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

[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

 

[Joah]

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

I see what you mean Jormi.

 

[Jormi_Boced]

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

I see what you mean Jormi.

Did you just finish

 

[Joah]

Did you just finish

No, not yet.
Bran just went riding for the first time.
Tyrion is in his "Cell".

Joah wants to call in sick tomorrow.

I just went third person.

 

[Jormi_Boced]

Did you just finish

No, not yet.
Bran just went riding for the first time.
Tyrion is in his "Cell".

Joah wants to call in sick tomorrow.

I just went third person.

Yeah, I had some tough days at work where all I could do was think about what the characters must be doing.

 

[Hahma]

Did you just finish

No, not yet.
Bran just went riding for the first time.
Tyrion is in his "Cell".

Joah wants to call in sick tomorrow.

I just went third person.

Yeah, I had some tough days at work where all I could do was think about what the characters must be doing.

I have less than 100 pages left in Storm Of Swords. Wow! I love how a lot of things are tied together and a lot of truths come out.

 

[Jonathan]

Out of fan loyalty or one upmanship? I don't know. I stopped halfway through the book after Dragon Reborn b/c it sucked.

Hah - that one is my favorite of the series

In more GRRM-related news, did you guys here about the HBO series for ASOIAF in the works? Still very pre-production, but the drool is already starting to flow.

I need to cover my mouth so I make new friends with HBO

 

[InfinityMax]

I am more excited about the HBO show than any show I can remember. I can't remember ever being so excited about television.

 

[Hahma]

I am more excited about the HBO show than any show I can remember. I can't remember ever being so excited about television.

I was just telling my wife that this series would make an awesome movie (trilogy like LOTR), but it would be kind of difficult with all the characters and such. An HBO series would be perfect. Now it's just a question of: "Do I add HBO to my satellite package the year that this series comes out?" or "Do I wait until the sell it as a DVD boxed set?" I'd rather have the boxed set I'm thinking.

I can't wait!

 

[RichardD]

Because it's a character-lead piece, I can really see them pulling off ASoIaF as an HBO series. Fingers crossed.

Although we're likely to whine and moan about some of the casting decisions, not least because we've all built up such strong mental pictures of the characters as we've read the books.

I think I saw somewhere that Martin was hoping that it would be one book per series, instead of trying to do it all in one run. Mmmm. Nice. Probably not achievable, but we can but hope.

This week I have been mostly rooting for Sam.

With some of the things that were hinted at in the prologue to Crows, I can see Dances being rather fun for anyone close to the Maesters.

 

[Jormi_Boced]

I am more excited about the HBO show than any show I can remember. I can't remember ever being so excited about television.

I was just telling my wife that this series would make an awesome movie (trilogy like LOTR), but it would be kind of difficult with all the characters and such. An HBO series would be perfect. Now it's just a question of: "Do I add HBO to my satellite package the year that this series comes out?" or "Do I wait until the sell it as a DVD boxed set?" I'd rather have the boxed set I'm thinking.

I can't wait!

Why not both I know I will be watching on HBO as it comes and buying the box at the end

 

[bushi96]

What a great set of books! On you rrecommendation I went out and bought the first one. Couldnt put it down. Finally, a fantasy book with some character development! And heroes (?) die . Woohoo! How much better can it get?

Two weeks later and I am 1/2 way thru book 2...

 

[Jormi_Boced]

GRRM reading a snippet from Dance with Dragons.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=PrtCIfEKLnA

 

[Hahma]

GRRM reading a snippet from Dance with Dragons.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=PrtCIfEKLnA

Thanks Jormi_Boced. I only have a few pages left in Storm of Swords, so on to the next one soon as I purchase it.

BTW, I really don't like the covers of the books compared to the one that's on the A Game of Thrones that I have. The one I have has, I believe it's Jon, on the cover in a beautiful winter setting. It's the full cover one and not the one with only a partial scenic cover. Did any of the other books get nice covers like that before they changed them to these boring ones?

Edited to remove possible spoiler.

 

[Jormi_Boced]

GRRM reading a snippet from Dance with Dragons.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=PrtCIfEKLnA

Thanks Jormi_Boced. At least I now know that Stannis and Jon make it through A Feast For Crows I only have a few pages left in Storm of Swords, so on to the next one soon as I purchase it.

BTW, I really don't like the covers of the books compared to the one that's on the A Game of Thrones that I have. The one I have has, I believe it's Jon, on the cover in a beautiful winter setting. It's the full cover one and not the one with only a partial scenic cover. Did any of the other books get nice covers like that before they changed them to these boring ones?

You probably should edit your post. Part of what makes ASoIF good is that you never know who is going to die. No matter how major of a character. Just make your spoiler white. Someone accidentally let me know that a character was still alive in FfC, so as I was reading the rest of them, every time he was in a sticky situation, I wasn't worried about him.

 

[Hahma]

GRRM reading a snippet from Dance with Dragons.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=PrtCIfEKLnA

Thanks Jormi_Boced. At least I now know that Stannis and Jon make it through A Feast For Crows I only have a few pages left in Storm of Swords, so on to the next one soon as I purchase it.

BTW, I really don't like the covers of the books compared to the one that's on the A Game of Thrones that I have. The one I have has, I believe it's Jon, on the cover in a beautiful winter setting. It's the full cover one and not the one with only a partial scenic cover. Did any of the other books get nice covers like that before they changed them to these boring ones?

You probably should edit your post. Part of what makes ASoIF good is that you never know who is going to die. No matter how major of a character. Just make your spoiler white. Someone accidentally let me know that a character was still alive in FfC, so as I was reading the rest of them, every time he was in a sticky situation, I wasn't worried about him.

You're right Jormi, I should have thought of that. I revoved it all together.