History YMMV / TheKingNobodyWanted

** Rys Chelsted is a CanonForeigner who doesn’t show up until chapter 60, but he quickly becomes a fan favorite for his GentlemanSnarker (with gradual traces of StepfordSnarker tendencies), insightful moments, and engaging dynamics with his fellow councilors (especially his OddFriendship with Davos).

* SugarWiki/FunnyMoments:
** This exchange early in Stannis and Cersei's marriage.
--->'''Stannis:''' He... he is your brother. Your twin. I cannot imagine how close you two must be...\\
'''Cersei:''' [thinking] ''Thank goodness.''
** Cersei is taken aback at her pregnancy.
--->''Gods, how did this even happen?'' It was not as if she and Stannis had been that... amorous, after all. She tried to go over the times in her head to see if she could pinpoint the very one that had put this... ''thing'' into her. ''Let's see... the wedding night, the night after, the night after that...''\\
[[GilliganCut She had progressed to several nights after that]], [[InsatiableNewlyweds and a rather exceptional morning]], when a sudden bit of especially fevered tooth-grinding on Stannis' part broke her count.
** Some BlackComedy during the attack on Harrenhal in Catelyn and Lord Manderly awkwardly exchanging formal greetings with a corpse on the floor and Manderly's hands bloody from creating said corpse. Followed by Lord Tully's indignant reaction to his attempted assassination (and brief consternation that ''Manderly'' could be mistaken for him).
--->These murderous wretches are still at large, and seeking my blood. Well, by the Seven, Hoster Tully's blood is staying where it belongs - in Hoster Tully's veins!

* SugarWiki/HeartwarmingMoments:
** Viserys recognizes Ser Barristan as his guardian and his father's rescuer (after Barristan was just ungently interrogated by Lord Commander Hightower, and chided for recognizing honorable men among the Stags), and enthusiastically introduces him to all his new friends.
** Janos Slynt holding his son Morros on his shoulders to watch the coronation.
** Despite the tension between Quellon Greyjoy and his son Balon, they both dote on their granddaughter/daughter Asha.
** When Stannis [[spoiler:sentences Jaime to the Night's Watch]], Tywin's first action is to argue with him, but Kevan and Gerion's first is to comfort Cersei.
** Aeron and Urri reaching back out when their temporary guardian Ned sympathizes with their father's death, Aeron remembering that members of Ned's own family have been murdered.
--->'''Aeron:''' That which is dead does not die, Lord Stark. \\
'''Urri:''' It rises again, harder and stronger.\\
'''Ned:''' Do you truly believe that?\\
'''Aeron:''' We hope it, Lord Stark. We hope it.
** Of all things, Stannis and Cersei's relationship. While they're still awkward with each other, and it's still a political marriage, they both clearly care for each other

* BetterThanCanon: The story and characters can often feel better than the original canon due to stuff like the dynamics of Stannis being the recognized post-Rebellion king and great world-building around things readers don’t want future books to potentially make non-canon, like the mercantile system, the War of the Ninepenny Kings, and the Blackfyre family tree. It helps that the writing quality and style can feel [[OriginalFlavour almost indistinguishable from the original books]].

* BetterThanCanon: The story and characters can often feel better than the original canon due to stuff like the dynamics of Stannis being the recognized post-Rebellion king and great world-building around things readers don’t want future books to potentially make non-canon, like the mercantile system, the War of the Ninepenny Kings, and the Blackfyre family tree. It helps that the writing quality and style can feel almost indistinguishable from the original books.

* BetterThanCanon: The story and characters can often feel better than the original canon due to stuff like the dynamics of Stannis being the recognized post-Rebellion king and great world-building around things readers don’t want future books to potentially make non-canon, like the mercantile system, the War of the Ninepenny Kings, and the Blackfyre family tree. It helps that the writing quality and style are almost indistinguishable from the original books.

* UnexpectedCharacter: Even considering how many obscure characters or {{Canon Foreigner}}s from established houses appear in the story, it's doubtful anyone remotely expected a Westerosi [[note]] two exiles in Essos use the name but many Essosi sellswords use assumed names[[/note]] claimant to the throne of House Mudd (which has been presumed extinct since the Andal invasion) to show up.

* HilariousInHindsight: Barely two weeks after the release of chapter 92 (which mentions a prophetic former Hand of the King for the second Targaryen monarch having a vision of the White Walkers invasion and some people still remembering and taking it seriously), the pilot of ''Series/HouseOfTheDragon'' says that Aegon the Conqueror himself had such a vision and suggests it motivated many of his actions and those of his descendants.

* HarsherInHindsight: Garth Tyrell reminiscing wistfully about his Oldflowers lover, [[spoiler:who Garth strangled when he tried to blackmail him]].

* UnexpectedCharacter: Even considering how many obscure characters or {{Canon Foreigner}}s from established houses appear in the story, it's doubtful anyone remotely expected a Westerosi [[note]] two exiles in Essos use the name but many Esposito sell swords use assumed names[[/note]] claimant to the throne of House Mudd (which has been presumed extinct since the Andal invasion) to show up.

* UnexpectedCharacter: Even considering how many obscure characters or {{Canon Foreigner}}s from established houses appear in the story, it's doubtful anyone remotely expected a claimant to the throne of House Mudd (which has been presumed extinct since the Andal invasion) to show up.

** The subplot if Lhazarene prophet the Golden Ram has only been mentioned so far (as of chapter 92) but his BadassPreacher HeroOfAnotherStory characterizations and success in [[ThrowTheDogABone protecting and empowering the pacifistic but constantly tormented and abused people]] make him pretty popular.

** Late-appearing CanonForeigner child dignitary Aesynth Waete is quickly winning over readers for the interesting way she combines being a cute and good-hearted CheerfulChild and an oblivious NightmareFuelStationAttendant due to coming from HollywoodSatanism CultColony Qohor.

* EnsembleDarkhorse: Rys Chelsted is a CanonForeigner who doesn’t show up until chapter 60, but he quickly becomes a fan favorite for his GentlemanSnarker (with gradual traces of StepfordSnarker tendencies), insightful moments, and engaging dynamics with his fellow councilors.

* TearJerker: Cersei trying to seduce Stannis on her father's orders while a crying, terrified wreck. Thankfully, Stannis notices something's wrong and lets her stay with him for the night, keeping her from risking Tywin's further wrath if they end up sleeping apart again.

** Some BlackComedy during the attack on Harrenhal in Catelyn and Lord Manderly awkwardly exchanging formal greetings with a corpse on the floor and Manderly's hands bloody from creating said corpse. Followed by Lord Tully's indignant reaction to his attempted assassination.

'''Cersei, thinking:''' ''Thank goodness.''

* JerkassWoobie:

* TearJerker: Cersei trying to seduce Stannis on her father's orders while a crying, terrified wreck. Thankfully, Stannis notices something's wrong.

-->And then Ser Oswell found it quite easy to pity Selyse, even if he could not revere and respect her, as she stood there, alone, trying to fight back tears.