[Morrigan: I've split this from the old thread since I think it's cleaner that way.]

Sorry for the thread necromancy, but the new trailer for the 2nd season is too good not to be shared.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=pl ... OzXsqoJhtE

We should discuss the new season, I guess.

You guys think if Martin dies before finishing the books they'll just make up an ending to the series or just cancel the series altogether?

Well, there's 5 books of material anyway (they will probably do 2 seasons with the 3rd book IIRC), don't be negative and pessimist!!!!

No pessimism here, just musing . I've never read the books myself, and never will, so I wouldn't know the difference either way. I was just wondering if you thought there was a chance in hell that, given that contingency, the writers of the show would be able to furnish a conclusion to the tale that would ever satisfy the fans of the novels as even remotely 'authentic,' or if they'd have to abandon the project as unfinishable - the ship going down with the captain, as it were.

I'll be really surprised if they continue the show just until the point the books are at now. HBO is very capricious about stopping shows in mid-story, like they did with Rome. If the viewership for this show wavers enough to make them re-consider future seasons they will not be afraid to axe it, legions of book nerds be damned. Haven't watched the trailer yet, no need to get worked up yet about something 3 months away, but I'm sure I'll be watching this every Sunday as soon as it's on the HBOgo.

Ahhhh can't waitttt

only if you've read the books:

If he has enough notes and details available of how he would want the story to go then its possible for someone else to finish the series like what was done with The Wheel of Time.

I for one can't wait!!

Some gorgeous stills from S2:

http://winteriscoming.net/2012/02/the-f ... eason-two/

Looking good. Stannis is not how I imagined him, but it doesn't bother me so long as the actor gets the role right. And Brienne... I take back my initial misgiving about the casting. I thought the actress was too pretty, but they've given her the Charlize Theron/Monster treatment and she looks pretty much perfect.

And Arya, awwwww.

Now I just hope the writing will be as good as those pictures...

Holy shit, my minds eye NAILED Davos! That's wild. I haven't had the motivation to finish the 4th book yet, and the television show never interested me. I watched a few episodes and liked it, I just never kept going for some reason. I might have to pick it up, I love how gritty everyone looks in the stills.

Nice job on Brienne.

Best show on television IMO. I have the books sitting on my dresser, but I haven't had time to start one cause of the way I do things (if I start to read a book, I literally do not move until that book is finished)

Then you're likely to die of starvation or exposure if you ever get around to starting that series.

Word, I was skeptical at first, but she's pretty cool

I'm 3/4s of the way through reading A Game of Thrones and I need to read all A Clash of Kings before the season starts, so it'll be an Ice and Fire marathon over the next month for me!

Hell yeah!! Huge GRRM dork here...definitely excited for Season 2, I can't be bothered to read the books again tho so I just listen to the audiobooks...haha they actually do a great job if you get the ones with Roy Dotrice narrarating! If GRMM dies before they finish the series I'm just going to kill myself.

Yeah, I pictured Stannis much balder and with more of a scowl.

But goddamn did they get Davos dead on as I imagined him!

I've been reading A Clash of Kings in anticipation for the second season. I haven't even read A Game of Thrones yet, but it's sitting on my bookshelf alongside A Clash of Kings. Not sure if I should halt my progress on that book and go back to GoT.

Lord Balon looks a lot saltier than I imagined him to be. Hideous man he is.

Absolutely yes. It may be too late already, though, and as a result some events on GoT may have a lesser impact than they would if you had read it first.

Yeah, I figured the major events of GoT wouldn't have much of an impact anyway since I witnessed it all in the TV series. I'm only 200 pages into book 2 so I suppose I'll go back for the sake of reading it as well as the subtle differences in events.

Oh, well, if you have already seen the TV series then the diminished impact is less of an issue, 'cause you'd experience it anyway. But yeah, you'll notice a few differences, so it's still worth it to read the first book.

Trailer (choppy quality though): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dlmM81LD1rY

Screencaps: http://wicnet.tumblr.com/

Yay, just a month until it starts!

And then back to waiting for the new book...

Only thing is...with btjunkie gone, how the hell am I going to watch it.

Megavideo! Ow, wait........

Maybe they'll at least make the episodes available on iTunes or something.

Download it via torrent from thepiratebay.

I knowwwgggggaaahhhhggarrrrrr I was just looking at that!!

Well, I looked up which episode GRRM is writing this season, and it's called "Blackwater". In the interest of not spoiling the book: Hell. Yeah.

Qapla'! This is a friendly reminder that for you North Americans the show will commence tomorrow on April Fool's (and yes, I do hope in my little black heart that they show a Cosby Show rerun instead), and for the rest of the world, April 2nd.

The second friendly reminder is that if you watch it with friends, you have to say you had a Game Of Brofest.

I waited a year for this! I can't help but touch myself in places such as my palms, reminding myself I need to hold a sword!

Dammit I'm bouncing off the walls just GIVE ME THIS SHIT RIGHT NOW!

Here's to hoping it's as good as season 1....

I never read the books , but the first season has been great. Hopefully it doesn't go downhill and become the shitfest that The Walking Dead has become.

Can't wait!! I'm sure that now the show is a success, they'll have more budget for the battles, if not, it's a damn shame.

I had a plan to dress as a Daenerys, but yeah, Morrigan owns a replica of Needle, so I won't take a chance to do it.

I've re-watched the first season over the past two days. Watched every trailer 10 times. I have to wake up at 4:30 for work and I'm still up watching this shit.

@Metantoine, you'd make a great Robert Baratheon!

EDIT:
Only a few hours left!

The first episode of season 2 is already posted on the pirate bay!

^ That was certainly a fake, considering the time you posted this. But, it's been leaked now. My impressions (minor spoilers):

I must say... great episode. I am pleasantly surprised. I was about to go all nerd-rage about all the unnecessary changes, poor adaptation and pacing, and so on, but I really have very little, if anything, to complain about. The bit with Littlefinger and Cersei was rather out of character for Littlefinger, but not that bad and it made for a pretty cool scene otherwise, and I'm not sure if non-readers will really get what's going on with Stannis and the "foreign priestess" and the new religion she's pushing, and, I wish they had kept the scene where Cersei repeatedly slaps Tyrion, and lastly, I wished I had seen Arya (more) and I'm impatient to see her with Jaqen... but other than these very minor quibbles, it was a most excellent adaptation. I loved how they showed the hunt for Robert's bastards and showed Barra's murder (almost) on-screen, that was a great addition.