Will I be able to finish, A Storm of Swords, Book 3 of the Game of Thrones Saga

I have been trying to finish book 3 and pretty much stopped where I was the first time reading this book.  George R R Martin has decimated the House of Starks in this book and dispersed the remaining family members to far away distances that I wonder when they'll be able to be together again.
Spoiler alert, he does kill of one character that most hated anyway but the plot plugs at a slower rate than the other two previous books.  We still don't know who the Others are yet and why the dead come to life but like I said before I haven't finished the book as of yet. Will I ever finish this book? I will try but my mood isn't into reading.
Sometimes you have to be in the right frame of mind to read certain books, like a had to reread the first book of Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan and I only read up to the 6th book before I lost interest. He took too long to end the series and had too many characters for my liking.
I haven't posted much on any book of late and I apologize to my readers. I will be better! Keep reading this blog for more updates.

True Blood, Season 5

What the hell is Alan Ball thinking? To catch you up, the vampires have revolted against mainstreaming because of their new religion. Religion again, didn't we have gone through this a few seasons ago with the Fellowship of the Sun. Does Ball have a thing about religion, where is he going with this?
Bill, who was a staunch supporter of mainstreaming had doubts and has embraced this religion based on Lilith. He has killed all his competition in the Authority to be the sole apostle of Lilith and drank all her blood from the sacred vessel so the cliff hanger is Bill turning into a deity.
Where will this lead to next season? Will next season be the war among the vampires and how does Bill being a deity end? So many questions! This season was nothing like the books at all! It wasn't as interesting as the other seasons either. The storyline has changed directions from the books of Charlaine Harris, I wonder how she feels about this season's twist?
How do you all feel about this season of True Blood? Please leave me a comment.

Denver Comic Con 2012

Denver Comic Con is June 15-17 at the Denver Convention Center. You are wondering why I would blog about a comic con but when you think of it some of our favorite novels are also in graphic novel form and sci-fi/fantasy is included these conventions. Not interested, well how about seeing a celebrity from one of your favorite sc-fi/fantasy shows? Kristin Bauer, Pam the vampire from True Blood will be there and Wil Wheaton, child star of film and television is also appear at the Denver Comic Con. I'm not sure if they will be just signing autographs or having question and answer sessions but get your questions ready just in case. All of Trubies will want to know about Anna Paquin's pregnancy and the juicy behind the scene info about your favorite True Blood character. For the Star Trek fans, Wil Wheaton may talk about his experiences on the hit TV show. The only way in knowing what's going on is to be there, so have I enticed you yet? No? Have you ever wanted to be a Jedi? Nick Gillard, sword master, International stuntman, and Star Wars stuntman will be hosting Jedi Training Classes with his apprentice. How cool is that! Want to attend? Yes? Comic Con is also collaborating with Breckenridge Brewing to make a Super Beer yet unnamed. Colorado beer with your favorite comic, there's a contest on naming the beer, here's the link @http://www.denvercomiccon.com/NewsBar/denver-comic-con-beer/ So go out and get your tickets for this inagural Denver Comic Con! Tickets sold online @https://denvercomiccon.webconnex.com/2012tickets

Game of Thrones; episode 5, Ghosts of Harrenhal

The Clash of Kings is the name of the book seson 2 is referencing which we view it on the series there is many self-proclaimed kings. This episode starts with the death of King Renly, brother of deceased King Robert, he is stabbed by the black mist in the shape of a man namely Stannis Baratheom. You recall that the red she devil, Melisandre gave birth to this magical creature. Catelyn Stark and Renly's personal guard, Brienne where there in his tent when the mist congeled into a man and saw it stab Renly. Brienne then killed two outer guards when they rushed with swords ready to avenge their fallen king. On the advice of Catelyn, the two women run away, no one would believe their story but they don't stick around to find out. On the road, Brienne gives her oath to Catelyn, to protect her as she couldn't Renly. Arya is now the serving girl to Lord Lannister who wants to know where she is from, Arya lies at first but is found out but then user her Northern knowledge of bannerman and satisfies the Lord. She then finds one of the men who was in the cage, she realizes why when he asks her who she wants killed, he is indebted to her for not leaving him to burn in the cage when they were first captured. Arya names the tickler who is the torturer at Harrenhal as her first victim. Later the tickler is found dead with his neck broke. Two more to name. Jon and the other Night Watch are looking for Mance Ryker's camp and come upon an outpost. Jon volunteers for the mission to kill the men at the outpost so to not to alarm Mance. At first the Commander, Lord Mormont tells him that stewarts don'd go out with rangers but then consents. To Jon's amazement, Sam volunteers to take over his duties, even with his fear of the Old Bear. Theom Greyjoy is still the laughing stock of the Iron Islands, he hasn't prove himself to be worthy of respect. He hatches a plan that involves his host of Winterfell. Bran is acting Lord of Winterfell as is very good for a nine year old in court with the northern subjects when news of Torrence Square, 100 of miles away is under siege, so Bran sends Ser Rodrik with most of Winterfell guards to help. Later, he tell the wilding girl, Osha of his dreams with the tree eyed raven. The three eyes signifies third sight so when he tells her of the ocean coming over the walls of keep and flooding the castle with the dead floating, you can tell she knows something and not telling him. Tyrion finds out of his sister is amassing wild fire that the alchemist are making so visits the makers. Bronn doesn't believe that this is a good idea to have this under Kings Landing but Tyrion loves the idea. He tells the master to stop making them for Cercei and make them for him. The people of Kings Landing are under duress with the war impending upon them, so some rabble rousers are egging some on the towns people from a soap box condeming Joffrey of corruption and greed, naming him the rotten king. After twhat he did to his birthday present, Tyrion has dismissed Joffrey as a king and now worries about the rest of them in the future onslaught of Stannis Baratheon's siege of Kings Landing. Davos has worries about Stannis with him having accepted magic to win his throne. Davos is loyal to the King Stannis but not to Melisandre who he feels will be their downfall. She is a foreigner who they will say won the throne for Stannis , so he suggests keeping her away from the siege of Kings Landing and Stannis reluctantly agrees. This season is so exciting and I have been reading the book, A Clash of Kings along with watching the HBO series. There are some discrepancies with the sequence of events and the scene where the events happened but the characters are the same. Unlike True Blood, there isn't any made up characters from the writers of the show. The books are long and the writers have to condense the books for the series but leave the main events intact.

Recap on the Game of Thrones, HBO series season 2

Sorry about not writing the last episodes of the Game of Thrones but I'll try to recap some now. Let's start with the Starks, Catelyn was with her son Robb with his campaign to Kings Landing for the murder of his father, Ned Stark. Robb sends her to talk alliance with Renly Baratheon, who is the self proclaimed King. She is now a hostage. Sansai is still at King's Landing with Joffrey the child King, she is also a hostage/betrothed to said king. She also being abuse by him, in front of the court. Arya is on the move with Yoren, Black Brother of the wall. Last episode her band of wayward men were captured by the Mountain's (Gregor Clegane) men and ended at Harrenhal where all are being tortured and killed. She is found out as a girl by Tywin Lannister. Bran is still at Winterfell as acting lord while at night dreaming of being a wolf. Robb is now proclaimed King of the North and has won some battles and has captured Jaime Lannister, who is also a hostage for further exchange. Robb decimates one of the foes when walking the grounds he comes upon a nurse who is tending the enemy. His foot is badly hurt and doesn't want it amputated. Robb uses this as vengeance by having the nurse saw away at the ankle. The nurse and Robb have words, she knew his reason for vengeance and puts the blame right where it belong on Robb's conscience.

Tyrion Lannister, the so called Imp is one of my favorite characters, he is now acting as Hand to the King in the stead of his father, Tywin who is leading a campaign against the Starks and the 2 Baratheon brothers. He cleans up after King Joffrey but in doing so has made an enemy. Joffrey has a sadistic streak and Tyrion knows that the boy needs a mature cool head about him. Censei Lannister Baratheon is Queen Regent to the King but she can't rein in her spoiled angry son. Jaime Lannister is in a cage at Robb Starks camp.

Renly has married Margaret as his queen, the Knight of Flowers sister as a show of normalcy. Margaret has ambition, she knows about her brother Loras, who is the lover of the king. She doesn't care, just wants a baby as the heir if Renly wins the throne. Stannis Baratheon, seconds brother to the deceased King Robert is also vying for the throne. He believes that the children of Censei are not Robert's but through incestuous affair with her brother, Jaime. Stannis has a witch, Melisandre who foretells of his winning the throne against all odds, he has less men to field in a battle but he does have many ships. Davos, he was once a smuggler who Stannis chopped his fingers as a sign of his loyalty. He was knighted by Stannis and has his ear. Renly and Stannis have words under truce, Stannis gives him 24 hrs to give up crown and ally with him. Meanwhile Davos smuggles Melisandre to shore where she does some black magic. She is pregnant with a black being who crawls out of her womb then grows into something. Won't know till next week on that. Daenerys has sent out riders to find a place for her small band of Dorthraki. One rider came back dead and all hope was on the others she sent. Another comes back with news about a port city, Qarth. The city is walled and is called the city of bones. They are suspicious of the Dorthraki at first, they want to see Daenerys dragons. She refuses but after much posturing on her part, one citizen steps up and they are now his responsibility.

Jon and the men of black where in the hospitality of a wildling. The camp was odd for there were no boys around just females. Jon finds out that the wildling patriarch puts the boy babies out into the woods where something takes them. They have been kicked out and on the move again looking for Benjen Stark.

Lord Baelish is at the Renly Baratheon camp and c Is up to no good as usual. I hate his character, you don't know the truth of him for he is full of half truths just like the eunuch, Varys. Lord Baelish tries to persuade Catelyn of his non duplicity in Ned beheading, at first she wants to kill him, until he spouts one of his half truths about the safety of her daughters, Sansa and Arya. Then he gives her a box that contains Ned's remain as a goodwell token.

The HBO series doesn't always follow the book in order of events or in dialogue but it is as riveting all the same with superb actors and realistic scenery. Keep watching, each episode is addicting.

Anna Paquin and Stephen Moyer; does baby impact True Blood?

Anna Paquin and Stephen Moyer from True Blood are expecting a baby, what does that do for the series? The series shoots in late November to early December, Mrs. Moyer should be having her baby by then, will she be absent from the early episodes? The writers of the show have all ready used a get out of jail card when they wrote Sookie being in Faerie for a year, that would have been an excellent idea for her pregnancy and subsequent birth of the baby. In some TV series in the past the gravidity of the star was hidden from frontal view with pillow, furniture, or filmed from the waist up, so how is Paquin's pregnancy going to be handled? I have a notion that the reason vampire Bill's character has lots of screen time is that Stephen Moyer is involved and now married to the star, Anna Paquin. In the later books,Bill is there peripherially, not a main character where story lines revolve around him, but then the HBO series is very different compared to the Charlaine Harris's books.

Season 2 Game of Thrones, The North Remembers

Last night was the 2nd season premiere of Game of Thrones on HBO. It was stunning as last seasons with the continuing story of A Song of Ice and Fire with Book Two, A Clash of Kings. With King Robert dead, the throne is contested by all sides, Robb Stark wants to avenge his father who was beheaded for treason, the Lannisters hold the crown with King Joffrey who is the incestuous son with Queen Cersei and her twin Jaime, Stannis Baratheon thinks he's the rightful heir.
The Starks are separated with Sansei is in the capital with Joffrey as his betrothed, Arya is hiding as a boy with a group of men heading for the Wall, Bran who was crippled when he was tossed out a window when he saw the Queen and her brother having sex is now acting as the Lord of Winterfell, and then Catelyn their mother is with Robb as one of his council of war.
Tyrion is council to the King Joffrey which is a thorn is the Queen side as she plays regent in the daily workings of the kingdom. Sir Jaime is been captured by the opposing side is caged like an animal. Robb is using him as a game piece for exchange of his sisters.
Daenerys Targaryen is leading refugees across the desert she  lost her husband  Khal Drogo but gained dragons but her new found people are starving looking for a place of their own.
Jon Snow who was sent off to the Wall.  His fellow brothers are now looking Benjen Stark deep into the forest. The wildling settlement is full of women who are married to their father, the men stay the night gathering information.
Stannis Baratheon knows about the incest of the Lannisters and there's a woman who encourages him in the pursuit of the crown.  We don't know who this woman is but she has power over Stannis and his people.
Littlefinger or Petyr Baelish, Master of the Coin for the Kingdom also knows about the Queen and her children but he has an accomplished enemy in Cersei. She knows of her late husbands infidelity and in the end has all his illegitimate offspring killed except one escapes with the men Arya is traveling with.  

HBO Go Rewatching Game of Thrones

The second season of Game of Thrones will soon be upon us so I wanted to rewatch the first season and since I have HBO through Comcast I was able download the HBO GO app to my iPad 2. The HBO GO app is handy to watch all of their programs on my iPad. The only problem I have is when I use the iPad in bed, I get a neck ache unless I prop it up on some pillows. I definitely need a stand of some kind to watch my programs. Does anyone have suggestions? But getting back to Game of Thrones, I am also reading the first book while I revisit to HBO series. It is really interesting how the writers of the series incorporated the book into 10 episodes. I am only a fourth way into the book so I'm not going to finish in time for the second season which starts April 1st, but I will get some more reading a rewatching this week.

Karen Marie Moning's Shadowfever Novel

I just finished Karen Marie Moning's Shadowfever, the last of the Fae series. For those who think of her as a romance novelist, this one has the ingredients with girl meets guy but they antagonize each other with banter and sexual tension. BUT, it is also a fantasy with the Seelie and Unseelie faeries and the main character, MacKayla who travels to Dublin, Ireland to find her sister's killer only to find out that she is a sidhe-seer.   A sidhe-seer can see through the illusions of the Fae.  There are many who want to kill her or use her abilities to find a book, the Sinsar Dubh, a book of dark powers that in the wrong hands could destroy our world and the world of the Fae.  Jericho Barrons, a bookstore owner who is also something else which you find out in the last book of the series, wants the book for his own reasons and then there's a V'lane, a Fae who also wants the book to stop all the Unseelie from crossing the border to our world or so he saids.  The border is fraying and some of the monsters are coming into Dublin hungry. Mac will be tested throughout the series as to whether she has enough strength to see this to the end without getting killed. 

Juliet Blackwell's Witchcraft Mystery Series

Juliet Blackwell has a fantasy mystery series about a witch, Lily Ivory who owns a vintage clothing store Aunt Cora's Closet in the Haight-Ashbury neighborhood. It is a typical mystery story where the heroine of the story accidentally gets mixed up with a murder somehow and in the ends solves it but this series of Juliet Blackwell is funny, has interesting characters, and it's set in the most wonderful city, San Francisco.  The books very easy to read, they flow easily from action to dialog and the character development is believable.
I recommend this book to anyone who likes murder mysteries and with a touch a witchery.