Last year, HBO premiered Game of Thrones, a new television series based on George R. R. Martin’s high fantasy series A Song of Fire and Ice. After a slow start, the show swept the fantasy world, garnering praise from critics and fans alike. This Sunday, Game of Thrones returns with its highly anticipated second season. I, for one, have been counting down for months, excited to see where the series leads. (I know, I know. If I had read the novels in the break between seasons, I wouldn’t be so anxious about what’s in store for the characters I love and loathe.