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Author's influence, Game of Thrones 04/23/2019 No comments

Will George R.R Martin finish Game of Thrones?

Hello Wottareaders, since Game of Thrones season 8 (the latest one) is already here and there are still no publishing dates for the two remaining books in the series. Fans started making questions, some even wonder if George R.R Martin is writing A Song of Ice and Fire or if instead he’s involved in other projects.

Before we begin, are you a fan of Game of Thrones? then check this: The best gifts for a Game of Thrones fan.

Will George R.R Martin finish Game of Thrones?

Yes, George R.R Martin will finish Game of Thrones, he said recently on an interview that he was focusing on the next book in the series, Winds of Winter. So he’s working on it, and since the last Season of the tv series adaptation is already filmed, there are not that many distractions for him anymore.

The most pessimist wonder if he will finish the books since they consider him a bit old, his age is 70 years old by the way. Given that the publishing gap between the latest novels has only been increased during the latest publications (as you already will know if you read This is why you shouldn’t read Game of Thrones) some think the last book might not be published in time. But let’s only wish George R.R Martin good health and long healthy life.

Even so, let’s face the horrible question:

What would happen if George R.R Martin dies before finishing Game of Thrones (ASOIAF)?

Again, let’s hope this doesn’t happen. Not even because of we as fans want to read how his masterpiece ends, but first things first, he’s a human after all and deserves all the respect. However, if we face the worst scenario and he wasn’t able to finish his work this is what would happen.

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George R.R Martin has lots of notes and has told the ending of his story to key individuals, therefore, making sure his work will be finished by another writer.

Has any fantasy writer died before ending his/her book saga?

Unfortunately yes, it has happened. Robert Jordan, the author of The Wheel of Time series (which by the way is going to have a tv series adaptation soon), sadly passed away before his work was finished. He died because of his heart condition, which he was aware of. Because of this, Robert Jordan was cautious and wrote as many notes as he could so in case he died other author finished his most notorious work. Sadly, his worse fears became true and he died before he could write the last book of the series.

It was another author, Brandon Sanderson (who I have introduced in previous articles: Introducing Mistborn or Skyward), who being a fan of The Wheel of Time took all the notes of Robert Jordan and finished the saga. There were so many notes that Brandon Sanderson stated there was too much information to put into a single book, as a result of those notes three books were published.

Would Brandon Sanderson finish writing Game of Thrones?

Seemingly not. Brandon Sanderson posted on Reddit that in case he was offered to finish A Song of Ice and Fire he would decline. And here is a small excerpt of his reasoning:

“But the point is moot, as I wouldn’t say yes to finishing ASOIAF, if asked. (And I don’t think they’d ask me.) I’d respectfully decline. I wouldn’t be right for the job for many reasons, I wouldn’t want to put in the content that the series has, and part of that is due to my religious faith, part of it is just who I am. I don’t shy away from difficult material, but I prefer not to get explicit. Honestly, when I read it in George’s work, I often just cringe. I don’t think it fits in prose; I think it looks tacky. But that’s almost 100% due to the my religious leanings. I realize that others don’t read such scenes in the same way as I do.
However, I’d suggest that this is actually a minor reason why I’d be a bad writer on this series, despite having enormous respect for GRRM and his talent as a storyteller.”

Pretty understandable, don’t you think?

You can read the entire response on Reddit, see here. he posts using Mistborn as his nickname.

Game of Thrones ending book vs tv series

Also, and this might come as a surprise for some, George R.R Martin admitted the ASOIF ending wouldn’t be too different to the one in HBO’s tv adaptation. So, in a way, there will be an ending one way or another.

If that was not enough, let’s not forget the rummaging, some say that the two remaining books, Dream of Spring and Winds of Winter, are already finished and will be published after the ending of the tv series. This might come as a great surprise, and even though it does not seem to be true, such news would be both shocking and welcome.

Who is George R.R Martin

George Raymond Richard Martin is an American novelist best known for his more than famous saga A Song of Ice and Fire, also known as Game of Thrones because of the successful HBO tv series adaptation name. He is one of the most influential people of the world according to the Time. Aside from his fantasy novels, he has also published works for other genres such as the sci-fi Dying of the light, his first novel, or horror stories as Nightflyers. He has also worked as a Screenwriter which lead him to be involved in Game of Thrones as a co-writer of some of the scripts in this tv series.

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Book series 04/22/2019 No comments

The Sword of Truth all you need to know

Hello Wottareaders, it’s time to introduce The Sword of Truth by the American author Terry Goodkind.

This saga is certainly not as complex as Malazan: Book of The Fallen and not funny as Discworld. Even so, Is The Sworth of Truth worth reading? let’s find out!

What is The Sword of Truth?

The Sword of Truth is a high fantasy series that started with Wizard’s First Rule, and ended in 2007 with Confessor. After the original series, several novels have followed being mainly composed of two sequels: The Richard and Kahlan series and The Nicci Chronicles.

The number of novels published books for this saga account to 21, two of them, Siege of Stone and The Scribbly Man, published in 2019. The last novel, Heart of Black Ice, will be published in 2020.

What is The Sword of Truth about?

The world of the Sword of Truth is divided into two regions, The New Wold and the Old World. The beginning of this story is set in the New world, and the story will take place weeks after the father of the main character, Richard Cypher, is murdered. In the subsequent books, action will also take place in the Old world, after a series of events which happen in the second book, Stone of Tears.

In this universe magic is powerful, having some regions such as D’Hara ruled by wizards. One of the main elements of this magic world is The Confessors, magically gifted women who can force people to work for them and therefore fulfill their purposes.

This series tells the story of Richard Cypher, a woods guide whose life will change after becoming the Seeker of Truth. As a seeker, Richard will have to search for the truth and act upon it. Along with him will travel Kahlan Amnell, a Confessor seeking the First Wizard and Zeddicus Zu’l Zorander, a powerful wizard.

A Seeker of Truth

“A Seeker does exactly as the name implies; he seeks. He seeks the answers to things. Things of his own choosing. If he is the right person, he will seek the answers that will help others, not just himself. The whole purpose of a Seeker is to be free to quest on his own, to go where he wants, ask what he wants, learn what he wants, find answers to what he wants to know, and if need be, do whatever it is the answers demand.” Zeddicus Zu’l Zorander

Because of being a seeker of Truth Richard will wield the Sword of Truth. This sword will provide to its wielder additional strength and agility but nevertheless, it will also instill great anger. During his journey Richard Cypher will have to fight the forces of evil, having to defeat the wizard ruler of the Midlands, Darken Rahl.

The books revolve around the eleven Wizard Rules, a series of teachings taught to wizards, each of the books of the original saga is linked to one of these Wizard rules. This is why, the first book, is named Wizard’s First Rule, being the first one of this Wizard rules is the following:

“People are stupid; given proper motivation, almost anyone will believe almost anything. Because people are stupid, they will believe a lie because they want to believe it’s true, or because they’re afraid it might be true. Peoples’ heads are full of knowledge, facts and beliefs, and most of it is false, yet they think it all true. People are stupid; they can only rarely tell the difference between a lie and the truth, and yet they are confident they can, and so are all the easier to fool.”

The Sword of Truth tv series

Did you know this saga had a tv series adaptation? It was named The Legend of the Seeker and it had 44 episodes comprised in two seasons. After this, it got canceled, therefore not having a third season.

The cast of The Legend of the Seeker

The main characters had the following cast:

Richard Cypher: Craig Horner

Kahlan Amnell: Bridget Regan.

Zeddicus Zu’l Zorander: Bruce Spence.

You can check more info at IMDB, see here.

Why was Legend of the Seeker Canceled?

Even though there was no explanation why The Legend of the Seeker got canceled, probably his score at Metacritic of 55 might serve as a good indicator of why this happened. Also, the general opinion was that the show lacked originality not having anything that made this tv series special.

The Sword of Truth quotes

Here are some quotes of this saga:

“Sometimes, making the wrong choice is better than making no choice. You have the courage to go forward, that is rare. A person who stands at the fork, unable to pick, will never get anywhere.” Wizard’s First Rule.

“Love is a passion for life shared with another person. You fall in love with a person who you think is wonderful. It’s your deepest appreciation of the value of that individual, and that individual is a reflection of what you value most in life. Love, for sound reasons, can be one of life’s greatest rewards.” Chainfire.

If you want to read more The Sword of Truth Book quotes just check this link on Goodreads.

The Sword of Truth reading order

For those who want to start reading this saga and know the reading order, here is a quick answer.

How to read

The best way to read The Sword of Truth is by its publication order, except for a small twist leaving the first prequel (Debt of Bones, which was published in between the original book series) after the original series:

1.Sword of Truth

2.Debt of Bones

3.The First Confessor: The Legend of Magda Searus

4.Richard and Kahlan (first sequel)

5.Nicci Chronicles (second sequel)

6.The Scribbly Man (Children of D’Hara)

The last book on the list, The Scribbly Man, depicts Richard and Khalan after having kids. As Terry Goodkind himself states:

“The Sword of Truth series was my masterwork. Yet, life for these characters goes on after the conclusion of that series. For years readers have been asking about Richard and Kahlan having kids. This is that story. The Children of D’Hara picks up within days of where Sword of Truth ended with WARHEART and continues the story of Richard and Kahlan and their children.” —Terry Goodkind

Is The Sword of Truth series finished?

Yes, and no. The original series is indeed finished. However, as you see in the previous how to read, the story keeps going through its prequels.

Is The Sword of Truth series worth reading?

Even though this series has gotten a lot of criticism, you should give The Sword of Truth a chance and read at least the first book, Wizard’s First Rule. You will be introduced in a new fantasy world, which is engaging. The suggestion here is to start reading this series and decide if they are worth reading or not.

Who wrote The Sword of Truth

The Sword of Truth saga is written by the American author Terry Goodkind. The Sword of Truth is by far his most notorious work, having sold more than 25 million copies worldwide. He has published other works, such as The Law of Nines, a thriller set in the real world or The Sky People, an alternate history novel which takes place on the planet Venus.

Is The Sword of Truth related to the Holy Bible?

No, for some reason lots of people think it is but The Sword of Truth and the Bible are not related. Maybe it is because of these bible verses:

“And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God,” Ephesians 6:17 ESV

“For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” Hebrews 4:12 ESV

As you see, there is no connection between The Sword of Truth and The Holy Bible. It’s just these two verses are similar to the title of the saga and lead to confusion.

Hope you enjoyed this article.

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Quizs 04/19/2019 No comments

Magic Swords challenge: Will you be able to answer all these questions?

Hello Wottareaders! You love fantasy novels, enjoy the action, the fights, the magic… lots of these stories have magic swords, weapons with incredible power that will help its wielder in his/her quest. You have read about these swords, it is time to prove your knowledge. Be warned, this quiz is hard, will you be able to get the proper answers for all the questions? Only a true fantasy lover will be able to wield Perfektia, a sword granted for those who get the perfect score in this test.

Will that be you? there’s only one way to know, prove your knowledge of magic swords!

No matter which was your result, if you want to know which Fantasy saga you shall read next make this other Quiz: Do this quiz if you don’t know which Fantasy saga read next.

Want to know which Lord of the Rings race you would be? This is the quiz you are looking for.

Which animal is your Patronus? Check it here.

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Game of Thrones, Others 04/17/2019 No comments

These are the best gifts for a Game of Thrones fan

Season 8 of Game of Thrones is already here and we fans are dying to know how this amazing fantasy series will resolve. Of course, book fans will have to wait a bit more since… well, Winds of Winter has not been published yet. And as you might know already, according to this weird progression I found Winds of Winter might be published in 2026: This is why shouldn’t read Game of Thrones.

Anyway, what if you have a birthday party or you just want to make a present? If the receiver is a GOT fan, then let’s put it easy for you. In this list, you will find different alternatives to please every Got enthusiast, unless the birthday girl/boy expects a direwolf… I am afraid those are out of stock… do not despair, in this article you will find some Game of Thrones present ideas. Also, ever wondered what would happen if George R.R Martin didn’t finish GOT? see here to know what would happen.

Here are the best gifts for a Game of Thrones fan. You will find the link for every product in case you’d like to purchase it, of course before buying take a look at the alternatives since here only one example is shown, so there may be other alternatives that might be cheaper or might be a better choice for what you are exactly looking for:

Hand of The King Pin Brooch Replica

Those who carried this Brooch before didn’t have the best of lucks, even so, this brooch represents one of the most powerful positions in the Seven Kingdoms. Do you want to become the Hand of the King? beware the dangers of the palace.

“What’s the line? ‘The King shits, and the Hand wipes.'” Jaime Lannister

You can purchase this replica here.

Valar Morgulis coin

In the books, as in the tv series, Jaqen H’ghar gave this black iron coin to Arya. Use this coin wisely and become one of the Faceless men, this bravoshi piece of iron could save your life someday.

Arya crossed her arms against her chest. “Valar morghulis,” she said, as loud as if she’d known what it meant.
“Valar dohaeris,” he replied, touching his brow with two fingers. “Of course you shall have a cabin.”

If you like this replica you can purchase it here on Amazon.

Game of Thrones House Targaryen Tournament Banner

Do you know his/her favorite House? The banners are a great choice as a present. Here you have House Targaryen’s tournament banner, which looks both impressive and threatening.

With their house words being “Fire and Blood” this banner couldn’t represent better such philosophy. Speaking about Targaryens, have you already read the prequel of Game of Thrones? A novel that displays Westeros when the Targaryens reigned the Seven Kingdoms and dragons ruled the sky: Fire and Blood the last book by George R.R Martin.

You can purchase this banner here.

Game of Thrones – Longclaw Letter Opener

This series has a lot of famous swords, one of the most relevant being Longclaw, the sword carried by Jon Snow after Jorha Mormont gave it to him. Here you have a letter opener in the shape of Longclaw, a less dangerous Game of Thrones gift than a blade…

Did you want a real sword? Then no problem, a replica of Longclaw can be bought and it was already shown in this article: Nine must have items for a fantasy novel fan.

You can buy this Longclaw letter opener on Amazon, see here.

Game of Thrones Westeros Essos Antique Map

The lands of Westeros are vast and dangerous, this is the continent where most of the action of these novels takes place. At its right, separated by the Narrow Sea, stands Essos, where the Nine Free cities are located.

In this map replica, you will be able to explore in deepness all the secrets of these two continents.

Click here to purchase.

HBO Shop Game of Thrones Dragon Eggs Collectible Set

Want to feel like the mother/father of dragons? Then no better gift than this Egg collectible set. While this set is smaller than the ones shown in the show and also they might not hatch either, who knows? If you want your own dragon army then this is only the beginning. Remember the magic word “Dracarys!”

You can purchase these dragon eggs here.

Hope you liked these Game of Thrones present ideas, which did you choose?

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Book series, Reading order 04/16/2019 No comments

Malazan Book of the Fallen all you need to know guide

Hello Wottareaders! in this article I’m introducing Steven Erikson’s famous high fantasy book series Malazan Book of the Fallen.

If you are looking for a complex and wide number of characters set in an immense world while all of this wrapped in a dark tone then welcome to the Malazan Empire. This series is thought to be a bit difficult to read because of the vast number of characters and personalities (mages, immortals, soldiers…). But such difficulty shouldn’t let you down: Malazan Book of The Fallen is worth reading.

What is Malazan Book of the Fallen about

Malazan book of the Fallen tells the story of the Malazan armies, an expansionist nation set in the world of Wu (actually The Malazan world has no official name, but the author called it this way once and fans use it to refer to this world). Wu will be displayed through the eyes of a lot of characters through the series, showing the point of view of different races (including nonhumans) and diverse locations. The world is in a state of a great disturbance where rebellion and military conflicts appear to be the order of the day.

Malazan is a ten-volume story, but unlike most of the novels in the fantasy genre, each of the volumes consists of a different series of events instead of being a single long story. That being said, each of these volumes can’t be considered stand-alone novels since some of the characters and subplots will make their appearance in more than one volume.

Each of the novels has a subplot, showing a different aspect of the Malazan universe. In the first novel, Gardens of the Moon, the main characters are introduced. Along the subsequent novels, the action will take place in diverse locations such as the Seven Cities, Genabackis or Kolanse. The plot usually revolves around stories of rebellion and the armies of Wu.

Favorite Malazan quotes

Malazan dialogues are exceptional. Here are some quotes of Malazan Book of the Fallen, these are a nice summary of the dark fantasy tone of this series and proof of how good Malazan Book of the Fallen is:

“Children are dying.”
Lull nodded. “That’s a succinct summary of humankind, I’d say. Who needs tomes and volumes of history? Children are dying. The injustices of the world hide in those three words.”
Quote from Deadhouse Gates

“Every decision you make can change the world. The best life is the one the gods don’t notice. You want to live free, boy, live quietly.”
“I want to be a soldier. A hero.”
“You’ll grow out of it.”
Quote from Gardens of the Moon

If you want to read more Malazan Book quotes just check this link on Goodreads.

Malazan Book of the Fallen reading order

While Malazan Book of the Fallen is the name of the original series, this saga also has a prequel named The Kharkanas Trilogy and an upcoming sequel namedThe Witness Trilogy. What is the proper reading order of this saga?

According to the author, Steven Erikson, the recommended reading order would be the publication order. This recommendation was posted on Reddit, see here.

How to read Malazan Book of the Fallen

Therefore, here is the proper reading order of Steven Erikson books:

Original series: Malazan Book of the Fallen
Prequel: The Kharkanas Trilogy.
Sequel: The Witness Trilogy

Malazan Book of the Fallen movie/ Malazan Book of the Fallen tv series

No announcements are made regarding any agreement about producing a Malazan Book of the Fallen movie or a tv series. Having said that, and seeing how much fantasy series are increasing these days, there is no doubt that sooner or later Hollywood will produce a movie/tv series adaptation of this series. Game of Thrones is getting to its end, and fans are looking for its successor after all. Probably, the outcome of other upcoming adaptations such as The Witcher Netflix or The Witcher Netflix will serve as a great introduction for other fantasy stories to be adapted. And of course, let’s not forget about the billionaire adaptation of Amazon’s Lord of the Rings.

**How difficult is Malazan Book of the Fallen?**

Malazan’s structure is pretty complex, there is its massive worldbuilding showing diverse cultures through the point of view of different characters. Also, as mentioned earlier, this is a ten volume story where each novel has a main subplot, set in a different location and introducing new elements and characters that make this book so rich. There is much to know about the Malazan Empire and the world of Wu.

**Why read Malazan Book of the Fallen?**

Putting this all together makes this series certainly difficult to follow if you are not an experienced fantasy reader, but don’t get this wrong, you definitely should give this series a try since it has a superb prose and such well-crafted dialogues and characters, but know that this series is not as linear and easy to follow as other fantasy books. The worldbuilding is also worth mentioning since you will able to discover different places of the universe through the eyes of so different characters.

Which Malazan book is the best?

There is actually no agreement at all about which Malazan book is the best, but the general opinion is that these books don’t go downhill. Hope that is enough for you to prove that this series is worth reading.

Hope this introduction for this Fallen Book series was useful to you. Will you dare reading the Book of the Fallen?

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