trying to bone. Did you catch the look between Qyburn and Balerion's skull? I did. He's totally going to bone those bones. He even penetrated its skull with a giant crossbow shaft. Metaphor, or promise? You tell me.
• Lady Olena seems to have been right in her advice to Danny: don't take the advice of clever men: they know nothing, do what you do, girl! Be a dragon. Tyrion's plans have very much already been dealt a major blow.
• Who's going to fight the mountain now? It won't be any of the sand snakes. Will the Hound fight his brother? It was his brother than gave him his scars and fear of fire, after all. Or will Arya ride in on Nimeria with a 1,000 strong wolf pack and eat that zombie fool?
• Speaking of zombies: is there any chance the Mountain is a sleeper agent for the Night King?
• Fantastic to see Cersei try to use fear of what Danny did to nobles in other lands as motivation for her nobles to follow her. There's opportunity to read into the fear of foreigners plot as commentary on our current world too. I won't do it. But you could! 
• Also, equally wonderful to see Tyrion discuss what Cersei will do as if he saw her say it. he knows his siblings well. And equally wonderful to see him refer to THE LANNISTERS, not US/WE, or MY LANNISTERS / SIBLINGS.
• Will John regret heading south to meet Daenerys? We knew this was coming: someone south of the wall had to be convinced of the reality up there. You need a powerful instrument to get that done. Though, in the meantime, we see Jon Snow repeatedly looking just like Ned Stark and making very similar decisions, including possibly pissing off Littlefinger. Not sure that was the subtlest way to play that moment.
• One part of the episode I truly appreciated happened at its opening, when Danny decides after months at sea with Varys that now it's time to finally question him about his motives and loyalties. It's fascinating stuff. This scene provides more insights into Varys's motivations than we've received at any other point in the show, and to such an instrumental character, this is important. Until now, you've never really known if Varys's claims about serving the realm were real or not: it seems that now we might be able to believe him.
• There are truly a lot of men running around without dicks in Westeros and the neighboring lands. For all South Park focused on the presence of dicks, perhaps they should have focused on the absence. Even poor Ser Jaime isn't free from this plague. He's a swordsman after all, and what better way to castrate a swordsman than by removing his sword hand. Qyburn could make a fortune learning to reattach dicks.

The post Game of Thrones Season 7 Recap: ‘Stormborn’ appeared first on Destructoid.

I like my winter with mittens and betrayal!

If you’ve avoided your Fa??cebook feed for fear of spoilers, this article is probably not for you.

After an incredibly lengthy recap reminding you of just how many threads are at work in the Game of Thrones HBO story, we got right back to it, with a character who we were just reminded was dead. Is it a flashback??? No. No, very quickly we realize what’?s going on here, and I yell at the neighbors above me to get their kids to bed, because this shit is about to go down!

[Editor's Note: This recap will obviously go into detail about last night's episode of Game of Thrones, so there are going to be a ton of spoilers. Final warning! -- Nick]

Arya Stark (Maisie Williams) is an absolute badass. It’s not breaking news, and in fact, last year’s season closed out with her already proving it—but it’s just crazy to imagine her journey, what’s she’s gone through, and how far she’s come from being a little girl playing with wooden swords to being a grown woman basically using ninja magics.  She just took out like 50 Freys with a single toast. ?The red wedding has been avenged. Drop a whole bag of mics, girl, and get yourself some poison-free wine to go ?(more on this later).

Transition via a wintery land with black billowing clouds gusting over the ground, a la a scene from The Mist. There’s a slow reveal of shadowy figures accompanied by the White Walker theme music. And we’re reminded as to what’s quickly becoming the driving force above and beyond all of the family squabbles happening on the surface: winter is coming, and that winter is an army of the dead. But the payoff to this scene is that the giants we’ve seen die, and presumably others, are zombies now too. Zombie giants? Me calling my stock broker: Yes, buy me another share of Game of Thrones, now. I said now, damnit! *Click*. Always hang up like a boss.

From one winter wonderland to another, we find Bran Stark (Isaac Wright) doing his three-eyed raven thing. Briefly, more as a reminder that it’s his thing. He’s with Meera Reed (Ellie Kendrick), still, and she’s pulled him all the way to the wall, somehow, and right to the gate that houses Bran’s brother Jon’s good buddies at Castle Black. Well na??vigated, Meera,?? what with no supplies, insufficient clothing, and definitely no compass. People seem to do that in this world. They just know how to get places. GPS so not necessary. I fear the people of Westeros and neighboring lands would put us all to shame in sense of direction arena.

And then as if to remind us that Bran’s not reunited with his siblings yet, we see Jon (Kit Harrington)  and Sansa (Sophie Turner), only they’re not at Castle Black, they’re at Winterfell, along with Pod, Brienne (Gwendoline Christie), Sir Davos (Liam Cunningham), and Littlefinger (Aidan Gillen). This scene serves several purposes: it reminds that Littlefinger’s still around, they need to keep him around after his murdering-spree in the Vale,  and he’s still Lord of the Vale with many men (that Jon and Sansa need). It also serves as an opportunity for Jon and Sansa to demonstrate their different styles of leadership to their bannermen and lords; Sansa proposing hardline treatment for ‘traitors’ and Jon proposing a more tempered view of the world that doesn’t punish some for the misdeeds of ot??hers. Jon ultimately wins out, and earns good favor with his people, but Sansa still reminds him afterwards to not be too much like their father (or brother for that matter). “You need to be smarter,” she tells him. And she’s right. Jon is the third Stark to try his hand at leading the north since the series began and it hasn’t gone well for the others. They’re too trusting, by nature. Let’s hope Jon’s learned from ?their mistakes, or can at least learn from Sansa’s earned world-weary wisdom.

By strange reference, Sansa admits to admiring Cersei and that she learned a lot from her. A strange revelation that serves the purpose of bridging Winterfell to King’s Landing and Cersei standing on a massive floor mural map of Westeros in the Red Keep. Jaime joins her, of course, and what follows provides a bit of insight to their motivations: frankly, that Jaime is questioning what exactly they are—and whom are they fighting for at this point. Cersei reminds him that they still survive, though their children are dead, and they can fight for themselves. That’s her character, to fight to the last. But the man introduced to us as the fighter seems less sure.

It’s funny to remember their character arcs too; though it is them against the world, it hardly feels that way, as Jaime asks Cersei if he “should” fear her. She doesn’t really answer him. Contrast this to the first episode of the series where we find them deep in throes of incestuous sister-brother passion. Boy, have they drifted apart. And there’s a weird removal of manhood element to it all as its Jaime’s castration by sword-hand dismembering that seems to be the turning point in their relationship. Without his ability to ‘wield his sword’ what good is he to her? It also coincides with the point when Jaime becomes a character we despise to one with a troubled past who’s more complex and multidimensional than his roles as villain, stark-opponent, and sister-fucker (for lack of a better or more pc term) would suggest. Yes, the Lannisters have undergone some transformations, but as always, it’s them against the world, for the world which brings us to Cersei’s latest machination: Euron Greyjoy (Pilou Asbaek), evil uncle to Theon (Alfie Allen—aka the guy who pissed off John ??Wick) and Yara (Gemma Whelan), who, if you recall season 6’s finale, have pledged themselves to Daenerys).

Euron’s not the character fro??????????????????????????m the books, and despite being given a great line here, seems hollow, as his screen-time hasn’t warranted true emotional responses of love or hate. Do we care that he seems to not give a fuck about anything? Not really. There’s nothing at play to indicate we should, other than a vague hint he plans to deliver something to Cersei that will convince her to wed him (along with his fleet of a thousand ships, of course). There’s also an unnecessary nod to the?? Mountain still being with us. Trust me, no fan of the show could possibly forget. It’s a forced allusion to his being there, potentially setting up some showdowns in the forthcoming season or next.

And speaking of characters that we can’t forget, where’s Robert Baratheon’s surving bastard, Gendry? There was a lot of hinting that he had his father’s renowned talent for the war hammer. And I fully expect him to show up and smash the living shit out of one villain or another at some point … but when? And how? And who? And will the episode be titled, “Let’s get Hammered?” Probably not *stealthily slides bottle of scotch back into sweater vest*

Sam’s still in Old Town, at the Citadel, preparing to become a learned maester, or trying to learn invaluable information for Jon, take your pick. Thi?s is perhaps the second best part of the episode as it’s clearly the best, and maybe the only montage from the series. It involves layers of Sam’s daily life inside the Citadel, cleaning chamber pots, and toilet shafts, and pouring gruel at meals (both tasks quickly become one and the same both visually and through cues set to score the montage). It’s effective, disgusting, and remarkably fun. And fun is necessary sometimes when dealing with GoT. Otherwise, it’d be pure wint?er bleakness. Sam, lacking the credentials of a maester, seems condemned to menial tasks and is blocked from the books he desires. He’s trying different tacks, but ultimately is forced to break his way into the forbidden library section (thanks Harry Potter!) to fulfill his hero's quest, as even the one guy who believes him vis–à–vis the white walkers, won’t help him. And thus Sam Tarley became what we always knew him to be: a criminal who deserves to be stuck at the Wall with the other criminals. Black brother burn, oh yeah!

There’s a bit nodding to Brienne and her prowess as a warrior and it’s underplayed nicely by Tormund Giantsbane (Kristofer Hivju) eyeing Brienne up?? and down as if he’s never seen a sight finer. It seems to me though, that Brienne has a thing for pretty men; Renly and To??rmund are nigh on as opposite as we get in this world—clean cut, waifish CK model versus uncouth, half-thawed ranging ginger from beyond the wall. Or maybe it’ll be their feats of arms that make them equal in her eye and allow this, currently, stalke-rish admiration to go further.

In the only scene with real tension, Arya has continued her journey for vengeance southward where we find her riding through a beautiful wood. She encounters some Lannister soldiers and they offer her food. There’s a bit of a cameo here from a singer I’m told is world-famous, Ed Sheeran, but who definitely had a nice singing voice—maybe too nice? It’s like he pulled an Odysseyic sirens on Arya and drew her in towards his merry band. But these fellows don’t seem bad, beyond their gold and lion?? trappings. They seem genuinely friendly. Yet, GoT has taught us nothing, if not to be always be on guard and the scene is clearly begging for some sort of assault on the outnumbered Arya, or for Arya to slaughter them all for their associations to the me and women still on her kill list. We’ll have to wait and see how this plays out. Maisie gets another great line in here explaining where she’s headed.

The Hound is inde??ed still alive. He’s with Beric Dondarion’s merry band of men, including Thoros of Myr. This scene felt like another tone setter for the upcoming season. It reminded us of the Hound’s past transgressions and then reiterated that he’s changed, or is in the process of changing. It also further progresses the idea that roles as villains and heroes are not always firmly established and that there are opportunities for them to characters to evolve. We’ll see how far the Hound evolves, but at the very least he seems to inherit or adapt the ability to see prophecy in the flames of a fire. No clue where that came from as he’s no red priestess.

Sam has a bit of a revelation regarding dragonglass and the location o?f a secret stash. All from his pilfering of books at the Citadel. Oh, and he’s an insomniac too—apparently preferring the motto “I’ll sleep when I’m dead” to any reality of need. This serves to show that Sam’s staying on point a?nd should be contributing in a meaningful way.

And then, at long last, Daenerys gets her screen-time, along with her dragons. In the background, we see Varys, Missandei, Grey Worm, and Tyrion, but none of them speak. This is Danny’s emotional return to her homeland of Wester??os, and the castle where she was born, Dragonstone (also where the episode title comes from--and perhaps given pre-eminence as her getting there is a big deal, even i?f only briefly touched on right now). This scene carried weight and plot importance, but no accompanying dialogue to broaden the impact of the scene. It’s only at the very end of the episode, after discovering Stannis’s map room that Danny says to Tyrion, “Let’s get started.”

That’s sort of how the whole episode felt. There’s was a lot of time dedicated to setting scenes, conflic??ts, and alliances. But at times, many characters said nigh on a word. Nor were they provided an opportunity to. 

As with prior episodes of GoT, this was a scene setter ??and one that didn't provide many new clues ?as to plot or the direction of the show.

The post Game of Thrones Season 7 Recap: ‘Dragonstone’ appeared first on Destructoid.

Hack and slash across Westeros

It's a good time to be a Warriors/Musou fan. For us in the west, we just got our hands on Berserk and the Band of the Hawk, which according to Chris is pretty darn good. Later this month, our friends over in Japan get their first crack at Musou Stars, a game I personally can't wait to play. Not long after that is Dragon Quest Heroes II, Samurai Warriors: Spirit of Sanada, and eventually Fire Emblem Warriors and the potentially game-changing Dynasty Warriors 9.

There are so many coming our way, and yet somehow I want more. After Hyrule Warriors and Dragon Quest Heroes proved to be global successes, I thought about other series that would work perfectly with the Musou formula. The first thing that popped into my mind and never left? Game of Thrones.

It seems obvious given the show’s popularity around the world, but that doesn’t make it any less of a perfect candidate for the Warriors treatment. When I think of these games, I think of large casts, massive battlefields, exotic locations, crap-load of lore to work with and grand battles. Game of Thrones checks off all of those. I can’t be the only one who watched the Battle of the Bastards and thought, “Oh shit, this would be so cool as a Warriors game.”

I know, there isn’t a lot of variation when it comes to weaponry. Most people use swords and shields that can get a bit boring. But there are so many more options. Embrace Melisandre’s connection to the Lord of Light and have her use fire-based Magic Attacks. Have Bran control Hodor and other creatures to attack for him, knocking them into the air allowing him to finish the combo as the raven. Make all of Tyrion’s attacks speeches he gives to get himself out of trouble. Jaime can use his gold hand and sword as a unique combo. That fucking nun with the bell can shame people to death like Marin from Hyrule Warriors. Use your imagination people!

There are so many options with the dozens of available characters, so many grand and memorable locations to utilize, and so many epic battles to recreate. I would kill for the chance to lay waste to the Sons of the Harpy in the arena as Daenerys and her dragons or to stomp all over Ramsey’s men with Wun Weg Wun Dar Wun. Come on Omega Force, make this happen! Game of Thrones is such a perfect series to spin into the Warriors formula that I bet none of the oth??er writers at Destruct??oid can come up with an idea half as good.

Chris Carter [Image source]

Now that it's been established that Omega Force will adapt pretty much any anime they can get their hands on (and localize them), my head started spinning at all the choices. A Trigun Musou? It could work with just about every character other than Vash (who they'd have to divine some sort of non-lethal means of dispatching enemies), and the property is enough of a character factory to give us some great boss fights -- I'd love to see how they'd give is Legato. Gurren Lagann would be perfect with its mech fights and Kill la Kill is a no-brainer.

But in the end, I settled on Fullmetal Alchemist. Not enough people have seen the Brotherhood series from st?art to finish, and the franchise already has a long line of video games ahead of it -- most of which have not made it out of Japan. It has so many storylines to draw fro??m, and myriad characters to make playable, and it has the "unlockable stable of bad guys after you beat the game" covered with the Homunculi.

Really though, even if it just started with the brothers of Edward and Alphonse (who can both cast magic), it would make for a mean co-op game from beginning to end. So many cards are stacked in its favor, and I'd take any excuse to watch th??is show and read the manga again.

ShadeOfLight

These other guys can talk about anime and HBO shows all they want, but me? Well, I'm a 90's kid. And as a 90's kid, I'm going to have to go with a show that defined my childhood, because lord knows the 90's had plenty of those. For me, it could be Power Rangers, X-Men, Biker Mice from Mars, or Samurai Pizza Cats. But above all, Beast Wars.

Beast Warriors certainly wouldn't be the easiest game in the world to make; no Transformers series has ever been known for melee combat. Nevertheless, Beast Wars has plenty to work with. Optimus Primal has been depicted wielding a sword and dual clubs, Transmetal Cheetor has his whip tail, Blackarachnia is skilled in unarmed combat, Megatron can easily overp??ower opponents with the T-Rex head he has for an arm, and Dinobot is famous for his rotating spine-sword. Besides that, a lack of melee weapons doesn't have to be a problem. For example, Rattrap is mostly known as a saboteur and demolitions expert; he could easily use his arsenal of sticky bombs to get up close and personal.

Even if you do go for gun-based gameplay, every character already has a melee move set ready to go: Beast Mode. This would be the major innovation of Beast Warriors over any other Musou gam?e. Every character would be able to run-and-gun their way through the?? enemies, but with the press of a button start tearing shit up in their beast forms. Look me in the eye and tell me that you wouldn't want to charge through a horde of enemies with a cranky robot rhino. You can't.   

Nick Valdez

To fit into a good Warriors game, a property needs two things: waves of faceless enemies Omega Force can copy and paste ad nauseam, and different characters who are really only distinguishable in look and weapon. Power Rangers is perfect for this. I don't mean Super Sentai (they've already had their terrible shot), but Saban's Power Rangers. There are 24 seasons of the show ripe for good Musou action. Even if you pulled from just the popular stuff (the first one, the "new" team based on the movie, the two recent seasons Dino Charge and Ninja Steel), there's still plenty to work with. Each season comes pre-equipped with its own baddie army and crossover storylines, so Omega Force wouldn't even have ??to work that hard on its campaign. 

Think about this. If Omega Force decided just to use every version of Tommy (because he's the most popular Ranger), that's six characters already (Evil Green, Good Green, White, Red Zeo, Red Turbo, Brachio Black) with their own potential Musou. Evil Green Ranger Tommy could play his flute dagger and call down a quick drill tail swipe from the Dragonzord, White Ranger Tommy would use Saba's eye beams from the movie (heh), and etc. The series already has Musou-like finishers built in, so half the work's a?lready done. 

Not to mention plenty of monster designs to use for tougher lieutenants and boss fights. Maybe even a Megazord battle section? Heck, you could do Megazords as playable characters and it would still work. The Rangers fough??t off waves of embiggened monsters before, and I imagine occasionally fighting a literally giant army while darting around buildings would be a welcome change of pace. 

Occams Electric Toothbrush

There are combinations in this world that feel like they were always meant to be. Chocolate and peanut butter. Smoking and drinking. Skinny dipping and family reunions. Such is the case for Warhammer 40K and the Musou genre.

It’s no secret that Games Workshop gives away the license to 40K if you ask nicely enough. How many cheap mobile games are there? It is rare that we get a game that does justice to the 40K universe.  This is a perfect opportunity to make an amazing Musou game and also elevate the Games Workshop brand in gaming beyond, “Remember Space Marine?”  Imagine playing as a Space Wolf Captain, power fist and bolter gun cutting down swathes of enemies. You could unlock Terminator Armour, jump packs, artifact weapons and even play as Dreadnoughts. And that’s just for Space Marines. There is enough content in the 40K universe for multiple games.

The Eldar have their aspect warriors and Harlequins, the Orks have their various types of savant savagery, and the Tau have their cute little toaster guns. And Chaos! Good lordy, can you even imagine what playing as a Slaanesh Noise Marine or a Khorne Berserker would be like? Fucking awesome is the correct answer. All of the groundwork is laid out. All Ome??ga Force has to do is work its science magic a?nd breathe life into it.

weslikestacos

Game of Thrones sounds like it’d be fun for about two characters. The Hound would be cool since, y’know, he’s awful. And Ramsay Bolton for all the ding dongs you can lop off. But what after that? Sansa’s combos would revolve around crying and pouting, and Ned woul?dn’t ev??en make it past the first level. Sorry, CJ, but you’re wrong.

The only Musou game you’ll catch this taco playing is Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Warriors, the exciting new endless beat-em-up featuring everyone’s favorite sewer-dwelling mutants (well, second favorite, behind Mike Martin). The game practically writes itself - you control one of the four eponymous amphibians, Master Splinter, Casey Jones, and hell, maybe even April O’Neill, and go to town on endless waves of the Foot Clan, mousers, Rock Soldiers, and countless other antagonists I can’t remember, led by main antagonists perched as generals in different zones. L??eonardo would have devastating sword attacks and techniques, Donatello a long reach with his bow enhanced by gadgetry, Michelangelo acrobatic moves with flips and shit, and Raphael punishing close-range melee attacks. Replace the rice balls or whatever with pizza, and give each level a sewer system to help traverse the huge map??s? I can’t believe it hasn’t been made yet.

You’d start with the original red-bandana’d comic designs, but unlock skins based off the 80s cartoon, 90s movies, 00s cartoon and movie, and 10s CGI show (no, Venus DeMilo and TransTurtles don't count). If the devs were feeling frisky and really wanted to get weird, they could even throw in 4-player online or local co-op to allow all four heroes in the half-shell on screen at once. It&rs??quo;s simple, it’s genius, and it?? needs to happen now.

I’m ashamed of the rest of you.

Kevin McClusky

Wes, you're not wro??ng. I mean, about this, you're not. In general, ehhh, that's debat??able. 

Your TMNT entry made me think, though. Musou games are really nothing more than an evolution of the belt scrolling beat-em-ups we played in arcades. There were tons of `em : Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, X-Men, Final Fight... but my favorite was always The Simpsons Arcade Game. 

People didn't seem to like my last Simpsons article, but that's OK, it's still one of my favorite properties. What would make it perfect for a Musou game is the huge cast. Eve??n though you fought mostly tubby guys in pink ?shirts and generic suit dudes in the arcade game, a current day version could theoretically make it so every mook you cut down is a different citizen of Springfield.

Imagine slashing your way through Crackton on a quest to reach Chester Lampwick in his solid gold house. When you reach him, you have to knock him out of his rocket car before you can start attacking him directly. Or maybe you'd play a level as Lanley, Lyle Lanley, trying to escape an angry mob who're pissed you talked them into a useless monorail. For an extra challenge, play as weak, ancient Mr. Bur??ns who can't attack directly, but makes Smithers do everything for him. Or play in easy mode as Flanders or Groundskeeper Willy and unleash your 8-pack abs on Springfield.

The Simpsons Game already had some cool boss fights against an animated Lard Lad and a two-headed Patty and Selma dragon, but you generally weren't fighting against more than one or two enemies at a time. I'd love to see an entire screen filled with Simpsons characters, a cel-shaded angry mob worthy of a Warriors title. 

Jordan Devore

Star Wars, duh! The? iconic property has the potential to translate really well to video games of all shapes and sizes, from platformers to space sims to shooters to RPGs. In the right hands, it's gold.

Yet we've somehow never gotten a Star Wars Musou. I'm far from the biggest fan, but I am totally willing to be the one to say that yes, we should get a Star Wars Musou. An?d, if I remember correctly, Omega Force has even gone on record to say they'd be down. It's not hard ??to imagine why.

There are a wealth of stories to draw from and recontextualize in the Musou format, and a near-limitless number of weirdly-named characters to put on the roster. Who wouldn't want to beat down hordes of Gungans as [imagine your favorite Expanded Universe bounty hunter here]? No one, that's who!

Jonathan Holmes

My first instinct was to say Sesame Street. That's probably because the I've watched the show every morning for the last 3 months. Fighting a horde of rampaging muppets as Big Bird inside of a giant pinball machine while this song plays would really be something! The could even do a La??sagna Cat crosso??ver, featuring Drew Barrymore's brother in battle against a giant pipe.

But I couldn't quite commit to the idea for some reason. So I racked my brain. Studio Ghibli universe? Adventure Time? Repo Man? How can I pick just one? 

So I didn't. My vote goes for a Studio Ghibli, Sesame Street, Adventure Time. Repo Man, Buckaroo Banzai, Lasagna Cat, Naked Lunch Musou game, with a?? special appearance by Carol Channing. That's pretty much what it looks like inside my head these days anyway.

Josh Tolentino

The best thing about the Musou template is that it's very versatile. 'Heroes plowing through crowds of bad guys' is one of the oldest pop-culture concepts ever conceived, and these days, it's one of the most profitable. Therefore, a Marvel Cinematic Universe Musou game feels like it might be a good fit. Heck, it might even be able to take Musou to the next lev?el, as sup?erheroes are distinguished by their many differences. Spider-Man is as different from Wolverine as from Black Widow as from the Hulk, and so on. A prospective developer would need to work hard to make each hero's playing style be truly distinct.

In fact, an ideal Superhero Musou game would probably play a little bit like a co-op Overwatch, at least in the sense that picking a character in that game is like committing to a specific style of play (you'd never mistake Lucio for D.Va or Reinhardt for Junkrat, after all). Tweak that to suit the horde-mode sensibilities of Musou, and throw in the true essence of that gameplay style, namely the objective-to-objective "firefighting" structure, and you can have the kind of superhero game that really gets the joy of watching the forces of good just steamroll everything?? that isn't good.

Zack Furniss

Okay guys, sure, I'd play an Avengers or Star Wars Musou game. But let's get to what we all really want. Remember the Def Jam series, where hip hop artists (and Henry Rollins of Black Flag) beat the shit out of each other? The most recent in the series, Def Jam Icon, has its plot described on Wikipedia thusly: "bruh homie ninjas invade the rapper community and the only way t??o get rid of them is for the rappers to fight each other and scratch the air to?? change the music."

Just let me play as Ludacris running through the streets fighting said ninjas and I'm good. You wanna add leveling up, weapons, customizable soundtracks? Sure, whatever. As long as I still have Funkmaster Flex, Ghostfac??e Killah, and Lil' Jon?? to kick ass with, I'm good.

But let's take it one step further: Def Jam Recordings has different artists now. Give me Iggy Azalea, give me The Roots, give me Justin Bieber, let me re-enact John Wick 2's bitchy-ass gunfight as Common. But most importantly, let me play as Kanye West??, sing-droning "I am a God" as I dropkick hordes of ninjas.

*****

Okay, I stand corrected. Those are some pretty? damn good ideas.

The post Game of T?hrones should get the Warri??ors treatment next appeared first on Destructoid.