I started reading https://www.fanfiction.net/s/12510430/1/A-Dragon-s-Roar recently. Basically two AU elements: Joanna Lannister survives the birth of Tyrion and Aerys has a second son before Viserys. Technically speaking, the writing isn't bad, and there's some interesting elements in the story. It's a bit too much slice of life at some point, and could benefit from some cut here and there I think. I think its strongest point is actually writing a believable Aerys. He's mad, you can't deny it, but there's a method to his madness. 3/5 from me.

 

So I generally like spectre4hire’s writing. But they have some flaws common to every piece they write. The biggest of these is that the dialogue always feels the same for every character and just doesn’t flow terribly well. It’s like listening to a kid get up in front of a class and read Shakespeare in the same faux English accent for every line.

They also have the same male protagonist for every story. Sure, it might be Domeric Bolton in one, but it’s the same flat character as Daeron or Harry.

 

https://archiveofourown.org/works/21982033

Summary:
Sent to the Wall after his affair with Cersei is discovered, Jaime must watch the world -- and the war he helped start -- from a distance, becoming increasingly aware of the coming storm.

This is a story I stumbled upon pretty much by accident, because I usually do not read slash. I missed the pairing when I clicked on it, once I started reading, I found it very hard to stop. As it says in the summary, Jaime is being forced to go to the Wall, shortly before the Great Ranging led by Jeor Mormont. Central to the story is the redemption of Jaime, being forced to recognize Cercei's true character and having to reflect on his life while being confronted with and shaped by the happenings at the Wall.

The war in the South still happens, but with different alliances. This for me is a weakness of this story, I do not believe that the way Twyin and the Houses allied to him act is believable. He basically starts a war that he cannot win, and I don't see why anyone would ally with the Lannisters when - in all likelihood - they will lose. The war itself is not central to the story, but, excluding the questionable motivations to start the war, well written.

Apart from that - and if you can stomach or are willing to skim over the slash pairing - this story is actually quite good.

 

Any Danny/Ygritte stories?

 

(New chapter posted.)

 

Do we know the gift King Robert received? I can't remember.

 

No, but you can certainly make an educated guess. I laid out all the clues to piece it together...

(Vigilance. Ned found Vigilance and gave it to Bobby B as an apology for refusing to go south, and then Bobby B traded it to Leyton Hightower in exchange for being the Hand.)

 

I'm assuming Roderick Dustin looted it? also btw good update

 

One of his soldiers did. Chapter 12 talked about it.

 

Top notch update meme.

I dislike our corrupted Jon. The story is better when it's focused on a normal Jon in unusual circumstances, however slightly different he may be from Books Jon.
That said I trust in your ability to make it interesting.
Can't say I've ever read an ASOIAF story with the summoning of a Kraken, where I didn't call bullshit.

When returning from his long life as Warged animal, he seemingly became "human" again quite easily (relatively speaking, as it took 5 days). Will the same be the case, when he inevitably dies and is resurrected by his "curse" (for lack of a better word) after his stint as Percy Jackson, or will he be marked in a deeper manner, as Eldritch powers certainly could leave a mark even in Jon's unusual case?

 

You and I are sympatico on this. Part of how I'm handling this strange situation with Jon is by taking the POV away from his eyes, and having the story follow Asha instead. Sort of a 'call me Ishmael' situation. We'll see from her perspective, as the heir apparent to the Iron Islands, how this guy who for all intents and purposes appears to be the third coming of a previously-debunked messianic figure completely upends their futures in the coming civil war.

Jon as we know and enjoy him will return after this life, yes... but he won't return unscathed, just like you suggested.

 

I like corrupted Jon. He's edgy and weird and delightful to see through Asha's eyes.

 

I think so too. But I also think he'd be an absolute pain to write from the POV of. So we revoke his POV privileges and leave his mind a mystery, and then just watch him chew the scenery from someone else's perspective.

 

I don't know if it's due to the pandemic or the post-S8 depression, but there's a lack of any sort of decent writing (barring our glorious groundhog day-esque Bobby-B above) in the community. Same old shit, different page kind of situation.

Saying that, A Prince Promised isn't too bad and not one I've seen before. Jon-wank at it's finest, this AU follows on from a Targ win that has Lyanna and Arthur whisking away over seas to raise Jon as the worst kept secret.

 

It's probably because of the season 8. It could motivate people to do better, but between this and lack of the new book, most just stopped writing.

There are at least two more authors that should be mentioned, @Halt and @soczab, as they too continue writing good ASoIaF fics.

Maybe if the new series is successful we will get more. It will be harder to make people care about it because the main characters will probably change ever season.

 

Speaking of Halt, where's the next chapter of The King Is Dead? I thought he had all of the story pre-written.

 

He still needs to finish the rewrite but the story is already finished in WBA.

 

aaaah, I was reading the finished product on SB. That makes sense.

 

A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms

A chance meeting during the Kings visit has Jon going south instead of north, squired to Jaime Lannister and set on a path that would make ol' Bobby B green with envy.

24K One-shot, do those have a name?

 

'Longshot', I think.

The fic isn't that bad. Lots of telling over showing, and it's not really told 'in the present', but it's decent overall. Bonus points for taking Jon places he usually doesn't go. I'd give it 3/5.