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

Send us Fan Mail Brienne follows Nimble Dick into the wilds. There she encounters some familiar faces, learns some intel on the wrong Stark girl, and registers her first kills. Ser Hyle Hunt offers to help bury a body. Simon and Mackelly survey the damage. Chapter Review: Brienne of Tarth and Podrick Payne follow Nimble Dick Crabb toward The Whispers, where he claims to have sent a fool and two gi...

Send us Fan Mail Aeron “Damphair” Greyjoy, presides over the Kingsmoot. Against his intentions, his brother Euron is chosen by the captains of the Iron Islands. Simon and Mackelly consider what might have been. Chapter Review: Aeron Greyjoy convenes the Kingsmoot on Old Wyk. Three Iron Island captains throw their hats in the ring, but none can command a significant portion of the electorate. Victa...

Send us Fan Mail The Iron Captain, Victarion Greyjoy, returns to the Iron Islands for the kingsmoot. He reunites with family, some welcomed others not so much. One thing’s for certain, nobody’s backing down on their claim to the vacant Seastone Chair. Simon and Mackelly hope for a peaceful transition of power. Chapter Review: Victarion Greyjoy sails the Iron Fleet into Old Wyk for the kingsmoot. I...

Send us Fan Mail Cersei meets with her new handpicked Small Council who blithely make momentous decisions with huge ramifications. Simon and Mackelly watch on in despair. Chapter Review: Queen Cersei is, not for the first time, disappointed to find the severed head of the wrong dwarf presented to her. She offers no punishment to the murderers for fear of deterring those hunting Tyrion. She and Qyb...

Send us Fan Mail Jaime bids farewell to his uncle and to his father’s remains, envies Loras Tyrell’s horsemanship, and frets over his twin’s drinking and her new friends. Simon and Mackelly think he might have a point. Chapter Review Jaime Lannister bids farewell to his uncle Kevan who is leaving King’s Landing with his son Lancel and the bones of his brother Tywin. The conversation doesn’t go qui...

Send us Fan Mail Sam is miserable aboard the ship headed for Braavos. Gilly is inconsolable and he’s seasick. He can't understand her tears until Maester Aemon points out that she left her own baby at Castle Black, and that she’s nursing Dalla’s child. Simon and Mackelly try to keep down their breakfast. Chapter Review: Samwell Tarly is seasick aboard the Blackbird. He takes solace in his com...

Send us Fan Mail Brienne’s search for Sansa takes her to Maidenpool to find a fool. First she finds old acquaintances that drum up painful thoughts. She meets a man who will take her to the fool, for a price. Simon and Mackelly question the intentions of Nimble Dick. Chapter Review: Brienne of Tarth and Podrick Payne arrive at the gates of Maidenpool. The town has been rebuilt since Brienne was th...

Send us Fan Mail Ser Arys Oakheart plans to break off his affair with Princess Arianne Martell. However, the simple sight of her erodes his resolve. Passionate lovemaking is followed by crippling guilt. Arianne promises a life together but first he must crown Princess Myrcella. After more than a little persuasion, the knight is onboard. Mackelly and Simon try to stop blushing. Chapter Review: Ser...

Send us Fan Mail It’s the royal wedding day and Cersei couldn’t be less thrilled. She’s in constant fear for Tommen’s safety, feels like the Tyrells are manipulating her, and is surrounded by fools. Plus, a long ago prophecy keeps coming to mind. Only one activity brings her any joy in the day, and it’s quite the doozy. Simon and Mackelly remembered to pack their sunglasses and stand in the back....

Send us Fan Mail Asha tries to bring her mother’s family to her aid in gaining the Seastone Chair. But she  hadn’t heard of her uncle Aeron’s call to a Kingsmoot. She thinks she can win by force of reason, but her family think that uncle Euron’s wealth and magic might prevail. Mackelly and Simon rattle Nagga’s bones. Chapter Review Asha Greyjoy is on Harlaw, the wealthiest and most populous of the...

Send us Fan Mail Sansa considers the two sides of Petyr Baelish’s character. She witnesses Marillion falsely implicating himself in the murder of Lysa Arryn, and Nestor Royce being wooed by Baelish. Simon and Mackelly wonder if these life-lessons are standing her in good stead. Chapter Review: Sansa is being kept awake by Marillion’s singing. A problem with those sky-cells being so open. Apparentl...

Send us Fan Mail Brienne continues to search for Sansa Stark. None of her leads pan out in Duskendale. But not all is lost, she gets a fancy sigil on her shield. She considers Sansa’s possible alternative locations and gets awfully close to the truth. She discovers that a familiar face (to us) is following her. Simon and Jenny wish Brienne would follow her instincts. Chapter Review: Brienne of Tar...

Send us Fan Mail Jaime might’ve bitten off more than he can chew with standing vigil over his father for seven days and nights. While battling sleep, he recalls his last conversation with Rhaegar Targaryen as well as his recent one with the chief undergaoler. He’s visited by Cersei and again rejects her plea to be Hand of the King. Finally, he brokers a lunch for Cersei and feeds her exact steps t...

Send us Fan Mail Busy day for Queen Cersei. She fends off mourners expressing regret and vying for her favor and works to keep the Tyrells off the Small Council. She bonds with Qyburn before finally having a highly contentious dinner with her uncle. Mackelly and Simon are in shock that Kevan went there. Chapter Review: Queen Cersei Lannister and King Tommen kneel before her father Tywin’s body. Th...

Send us Fan Mail Arya arrives in Braavos. Inside the temple of the Many-Faced God, she meets a man who isn’t fooled by her aliases. He tests her on her fear of death, and she passes with flying colors. She hopes to feed a hunger, but it’s not for food. Mackelly and Simon wonder what it is she’s hungry for. Chapter Review: Arya Stark, or “Salty” as she’s known by the ship’s crew, sees the lights of...

Send us Fan Mail Lord Commander Jon Snow sends Sam to Oldtown to earn his maester’s chain. Gilly, her baby, and maester Aemon are to go with him. Simon and Mackelly dream of a warmer future. Chapter Review: Samwell is scouring the Castle Black libraries for information on the Others. Pickings are surprisingly slim. He’s tired and hungry so he heads up to the castle. In the yard, he’s met by Edd, G...

Send us Fan Mail Brienne begins her wild goose chase in the hunt for Sansa Stark. She meets some unusual travelers on the road and makes some unexpected travel companions, on her way to Duskendale. She also learns that she’s not the only one looking for the Stark girl. Simon and Mackelly worry about saddle sores. Chapter Review: Armed with Oathkeeper, Brienne of Tarth rides through the Crownlands...

Send us Fan Mail Cersei is awakened to the news that her father is dead. She can hardly believe it, but is not exactly broken up about it. At least her little brother is locked up and will be a head short by this evening. Ah, about that: he’s escaped. Mackelly and Simon spot many of Cersei’s character flaws, while ignoring their own. Chapter Review: Cersei dreams of sitting the Iron Throne. It’s a...

Send us Fan Mail Areo Hotah observes as Prince Doran Martell is visited by three Sand Snakes, each with a plan to seek revenge for their father Oberyn’s murder. The prince hears each niece out but makes no commitments. Doran does commit to sending Areo to round up all the Sand Snakes and confine them in the palace indefinitely. Simon and Mackelly worry about their venomous bite. Chapter Review: Ar...

Send us Fan Mail Aeron “Damphair” Greyjoy, learns of his eldest brother Balon’s death and their brother Euron’s claiming the Sea Stone Chair. He is not happy with that outcome and calls for a kingsmoot to decide the next king. Simon and Mackelly consider the options. Chapter Review: Aeron Greyjoy is drowning men in the sea (to bring them back with the kiss of life) when news arrives that his broth...

Send us Fan Mail The Citadel novice Pate and his fellow maester-hopeful friends discuss the existence of dragons, while Pate dreams of winning the love of Rosey the tavern girl. Later, Pate sells a stolen key to the Citadel to a man known as “the alchemist.” When the transaction is complete, Pate becomes suddenly dizzy and collapses. Mackelly and Simon fear the worst for Pate. Chapter Review: Pate...

Send us Fan Mail Merrett Frey is lured to a ransom payment by the Brotherhood without Banners. They have his great nephew Petyr Pimple. Upon arrival he learns that his kinsman is dead, and that he’ll be joining him because Catelyn Stark points the finger at him for his involvement in the Red Wedding. Simon and Mackelly are almost as speechless as she is. Chapter Review: Merrett Frey heads toward O...

Send us Fan Mail Sansa builds a snow-castle, and squabbles with Robert Arryn. Petyr Baelish kisses her against her will. Lysa confronts Sansa about trying to steal Littlefinger from her and threatens to push her out of the Moon Door. Baelish intervenes and pushes Lysa out instead. Simon and Mackelly try to pick up the pieces (not of Lysa, that would be nasty).   Chapter Review: Sansa Stark wakes e...

Send us Fan Mail Jon decides that he will accept Stannis’ offer and become Lord of Winterfell. But at that moment Ghost returns, reminding him of his belief in the old gods and his outsider status to the Starks. He joins his brothers for the vote for the new Lord Commander of the Night’s Watch and is surprised as anyone when he wins. Mackelly and Simon start drawing up a transition team. Chapter R...

Send us Fan Mail Sam and the men vying for Lord Commander of the Night’s Watch attend an audience with King Stannis. Stannis wants a Lord Commander chosen tonight. Sam hatches a plan to consolidate the votes between the leading contenders. Both men agree a new candidate might suffice. Sam knows just the guy. Simon and Mackelly pick up what he’s putting down. Chapter Review: Samwell Tarly assists M...