Day 3: Favorite House

The seven kingdoms of Westeros has each a powerful house. At one point or another, every one of them were vying for the attention of the Targaryans after Aegon I's conquest. GRRM has made sure that every POV character of any house idolise a hero of the same house and thereby tells their heroics to the reader.  Although, the ASOIAF is mostly the power struggle between the Lannisters and the Starks and every possibility of a future rejuvenated Targaryan into the mix, the remaining 5 houses are not just mere side actors. GRRM has spinned a compelling yarn about Arryns in Vol.2,  Greyjoys in Vol.3, Tyrells in Vol. 2 and 3,  Tulleys in Vol. 3,4 and Dorne in Vol.5..

In addition, lots of trans-Westeros houses is also  shown through Daenery's eyes like the Dothrakis. "Wannabe" houses like Frey, Bolton, Manderly, Wildlings (Yes, they too have tribes which is loosely houses) has some interesting characters too.  There are some small houses like Mormont, Reed, Greatjohn, Redwyne, Royce, Yronwood,Hightower, Griffin and Tarly which will play a crucial role in the oncoming storm.

GRRM  makes us love / utterly hate atleast one character in every house in Westeros which in turn will reflect on the reputation of the whole house to the reader.
My favorites are Brynden Blackfish for Tullys, Ser Loras for Tyrells, All the Greyjoys including and especially Theon ( he needs a separate Post),  Stannis for Baratheon, Ser Jorah for House  Mormont, Lord Randyll (Not Sam, LoL) for House Tarly and Jon Connington of House Connington of Griffin's Roost. But, every reader HATES the Freys and Boltons.

Readers consesus for Favotite is Starks or Lannisters or Targaryan. I can never comprehend why people like Daenery's.

But, my favorite house is Martells of Dorne. Unbowed, Unbent and Unbroken for more than 200 years against the harsh Targaryan conquest attempts, Martells held thier own ALONE against dragons and Daerons. After repeated failures, the Targaryans realised the futility and Baelor I asked the Dornish Princess's hand for marriage to his cousin. Thus ended the enemity and Dorne was accepted as the  last of the 7 kingdoms. The current Prince, Doran, is a patient man plotting vengeance for 20 years for the death of his sister and Targaryan ally. The Dornish  are flamboyant and  promiscous, especially Martells are very open about it  like Oberyn and Arianna. And lastly, they have the rogue Gerold Dayne, the Darkstar - a direct descent to Ser Arthur Dayne of the "greatest knight of the seven kingdoms" fame. I find him very fascinating and i expect GRRM gives him a POV chapter in the coming 2 volumes.

My final verdict:  House Martell of Dorne