I wasn't happy with the news that George R.R. Martin couldn't finish the latest GOT book in time so I could have read it before the new season started on HBO, but such is life. I haven't decided if I will ever buy it either, but at least GOT season six opened tonight.

I, like most everybody that had read the books, wasn't too thrilled with Martin's decision to kill Jon Snow at the end of book 5. R.R. Martin stunned us with the beheading of Eddard Stark in season one and then shocked us with the Red Wedding, so maybe he is gone for good.

I'm still hoping that Jon Snow really isn't dead for long, but who can tell. I've stayed off reading websites that are trying to expose the truth or give us tips about what is in store for the former Lord Commander of the Night's Watch.

Anyway, let's celebrate what we do have.

I thought it was a great first episode!

"The Red Woman," jumps right in where we left off in season five.

Davos Seaworth and Jon Snow's few remaining friends find him dead, lying in the snow, covered in frozen blood and they take him back to his room. He's definitely dead- for sure- not breathing - DOA - kaput - stiff as a board.

Meanwhile, the bastard Alliser Thorne, admits to the crows that they executed Snow, but it was so they can save them all because allowing the free folk past their walls is too much to handle. EDD wants revenge, but Davos looks to the wildlings as the ones that can save them.

Ramsey Bolton laments the loss of his sadist in arms Myranda, as she was killed during Sansa's escape by Theon. But he doesn't miss her too much as he tells his man to feed her body to the dogs instead of a burial because "meat is meat." What a guy.

Sansa and Reek are fleeing from Ramsey Bolton's posse in the frigid snow and are finally caught by his men when Brienne of Tarth and Podrick show up in the nick of time and save the day. This was the most cliched part of the episode since we knew she was shadowing Sansa to protect her, but it was still great to see after the battle, Brienne take the knee of loyalty and watching Sansa stumble her way through the words of acknowledgment.

Back at King's Landing, Cersei is looking a lot better after her walk of shame, and excitedly runs to meet Jamie's returning boat from Dorne to greet her lovely daughter, Marcella.

Immediately, she knows she's dead and in a true moment of emotional heartbreak, admits to Jamie that Marcella was pure goodness and she thought by her, she may not truly be the monster that she is. Jamie says he failed her, but she tells her brother/lover that their daughter's death wasn't his fault because the witch had prophesied it. Jamie angrily says, "f*ck that" and vows revenge on everyone that has hurt them.

Returning to Dorne, if you thought the sand snakes were doomed, you had another thing coming. After Doran Martell receives a message that Ellaria Sand has murdered Marcella, before he can respond, she stabs him to death, along with Areo, while her daughters take out Trystane so that they can take power over the Dorne empire. It seems the people there had no love for the current ruler. Who knew?

This opens up a few good possibilities between the Lannisters and the wonderful Indira Varma.

Meereen is in shambles after the assault on the Mother of Dragons as Tryrion and Lord Varys go undercover and walk the city. I'd pay good money to watch a sitcom with these two characters in the lead. Their dialogue is hysterical and they have incredible chemistry together. Oh, and the Sons of Harpy burned down their entire fleet of ships.

Daario Naharis and Jorah Mormont are tracking Dany and discover that the Dothraki's have her. Too bad Jorah's Greyscale disease is still spreading. I wonder when it becomes contagious?

Danny has been captured by the Dothraki and after some teenage sexist insults about her white hair color, she reveals herself to Khal Modo as the widow of Khal Drogo. Too bad she didn't know all their customs because it appears she is fated to live the rest of her life with the crones in the Dosh Khaleen (in Vaes Dothrak) as the widow of a Khal.

I guess when you see the Unburnt, walk out of a fire with three baby dragons wrapped around her, the rules don't apply.

By the way, where is Drogon? Did he just fly away to roast some rams on the barbie and leave her to fend for herself?

Back at the Wall, Davos and his buddies are holed up with Snow and with Jon's very pissed off Direwolf and they know they will be executed if they agree to Alliser's immunity deal so Davos has an idea. Let's see what Melisandre can do to save them since he's seen her birth a ghost monster that killed Renly Baratheon.

We cut to the Red priestess' room and she's staring at her reflection. She begins to disrobe and after she's naked she takes off her necklace and she's instantly turned into an ancient woman. She slowly climbs into bed.

Cut to credits.

What the Graddakh just happened!

Is that red stone in Melisandre's necklace imbued with the power of life, or does it squelch the aging process? Or is it merely a glamor to fool everybody?

The first thing I really thought about was, can that necklace bring back Jon Snow from the dead?

And if so, will it cost her her youth or her life? She remarked after she saw Jon dead, that she saw Snow fighting with the true king in her flames.

Damn, I almost forgot Arya, one of my favorite characters. She's still blind but now begging for food. She just scored a couple of coins when Waif shows up, throws her a staff and orders her to fight. "But I can't see, " replies Arya. Waif beats the crap out of her and then pledges to be back tomorrow. Until she is "no one," the beatings will continue.

(Did you see Maisie Williams in Doctor Who? She's an amazing young actress)

Please forgive me if I have errors because I didn't set out to write a recap and I didn't take any notes or watch it a second time.

(corrections supplied by reader Phil McKraken in the comment section)