Gingerbot is back with another review of Game of Thrones:

Episode 5 is out and man was it a good one. To anyone who says that the show was slowing down better be paying attention because now all the drama is being unleashed. With Catelyn Stark stirring up trouble by capturing Tyrion and dragging him off to the Vale where he is now in the clutches of her and her slightly off-kilter sister Lysa Arryn. Renly Baratheon showing off his love for the boys as well as toying with the idea of making a run for the throne with the help of his lover Loras Tyrell the Knight of Flowers and all the power of Highgarden behind him. Ned renouncing his post as Hand of the King which in turn puts him out of power and in a rather vulnerable place just in time for news of Tyrion’s capture to reach the ears of his brother Jaime. King Robert demanding the murder of a pregnant teenage girl who he perceives as a threat to his throne. And of course, as always, we have Varys and Littlefinger pulling strings, spying on everyone (including each other) and constantly trying to one up the other along the way. Saying there is trouble ahead is a huge understatement.

When I first heard about this show I of course started scouring the internet for information about it and I found a few articles talking about the things that would get more attention in the show than they do in the book. One of these things was the focus the show is putting on the homosexual relationships. Now if you’ve read the books you know that Martin isn’t shy about anything, let alone the sexual preference of his characters. Some were easily spotted while others were illusive to some of us. Now I have to admit that even though I have read the books twice now I completely missed the Renly/Loras relationship; and luckily I’m not alone. When I told my friend, who actually introduced me to the books, she was as thrown by it as I was. It makes all the sense in the world looking back now and I cannot understand how I didn’t see it before. But they are putting it right out there for all to see in the show and I’m glad they are. I’m sure someone will complain about the boy love because someone always will. But then people still complain about the sex and violence already present but you can’t say I didn’t warn you. Right from the beginning I said this show was not for the faint of heart and it just keeps proving that statement is true every week. And this episode certainly wasn’t short on blood.

I was sad that they didn’t show what was happening with Daenarys this week but that is to be expected. With so much going on they can’t possibly fit everyone into every episode. Since she as well as Jon up at the Wall were left out this week I’m sure they will be back next week. I’m getting very anxious about her story line because I know what is coming up and I want them to hurry and get to the exciting parts. But I know it takes time to get there and they have been doing a wonderful job of setting the story up so far so I know I will not be disappointed.