A Flight of Links

- I'd wear these
- Red Letter Media watches all three Transformer movies...at once. 
- MovieBob tells us about the most bizarre Transformers episode
- Movie Defense Force for Amazing Spiderman 2
- Yahtzee on Wolfenstein's choice system
- 10 ridiculous facts about Tim Burton's Batman
- Kind of interested
- Transformers 4 review
- Company of Heroes 2 Western Fronts review
- Is Game of Thrones overrated?
- Daemon's political savvy
- Dawn of the Planets of the Apes review
- Quick analysis of Rogues
- The Wire gets its video game

Supreme Court of Westeros, ruling 33

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 A 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 APOIAF-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. 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.

And now, up to ruling 33 of the Supreme Court of Westeros! Our guest judge this week is Ashley, another one of the hosts of A Podcast of Ice and Fire and dubbed the Queen Beyond the Wall. Check out her twitter at AshleyClegane.

A Flight of Links

- This is one really good article about violence and Game of Thrones
- I fully agree and in fact have argued myself like this on this very blog.

- Read this article

- Game of Thrones finale spoiler discussion
- Arnold Schwarzenegger superhuman. Hilarious
- Big Picture: Link a lady?
- New Guardians of the Galaxy trailer
- Extensive graphic linking the ASOIAF chapters to the GOT episodes
- New Dawn of the Planet of the Apes trailer
- Mary Sue recaps GOT 4.10
- More takes on Ubisoft's gender problem.
- Race of the Iron Throne has Arya III and Tyrion II. 
-Star Wars vs. Game of Thrones
- Have to love this bootlegged GOT Season 2. 
- Wertzone reviews GOT season 4

Boiled Leather Audio Hour 31

Rhoyne Like Hell: Westeros.org’s Rhoynar-centric “The World of Ice and Fire” Excerpt

The bodies haven’t even been removed from the battlefield of our last podcast, but Sean and I are back already with a brand-new BLAH! Today we’re talking about the excerpt from George R.R. Martin, Elio García Jr., and Linda Antonsson’s The World of Ice and Fire about the Rhoynar, which was posted a few weeks ago on the latter two writer’s seminal Westeros.org website. Its title, “The Ten Thousand Ships,” is somewhat inapt given that it doesn’t in fact cover the naval exodus of the people of the Rhoyne from that Essosi river to the southern lands of Dorne in Westeros. But there’s plenty to talk about up until that point, from the sudden revelation that an entire water-based form of magic exists (or existed) to the wartime conduct of Old Valyria and its allies. Saddle up a turtle and enjoy!

Mirror here.
Previous episodes here.
Podcast RSS feed here.
iTunes page here.
Sean’s blog here.
Stefan’s blog here.

Supreme Court of Westeros, ruling 32

Thursday is court day! But I forgot, so we go for Friday.

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 A 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 APOIAF-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. 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.

And now, up to ruling 32 of the Supreme Court of Westeros! Our guest judges this week are Ashaya and Aziz. They have been breaking down the backstories and mysteries in audio format for two years, and they're constantly fascinated by how much there is to know.  Check out their History of Westeros podcast for a thorough examination of GRRM's amazing world.

Boiled Leather Audio Hour Episode 30 - UPDATE

UPDATE: The MP3 is now fixed. 

The Post-“Game” Show: “Game of Thrones” Season Four Reviewed

Our biggest episode ever! Game of Thrones Season Four is over, and in this mega-sized BLAH, Sean and I analyze it for damn near 90 minutes. Every major storyline is covered, every big controversy is addressed, every substantial change from the books is explored, and every complaint we have about the fandom is given an obscenity-laden airing. Hey, we told you it was a big episode!
Below, we’ve included some links to pieces on the show that we mention in the podcast. Read, listen, enjoy!
Sean’s reviews of the show for Rolling Stone
Stefan’s reviews of the show for Tower of the Hand
Sean’s Rolling Stone list of Season Four’s Top 10 greatest moments
Stefan’s “Outside the Buzz” piece on fandom’s bubble mindset
The AV Club’s Sonia Saraiya on the role of violence on the show
HuffPo’s Maureen Ryan arguing the show is good but not great
Our episode on Season Three

Mirror here.
Previous episodes here.
Podcast RSS feed here.
iTunes page here.
Sean’s blog here.
Stefan’s blog here.

Video: Women as Background Decoration: Part 1 - Tropes vs Women in Videogames

Video after the break.

Game of Thrones Season 4, Episode 10 "The Children" Review

Benioff and Weiss had to be pretty sure of their work. After episode nine aired, they promised that the conclusive episode of season four, titled “The Children”, would be the best season finale up to date. If you’re making such a claim, shoring up expectations, you have to have real confidence of having pulled something big. Or else, it’s your last season anyway and you don’t care. Since Game of Thrones is now officially the most popular HBO series ever, it’s not exactly in need of additional hype, and it wouldn’t be good business practice to create one where none is warranted – there are three seasons to go, after all, and you don’t want viewership to break down under unrealistic expectations.

A Flight of Links

- Catelyn I by Race of the Iron Throne
- New Tomb Raider game will come out, here's the trailer. 
- Sean T. Collins interviewed Neill Marshall
- How you can spoil your own fun very well 
- Spielberg wants to make a miniseries about LBJ with Bryan Cranston
- Disney to sell Princess Leia toys after fan pressure
- How Robert Heinlein went from left wing to right wing
- I totally agree with the uncomfortableness he describes. 
- Finally, a Doom reboot! Said no one ever, except Bethesda. 
- MUST READ: This analysis of the upcoming Battle of Fire. 
- Wolfenstein is better than it needs to be
- A comparison between dragons and nuclear weapons 
- Watch_Dogs review by Yahtzee
- MovieBob reviews How to tame a Dragon 2
- MovieDefense Blood Rayne is hilarious

- I put this on extra emphasis

-  Assassin's Creed's developers told some real bullshit, and there are reactions. 
- This War of Mine Preview 
- Usual round of GOT recaps and reviews: Click, Click, Click, Click, Click

Supreme Court of Westeros, ruling 31

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 A 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 APOIAF-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. 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.

And now, up to ruling 31 of the Supreme Court of Westeros! Our guest judge this week is Fredrik Fischer, among many things, a writer and humanist, an almost accidental A Song of Ice and Fire fan and of the opinion that Balerion the Cat will sit the Iron Throne.

Game of Thrones Season 4 Episode 9 "The Watchers on the Wall" review

I make one vow right in the beginning of this review: I will try to avoid any comparison with “Blackwater”, season two’s episode nine, that was also directed by Neil Marshall, also featured only one location, and also conveyed one battle. Knowing myself, I expect this vow to be kept as rigid as “I will father no sons” in the Night’s Watch’s vows (although Sam reminds us that it’s open to interpretation), but I will at least pull an effort. With that out of the way, let’s go at it.

Madness? THIS IS CASTLE BLACK!

A Flight of Links

- Pedro Pascal talks about his role as Oberyn Martell
- 8 Avalon Hill Games that deserve to be revived. Not.
- Someone created stills of a 90s adventure "Buffy"
- Agents of SHIELD 1.5 review
- 13 words that Germans think are English
- Why doesn't Snowden like The Wire's second season?
- Destiny will be the first half-billion-dollar-game. 
- Hercules looks hilariously bad. 
-  Star Wars VII goes old school. 
- Jon I in Race of the Iron Throne.
- Holy fuck
- Yahtzee reviews Wolfenstein New Order 
- Wolfenstein and the Power of Resistance. Strong piece.
- A Labratory of Politics, part II
- Edge of Tomorrow review by Moviebob 
- The usual round of GOT reviews: click, click, click

Review: Godzilla

Yesterday, I went to the movies for the first time in a year or so (thanks, babysitter) and watched Godzilla. I had heard that it was good, and I had heard it was bad. Usually, such a range of opinions from people I trust is a good sign because there's something to care about in the movie, and it isn't really surprising that the movie was pretty much 50:50 at both. It was gigantic, magnanimous, almost perfectly good in its strong sequences and it was almost painstakingly bad in others. Really, it was some rollercoaster. Let me give you a hint at how to get the maximum fun out of "Godzilla": try to get your 3D-cinema to show a version in which all dialogue is deleted from the movie. Seriously, watching the actors move their mouths without words coming out would be preferable to the real thing. 

Supreme Court of Westeros, ruling 30

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 A 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 APOIAF-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. 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.

And now, up to ruling 29 of the Supreme Court of Westeros! Our guest judge this week is Emre Sofoglou. Emre is a musician in Germany and still in school, preparing for his exams in 2015. He knows Stefan from a rather unusual position as the teacher of his class. 

Outside the Buzz

The latest episode of "Game of Thrones", its eigth installement called "The Mountain and the Viper", has attracted a wild array of criticism that I feel the need to adress because it seems to be rooted in a peculiar phenomen. Let's quote the master of the lore himself, Elio Garcia:

When you hype something up—when you declare it to contain one of the best things you’ve ever done—you must deliver to the expectations you create, and for us, it fell short. That’s the danger, of course, when one promotes and pushes the idea that this is something that’s the equivalent of a “Blackwater”.

And that's just the thing. Despite being not exactly an Internet abstinent person, I totally missed the hype. Therefore, my expectations about the fight weren't inflated. Therefore, I wasn't disappointed. And I darsesay many other people outside the bubble will feel the same, although it's hard for me to tell. Usually, I'm inside the bubble myself.

To future contracts!

Board Game: Kemet

There are many strategic boardgames that encourage a strategy usually called "turtling": you build up an army and surround yourself in defenses. You know, just like turtles. Just without the army. Not many strategy games really encourage aggressiveness, and the reason for this is that it's hard to pull off in the game system in two ways: first, you need everyone on board with this, because many people don't react well to aggression, and second, you need a system that actively incentivizes aggression while hurting the defensive guys. If that description appeals to you, Kemet is your game. 

A Flight of Links

- Watch Dogs review that hated the game
- Watch Dogs review that loved the gmae
- Amazing Spider Man 2 The Game review by Yahtzee
- Amazing score matchup
- She-Hulk shaming
- Three articles from Boiled Leather you should read. 
- How to name animals in German
- Wolf among us episode 4 review
- Stuff about Sims4
- Star Fighter delayed again
- Adam Whitehead and Elio Garcia speculate about season 5 of GOT 
- 10 TV season finales that were rewritten in the final minute
- Book of Life trailer looks cool
- Who was guilty of misconduct in the Baltar trial? 
- Movie Defense Force: Hulk. Yeah, that wasn't so bad. 
- This War of Mine preview
- What if Ayn Rand had written Harry Potter? 
- Ant Man Backlash
- MovieBob reviews Maleficent
- A Distant Worlds review with Bill Adama
- Another Wolf Among Us review
- GOT 4.8 reviews: click, click, click

Game of Thrones Season 4 Episode 8 "The Mountain and the Viper" Review

“Is that what happens to us? Life of conflict, without time for friends? So that when it’s done, only our enemies bring us back to our family? Violent lives, ending violently. We never die in bed. Not allowed. Something in our personalities, perhaps? Some animal urge? Unimportant. We do what we have to do.” It’s Rorschach who speaks these words in “Watchmen”, but somehow, they reminded me of Arya and the Hound when Arya broke down in laughter at the news of her aunt’s death. There’s a lot of stuff breaking down in episode eight, titled “The Mountain and the Viper”, drawing out our meeting with them to the bitter final five minutes of the episode.

Let’s do the same for this deconstruction and follow the path the episode laid out for us.