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

Send us Fan Mail Jon and a delegation from the Night's Watch find the bodies of Othor and Jafer Flowers near the Godswood. They bring them back to Castle Black for examination, but Othor’s story is not quite done yet. Jon and Ghost save Lord Commander Mormont, which is a good job, because Jon had been very naughty. The boys discuss Jon’s failings.  Chapter Review:  Jon, Sam, and the senior me...

Send us Fan Mail Sansa is in the clutches of the Lannisters. She only wants to marry Joffrey. They only want her to write to her family demanding their fealty. If she can do that, her dreams might come true. Mac and Simon weigh Sansa’s decisions and prospects.  Chapter Review:  Sansa and Jeyne Poole are confined to apartments in Maegor’s Holdfast. Jeyne can't stop crying, having witnessed the...

Send us Fan Mail Arya’s dancing lesson with Syrio Forel is rudely interrupted by a Kingsguard and five Lannister men, come to take her to her father. Syrio didn’t become the First Sword of Braavos by buying this kind of dead dog. He buys Arya time to scarper, and the boys break it down for you.  Chapter Review:  Arya and Syrio are fighting, with Syrio telling Arya where to parry, until he lies and...

Send us Fan Mail We’ve reached our half century mark, and for fun we’re being interviewed by our number one fan. We’ll get to the bottom of where we’d like to live in Westeros, who we’d most like on the show, and what our next project will be...just as soon as we get through the next 300 chapters. We've also made a YouTube video of the episode. So check that out, if you want. You'll see...

Send us Fan Mail The King is dead. Long live King Joffrey? King Stannis? King Renly? Whoever! Ned and Cersei confront in the throne room. Ned is sure he has the manpower advantage to win the day, but then Petyr Baelish delivers a lasting lesson in the school of "Don't trust anyone." Mackelly and Simon take sides. Chapter Review: Eddard Stark is awoken to a Lannister show of strength...

Send us Fan Mail Jon receives great news that Sam will indeed be joining him in taking his Night’s Watch vows. Less joyful that Jon doesn’t get the job he wants or expects. The boys take their vows while Ghost plays a macabre game of fetch. Mackelly and Simon, whose watch began 49 episodes ago, thank the latest watchers on the wall.  Chapter Review:  Somehow Jon beats Sam to breakfast, but maybe S...

Send us Fan Mail King Robert has been mortally wounded by a boar. Ned’s plan to tell him that his children were cuckoos turns to ashes in his mouth. Cersei, Renly, Varys, Petry Baelish - all start scheming for the next round of the Game of Thrones. Is Ned morally nimble enough to keep up? Mac and Simon mourn the fallen king and consider every angle of the implications.  Chapter Review:  Thanks to...

Send us Fan Mail Daenerys and Khal Drogo go for their second trimester gender-reveal with the Dosh Khaleen. A snack of raw horse’s heart, sex in public, and a celebratory feast  - all in a typical day for a hard-working Khaleesi. The portents are what the happy couple were looking for: a boy, strong, healthy, oh, and the long-prophesied Khal who will bring all the people of the world into one grea...

Send us Fan Mail Eddard Stark is now in possession of the biggest secret in King’s Landing. News so immense it could destroy the very kingdom. But the king is off hunting and Ned has few friends with whom to share the news. What to do? Personally we wouldn’t have advised confiding in Cersei Bloomin’ Lannister, but then again we’re morally flexible soft southern children of summer. From their respe...

Send us Fan Mail Sansa gets into a squabble with Arya which ends with an orange to the face (and to the lap of a silk dress). The sisters are summoned before their father who tells them that he’s sending them back to Winterfell for their safety. Sansa is horrified - she wants to stay and marry Joffrey who she insists is nothing like his father. Ned suddenly sees the light. Simon and Mac do too, an...

Send us Fan Mail Ned gets a turn on the Iron Throne while King Robert is off hunting. His leg hurts and so do the various bits of him getting poked by the chair - curse you Robert, and you Aegon the Conqueror. His comfort is hardly enhanced by news from the Riverlands of murder and pillage by Lannister-men. Simon and Mackelly consider every implication.  Chapter Review: Eddard Stark is in charge a...

Send us Fan Mail Tyrion and Bronn find themselves in a tough spot. Stuck on the High Road with nothing between them and the dangerous mountain clans. But, like always, Tyrion has a plan. It's no doubt a gamble and their lives are the stakes. Simon and Mac discuss the ins and outs of Tyrion's gambles thus far, contemplate missed opportunities, and conjecture about Tyrion's retributio...

Send us Fan Mail It's a big day for Jon and some of his friends at the Wall. There's just one major problem and it involves Sam. After some time pondering other possibilities for his life, Jon gets an idea in his head to fix Sam's problem. Simon and Mac step you through the chapter and share ideas and insights as they go. Chapter Review: Jon and some of his fellow Night's Watch...

Send us Fan Mail Bronn and Ser Vardis are ready to rumble, and Tyrion's fate hangs in the balance. The pair take very different approaches to preparing for the duel. Ser Vardis loads himself down with armor like a tank, while Bronn prefers to stay quick and agile. Which method will win out? The guys will tell you all about that and so many other happenings in the chapter.  Chapter Review: Cat...

Send us Fan Mail Ned dreams of fighting to rescue his sister Lyanna. He wakes to find that the king and queen are waiting speak with him. Queen Cersei spins a yarn, Ned creates an awkward scene, and the royal couple squabbles leading to violence. Finally, Ned gets his old job back, whether he wants it or not. Chapter Review: Eddard Stark and six of his companions stand off against three members of...

Send us Fan Mail Tyrion is having trouble getting comfortable in his new room in the Eyrie. Mostly it's the lack of a fourth wall, the 600-foot drop just feet away from him, and the rough treatment from the jailer. He takes a big gamble on plan to get himself out, but at least the first part pays off when Bronn volunteers to champion him in a trial by combat. Chapter Review: Tyrion's sar...

Send us Fan Mail Bran, Robb, and some other Winterfell men take Bran's new saddle and horse out for a test drive. Things are clicking on all cylinders until a band of wildings and deserters from the Night's Watch show up. Things escalate quickly, resulting in bloody carnage and a wildling hostage. Simon explains how he recently found a similar scene on his back porch. Chapter Review: Bra...

Send us Fan Mail Daenerys and the khalasar have made it to Vaes Dothrak. Daeny plans a night evening with her brother that goes very awry. We also get Jorah's take on how the Dothraki would do in battle in Westeros. We tell you all about it and give you as many insights as we can pack into one episode. Plus, Simon shares a story that might just put a smile on your face. Chapter Review: Daener...

Send us Fan Mail Eddard Stark has found the brothel he'd been looking for. He also found a fight he wasn't looking for. Both deliver surprising results. We comb through the facts and details to make sure you know what's happening, why, and the possible repercussions. Chapter Review: We find Ned, some of his household guard, and Petyr "Littlefinger" Baelish visiting the bro...

Send us Fan Mail Catelyn Stark and her entourage finally arrive, battered and beaten, at the Vale. Cat meets some family. One is a positive reunion. The other not so much. We tell you all about it, give you some insights, and ponder if Rickon might be better suited to look after Robert than Lysa. Chapter Review: Cat and her travel companions make their way through the Vale, from the Bloody Gate to...

Send us Fan Mail Ned and Robert go toe-to-toe over how to handle Dany's pregnancy. When all is said and done, king Robert needs a new Hand of the King, and Ned is headed back to Winterfell. We sit in on the Small Council meeting, tell you what happened, why, and make conjectures about the consequences. Chapter Review: King Robert is in attendance at the Small Council meeting. He has learned t...

Send us Fan Mail Arya manages to get herself lost in the dungeons of the Red Keep. But in the process, she finds information that would be invaluable to her father. Unfortunately, when she tries to tell Ned what she's learned, she makes a mess of it all. Thankfully, we're here to put the pieces together and weave a more complete story from the details. Chapter Review: Arya Stark is catch...

Send us Fan Mail Hey everyone! In honor of April Fools Day, and as a cap to the episode bonanza that ended this week, here are some outtakes that we've collected over the past episodes. Enjoy! Support the podcast. Buy a bit of merch from our store . Or if swag is not your bag, buy us a Cup of Arbor Gold . If you like what we're doing, please consider rating and reviewing us at Apple Podc...

Send us Fan Mail Cat and her rag-tag group make their way to the Eyrie on the dangerous High road, with her captive Tyrion. Along the way, they're attacked by a mountain clan, Tyrion pleads his innocence to Cat, and he makes progress in his situation as captive. We go along for the ride and give you our thoughts and ideas. Simon also shows how sometimes one can be just a tad too cute with a t...

Send us Fan Mail Ned has a busy, but for the most part pleasant, day. King Robert is acting like his old self, queen Cersei is nowhere to be seen, he spends time at the tourney with Sansa, and his girls are getting along at dinner. However, when Lord Varys shows up to his chambers, he brings tidings that cause an abrupt end to any pleasantness. Chapter Review: Eddard "Ned" Stark and Ser...