Things that made me ( very ) happy in the past few.

[layne67]

In no particular order :

- Game Of Thrones. Saw the final episode last night and oh.my.God. There're endings and there are endings and that was one magnificent ending indeed. I love the show so much that I bought the whole book set. Have started on the first one and oh -

As Warden of the North, Lord Eddard Stark counts it a curse when King Robert bestows on him the office of the Hand. His honour weighs him down at court where a true man does what he will, not what he must ... and a dead enemy is a thing of beauty. The old gods have no power in the south, Stark's family is split and there is treachery at court. Worse, a vengeance-mad boy has grown to maturity in exile in the Free Cities beyond the sea. Heir of the mad Dragon King deposed by Robert, he claims the Iron Throne.

See? My toes are curling with joy and happiness at the prospect of reading five more books like this. Only thing is, I can't quite decide whether I should read the rest before or after they're aired on TV. Apparently, the TV show stayed true to the books and I really don't want any spoilers as such. It was different with LotR as I read the books years before the movies came out and I didn't mind it with the Bourne trilogy either as the movies differed wildly from the books. Ah, decision, decision.

Love all the characters in the show, even the baddies, but I have a soft spot for Jon Snow. And I adore Peter Dinklage's potrayal of the dwarf, Tyrion, who's definitely *not* a comic relief or anyone's sidekick.

- Downton Abbey. Mary and Matthew continue to slay me as is the whole series from the Lords and Ladies to the kitchen maids with their heart-stopping moments and oh, I just about died with that scene with Daisy and William. And I only just realised that Sir Richard Carlisle and Ser Jorah Mormont from GoT were played by the same actor, and that the maid, Gwen of DA will be in GoT season 2! Oh, to see her tranform from a character in wholesome, sunshiny PG-13 show to a dark and bloody, NC-17 one - can't wait!

I've started reading some of the fics from Downton Abbey, not many, just the slashy ones but I read one with M/M pairing and of course I thought that was slash but it turned out to be Mary/Matthew lol, but it was a good one and I'm so glad that I read it. Can't get enough of those two!

And as I've told Arabia, I'm now more than a bit in love with Dan Stevens ♥♥♥

- Dean/Cas fics. Apart from those already on my flist, the authors are mostly new to me, it's almost like a whole new fandom. You know how it is when you're just discovering new authors and the joy of finding out that so-and-so has a long list of fics that you haven't read yet and see? Toes are still curling! I'm currently reading this and oh, it's so good!!!

I'll be watching the latest episode of Downton Abbey tonight omg the sweet, sweet angst.

Comments

[glassyskies.livejournal.com]

Yay for Dean/Cas :)

I keep catching little bits of Downton and it always looks so good, I must sit down and watch it properly ^_^

[layne67.livejournal.com]

For some reasons, my love for Dean/Cas has increased by leaps and bounds after 702. Must have been the look they exchanged just before the Levianthian took over Cas's body. Oh Cas ...

Yes, yes, yes, do, do watch Downton Abbey!!

[janinelearner.livejournal.com]

I'm on book 5 of Game of Thrones and I've loved them to bits, although the subsequent books are much slower in pace than book 1 was. I believe that they wont be sticking as closely to the books as they did for season 1, mainly because there are a lot of battles and other things that are more difficult to film and it's possible they may combine books for seasons as the timelines of some of the books run together, just seen from different perspectives.

Downton Abbey has me hooked too, it's so wonderful, it's painful to have to wait a whole week between episodes.

[layne67.livejournal.com]

It was chilling reading about the dead direwolf with the broken antler in its throat when you knew what was going to happen to Stark. I'm planning to re-watch the episodes while reading the first book.

The only thing is, the characters are so young in the book. I do realize that 11 and 14 and 16 in that universe aren't the same as ours but still, I was like, omg they're children!

I watched the first series of DA in one go, so it's TORTURE to have to wait for the next bit this time around.

[janinelearner.livejournal.com]

they've aged all the kids upwards in the show I think, especially Dany as it'd be a bit dodgy to show some of the stuff that's in the book if she was just 13.

[leelust.livejournal.com]

Peter IS Tyrion. He's amazing in that role, he lives in it.
I love Jon in books but ain't sure about him in the show.
But all in all the show is great and i can't wait till new season.
As for reading books i'd say read the first one and see - if you'll be able to postpone it and wait till new season - wait. If you'll be hooked so much it'll be impossible to wait - read them all.

Heh, happy to see you excited about Dean/Cas fics. i'm still not able to see that awesome pair as, you know the *pair*. I wish i could read those happy fics and forget about what they imply in the show.

[layne67.livejournal.com]

Peter Dinklage is awesome as Tyrion and I'm so very glad that he won the Emmy for that role!

I'm guessing I'll probably won't be able to wait until the second season airs before starting on the next book! But oh, I do love the oohs and the ahhs that came with every unexpected turn of events and the shock that came with all those gory, macabre scenes which I think will be somewhat diluted if you knew about them beforehand!

Dean/Cas has a very special place in my heart, be it as best friends or more than that, now even more so that Cas is no longer around. I can't get the image of Cas looking at Dean during that very last moment out of my mind!

[claudia603.livejournal.com]

Can't wait until Game of Thrones starts up again!

[layne67.livejournal.com]

Me too, me too! Are you reading the books, Claudia? And oh, Sean Bean will be sorely missed :(

[dev-earl.livejournal.com]

:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D YAY FOR GAMES OF THRONES!

[layne67.livejournal.com]

GAME OF THRONES INDEED AND I'M HAVING THE BOOK WITH ME RIGHT NOW, MY COMPANION FOR THE NEXT WEEK OR SO :)))

Is that Jon in your icon? On the throne???

[dev-earl.livejournal.com]

Yeah, that's Lord Snow right there. It's from one of the HBO promo thingy. ;)

[layne67.livejournal.com]

Is it promo for season 2? Jon on the throne???? Omg my heart.

[dev-earl.livejournal.com]

Nah. I haven't seen any for Season 2. Although I'm not as in the fandom as I am in SPN's.

[shadowc44.livejournal.com]

Game of Thrones - Yes, yes, yes!

I've heard that they're going to continue airing some scenes out of order, like they had at least one scene from the second book in the first season, for narrative purposes. I didn't find my enjoyment of the show hindered by the fact that I was reading the book faster than they were airing episodes, but you might feel differently. I couldn't wait to find out what happens next, so I sped through the rest of the books pretty quickly, and only had to wait a few months, I think, for the 5th book.

Keep in mind there's no guarantee when the 6th is coming, out, but there were 5 years, I think, between books 4 and 5 being published. So in that regard you might want to take your time! But there's *so much* going on, I think you'll want to get caught up.

ETA: Beware spoilers for later books, they lurk everywhere
Son of ETA: I bought the DVDs for the first season of Downton Abbey, but I haven't gotten around to watching any of it yet. Hopefully I'll find time for it soon.

[layne67.livejournal.com]

I don't actually mind reading the books before they got adapted into screenplays but I do so love the surprises and the shocks that came with the twists, but I probably won't be able to wait until S2 airs before starting on the second book. Any idea when the new season will start?

Yay, Downton Abbey!!! I watched the first series in one go and now I have to wait for one whole week before the next episode and it's pure torture!

[shadowc44.livejournal.com]

They're already filming the second season of GoT already, and it's supposed to air in April. They did make some changes in the TV show, and I think some characters are going to be combined, and in at least one case they're changing a character's name so the audience doesn't get confused. There are certain scenes they just don't have the budget (or time, in 10 episodes a season) to show, so they're going to skip them, or shorten them quite a bit. Some characters will be left out altogether. So while I think there will be plenty of surprises in the TV series (I certainly ran across things I wasn't quite expecting), I really feel the books can give you a deeper understanding of some of the characters, their motives, and certainly their POV.

One of these days I'll probably watch Downton Abbey in a marathon. That's one of the best things about having DVD sets, besides no commercials...you don't have to wait a week, or more, in between episodes.

[layne67.livejournal.com]

they're changing a character's name so the audience doesn't get confused.

There're certainly more than one Jons and Brandons and Robs in the story!

books can give you a deeper understanding of some of the characters, their motives, and certainly their POV.

Very true. Reading the book I went oh I see quite a number of times.

Heheh, Downton Abbey is polar opposite from GoT, you know, it's more of a family drama and no sign of blood anywhere :)

[shadowc44.livejournal.com]

In this case it's two names that are spelled differently, but I guess pronounced similarly.

Maybe next weekend I'll be in the mood for a family drama rather than bloodshed!

[arabia764.livejournal.com]

Oh Matthews eyes! I don't care if anything else works, those eyes are wonderful.

[layne67.livejournal.com]

His eyes, and his VOICE!!! i get goosebumps whenever I hear him speak.

Btw, did you watch the last episode. He felt SOMETHING in his legs!!!

[arabia764.livejournal.com]

If he wants to produce an heir he needs to feel somewhere other than his legs!

[kels450.livejournal.com]

I want Matthew and Mary together so badly! Lol, it didn't even occur to me to go looking for Downton Abbey fic, I may need to have a look when I have time! :)

Hope you enjoy the latest episode - I just watched it last night too. :)

[layne67.livejournal.com]

Those two have so much chemistry together, they looked so right I'm surprised that Lavinia didn't see it. Oh why did Cora get Lavinia to come back? Oh I know she only wants the best for her daughter but Mary LOVES Matthew and now that it seems Matthew is going to get better, things are going to be more complicated! The Dowager, surprise surprise, is such a romantic, yeah?

[sonofabiscuit77.livejournal.com]

OMG, Game of Thrones!!! I have to join in the chorus of squeeing here <3 I am currently on book 4 and am just powering through them, the last time I was this into a series, it was Harry Potter :D I watched the HBO series unspoiled and loved it to bits, but the books are so detailed and so crazily epic and there are just so many characters and so much background to everything, no wonder there's about 40 pages of appendices to each book ;D

Haha, oh dear, Downtown Abbey. I feel sad to disagree with you on this but I really enjoyed the last series, but gave up after the second episode of this one and it was all because the Mary/Matthew and Anna/Bates stuff was boring me to tears. I guess all that shippy stuff really is such a personal thing that either clicks and resonates with you or doesn't. Like what you say about Dean/Cas being practically a whole new fandom. I'm so firmly routed on the Sam/Dean side, I've never even read a Dean/Cas fic and never will because I'm such a crazy Sam/Dean OTP person. But I kinda envy people who can, as like you say, there are so many good stories and great writers in that part of fandom that I'm missing out on.

[layne67.livejournal.com]

I've only just started on the first book and I love to see all the things that I've missed when I was watching the show. Eeee, and I'm loving Jon so much more now!!!! And Dany is pure GOLD. And Arya too.

I love the second series of DA as much as the first series! And Dan Stevens!!! :D

As for Dean/Cas, I'm thinking if Cas made his appearance earlier on, ie before season 4, I wouldn't have been so enamoured with him, but you know, with Ruby (2) being so annoying and all ... he was just there at the right time ( for me ) lol. And it's only just lately that I got on the Dean/Cas bandwagon :)

[i-o-r-h-a-e-l.livejournal.com]

A new meaning of M/M, huh? :D

[layne67.livejournal.com]

Lol yes, I was halfway through and I was still wondering where's my m/m pairing :D

[munibunny.livejournal.com]

No, no, no... don't tell me about any new shows. I can't watch any more TV or I won't have much of a life left. *lol*

Dean/Cas. *heh*

[layne67.livejournal.com]

But if you had to watch one, let it be Game Of Thrones!! It as enthralling as Lord Of The Ring and even more gory ( in a good way ) than True Blood. A magnificent production!