The show may very well be already spoiling the books.

Which questions will season 6 and/or book 6 answer?

Will we learn who the three heads of the dragon truly are?

Will any of the questions of parentage(Jon, Tyrion, Aegon, among others) be answered?

I think there's already a large hint in the lack of casting for the young boy Prince. Does this mean he doesn't matter to the end-game?

Well the biggest question is of course Mr. Snow. Reports are that he was seen where they were filming. It could be just a flashback though.

I think he gets resurrected like Dondarreon (sp?) by the Red Priestess herself.

It will be interesting how much farther the show diverts from the book. When the **** book finally comes out, it might still be full of surprises.

Of course the book will still be full of surprises! Still haven't watched the show... but the books are great in a horrible, spirit crushing, adventure filled romp with magic and interludes of humanity at its extremes. EDIT: And a whole lot of people firmly stuck in the middle...

Oh Snow is walking again for sure. The real question is what is he now? We have a few resurrected dead walking around, none of them are quite right.

1.) Lord Beric Dondarrion

Cut to ribbons and dealt mortal blows many times over. Still walking. Red Priest involved. But not really himself. Like a mental shadow of himself. This would be an unsatisfying way to get Jon Snow back, but it's possible.

2.) Lady Stoneheart

Identical situation to Beric, but quite a bit more unsightly. She rotted in a river for awhile before standing up and hanging Freys from every tree she could find.

3.) Coldhands

Clearly a former member of the Night's Watch. Clearly dead now despite his walking and talking. Might be Eddard's brother. Unclear if he is still what he once was. If he is then maybe he's a worg like Jon and that's how we might get Jon back in some way that is satisfying. After all Jon has a close companion in Ghost that his likely uncle did not have.

4.) Wights

Dead, glowing eyes, no humanity left. Even their arms keep fighting when chopped off. If this is the way we get Jon back I'll be severely disappointed in GRRM's writing.

5.) Dead Worgs

Their spirits live on in their companions, gradually losing their humanity as time goes on. This is not how we keep Jon, but it may be where he stays for a time until he goes back to his body.

Well, from how I interpret Martin's post on that I get the feeling he is a little disenchanted with the direction the show's been taken (more spectacle, less intrigue and machinations). So he may well take things in a completely different direction.

That said,I'll just treat it like The Walking Dead: similarities but completely different story lines; what happens in one has no bearing on the other.

Beric Dondarrion isn't around any more. He got used up too often and is dead dead. Lady Stoneheart is running things now for the Knights without Banners.

Of course Jon Snow is going to get brought back by Melisandre! It's so obvious.

I think Jon Snow's parentage is known and just needs to be announced. I don't see anything else of what it could be.

I'm really looking forward to the new book. It's going to have a lot of great stuff. The TV show? Not so much. I have to admit that the last season really sucked to me. It departed so much from the books that it's just not recognizable.

I haven't even watched season 5 yet, though from what I hear I don't think I'd enjoy it. I'm fine with changing things for a TV show, and reconciling it as a different continuity. However, they've made a lot of changes I don't agree with, and large chunks of important story elements for this period in the books seem to be missing, and characters are in completely the wrong place/acting completely out of character.

I'm looking forward to more of the books though, I do enjoy George R.R. Martin's writing.

I understand they want to streamline and simplify things, but it's been changed so much different. Also, some things seem done just for wow factor. Bleh.

Keep in mind the books aren't chronological. So some things that season 5 had will be in book 6 and some things from book 4 won't show up until season 6.

Yeah, but they butchered the timeline before that. In the books, Arya got on the boat to the Free Cities well before Maiden of Tarth got Oathkeeper, but they paired up a fight between her and the Hound for the tv show.

I imagine there will be spoilers but at the same time the show always leaves out more than half of whats going on so you have a couple ways to look at it IMO.

1. Books and show are different universes

2. Anything left out the show is just so much fluff and doesn't matter at all.

I prefer the first option.

I imagine there will be spoilers but at the same time the show always leaves out more than half of whats going on so you have a couple ways to look at it IMO.

1. Books and show are different universes

2. Anything left out the show is just so much fluff and doesn't matter at all.

I prefer the first option.

The problem comes in when diverge from what's really happening in the books. I'm pretty sure that Stannis is not going to get defeated in his attack on Winterfell. So much with Sansa is just plain not the same in the books vs. tv show. Spoilers and things left out are one thing, but complete divergence is another.

I'm one of those that doesn't need the show to be a direct copy of the books. Which from Martin's own writing is nearly impossible. He goes into way more detail than can ever be captured in a TV show. There are way too many characters to track. Even trimming out nearly half of the characters in the book, the show is still hard to follow sometimes to a non-book reader. Even having read the books, I'll be like "who the hell is this again?" I just need the show to be good. Last season was had its moments. I know it was a complete diversion from the book, but the episode Hardhome was one of the best TV episodes I've ever seen.

I actually want the show from here on out to be a bit different than the books. I believe the books and the TV show will essentially get to the same place in the end, but they will do so in a very different matter.

Look at it this way. You are getting two versions of the same universe. 2 for 1 deal.

I imagine there will be spoilers but at the same time the show always leaves out more than half of whats going on so you have a couple ways to look at it IMO.

1. Books and show are different universes

2. Anything left out the show is just so much fluff and doesn't matter at all.

I prefer the first option.

The problem comes in when diverge from what's really happening in the books. I'm pretty sure that Stannis is not going to get defeated in his attack on Winterfell. So much with Sansa is just plain not the same in the books vs. tv show. Spoilers and things left out are one thing, but complete divergence is another.

I had forgotten the Sansa bit. I recall seeing a chart comparing the divergence that started in season 2 and it just gets wider and wider. I very much hope that the show is completely different from the book because they are doing a terrible job of setting up the best part, cleganebowl.

I'm one of those that doesn't need the show to be a direct copy of the books. Which from Martin's own writing is nearly impossible. He goes into way more detail than can ever be captured in a TV show. There are way too many characters to track. Even trimming out nearly half of the characters in the book, the show is still hard to follow sometimes to a non-book reader. Even having read the books, I'll be like "who the hell is this again?" I just need the show to be good. Last season was had its moments. I know it was a complete diversion from the book, but the episode Hardhome was one of the best TV episodes I've ever seen.

I actually want the show from here on out to be a bit different than the books. I believe the books and the TV show will essentially get to the same place in the end, but they will do so in a very different matter.

Look at it this way. You are getting two versions of the same universe. 2 for 1 deal.

While some things are awesome, there are other things about the tv show that turned my wife and I off about the show. My wife feels that too much is happening just to be shocking, but not actually good. Kind of like jumping the shark. Doesn't really forward the plot, but is shocking for shocking's sake. In some sense, it gets away from the core concept of the book without really adding to it. I'm concerned that my wife won't want to bother watching the next season, to be honest. I'm not sure if I'll try to watch it without her if she doesn't, either.

I'll admit that I've re-read the book too much and don't really have a problem keeping track of it all. I know I'm not one of the regular fans, though.

Yeah, I try to look at it as 2 different universes, but one is so sub par compared to the other.

I imagine there will be spoilers but at the same time the show always leaves out more than half of whats going on so you have a couple ways to look at it IMO.

1. Books and show are different universes

2. Anything left out the show is just so much fluff and doesn't matter at all.

I prefer the first option.

The problem comes in when diverge from what's really happening in the books. I'm pretty sure that Stannis is not going to get defeated in his attack on Winterfell. So much with Sansa is just plain not the same in the books vs. tv show. Spoilers and things left out are one thing, but complete divergence is another.

I'm on book 4 right now and the cast basically said that the show and the book are going to end the same way, though some details may differ along the way.

That kinda ruins it for me. I don't even want to keep reading now at this point, knowing that the show is going to spoil anything of value. Course I could just .... NOT watch the show... but that is just crazytalk.

You really think Stannis won't get smashed? I think he's done for. I thought that ever since I read book 5. He sent Davos away and Melisandre stayed back. That's everyone interesting.

OK....I have read some of the advance chapters that have been leaked for the new book. I'll also mention stuff that happens in the last book under the spoiler tag. Ugh.....don't know how to do that. Hmmm.....I'll type it small and you can copy and paste elsewhere to enlarge.

SPOILERS

Well, Davos is away to go get Riccard, the last Stark boy. He's also separated to give us a good backstory that Manderly is going to turn cloak on Stannis. He's for the Starks and fed the Frey guys to everyone. So, Manderly is marching out with his main rival to fight Stannis, except we know he is going to turn on him. The next chapter has Stannis preparing for a fight and he's going to locate it on a big lake that's buried under the snow. So, the enemy are going to march up and they will set a fire or something to crack the ice under their enemy. It's totally setting up to be an awesome battle with Stannis winning.

Melisandre has to stay back to bring Jon Snow back to life. That's why she's there. Doesn't mean that Stannis is dead.

I'm on book 4 right now and the cast basically said that the show and the book are going to end the same way, though some details may differ along the way.

That kinda ruins it for me. I don't even want to keep reading now at this point, knowing that the show is going to spoil anything of value. Course I could just .... NOT watch the show... but that is just crazytalk.

Well....speculation can really help fill in some of the big things that happen, but the book is so great for it's winds and turns. So, while the tv show will be done sooner, I'll still be happy to get all the gory details in the books.

If I had to pick between tv show or books, I would easily pick the books! Soooooo much better than the tv show. I'm tempted to just not watch the tv show anyways now and I don't have a problem getting stuff in advance.

He sent Davos away and Melisandre stayed back. That's everyone interesting.

LOL

He sent Davos away and Melisandre stayed back. That's everyone interesting.

LOL

My wife feels that too much is happening just to be shocking, but not actually good. Kind of like jumping the shark. Doesn't really forward the plot, but is shocking for shocking's sake.

This is my main beef with the show as well. The producers go for gore and shock to cover up that they've cut out a lot of what made the story good in the first place. Their interpretation of Jamie and Cersei for instance is very unlike the book, as is the whole motivation in episode one which led to the weakening of Catelyn's character, and why they kept Stoneheart out.

I doubt they leave Stoneheart out. They just got to the point where she really matters.

Metaphorical Jon(Targaryen) or actual dragon?

https://m.reddit.com/r/asoiaf/comments/211wie/spoilers_all_the_dragon_that_flew_over_winterfell

Smoke and mirrors, a newly hatched dragon wouldn't fly just yet.

I doubt they leave Stoneheart out. They just got to the point where she really matters.

Hold on, she really matters?

I don't remember her doing anything of note in the books.