George R. R. Martin (as well as other recommendations)

[Jormi_Boced]

Ah the second book. A Clash of Kings. Also known as the "book throwing" novel. Why? Because I can all but guarentee that if you're into the story at all you're going to end up throwing the book across the room, out a window, or into traffic before you're done. Good luck!

BTW, I love the series and can't wait for A Dance With Dragons.

You were'nt lying about the book throwing Velenne

Every book so far has had a moment where I was emotionally impacted and wanted to scream out, "NOOO!"

A MOMENT??? Several for me I am almost through Clash of Kings now.

 

[Jormi_Boced]

I have finished Clash of Kings now, it was more depressing, but still very good.

 

[noodles]

The thing about Feast for Crows is that it's only half a book. By itself it isn't as good as the first 3 (which are flawless) but can you imagine in Feast for Crows and Dance with Dragons had been released together as a 2,000 page book. I have no doubts that it would be the best of the series.

I don't fault Feast for Crows for not being as good. Like I said it's only half of what book 4 was supposed to be.


As for Robert Jordan and the Wheel of Time. I was such a hardcore Wheel of Time fan for so long. I started reading them when Book 8 had just come out and loved the first 8 with books 1-6 being superb. However since I joined the masses and started playing the waiting game...I have been very dissapointed with book 9, the god-awful book 10, and the average book 11. This series is spiraling into mediocrity which makes me sick considering how much I used to love it.

RJ says that book 12 is the last one even if it has to be 2000 pages but we'll see. He originally said book 6 would be the last one I recall. I just hope he doesn't die before he finishes it because he really is sick.

 

[Jormi_Boced]

The thing about Feast for Crows is that it's only half a book. By itself it isn't as good as the first 3 (which are flawless) but can you imagine in Feast for Crows and Dance with Dragons had been released together as a 2,000 page book. I have no doubts that it would be the best of the series.

I don't fault Feast for Crows for not being as good. Like I said it's only half of what book 4 was supposed to be.


As for Robert Jordan and the Wheel of Time. I was such a hardcore Wheel of Time fan for so long. I started reading them when Book 8 had just come out and loved the first 8 with books 1-6 being superb. However since I joined the masses and started playing the waiting game...I have been very dissapointed with book 9, the god-awful book 10, and the average book 11. This series is spiraling into mediocrity which makes me sick considering how much I used to love it.

RJ says that book 12 is the last one even if it has to be 2000 pages but we'll see. He originally said book 6 would be the last one I recall. I just hope he doesn't die before he finishes it because he really is sick.

Should I just wait for Dance with Dragons to come out before I read Feast for Crows? Then just kind of read a few chapters in this one, then a few chapters in the other one???

 

[RichardD]

I can't see how he can finish the series in just one more book; I reckon he's set so much in motion two will be needed to avoid looking like an untidy rush-job. And I'm not at all sure that he has time to write two books (let alone the energy). Fingers crossed that he gets well enough to start writing, but as far as I know he's not written a word for WoT for well over a year now, probably more like 2.

Martin keeps forcing me to re-evaluate who it is I'm supposed to be rooting for. Most fantasy novels have "white hats" and "black hats" (something David Gemmel unashamedly acknowledged, and was loved for it). Martin's characters are all multi-layered, along with his plots. There are a few that (so far) have managed to remain the sort of characters that I thought they were when they were first introduced; most have changed much more substantially (many changing by suddenly being deprived of a pulse).

 

[RichardD]

(Gah - double post)

 

[Jormi_Boced]

I can't see how he can finish the series in just one more book; I reckon he's set so much in motion two will be needed to avoid looking like an untidy rush-job. And I'm not at all sure that he has time to write two books (let alone the energy). Fingers crossed that he gets well enough to start writing, but as far as I know he's not written a word for WoT for well over a year now, probably more like 2.

Martin keeps forcing me to re-evaluate who it is I'm supposed to be rooting for. Most fantasy novels have "white hats" and "black hats" (something David Gemmel unashamedly acknowledged, and was loved for it). Martin's characters are all multi-layered, along with his plots. There are a few that (so far) have managed to remain the sort of characters that I thought they were when they were first introduced; most have changed much more substantially (many changing by suddenly being deprived of a pulse).

Last I read on his Web site he has plans for two more after Dance with Dragons. He admits that it might be more though.

I think he also talks about it a bit in one of his pod casts.
http://www.idiotvox.com/Books/PodCast_Review_The_George_R._R._Martin_Podcast__15543.html

 

[noodles]

The thing about Feast for Crows is that it's only half a book. By itself it isn't as good as the first 3 (which are flawless) but can you imagine in Feast for Crows and Dance with Dragons had been released together as a 2,000 page book. I have no doubts that it would be the best of the series.

I don't fault Feast for Crows for not being as good. Like I said it's only half of what book 4 was supposed to be.


As for Robert Jordan and the Wheel of Time. I was such a hardcore Wheel of Time fan for so long. I started reading them when Book 8 had just come out and loved the first 8 with books 1-6 being superb. However since I joined the masses and started playing the waiting game...I have been very dissapointed with book 9, the god-awful book 10, and the average book 11. This series is spiraling into mediocrity which makes me sick considering how much I used to love it.

RJ says that book 12 is the last one even if it has to be 2000 pages but we'll see. He originally said book 6 would be the last one I recall. I just hope he doesn't die before he finishes it because he really is sick.

Should I just wait for Dance with Dragons to come out before I read Feast for Crows? Then just kind of read a few chapters in this one, then a few chapters in the other one???

No. I mean you could because I'm sure there will be people who will figure out the chapter order it would've been in but you don't have to. Instead of using all the characters and chopping the book in half, he did half the characters and told their story in completion.....so book 4 and book 5 are meant to be read in parallel.

 

[noodles]

I can't see how he can finish the series in just one more book; I reckon he's set so much in motion two will be needed to avoid looking like an untidy rush-job. And I'm not at all sure that he has time to write two books (let alone the energy). Fingers crossed that he gets well enough to start writing, but as far as I know he's not written a word for WoT for well over a year now, probably more like 2.

Martin keeps forcing me to re-evaluate who it is I'm supposed to be rooting for. Most fantasy novels have "white hats" and "black hats" (something David Gemmel unashamedly acknowledged, and was loved for it). Martin's characters are all multi-layered, along with his plots. There are a few that (so far) have managed to remain the sort of characters that I thought they were when they were first introduced; most have changed much more substantially (many changing by suddenly being deprived of a pulse).

According to RJ's blog he has been writing the past 2 years a lot but that his illness slows him down to only a couple hours a day instead of the 8 he used to write. www.wotmania.com is a great site for all things wheel of time related.

 

[noodles]

Martin said that there would be 6 books originally and that these would be the titles:

4 - Feast For crows
5 - Dance with Dragons
6 - Winds of Winter

But now with book 4 being split and the 2nd half becoming the original book 5 title, obviously there's going to be atleast 7 books. And given that each book in the series is growing larger, I'm guessing it won't stop at 7 and will probably finish at 10. But honestly as long as the quality of each book is consistant I don't care how long he takes to finish the story but what I absolutely don't want is for him to start stretching the series out and turn it into a cash cow the way RJ did with Wheel of Time. The day I see increased font sizes and wider margins, I'm going to stop being a fan.

 

[RichardD]

Soory - my last post was meant to convey the message that I don't see JORDAN finishing off Wheel of Time in just one book.

I don't care whether Martin's ASoIaF finishes in two more (including Dances) or three, or four. I'm not bored with it yet (though he might run out of nobles before he runs out of steam).

 

[Jormi_Boced]

The thing about Feast for Crows is that it's only half a book. By itself it isn't as good as the first 3 (which are flawless) but can you imagine in Feast for Crows and Dance with Dragons had been released together as a 2,000 page book. I have no doubts that it would be the best of the series.

I don't fault Feast for Crows for not being as good. Like I said it's only half of what book 4 was supposed to be.


As for Robert Jordan and the Wheel of Time. I was such a hardcore Wheel of Time fan for so long. I started reading them when Book 8 had just come out and loved the first 8 with books 1-6 being superb. However since I joined the masses and started playing the waiting game...I have been very dissapointed with book 9, the god-awful book 10, and the average book 11. This series is spiraling into mediocrity which makes me sick considering how much I used to love it.

RJ says that book 12 is the last one even if it has to be 2000 pages but we'll see. He originally said book 6 would be the last one I recall. I just hope he doesn't die before he finishes it because he really is sick.

Should I just wait for Dance with Dragons to come out before I read Feast for Crows? Then just kind of read a few chapters in this one, then a few chapters in the other one???

No. I mean you could because I'm sure there will be people who will figure out the chapter order it would've been in but you don't have to. Instead of using all the characters and chopping the book in half, he did half the characters and told their story in completion.....so book 4 and book 5 are meant to be read in parallel.

Yeah, I Know how he did it. I was just wondering if you thought that would be a good idea, since you expressed disatisfaction with the way he did it.

 

[Hahma]

I'm finally halfway through A Storm Of Swords (I don't get to sit down to read as often as I'd like, so it's taking a while).

I must say that I am really, really loving the way Martin allows for many different viewpoints as to how characters or events are seen/reported in the different kingdoms. The good aren't always as good as they appear and the bad aren't always as bad as they appear. Not unlike the real world where everyone (nation) thinks they are the good guys, yet each can be perceived as evil from others who don't know the entire truth of things or have different ideas of how things should be done.

 

[Joah]

I am about a third of the way through "A Game of Thrones", and it is simply amazing how good this book is.

 

[Hahma]

I am about a third of the way through "A Game of Thrones", and it is simply amazing how good this book is.

Oh just you wait Joah, it gets incredible over the next two books. I'm almost done with A Storm of Swords (third book) and it's soo fracking good. Just you wait Joah, you ain't seen nothing yet!

 

[Jormi_Boced]

AGoT has been by favorite so far. FfC is probably second with SoS in third and CoK in last place. They were all really good though. I can't wait for DoD

 

[Hahma]

AGoT has been by favorite so far. FfC is probably second with SoS in third and CoK in last place. They were all really good though. I can't wait for DoD

Well I've been reading SoS for so long (though have picked up the pace this week) that I can't remember exactly which book somethings happened between first and second. At the moment they are kind of fused together in my mind as just the multitude of happenings prior to SoS. There are certain things in SoS regarding the characters and events that I really like that make me enjoy this book the best of the three so far. I'll read FfC next and then attempt to re-read at least the first two again.

 

[Hahma]

What I find amazing in this series is how initially I am thinking how violent, dark and treacherous this era/setting represents, then I realize that the world that we live in now is not so different. The games, treachery, darkness and fiendeshly violence in the real world might actually make pale those in found in Martin's books. While I was horrified at some of the things that I read, now I'm more horrified that such things go on today in real life.

 

[Joah]

Oh just you wait Joah, it gets incredible over the next two books. I'm almost done with A Storm of Swords (third book) and it's soo fracking good. Just you wait Joah, you ain't seen nothing yet!

Thats what I've heard. I might take a break after "Thrones". There are a couple of other books I've put on the back burner, for a looooong time.
I might not though, I guess I should get to the end first.

 

[Jormi_Boced]

Oh just you wait Joah, it gets incredible over the next two books. I'm almost done with A Storm of Swords (third book) and it's soo fracking good. Just you wait Joah, you ain't seen nothing yet!

Thats what I've heard. I might take a break after "Thrones". There are a couple of other books I've put on the back burner, for a looooong time.
I might not though, I guess I should get to the end first.

I am not sure you will want to take a break when you get to the end