The Ghosts of Harrenhal: A Song of Ice and Fire Podcast (ASOIAF)

Send us Fan Mail Arya is in the clutches of the Lannisters. Needle is taken from her, the secret of her gender is revealed, and she loses all faith in her ability to water dance. She starts to chant a list of the people who’ve killed her loved ones. It’s getting long. Simon and Mackelly mull it all over. We video recorded this episode. Check it out here: https://youtu.be/w-VqOEqzodw Please Like an...

Send us Fan Mail Tyrion’s busy in the Red Keep. He gives his sister Cersei good news on the Baratheon front, then slips her a little poison. He announces the Lannister demands for peace with Robb. He gives Ser Alliser the men he needs, if in a mocking manner. Finally he confronts Pycelle about his spying. Simon and Mackelly review his day planner. Chapter Review: Tyrion Lannister has a busy day. H...

Send us Fan Mail Theon views his new ship. Makes a new lady-friend. Admits his inner secrets to her. Discovers he’s been tricked. And gets one further slap in the face from his father’s war plans. Mackelly and Simon offer Theon some alternatives. Chapter Review: Theon Greyjoy admires his new ship in Lordsport. She has room for 50 oars and a deck that could take 100 men. He’s approached by Esgred,...

Send us Fan Mail The Night’s Watch visit Craster’s Keep. Craster provides some information, but one of his pregnant daughter-wives recruits Jon to rescue her from her fate. Jon doesn’t think they can help. Simon and Mackelly ponder Gilly’s future. Chapter Review: The Night’s Watch arrive at Craster’s Keep. Lord Commander Jeor Mormont warns all not to interact with Craster’s wives. The keep is awfu...

Send us Fan Mail Cat arrives in the Reach to discuss an alliance with King Renly Baratheon. She finds him amidst a tremendous host, playing at being king with feasting and tournaments. His nonchalance is punctured by news that his brother Stannis has besieged, not King’s Landing, but the Baratheon seat of Storm’s End. Mackelly and Simon consider the internecine implications. Chapter Review: Cately...

Send us Fan Mail Bran hosts a harvest feast for all the visiting dignitaries at Winterfell. It’s kind of fun for a while. Howland Reed’s children arrive to the surprise of all. Bran hits the hay when the dancing starts in earnest. In his dream, he sees the Reeds visit the godswood and stroke Summer. Mackelly and Simon cast their third eye over the scene. Chapter Review: Bran Stark hosts the feast...

Send us Fan Mail Tyrion tours the wildfire production lines in the Guildhall of the Alchemists. He welcomes Cleos Frey to King’s Landing and reads Robb Stark’s demands. He meets with Cersei who is furious that Tyrion plans to sell off Myrcella to Dorne in return for their cooperation in the war. Simon and Mackelly weigh the strategies. Chapter Review: Tyrion Lannister meets with the pyromancer Hal...

Send us Fan Mail Arya and the surviving recruits bury Yoren, subsist on acorn paste, and spy a village that is not completely abandoned. Reconnaissance gets Arya, Gendry, and Hot Pie captured by Gregor Clegane’s men. Weasel escapes and Lommy meets his maker. Simon and Mackelly grope for positives. Chapter Review: Arya Stark, Gendry, Hot Pie, Lommy, and Weasel (the new name given to the crying girl...

Send us Fan Mail Sansa rendezvous with a would-be rescuer. Her Florian is not quite who she’d imagined but he'll have to do. On the way back, she bumps into Sandor Clegane drunk as a lord (the Hound, not Sansa). He tells her that a dog can always smell a lie, and she’s the worst liar in King’s Landing. Mackelly and Simon consider the canine polygraph test. Chapter Review: Sansa Stark has rece...

Send us Fan Mail Tyrion meets with Pycelle, Littlefinger, and Varys, feeding each a different story, hoping to learn which story reaches Cersei’s ears. Allister Thorne has arrived, hunger is getting out of hand in King’s Landing, and Cersei wants Jamie freed and her father’s army to come defend her. A Hand’s job is never done! Mackelly and Simon try to prioritize. Chapter Review: Tyrion Lannister...

Send us Fan Mail Bran, as the Stark in Winterfell, must welcome and entertain a succession of Northern nobility as they come to petition for favors and to vie for the hand of the recently widowed Donella Hornwood (who happens to be the Lady of a large tract of valuable land). He’s not thrilled, but Simon and Mackelly are. Chapter Review: Bran Stark and Hodor watch the young nobles, squires, and pa...

Send us Fan Mail The Small Council discusses an appropriate response to Stannis’ widely publicized accusation of Cersei’s children being Jamie’s. Later Tyrion employs all the blacksmiths in King’s Landing to make him a monstrous chain. Later still, Tyrion publicly enters a brothel before sneaking out through a secret door to visit Shae in private. Mackelly and Simon debate the levels of cunning on...

Send us Fan Mail Arya and her fellow recruits spend the night in an abandoned holdfast south of the God’s Eye. Tywin’s second favorite goon, Amory Lorch, and his gang arrive in the night and attack. Arya does all she can in battle, but eventually flees with Gendry and a couple of others, having paused to throw Jaqen H’ghar a lifeline. Simon and Mackelly worry for her future. Chapter Review: The Ni...

Send us Fan Mail The Great Ranging has found a fourth abandoned wildling village under a great weirwood tree. There is no sign of struggle or clue as to their motivations. Mormont sends word to Maester Aemon via one of Sam’s ravens and the ranging continues north. Mackelly and Simon try to keep warm. Chapter Review: The wildling village is deserted. Only some charred human bones remain within the...

Send us Fan Mail We rejoin the Mother of Dragons as she chooses to traverse the barren Red Waste, to avoid her many enemies. The going is arduous and her Khalasar is diminished still further. Outriders find the city of Qarth, emissaries of which are very keen to meet the dragons. Ser Jorah, Mackelly, and Simon all reckon she needs to tread carefully. Chapter Review: Daenerys Targaryen considers he...

Send us Fan Mail Theon returns home to Pike after 10 years a captive. His welcome is not all he had dreamed it would be. His father, Balon, doesn’t want to pay the gold price for his crown, he’d rather pay the iron price. Mackelly and Simon weigh the options and worry for Winterfell. Chapter Review: Theon Greyjoy arrives back in Pyke after 10 years away. His heart swells when he sees the kraken si...

Send us Fan Mail On Dragonstone, Davos watches Melisandre burn the gods of The Seven. He has a drink with pirate Salladhor Saan. He meets with King Stannis and is commissioned to go spread the word of Stannis’ rightful claim to the people of Westeros. Simon and Mackelly consider converting.  Chapter Review: Melisandre reveals the prophecy of Azor Ahai and his flaming sword Lighhtbringer, from the...

Send us Fan Mail Arya and the Night’s Watch recruits continue their trek north into territory that is increasingly ravaged by war. They veer off the Kingsroad to avoid trouble, but progress is slow. Arya sneaks out of camp to pee and is confronted by a pack of wolves. They scare her but leave her unharmed. Simon and Mackelly survey the landscape. Chapter Review: Yoren has left the Kingsroad and is...

Send us Fan Mail Tyrion wines, dines, and has his way with Lord Janos Slynt. He appoints a new head of the City Watch and rounds out his evening by verbally sparring with Lord Varys. Mackelly and Simon consider Tyrion’s power moves and prospects.  Chapter Review:  Tyrion plies Janos Slynt, the new Lord of Harrenhal, with wine over a lavish dinner. The commander of the City Watch is quite drunk by...

Send us Fan Mail The North sends its demands to King’s Landing, knowing full well they won’t be accepted. News arrives of various setbacks. Cat determines to solicit help from King Renly Baratheon. Mackelly and Simon consider what Robb’s next move should be. Chapter Review: Robb reads his demands of Cersei to her cousin Cleos Frey. He’s to take them to her and return with her reply. They include t...

Send us Fan Mail Sam has found a number of maps that will come in useful for the planned great ranging of the Night’s Watch. Lord Commander Mormont shares maester Aemon’s past with Jon. Simon and Mackelly wrap up warm and consider the prospects. Chapter Review: Jon finds Sam in the Castle Black library surrounded by books and parchments. Sam has been gone all night and missed breakfast. He was sen...

Send us Fan Mail In this special episode, Simon and Mackelly sit down with psychotherapist, professor, and fellow podcaster Dr. Kirk Honda. The boys sit in while Dr. Honda puts Joffrey Baratheon on the couch. He shares his take on Joffrey's psychological make up. He explains possible root causes for Joffrey's behavior, provides an official (unofficial) diagnosis of the king of Westeros,...

Send us Fan Mail Arya and the Night’s Watch recruits are badgered by Gold Cloaks intent on returning one of their number to King’s Landing. Despite Arya’s concerns, it is Gendry who they’re after. He’s saved by the bravery of Yoren and his fellow recruits. Simon and Mackelly consider the implications.  Chapter Review:  Arya’s journey north with Yoren and the latest members of the Night’s Watch is...

Send us Fan Mail Bran is seeking to understand the meaning of both the comet and the incessant howling of the direwolves. There are lots of opinions. He’s increasingly in sync with his direwolf. When he dreams, he doesn’t just dream of being a wolf, he sees through Summer’s eyes. Mackelly and Simon ponder the implications. Chapter Review: Nobody can sleep because Shaggydog and Summer howl all nigh...

Send us Fan Mail Tyrion disrupts the small council by announcing that he’ll be the new Hand of the King. Cersei is not best pleased. Varys proves his ability to sniff out a secret by befriending Shae before Tyrion has had a chance to hide her. Mackelly and Simon join in the posturing about what real power is. PS: Stick around after the end music to hear Simon serenade Mac. Chapter Review: Tyrion g...