Fantasy Counterpart Culture: He cites his own picks for certain models and cultural background, especially ones that are little known. Didn't See That Coming: Steven argues that "honourable" characters like Eddard and Catelyn Stark failed not because they are idiots, but they failed to take into account seemingly small details which later blew up in their faces. He notes that the novels avoid this generally but the writer invokes it when he lays the seed of Robb winning the war and losing the peace, namely in how the improbable Ironborn invasion campaign works as planned, and Theon's "plan" to take Winterfell goes off. 
Diabolus ex Machina: Discussed when he mentions that the author is "putting his thumb on the scales" to get the outcome he wants. Decadent Court: The essays have the dubious honour of highlighting just how bad the decadence actually was. He also defends Daenerys' campaign in Slaver's Bay by noting that she is popular among the enslaved and the only way her campaign can be seen as imperialist is if you agree that the only culture that matters is that of the masters and not of the slaves. He's especially critical of the idea that the Ironborn are doomed to remain stuck in Rape, Pillage, and Burn and wasting it on unprofitable wars that makes them despised across Westeros, citing how "the Old Way" has actually adapted and the attempts by some rulers of the Iron Islands to establish ties to the mainland. Culture Justifies Anything: He's skeptical of any defenses of evil practices on the idea of culture or geography. Big Bad Wannabe: How he sees Littlefinger, noting that he often pretends to be smarter and more knowing then he is, tends to be on the nose in his resentment and takes every slight, especially from Tyrion, personally. Alternate Universe: Most of the Chapter-By-Chapter analysis end with speculations on how the plot would be altered if the characters made different choices or their actions resulted in different outcomes. 
Martin's supposed and hypothesized historical influences on the books.
All There in the Manual: Some of his essays deal with characters and events before the main series.
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