AGOT Tyrion I: Imp Slap

Or if you prefer, Chapter 9. Some vague hints as to what's to come, but no actual spoilers.



Tyrion I

Martin does something odd at the beginning of the chapter.  Bran's chapter ended with a wolf howling, and this chapter begins with a wolf howling. It took me several paragraphs to realize that this chapter doesn't immediately follow on from the previous one.

So Tyrion mentally snarks about one of the books in the Starks' library, bosses the Starks' librarian around, and goes off to have breakfast. He runs into Sandor Clegane and "the young Joffrey." That's an interesting adjective to choose.  Joff's one of the most depraved monsters in the series, but he's still all of twelve. We're not supposed to think that badly of him yet, because all he's done is be a bit of a dick to Robb back in Arya's chapter.  All right, I'll say it: I was reminded of Draco Malfoy.

Anyway Tyrion insults Joffrey, and the prince "had the grace to blush."  Here's our first hint that Tyrion doesn't think that highly of the next king. Show-watchers might be interested to note that the Hound and Joffrey do a tag-team mummer's farce, with Sandor pretending to have no idea where Tyrion's voice is coming from. (By the way, my spell check recognizes "mummer's." I'm surprised.) Book!Sandor isn't quite that grim specter who only loves killing we're familiar with in the show. Also, his burns are on the other side of his face.

Well, show-watchers know what happens next. Joff cannot abide the wailing of women (yet he'll eventually name a sword Widow's Wail, so there's that), and gets a few slaps for it. Then Tyrion verbally pokes the Hound a bit. "He pitied the first knight to try the Hound today. The man did have a temper."

So I'm going to assume that visiting nobles get to boss around the local librarians in Westeros. But now Tyrion's gone and pissed off Clegane, fully aware that somebody else is going to catch hell for it. He's not ignorant of the consequences of his actions; he just doesn't care.

So Tyrion goes to have breakfast with the other Lannisters. Here we learn that Jaime is the only person who was ever nice to Tyrion, so Tyrion will forgive him most anything, and that Tommen is sweet, unlike his brother. I think it's interesting that Tyrion's inner monologue doesn't get around to insulting Joffrey until the prince isn't nearby.

Obligatory mention of Jaime's line, "Give me a good clean death" rather than cripple me.

There's no indication here that Tyrion knows about Jaime and Cersei, but throughout this first book George goes to considerable lengths not to let us all the way inside his various POV characters' heads. After all, he never outright explains what "Promise me, Ned" means or who Jon's mother is.