What will happen now that Winter has come?
First of all if you are a massive fan of A Song Of Ice And Fire, and you have not read up to the end of A Dance With Dragons then DO NOT read this post as it has many spoilers!
Again….. Too many Spoilers… You have been warned.
Right, so after finishing A Dance With Dragons and being informed the wait for The Winds Of Winter could be another 2 years away or even more, I have decided to write about what I think and actually what I hope will take place.
I will start with the two big battles that George RR Martin has confirmed will take up the start of the sixth novel. We left Dany in the Dothraki Sea with Drogon and being encountered by a Khalasar. Khals are brave warriors but on their horses they will join with the Dragon, not fight it. So Dany will march to the relief of Meereen just in time to save it. Also at Meereen is Victarion with the dragon horn but I believe he will die and the dragon horn will be captured by Dany who then uses it in some way to tame her wild dragons. One of A song of Ice and Fire’s main character viewpoints, Tyrion, will reveal himself to Dany and she will let him join her, but Ser Jorah will perish in the battle leaving Dany heartbroken. By the end of her and Tyrion’s story in The Winds of Winter I think they will be ready to sail to Westeros and take the Iron throne. But most importantly, they will have to encounter the Others in A Dream Of Spring .
Stannis baratheon will not kill Theon, I do not think that George RR Martin would leave Theon out of two Novels and keep him alive through so much just to kill him off like that. Asha will die however in an attempt to get Theon away (which actually works). Before Stannis’ battle with the Boltons and the Freys, Davos will return with Rickon Stark and Shaggydog. One of my favourite phrases from the series is ‘The North Remembers’ and they definitely will remember Rickon and rise up against Ramsey and the Freys. This segment will end with Stannis still sieging Winterfell but receiving news that the wall has fallen (due to chaos between the nightswatch and the wildlings) and that the others are on their way. Which makes A Dream Of Spring even more exciting.
Now, while reading the books, there have been three times that I have thrown the book I was reading across the room in anger (but then picked it up again a few minutes later). The first was Ned Stark’s execution, the second and most shocking to me was the Red Wedding and that one really hurt. The third was what seemed like Jon Snow’s murder at the end of ADWD. I have however jumped on the bandwagon that Jon is not dead (Thank the old Gods and the new)! Although we have not seen Melisandre revive someone, after what she did with Mance Rayder, it is clear she is powerful enough for such a thing. Jon will not remain at the wall however and travels south to Winterfell with Wildlings as he planned to do in the first place. I, like many other fans believe the theory that Jon is the son of Lyanna Stark and Rhaegor Targaryen. It is clear that there was more to their relationship and Ned did reveal that she made him promise something. It is also unknown what Lyanna died of but it could have been childbirth. In the end though Jon will unite the North and South against the others and be one of the three dragon riders, but that’s for A Dream Of Spring. The wall will fall without him however due to the wildlings and the nightswatch unable to put aside their differences.
Someone who was left out of ADWD was Samwell Tarly, I expect him to be back in TWOW and his story will consist of learning about the others and how to defeat them. He will end the sixth novel with a race against time to get back and tell Jon all he has learnt at the Citadel (he does not know about the events at the wall as it happens roughly at the same time).
At Kings Landing Cersei will return to her old scheming ways. She will be more determined than ever to get rid of Margery after her ordeal but this time she will be even more devious. With Kevan dead she will have full control of King Tommen and start to increase the split between house Lannister and house Tyrell. Varys will kill off more people in Kings Landing in preparation of Aegon, who is not a fake. I have seen many people predict he is a fake Targaryen but if he was fake I think Tyrion would have seen it. Aegon will fail to take Kings Landing and will flee to Dorne to marry Princess Arianne. I am not sure whether he will be the other dragon rider as it could end up being Tyrion or my most likely prediction, Bran.
Bran can see what is going on in Westeros and will try to help. As a Warg he can take control of people and animals and even see the past through the eyes of the world. He may end up controlling a Dragon in the seven novel, but for TWOW I think he will try to use his powers to help in the north and be involved in Theon’s storyline as he called his name in ADWD. Arya will kill some more people in Bravos before accepting a contract to come back to Westeros and there she will meet another family member. Every Stark has been separated from each other for so long so I think two have to meet up again, it may even be Arya meeting her mother Lady Stoneheart. Sansa will marry the heir to the Vale conveniently a few days before Lord Robert dies( although it is just a coincidence). Little finger has underestimated how much Sansa has learnt since her father was killed and she will get rid of him and bring the Vale into the war against the Lannister and Tyrell alliance.
Two people I do not want to die in this book are Jamie and Brienne, and while it looks very likely that one or both of them will die, I think they could surprise us. I hope that Jamie convinces Cat/Lady Stoneheart that he too wants to avenge Robbs death and leads the Brotherhood without Banners against the twins. Or they will set off on a wild goose chase to find Sansa which would be silly. Most disappointing would be if Brienne has to kill Jamie.
So, a lot of things are going to happen to a lot of characters including a few deaths. But most importantly I think this book will be the set up for the final battle against the others in A Dream Of Spring. The Others will feature much more in TWOW and at the end of the book they will be near Winterfell.
It will be some time before we know whether my predictions are true but I think there is a very high chance that at least one of them will come true. Saying that George RR Martin is highly unpredictable and I could as well be 100% wrong. But either way I cannot wait to find out!
Does the ‘Dark Knight Rises’ rise above the rest?
WARNING : IF YOU HAVEN’T SEEN THIS FILM AND WANT TO DO NOT READ AHEAD, SEVERE SPOILERS ARE LURKING HERE
So Christopher Nolan’s epic trilogy portraying the character of Batman is finally over. After the Dark Knight (2008) many people questioned whether a third film could live up to it, or even surpass it. Heath Ledger’s Joker was not the only reason the second film was so successful, the story of Harvey Dent’s downfall was also a major victory for Nolan. While the Dark Knight Rises does not surpass this, it does match it in ambition.
The scene that stands out from the film, for me, and most likely for many other people is the scene when Batman gets his back broken. Every Batman fan knew this was coming as soon as Bane was announced as his main enemy in the film. Tom Hardy certainly did not disappoint as Bane, a frightening voice and an almost invincible physic makes the audience almost scared to watch him and the scene in the sewers was in fact very SPINE chilling. (Sorry, could not resist).
It had a few twists added in, and the last twist was certainly not a surprise, as there is an unwritten rule that even Nolan cannot cross… YOU DO NOT KILL OFF BATMAN. That also raises the question of whether there will be another film in the future, and I hope there is not, always end on a high. Another twist that did not have me as surprised as I should have been was the fact Bruce Wayne’s girlfriend turned out to Talia al Ghul and tried to kill him. (If you do not know who Talia is then you are not a fan of Batman).
Saying that there was a lot of great moments in the film, Bruce climbing out of his prison being one of them, as was the scene where Banes henchmen run into battle with Gotham’s police force. The film lacks the comedy present in the previous films as it seems Nolan wanted to go for a darker approach and wanted to focus on Bruce Wayne struggling with his alter ego. This does not mean there was not comedy however and nothing made me smile more than seeing the Scarecrow as a sentencing Judge. Anne Hathaway’s performance as Cat woman was also highly enjoyable as her character was funny and had an important role to play which I was not expecting. It was too obvious that she was going to return and help Batman, even if she did betray him earlier on.
In terms of other characters Nolan got the role of Robin/ Night-Wing spot on and the ending of him finding the Bat-cave is quite genius. He plays a massive role in the film and knows of Bruce Wayne’s identity. It is also relieving to see Commissioner Gordon finally learn who Batman is, and shockingly, he is shocked by it ( come on do not do a Mary-Jane in Spider-man 2 on us!). A serious lack of character is present when Alfred goes his separate way, I thought that he might have come to Bruce’s aid in some way, shape or form or even talk to him near the end. But Alfred had to go as Bruce had to suffer the sting that Rachel had chosen Harvey Dent over him in the previous film, although leaving your friend to suffer for 8 years due to lie is a bit harsh! Another thing I really enjoyed was watching Wayne Manor, this was more of a personal thing as I have been there a few times. The building is a museum in Nottingham, England called Wollaton Hall.
I was not disappointed by this film, but i was not blown away either. The return in flashbacks of Ra’s al Ghul was alright, but I think there could have been more of him. The major reason behind the lack of mind-blowing was the inclusion of Bane’s back-story. Nolan almost makes you feel sympathy with him and at that moment he loses his awe factor and is most likely the reason Nolan kills him off a few moments later. It is hard to imagine Heath Ledger’s Joker being the same if we actually knew ‘how he got those scars.’
So to answer the big question, NO, The Dark Knight Rises does not rise above the rest, but it does fit in rather nicely with them. Nolan delivered a fitting end to an epic tale and while I have enjoyed every minute of the trilogy, I sincerely hope I am not writing a review in four years time of a film called ‘The Dark Knight Rises Again’.
Review of ‘Bede’s ecclesiastical history of the English Nation’
This year at Nottingham Trent University, one of my lecturers set up a challenge to his students to read 20 books and 6 films from a select bibliography during their time as an undergraduate. As I am now three months away from starting the dreaded third year, it may appear at first glance that I have left this too late, but for me it only makes it an even greater challenge to complete. I have decided that the best way to truly appreciate what I am reading and watching is to blog individual reviews about them.
To start the challenge I read Bede‘s ecclesiastical history of the English Nation. I had wanted to read this for a very long time and reading what is deemed a history book and was written in the eight century is certainly an intriguing prospect. Written before Alfred the Great and even Charlemagne this book gives a very interesting portrayal of Britain before the country of England was born. I will cut to the chase here, the book made for a very tedious read and many times I wanted to put it down or throw it away but I soldiered on. Some of this ‘boredom’ may have been an unfair criticism however, as it is not Bede’s fault that before picking up his book I had just finished book three of George R.R. Martins epic fantasy series A Song of Ice and Fire.
_-_Image_has_been_cropped_for_better_presentation.jpg/220px-Depiction_of_St._Bede_the_Venerable_(at_St._Bede's_school,_Chennai)_-_Image_has_been_cropped_for_better_presentation.jpg)
If there is one thing Bede does that makes part of his work very readable, it is his contribution to the national identity of Britons. This island was made up of Britons, Scots, Picts and Romans, and then in the fifth century the Angles, Jutes and Saxons came over to settle and eventually make the country and people of the English Nation. In terms of Britain in the Roman Empire, there is a lot to be learnt such as a detailed version of the story of St. Alban and even the tale of how a Roman man called Ambrosius united the Britons in the south-west against the ‘greedy’ Saxons. Many people nowadays agree that Ambrosius is most likely the man behind the world-famous King Arthur legend so I found this very interesting. BUT what stands out for me is the non-appearance of Boudicca and I find it startling that a man with so many historical documents of Britain has none of one of Britain’s most iconic historical figures.
To end of the Roman period, Bede’s history of Hadrian’s wall seems a dodgy but it is important to realise that most of, if not, all of his work is copied from other sources and he cannot be entirely blamed for inaccuracies only for lack of investigation and examining. Also in 730, Europe was very catholic and Bede was a monk, something I had to remind myself often as I became slightly annoyed at the ridiculous religious stories. The conversion process of Britain does however look to be accurate, and instead of being a violent affair, it was a long process in which most people chose to adopt the faith and were not forced into it. Another interesting aspect is the fact it was written before the battle of Poitiers in 732 A.D, and for those who do not know, that is the battle where Charles Martel defeated the Islamic forces invading Europe and is arguably the reason why christianity is the dominant world religion today. The end of the Roman Empire is also worth mentioning as he acknowledges that the Western Empire fell, but continues to treat the Eastern Roman Emperors at Constantinople as if they now had (only symbolic) power.
To sum up my first review of the reading challenge the main historical point I have learnt from Bede’s ecclesiastical history of the English Nation, is that the English were very late comers (but not as lagging behind as the Normans) to the big party that eventually became Great Britain. One thing that was reinforced is that not much changes and everyone on this island hated the English from a very early stage, including most of the English!
Will the world really end on 21st December 2012
The new year is fast approaching, and a date which has recently caused mass hysteria is within a years reach. Everyone by now knows of the prediction, helped perhaps by the creation of a rather frankly, poor Hollywood movie about it. But what I want to answer in this blog post is my reasoning to why I think nothing will happen on that day.
First of all it is important to ask where this date comes from. Well it comes from the ancient Mesoamerican civilisation of the Maya. The 21/12/12 marks the end of the calendar and the end of a 5,125 year cycle. 
As a University history student studying the Maya, I do not understand how the ridiculous suggestions that it means the end of the world is nigh comes from this. I mean, there are theories as mad as a long-lost planet returning to the solar system and even alien invasions planned by a secret organisation. Then there is the slightly more logical end of the world possibilities like galactic alignment, a reversal in earths magnetic field and The New Age community claiming that a change, not an end is coming.
First of all may I say that all of these theories are virtually impossible, put down by all scientists everywhere. Expect The New Age theory as they can not really test the Earth or look out into the stars and determine a human spiritual possibility. Even so, if the galaxy does align or the magnetic field does reverse, no one has ever experienced it before so there is in fact, no evidence it would do anything bad.
Doom and Gloom is unfortunately part of human nature, for centuries people have become obsessed with when the world will end. Any sign or hint, or even anything that sounds like a good date, people out there will turn it into an end of the world prediction. People thought the world would end in 1000AD a century after Christ’s birth (although he was most likely born 6 BC). Then there is the whole book of Revelations in the bible, written during the Roman persecution of Christians which explains the whole book.It also does well to explain that the word Revelations and ultimately the word Armageddon actually mean the revealing of something(secret), and not destruction. Then there is the constant calls of ‘Rapture’ meaning some people getting saved and others suffering a chaotic end caused by an apparently all loving God, by men such as Harold Camping. Who as you may recall, just changes the date whenever nothing happens. Yet people still believe him! Madness.
Why are the Maya different in their prediction? You may well end up asking a person who believes the human races story is almost complete. Funnily enough, they will tell you that the Maya were exceptional astronomers and through the way they have decided to interpret them, have decided that they correctly predicted many things in the past. That being said, the Maya were incredibly accurate at astronomy. So, surely if their extremely accurate, and according to people who wish to interpret events in such a way, have successfully predicted many historical events, then they must be right about 2012. But to answer that i would like to mention the most famous of doom prophets … Nostradamus.
Nostradamus too, was great at astronomy. He also achieved (yet again interpreted to suit the needs of the people) many ‘correct’ predictions. People who study his work claim that he prophesied 9/11, Napoleon and Hitler. They claim everything he says is set in stone. However they fail to ever mention that, according to Nostradamus, we have all been dead for 12 years. Yes that’s right! He predicted the world would end in 1999, obviously it did not but yet it did not ruin his reputation. Bringing it back to point then, even if the Mayans were right in some prophecies, this is out of pure luck and interpretation. It is very likely, and i would bet my life on it (as it would not matter if I lost of course) that the Mayans, just like the great Nostradamus, were not exactly spot on. 
I would also like to point out that while writing this, I have come across some figures that tell me that the human race has survived well over 150 notable extinction dates. A considerable number of them originating from Harold Camping. So as you can see, absolutely nothing makes this next date 21/12/12 different to 1000AD, 1999AD , 6/6/6 for all the Satanists out there, and of course many different dates to do with random religious nuts like Harold Camping who decide their bored. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_dates_predicted_for_apocalyptic_events
As you may have realised by now, I do not believe anything will happen on this date next year and, like all previous predictions will fail miserably. This does not however, mean that I do not think the world will end. Of course I do, nothing can last for ever. I just strongly believe that is not possible to predict anything. (Please tell me if you disagree, I would love to hear what you think).
And most of all, I want to get this message across, do not worry about the doom mongers, do not listen to them. After all, if they do by some miracle turn out to be right then at least they can not say ‘I told you so’.
Thank you for reading this, I would like to know if you agree or disagree or if you think I have any facts or theories wrong?
Most of all I wish you a happy new year, hope 2012 is good for you and me!!
Top 10 Christmas Songs of all time
Well, seeing as christmas is coming up very soon i thought it would be fitting to make my first post rather christmasy. And whats more christmasy than the christmas songs that play year after year. We all love them, some may be bad, infact, most are awful, but we listen to and love them, mainly down to the memories they can bring up in your mind. But i was thinking, as there are hundreds, what are the best, and why? So this is where this post comes in, Listing, from 10 downwards, what i believe to be the greatest christmas songs of all time. Im also linking them on youtube incase you want to listen. Well, lets begin……
Number 10 – All i want for Christmas is you Mariah Carey
Released in 1994, this is the most recent festive song to enter my list, but nonetheless is still a classic. I can understand why many people will disgree with where i have placed this as it constantly gets the number 1 spot on many music channels, but it personally just doesn’t ‘do it’ for me. I have never felt a personal connection to this song. Having said that, its still good and the lyrics make you feel rather warm and festive.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K5bo4VDEH-U&feature=related
Number 9 – Last Christmas Wham
This song is overplayed every year to the extent that you could quickly flick through radio stations and hear it playing on most of them in December. However, a christmas song is immune to the laws of ‘overkill’ which quickly makes me dislike so many normal songs. This is a quality song which always starts my period of feeling christmasy but i have never been the biggest fan of it as at the end of the day, it is just about someone whos extremely whingy, but recently it really is growing on me. The music video is also one of the best with christmas songs, its not just them being filmed singing, but telling the story of the lyrics.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8gmARGvPlI&ob=av3e
Number 8 – It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas Bing Crosby
Bing Crosby, an absolute legend when it comes to christmas songs. If a song stays popular year after year for more than 60 years, then you know it must be good. The song didn’t actually originate with him, but its his version we all know and love. Absolute classic, many television adverts use this song and rightly so.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GcZAwoip5aY
Number 7 – Let it Snow! Let it Snow! Let it Snow! Dean Martin
I’ve had to debate this one, as i also would of liked Paul McCartneys ‘Wonderful christmastime’ to of made the cut, being a big beatles fan and everything, but to leave this song out of the top ten list would have been tragic. Its incredible that a song released in 1945 is still considered this highly. But it rightly deserves its survival of the test of time. Living in Britain, i know how ‘dreadful’ the weather outside is during this time of year. Makes you happy to be warm inside, and sad for the ones who are not.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mN7LW0Y00kE
Number 6 – I wish it could be Christmas everyday Wizzard
This song reminds me of the twilight hours of christmas day during the 90’s over at my aunts house. By twilight i mean, not opening presents and not eating. I have a solid memory of this being on tv all the time in the living room and it always makes me smile as i miss those days of being a kid and having a magical(but always disasterous) christmas days. On a serious note, i do not wish it was christmas everyday, it would make it less special and make me bankrupt.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZoxQ4Ul_DME&ob=av3e
Number 5 – Do they know its Christmas? Band Aid
With Bono, George Michael, Paul McCartney and Phil Collins coming together on a song, this was always going to make the top 10. A thought provoking, emotional song, that makes you think of how lucky you are and to not take things for granted, which is what christmas really is about, showing your friends and family your appreciation. Sung for a good cause and stopped Whams last christmas from the christmas number spot in 1984 ( not that George Michael cared). Need i say more…….
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w5cX_ncZLls
Number 4 – Merry Christmas Everybody Slade
Everything about this song defines the 70’s. A Christmas song from a rock band, that is not entirely lame is an achievment in itself. Its hard to talk about this song without mentioning the famous ‘ITTTTSSSS CHRISTMASSS’ near the end, that always gets the message across of the time of year and how good Christmas is. Even if it does sound a little annoying. This song however, reminds me of being a child again on christmas day.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AG4BPNvayWo&feature=related
Number 3 – White Christmas Bing Crosby
Yet again by the one and only Bing Crosby and deemed one of, if not the, biggest selling single of all time, it shows the never ending love for christmas, and the life lasting memories they produce. ‘Just like the ones i use to know’ really makes you think back to the heart wrenching memories of Christmas at home. And it may also of started the ‘will it…wont it’ tradition of there being snow on Christmas day, which, unfortunely where i live, is very unlikely. It is also from what many ‘modern’ traditions on Christmas in American and Western Europe stem from. Well Done Bing…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dXcNfA4qebQ
Number 2 – Happy Xmas (War Is Over) John Lennon and Yoko Ono
From one of the best Artists of all time, and certainly the best beatle, This song has deeper meanings than Christmas. More of a war protest than a Christmas song, during the infamous Vietnam War. Its message still stands as long as war remains, with a lengthy war still ongoing in afghanistan, and many more wars in other countries its only natural at this time of year to think of them in an awful situation, and hope that the year ahead, is a peaceful one. NOTE: if watching my link for this song, the video is modern and quite shocking images of war in the 21st century.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yN4Uu0OlmTg&feature=related
Number 1 – Fairytale of Newyork The Pogues with Kirsty MacColl
Well, here we are at last, number 1 Christmas song of all time. Im sure its no suprise to any of you that Fairytale of Newyork got the top spot. About people down on their luck, and reminiscing about lost love and wasted opportunities, no other song applies so much to the ‘regular joes’ of society. A warm song that lifts the spirits of people looking at the bottom of a glass on Christmas day, it also has its amusing moments including the use of the word faggot. The Pogues truly hit christmas gold with this song.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HwHyuraau4Q&feature=related
Thank you if you have taken the time to read this, do you agree with my list? If not, why not?, What would you of chose insted? Also as this is my first post on my first ever blog, any constructive critiscism would be more than welcome.
I wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
And now for something completely different... 