Ned Stark Lives!
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| Fanfiction | |
|---|---|
| Title: | Ned Stark Lives! |
| Author(s): | cbstevp |
| Date(s): | May 25, 2012 - December 19, 2015 |
| Length: | 1,626,361 words, 141 chapters |
| Genre: | Fantasy |
| Fandom: | A Song of Ice and Fire/Game of Thrones |
| External Links: | Part 1, Part 2, Part 3 |
Click here for related articles on Fanlore. | |
Ned Stark Lives! is a well known fanfiction series within the A Song of Ice and Fire/Game of Thrones fandom. It consists of three novel length stories, with multiple POV characters, similar in style to the original novels. It is often recced, especially to fans of George R. R. Martin's book series.
Synopsis
"What would have happened in Westeros if Ned Stark had lived? An alternate version of George R.R. Martin's Game of Thrones series of books."
Reactions and Reviews
Media Reviews
This series completely flips the events in Game of Thrones by changing the first major death in the series. According to Benjamin Backhaus, who created an impressive collection of novel-length, completed fanfiction, this trilogy is a delightful and fascinating read.Here’s the best ‘Game of Thrones’ fanfiction by Nahila Bonfiglio, dailydot.com
Fan Reactions and Reviews
It’s exactly what the summary says. An examination of how the series could have gone if Ned had been sent to take the Black instead of executed. Very well done[1]
With the simple title, I was expecting an overly simplistic and kind of smug story that has Ned saving the day and the other factions basically bowing down without much of a fight. I was very wrong. It’s a very long, engrossing series that explores how the War of the Five Kings and the battle with the Others would have changed had Ned survived. My one complaint about it is the Arya/Gendry relationship in it. Arya is so young that parts are uncomfortable to read. However, it’s thankfully a small part in the grand scheme of things.[2]
Exactly what it sounds like—Ned Stark doesn't get executed in King's Landing, and joins Yoren's caravan towards the Wall. Don't get fooled, though, it ain't all sunshine and rainbows. Things still get pretty complicated thanks to various people fucking everything up, and plenty of characters still get merked hard. By the by, the author writes in a manner that's very similar to GRRM himself, which may or may not be a plus, depending on how you view his writing style.[3]
I followed Ned Stark Lives! (it could have definitely used a better title, though that didn't seem to hurt it) as it was published. Overall, I was surprised by how plausible and in character it was, particularly given how often it was updated. The only thing I found lacking was how little heart there seemed to be in the story. The story was interesting, but I wasn't living and dying with the characters... Otherwise this is probably one of the best fic in the entire fandom[4]
I personally find it very interesting. Oh, and don’t assume Ned Stark surviving means anything for anyone else’s lifespan. People still alive in series die. Deals with the Others, the War of the Five Kings, every single character actual.[5]
I especially remember it was epic to have Ned Stark and Tywin Lannister meet! Thats what I love about fanfic scenarios that never happened in the book but very well could have![6]
Links
Further Reading
- Here’s the best ‘Game of Thrones’ fanfiction by by Nahila Bonfiglio, dailydot.com, Ned Stark Lives! is listed under the What if…Alternative Universe (AU) Game of Thrones Fan Fiction section