Teaching the "Hedge Knight"

Hi everyone, 

I'm currently preparing a lesson to teach my students the "Hedge Knight" short novels in literature class. They have to read "The Hedge Knight" until next week (first lesson), with the "Sworn Sword" and "Mystery Knight" reserved for later. I already have some ideas about what to do, but if you have any suggestions or advice, I'd be very happy to listen to it. Please give the shoutout to everyone you know who could be interested in the question as well. Thanks in advance! 

Stefan

The Supreme Court of Westeros, ruling 3

Thursday is court day! 

Welcome to the Supreme Court of Westeros! Every week, three pressing questions from the community will be answered by the esteemed judges Stefan (from your very own Nerdstream Era) and Amin (from the Podcast of Ice and Fire). The rules are simple: we take three questions, and one of us writes a measured analysis. The other one writes a shorter opinion, either concurring or dissenting. The catch is that every week a third judge from the fandom will join us and also write a dissenting or concurring opinion. So if you think you're up to the task - write us an email to stefan_sasse@gmx.de, leave a comment in the post, ask in the POIAF-forum or contact Amin at his tumblr. Discussion is by no means limited to the court itself, though - feel free to discuss our rulings in the commentary section and ask your own questions through the channels above.
IMPORTANT CHANGE IN SPOILER POLICY:

One word on spoilers: we assume that you read all the books, including the Hedge Knight short stories, and watched the current TV episodes. We don't include the spoiler chapters from various sources in the discussion, with the notable exception of Theon I, which was supposed to be in "A Dance with Dragons" anyway. 
END OF CHANGE

And now, up to ruling 3 of the Supreme Court of Westeros! Our guest judge this week is Andrew Carey, a member of the larger community without previous record.

The Walking Dead Season 4 review, Episodes 6-7

Wow, that was fast. I already said in my last review that the return of the Governor bodes ill. And it does, but not for the characters. It's the show that immediately suffers. To get it out of the way, that's not Morrissey's fault. He does the best with the material he's given as the Governor. It's just that it's written so badly. The writing, to return my full circle together with the show, is why I review only two episodes this time. Both of them revolve around the Governor and a new set of bland secondary characters I give a shit about, and they manage to be completely meaningless by making the aforementioned full circle.

Is it a hobo? Is it a governor? It is HOBO GOVERNOR!

A Flight of Links

- Crusader Kings II expansion review
- Carrying around a singing sword is stupid
- 5 infamously terrible movies that could have been great
- 6 modern playgrounds for your inner child. Wanna wanna wanna wanna
- 4 awful things that are now Nerd behavior. Yes and yes, especially the money-thing I find detestable.
- Copyright laws are stranged, but not not nearly as rosy here in Germany as that article describes. 
- Star Citizen won't come to the console
- Shadowrun returns returns
- Impressions of AC4. Perhaps I'll buy it after all. 
- Yahtzee on the same thing. Totally agree with him. 
- More BSG newbie recaps! Yay. Read part 1, part 2 and part 3 which is totally part 1, but I linked it wrong.
- If you want to obsess over Robocop a bit more. 
- READ THIS FUCKING BLOG.
- Meta about Agents of SHIELD
- Dark Souls: Game of a Generation
- Hunger Games: Catching Fire review
- Yahtzee reviews Call of Duty Ghosts
- Movie Defense Force: Batman&Robin
- A kinder look on the new Hunger Games movie
- Ridley Scott throws a stuffes tiger at Russel Crowe
- I was a Hunger Games hater
- Dunce concept art is the balls
- JRR Tolkien biopic to come out. Good idea. 
- Stormsongs rereads Tyrion IV, part 1
- I finally watched the Agents of SHIELD pilote, so I can happily link these two bits. 
- What does the Doctor mean to you? Nothing, to be honest.

"It is Known: Season 3 Deconstructed" is now available!

On November 21st, my first stand-alone eBook came out. Published by Blue Buddha Press and edited by Marc Kleinhenz, the mastermind behind "A Flight of Sorrows", the book will cover the "Game of Thrones" TV show.  Psyched yet? You don't know anything yet, or as Melisandre would say: You know nothing. So, learn what cool stuff awaits you just a few clicks away on your electronic reading device after the break!

Pic: Every death in A Song of Ice and Fire bookmarked

Picture after the jump.

The Supreme Court of Westeros, ruling 2

Thursday is court day! 

Welcome to the Supreme Court of Westeros! Every week, three pressing questions from the community will be answered by the esteemed judges Stefan (from your very own Nerdstream Era) and Amin (from the Podcast of Ice and Fire). The rules are simple: we take three questions, and one of us writes a measured analysis. The other one writes a shorter opinion, either concurring or dissenting. The catch is that every week a third judge from the fandom will join us and also write a dissenting or concurring opinion. So if you think you're up to the task - write us an email to stefan_sasse@gmx.de, leave a comment in the post, ask in the POIAF-forum or contact Amin at his tumblr. Discussion is by no means limited to the court itself, though - feel free to discuss our rulings in the commentary section and ask your own questions through the channels above. 

One word on spoilers: we assume that you read all the books, including the Hedge Knight short stories, and watched the current TV episodes. 

And now, up to ruling 2 of the Supreme Court of Westeros! Our guest judge this week is John Kolla. 29 years old from Philadelphia, PA, he got into the series from watching the first season of Game of Thrones. He began reading the books right after the end of the season, so he would avoid spoilers, such as Ned's death, which was spoiled for him. He loves the books and has been reading from all the main websites and listening to BLAH and APOIAF, but this is the first active thing he ever did in the fandom. He just recently completed his second re-read of the series, where he led a couple of friends through their first read and found it even more enjoyable the second time through.

The Walking Dead Season 4 review, episodes 1-5

Since the third season was such a major disappointment for me, I initally decided to forego the fourth season entirely and add it to the "series I stopped watching"-post, but my wife insisted on us watching, so I'm currently keeping up with it. I decided against the big recaps of season 3, however, since it didn't seemed meaty enough to me. So instead of recapping, I'd review them in thematic batches. For this post, I'll review "30 days without an accident", "Infected", "Isolation", "Indifference" and "Internment" (I notice a pattern in the titles). 

Destroyed fences are harbingers of doom.

A Flight of Links

- The 6 most bizarre ways to die in a video game
- 5 movies with gaping plotholes
- X-COM Enemy within Reviews from RPS and Escapist
- Burial at Sea review from the Escapist and RPS
-  Wertzone has more infos on the WarCraft movie. Actually sounds good. 
- 25 behind the scenes shots 
- io9 finally picks up Feastdance. 
- Bad Toys'r'us ad
- Best game trailers of the past 8 years
- The 5 most ridiculous attempts of cartoon censorship. Man, the Turtles are "Hero Turtles" in Germany as well.
- Keeping Batman original. They should make a game in which you try to make a living as a criminal in Gotham, methinks.
- Extra Credits Collectible Games, part 2
- A German article about "House of Cards" with an awesome Brecht-comparison
- Blizzard talks Diablo III
- New Miracle-of-Sound-song
- Yahtzee reviews Assassin's Creed 4
- 5 classic movies made by people that didn't want to do them 
- John Olliver gets his own show
- The Man of Tai Chi review
- SyFy makes a Beowulf series
- Chapter analysis Sansa IV
- Jon VII
- Baldur's Gate II Enhanced Edition review
- You read this GOT meta now. Now. Now. 

Announcement: "It is Known: Season 3 deconstructed" coming to you on November 21st!

Hold your breath in anticipation! On November 21st, my first stand-alone eBook will come out. Published by Blue Buddha Press and edited by Marc Kleinhenz, the mastermind behind "A Flight of Sorrows", the book will cover the "Game of Thrones" TV show.  Psyched yet? You don't know anything yet, or as Melisandre would say: You know nothing. So, learn what cool stuff awaits you in a few days on your electronic reading device after the break! 

This is officially weird

So, the director of Black Swan makes a movie about Noah and the Arc with Russel Crowe, Emma Watson and Anthony Hopkins, taking all the stories literally, including flaming swords and fire reigning apocalypse? Consider me interested. Trailer after the jump.

The Supreme Court of Westeros, ruling 1

Thursday is court day! 

Welcome to the Supreme Court of Westeros! Every week, three pressing questions from the community will be answered by the esteemed judges Stefan (from your very own Nerdstream Era) and Amin (from the Podcast of Ice and Fire). The rules are simple: we take three questions, and one of us writes a measured analysis. The other one writes a shorter opinion, either concurring or dissenting. The catch is that every week a third judge from the fandom will join us and also write a dissenting or concurring opinion. So if you think you're up to the task - write us an email to stefan_sasse@gmx.de, leave a comment in the thread or contact Amin at his tumblr. Discussion is by no means limited to the court itself, though - feel free to discuss our rulings in the commentary section and ask your own questions through the channels above. 

One word on spoilers: we assume that you read all the books, including the Hedge Knight short stories, and watched the current TV episodes. 

And now, up to ruling 1 of the Supreme Court of Westeros! Our guest judge this week is Steven Attewell from "Race For The Iron Throne".

Announcement: The Supreme Court of Westeros

Change is coming to The Nerdstream Era and the "A Song of Ice and Fire" fandom! After fifty issues of "Stefan's Theory Hour", it is time to open a new chapter in the organisation and depth of theory discussion. Up to this point, arising questions in the community have either been answered by single persons like me, Sean T. Collins, nobodysuspectsthebutterfly and many, many more on their own blogs and tumblrs, or by the swarm in forums like Westeros.org. 

Until now, that is! I regret to announce that "Stefan's Theory Hour" is at an end, its run being concluded with the anniversary podcast of last week. 

A Flight of Links

- Star Wars Bloopers
- The Wertzone reviews Deus Ex Human Revolution Director's Cut
- GOT director gives away nothing but invites speculation
- Battlefield 4 review
- Call of Duty Ghosts review 
- If GOT was a children's book
- Another Wolverine movie...yawn 
- 5 Clever Movie Schemes that actually are stupid
- There are some great Movies in Real Life. Check them out. 
- 8 things Marvel got wrong about Thor
- Star Wars edited deleted scene that kills Jar Jar Binks
- Sooooooo sweet Princess Thor
- Wot I think: Call of Duty Single Player, part 1 and part 2. Really, the series went bonkers with the second installment, leaped over the line in part three and became offensive in "Black Ops".
- New version of "The New Black Gold" from Miracle of Sound
- Yahtzee reviews Batman Arkham Origins
- Extra Credits talk Collectible Games 
- The battle for the IP of D&D continues 
-  New Miracle of Sound music 
- How GOT changed Thor 2
- Great meta about Sandor
- New RoboCop trailer looks slightly less shitty.
- But MovieBon doesn't like that one, either. 
- 5 ways people mastered video games 
- Thor 2 reviews by MovieBob and io9
- Miss America in Optimus Prime costume. Wtf?
- Man of Steel concept art
- Marvel cooperates with Netflix now
- Neil Marshall talks GOT
- Interesting Meta about Arya. I absolutely don't agree with it, but interesting read nonetheless. 
- Meta about the PWWP and Azor Ahai
- Emilia Clark to play Sarah Connor?
- More info about the upcoming WarCraft movie. I don't really care (yet), but maybe you do. 
- 5 dumb movies with disproportionally dumb theme songs

Stefan's Theory Hour, part 50 - ANNIVERSARY BLAH EDITION

For 50 weeks now, I have written "Stefan's Theory Hour" every Thursday (or near enough that makes no matter), answering three questions posed by fans. Last week, in anticipation of the 50th issue, I asked for special suggestions about what to do for it. In the fine tradition of doing so and then ignoring all ideas, I managed to pull something I hope everyone will enjoy: I teamed up with my "Boiled Leather Audio Hour" co-host Sean T. Collins and "A Podcast of Ice and Fire" host Amin Javadi, and we answered the next three questions on my list together, just like a normal issue of the Theory Hour (kind of). 

So, join us for the pressing questions:

I just read a theory where by Eddard Stark is still alive. The evidence given was : Arya not recognising him at his execution; Sansa not recognising his face on a spike; Catelyn thinking his bones are too small. If you add this to the offer Varys makes where by he will read a letter Eddard will right for Jon makes me believe that Varys may have strung him free as Jon could easily be an ally of Daenarys as the dragon must have three heads.

What's the meaning of trial-by-combat? Don't the gods exist?
 

Will Jon get more POV chapters?

Plus, Sean and Amin each brought their own favorite crackpot theories that we talked about:

Was Tywin Lannister poisoned? 

Did Melisandre create another Shadow Baby in "A Dance with Dragons"? 

Finally, as per fan request on Nerdstream, each of us calls a shot with his guts about the likely plot twists that are bound to come in "The Winds of Winter". 

We discuss all this in length (convoluted just is our style, baby), and hopefully, Nerdstream readers, BLAH fans and APOIAF fans will all get something out of it. So, let's stop talking about it. Download it, give it a listen, and let us know what you think in the comments!

Download

Baggage in Criticism

You may be familiar with the "Boiled Leather Audio Hour", the podcast I do together with Sean T. Collins about all sort of ASOIAF stuff. We were often accused by parts of the fandom to bring in our liberal bias, something we consider to be one of our core concepts, which is why such criticism hasn't really resonated with us. But the thing goes even deeper. The whole idea of somehow dissecting onself from the whole mindset one lives in is naive. It can't be done. The thing why I mention it is that MovieBob ran into similar problems, and he made a video discussing the problem. I can only concur.

A Flight of Links

- Some students recreated 1666 London (pre-fire) with the Cry-Engine
- More about writing Star Wars 7
- Nemesis
- Assassin's Creed 4 review
- Good point about the Jaime-Cersei-ambivalence
- The 13 biggest assholes in Greek mythology. A title you simply have to click.
- Race to the Iron Throne continues! Arya IV.
- 8 pirates from video games that are arrsome. 
- Assassin's Creed 4 music video from Miracle of Sound
- How 7 iconic movie characters would have fared in a shlasher movie
- EA cancels Command&Conquer. Not that I cared. 
- MovieBob talks the new X-Men trailer
- Batman: Arkham Origins Review from The Escapist and RPS
- Walking Dead Season 2 really looks good
- Extra Credits looks at games you really don't know
- More BSG recaps. Really wish she would dispense with the GIFs. 
- 9 terrible movie mistakes
- David Nutter talks the Red Wedding
- Darth Vader, an alternative history
- Retronaut is hilarious
- Ian McKellen is even cooler than you thought
- Star Wars Episode VII will be published whether ready or not.
- Lego Movie simply looks awesome
- Casting news for Avengers 2
- Analogy between Breaking Bad and the NSA scandal 
- Wot I think: Democracy 3
- Star Wars Episode 7 really ought to be postponed
- Wot I think: Surface Pro 2
- 70 gorgeous stills of Thor 2
- What is good about Revolution. I watched only the first ten minutes of the pilot, and it was awful.  
- Agents of SHIELD will tie in with Thor 2.  
- Khal Drogo Cosplay 
- Stormsongs has a new Jaime chapter

Video: Game of Thrones Birthday Rap

BLUE BUDDHA: 2014 PREVIEW

Press Release

Blue Buddha Press, the publishing company behind Tower of the Hand: A Flight of Sorrows and the It Is Known series, has a brand-spankin’-new, completely free ebook out today. Think of it more as an ecatalogue, actually: it contains a listing, overview, and extensive excerpt from each of its releases, including those that have yet to come out.

The can’t-miss part of all this for the diehard Song of Ice and Fire fan? The inclusion of the first, full-length sample from our upcoming Tower of the Hand: A Hymn for Spring – some eight months before the book comes out. There’s also some other little details announced about it, as well, such as who our next author is going to be (hint: A Podcast of Ice and Fire fans should be very happy).

And if all that isn’t enough for you, we have a Q&A with ASOIAF super-writer Stefan Sasse about his very first (American) ebook release, along with a pretty lengthy first-look at it.  

And we do the same grand introduction for the controversial Remy Verhoeve, who has Waiting for Winter: Re-reading A CLASH OF KINGS coming out in just a few short weeks (his best chance for a shot at redemption?).

These are the books that you’re going to be reading to help pass the time until The Winds of Winter is out – you might as well start getting to know them now. =)  

WARNING! Due to Amazon’s demands, we are only able to provide Blue Buddha: 2014 Preview for free for the next five days. That means you only have until Wednesday, November 6th to check out A Hymn for Spring and all the other great titles for no money whatsoever. After that… well, we’re working on a permanent solution, with or without Amazon. But in the meantime, click away before you lose out!