It's finally here. After 6 years of torture, we're finally receiving the next in the Song of Ice and Fire series. It's been eleven years if you count how long we've been away from the action with more than half of the series main characters. Long suffering fans have recently been rewarded for their frothing at the mouth fandom with a fantastic new HBO series and now, belatedly, the next book. FUCK yeah.
First thing's first. This is going to be a SPOILER TAG topic. That is to say, no matter how long this book is out for, in this topic we will use spoiler tags. For anything, no matter how small you think it is. Here is the format. When in doubt, copy/paste this format.
<Dany III/Page 209 of Hardcover> [sp-oiler]Yo I can't believe Dany has sex with her dragons. Goddamn gross, yo. Martin has gone too far.[/sp-oiler]
Obviously, there will be no dash in the word spoiler. It should look like this:
<Dany III/Page 209 of Hardcover>
Yo I can't believe Dany has sex with her dragons. Goddamn gross, yo. Martin has gone too far.
No exceptions. If you cannot follow this it will be a 3 day ban; successive failures will be longer. ALSO: Any case of intentional spoilering, as in SNAPE KILLS DUMBLEDORE, will result in ban that is six months or longer depending on my discretion. And if you're a long time offender, I'll just skip ahead to perm.
Secondly, this thread will assume that anyone in it has read books 1-4. So there will be no spoiler tags about things related to Game of Thrones, A Clash of Kings, Storm of Swords or A Feast for Crows.
If for some crazy ass reason you enjoy Russian roulette enough to enter this topic and risk being spoilered and you haven't read all the books, play some catch up.
There is a newly released four book paperback set that costs only about $20 bucks. It's worth it. It's a great series. It's got an amazing grounded sense of reality that is almost unheard of in the fantasy genre. Trust me, you won't regret it.
Some reviewers have compared Martin's work to that of J.R.R. Tolkien or even William Shakespeare, but the truth is a little more complex. The Song of Ice and Fire novels work so well because the epic fantasy is grounded in a strong horror element and because Martin skillfully conveys the gritty (often bawdy) physicality of the world while moving, with equal effectiveness, between various levels of society. Martin also owes a debt to the dark yet humane cynicism of writers like Jack Vance, even though he cares much more about the inner life of his characters than Vance. Martin's devotion to fully inhabiting his characters, for better or worse, creates the unstoppable momentum in his novels and contains an implied criticism of Tolkien's moral simplicity.
Having overcome the writerly challenges of a series grown longer than expected and having survived the well-documented hostility of those readers who have displayed a grotesque sense of entitlement over publication delays Martin seems poised in the last two books to bring home one of the best series in the history of fantasy.
For those of us who rarely dip into the well called fantasy but love a good adventure yarn, Martin has forged a tale as sturdy and sharp as a two-fisted broadsword.
No ode to a romantic age, this is sinewy storytelling, with precisely etched characters feeling valid emotions and reacting to them and each other in unpredictable ways. It's a game played for keeps. Can't wait for the next one.
Even ostensibly disillusioned fans will be caught up in the interweaving stories, especially when Martin drops little hints around long-debated questions such as Jon's parentage.
For those of us who frequency drop into a good called anticipation though adore a good journey yarn, Martin has fake a story as stout and pointy as a two-fisted broadsword.
No paper to a regretful age, this is tough storytelling, with precisely etched characters feeling current emotions and reacting to them and any other in indeterminate ways. Its a diversion played for keeps. Cant wait for a subsequent one.
Apart from that, well, the book weighs half a ton and my shoulder hurts from lifting it. And now that Ive finished it Ill have to wait another umpty-ump years for The Winds of Winter to find out what happens next getting this one early has just made my next wait longer.
Some people are sure to hate it epic fantasy with this kind of scope isnt everybodys thing. But if youve enjoyed the series so far and youve been waiting for this volume, then I feel confident in saying that youre going to love it. Because I do.
A Dance With Dragons, the longest of the installments of A Song of Ice and Fire to date, might also be Martins finest work yet, a taut and relentless masterpiece that reaffirms the readers obsession with the panoply of unforgettable characters that Martin has created, and the brutal, glittering, terrible world in which these novels are set. There are moments of profound loss and of heart-palpitating joy, as dragons dance and the game of thrones plays on, its players and pawns once more beset by woes from home and abroad. Just when it all seems to fall into place, theres yet another glinting knife, another unexpected disloyalty. Machiavelli, you have met your match in Martin.
If for some crazy ass reason you enjoy Russian roulette enough to enter this topic and risk being spoilered and you haven't read all the books, play some catch up.
OK, I just need to know it. Is this the parallel to AFWC, or is it a sort of continuation? I've kept out of the threads, so sorry if this is common knowledge.
OK, I just need to know it. Is this the parallel to AFWC, or is it a sort of continuation? I've kept out of the threads, so sorry if this is common knowledge.
* Varamyr Sixskins (prologue), a skinchanger and one of the surviving wildlings north of the Wall.
* Daenerys Targaryen, sole heir to the Targaryen dynasty which ruled Westeros for 300 years until their deposition 15 years before the first novel. Self-proclaimed Queen of Westeros, she now rules the city of Meereen.
* Jon Snow, the 998th Lord Commander of the Night's Watch and bastard son of Eddard Stark.
* Tyrion Lannister, dwarf and uncle to the King Tommen of Westeros, a fugitive wanted for kinslaying and regicide. Recently fled the Seven Kingdoms.
* Davos Seaworth, former smuggler and Hand of the King to Stannis Baratheon. Has recently learned his letters.
* Bran Stark, rightful heir to his brother, the late Robb Stark. Seeking an old power beyond the Wall, believed dead by his own family.
* Reek: Theon Greyjoy, presumed-dead son of recently deceased King Balon Greyjoy of the Iron Islands, a captive of Ramsay Bolton and now tortured, starved and barely sane.
* The Wayward Bride: Asha Greyjoy, niece of King Euron Greyjoy of the Iron Islands, lately fled from the isles.
* Victarion Greyjoy, Captain of the Iron fleet, recently gone on a quest to find Daenerys and use her for the Ironborn's own ends.
* Arya Stark, hiding in the Free City of Braavos, where she has taken on the identity of the "Cat of the Canals" and continues her training as an assassin by the House of Black and White (The Faceless Men). Meanwhile back in Westeros, an impostor Arya has been betrothed to Ramsay Bolton.
* The Merchant's Man: Quentyn Martell, eldest son of Prince Doran Martell of Dorne, traveling into the East on a mission for his father.
* Ser Barristan Selmy, the former Lord Commander of Robert Baratheon's Kingsguard, and the first of Daenerys's Queensguard.
* Lady Melisandre, a mysterious shadow-binder from Asshai and a devoted priestess to the red god R'hllor, advisor to Stannis.
* Cersei Lannister, the Queen Regent, currently imprisoned in a tower cell, awaiting trial.
* Ser Jaime Lannister, the Kingslayer, Lord Commander of the Kingsguard; currently occupying Riverrun.
* The Captain of the Guards: Areo Hotah, Captain of Doran Martell's guard.
It'll be useful for people going through the book, at least, with the enforcing of spoiler tags. After you finish, you can always just switch over to the no-tag thread.
because people don't want to be spoilered on stuff they haven't read yet. It's simple. Some people will be ahead of others, some people will be behind. Some people will not have quite started.
It'll be useful for people going through the book, at least, with the enforcing of spoiler tags. After you finish, you can always just switch over to the no-tag thread.
because people don't want to be spoilered on stuff they haven't read yet. It's simple. Some people will be ahead of others, some people will be behind. Some people will not have quite started.
But all of it is spoilered anyway and chances are when the person clicks on a spoiler, it might be something from much later in the book. If they're reading then it seems that they would want to avoid threads like this altogether.
But all of it is spoilered anyway and chances are when the person clicks on a spoiler, it might be something from much later in the book. If they're reading then it seems that they would want to avoid threads like this altogether.
Thanks for the thread! I was hoping for something like this with clear rules for identifying chapter, page number, and edition per spoiler. Due to family and work stuff, I won't be able to power through this as I'd hoped to, and it'll be nice to have a safe place to talk about it.
Oh man, good times. I left the internet to be safe. Someone at another board attempted to buy my address info off someone just so he could send me a package with HP spoilers in it.
I'm weak and fear any sort of spoilers, so I won't read the thread (except the rules), but mine is on the way. It's going to be a long wait for UPS tomorrow.
Become George's bitch like the rest of us. I only finished the 4th book back in 2009 and it feels like forever. Don't even know how it must feel for those who've been waiting the entire time.
What's the best place to read a detailed synopsis of the previous books? I've obviously read them, and made it mostly through ACoK on my reread, but I can't see myself finding the time to finish before my copy arrives, nor can I see myself being able to hold off till after my reread to start into it...so I'd like a detailed refresher if something like that's available?
What's the best place to read a detailed synopsis of the previous books? I've obviously read them, and made it mostly through ACoK on my reread, but I can't see myself finding the time to finish before my copy arrives, nor can I see myself being able to hold off till after my reread to start into it...so I'd like a detailed refresher if something like that's available?
* Varamyr Sixskins (prologue), a skinchanger and one of the surviving wildlings north of the Wall.
* Daenerys Targaryen, sole heir to the Targaryen dynasty which ruled Westeros for 300 years until their deposition 15 years before the first novel. Self-proclaimed Queen of Westeros, she now rules the city of Meereen.
* Jon Snow, the 998th Lord Commander of the Night's Watch and bastard son of Eddard Stark.
* Tyrion Lannister, dwarf and uncle to the King Tommen of Westeros, a fugitive wanted for kinslaying and regicide. Recently fled the Seven Kingdoms.
* Davos Seaworth, former smuggler and Hand of the King to Stannis Baratheon. Has recently learned his letters.
* Bran Stark, rightful heir to his brother, the late Robb Stark. Seeking an old power beyond the Wall, believed dead by his own family.
* Reek: Theon Greyjoy, presumed-dead son of recently deceased King Balon Greyjoy of the Iron Islands, a captive of Ramsay Bolton and now tortured, starved and barely sane.
* The Wayward Bride: Asha Greyjoy, niece of King Euron Greyjoy of the Iron Islands, lately fled from the isles.
* Victarion Greyjoy, Captain of the Iron fleet, recently gone on a quest to find Daenerys and use her for the Ironborn's own ends.
* Arya Stark, hiding in the Free City of Braavos, where she has taken on the identity of the "Cat of the Canals" and continues her training as an assassin by the House of Black and White (The Faceless Men). Meanwhile back in Westeros, an impostor Arya has been betrothed to Ramsay Bolton.
* The Merchant's Man: Quentyn Martell, eldest son of Prince Doran Martell of Dorne, traveling into the East on a mission for his father.
* Ser Barristan Selmy, the former Lord Commander of Robert Baratheon's Kingsguard, and the first of Daenerys's Queensguard.
* Lady Melisandre, a mysterious shadow-binder from Asshai and a devoted priestess to the red god R'hllor, advisor to Stannis.
* Cersei Lannister, the Queen Regent, currently imprisoned in a tower cell, awaiting trial.
* Ser Jaime Lannister, the Kingslayer, Lord Commander of the Kingsguard; currently occupying Riverrun.
* The Captain of the Guards: Areo Hotah, Captain of Doran Martell's guard.
Question, anybody know when Amazon drops books onto the Kindle that have been pre-ordered? If it comes out at midnight, I'll stay up and start reading it... but I don't want to stay up late only to be disappointed.
Question, anybody know when Amazon drops books onto the Kindle that have been pre-ordered? If it comes out at midnight, I'll stay up and start reading it... but I don't want to stay up late only to be disappointed.
