A Feast for Crows is likely the most divisive part of the ongoing A Song of Ice and Fire series of books. In developing the sequel to the widely loved A Storm of Swords, George R.R. Martin realized that he wouldn't be able to do the five-year time skip he originally envisioned because there was just too much plot in this deep series. However, because he wanted the fourth book to be shorter than A Storm of Swords (which was the longest book yet, an accomplishment of its own given the door-stopper length of these books), the fourth book in the series would need to be split into two more: A Feast for Crows and A Dance with Dragons. Each needed its own complete story, though, so George R.R. Martin decided to split the plot of the books on geographic location: A Feast for Crows would follow King's Landing and the Riverlands, while A Dance with Dragons would follow the North and across the sea in Essos. This meant that each book would have different point of view characters, and many of the fan favorites ended up in A Dance with Dragons, such as Tyrion, Danaerys, and Jon. However, although some of the fan favorite characters are missing, A Feast for Crows is still definitely an entry in this amazing series, and a worthy one at that.

A Feast for Crows follows directly from the end of A Storm of Swords and follows many point of view characters on the south end of Westeros as the War of the Five Kings winds down. Cersei and Jaime are dealing with the loss of their father and taking care of the kingdom, Brienne is sent through the Riverlands to search for Sansa Stark, the Iron Islands lose their king and must find a new one, and Prince Doran in Dorne is also dealing with the loss of his brother in the events of the prior book while other machinations are occurring under his nose. With the expansion to Dorne and more detail in the Iron Islands, a large amount of new point of view characters are brought into play in those areas, though most take up only one or two chapters. Other recurring characters like Cersei and Brienne are now given their own chapters as well, further developing their characters. The plot moves forward in its own way, though it is apparent that this is a middle book. There are no big twists like previous books (the big death of the first book or the Red Wedding of the third), and the plot does often feel like build-up. However, those who enjoy the characters of the series will still enjoy their arcs over the course of the book, while the latter act of the book does build up to some thrilling final chapters that set up the forward progression of the series nicely.

Where A Feast for Crow proves that it is still a worthy member of the series, even if not the best, is its characters: they are still deep and wonderfully written. A vast amount of characters exist in this book, but all of them are rich and believable, from point of view characters to side characters like Robert Arryn, Genna Lannister, or Septon Meribald. The point of view characters are well-developed, often in ways that give us new insight into their characters. For example, we get a better idea of Brienne's upbringing and life back home, and we finally learn what goes on in Cersei's head as she rules the kingdom. Cersei is a highlight of the book, not just because she has the most chapters, but because we learn a new perspective on her and learn why she is the way she is, but in a way that still takes care to keep her as unlikable as ever, if not more so. Character interactions and relationships are also still strong, especially the growth of Jaime and the way his relationship with Cersei develops, or breaks, over the course of the book. The deep characters are one of the series' greatest strengths, and that doesn't change here.

Another of the series' strengths is strong writing and excellent world building, and both are here. A Feast for Crows continues to have well-written dialogue. Martin is a master at crafting wonderful monologues that hit hard and scenes that close out a chapter leaving us wanting more (only to have to wait until the next chapter from that character). The prose is great as well, whether it is describing drool-inducing meals, gorgeous fashion, or imaginative locations. The world of A Song of Ice and Fire is rich in a way that takes the best cues from Tolkien, but understands what it was that made Middle-earth such a beautiful setting without just cloning Middle-earth. We get new developments about Westerosi culture, from Dorne to the Iron Islands, and even a little bit across the Narrow Sea. This cultural development also continues the intelligent themes and motifs of the series while focusing on some new ones. A Feast for Crows delves into how a medieval society treats women and the roles it puts them, religion, the mystery of magic, and the ever-present politics in ruling a kingdom ("the game of thrones").

This is a hard book to rate and review, because many may still have different feelings. Mechanically, the pieces are still there, the characters and the world are still well developed in a truly Martin way. However, the absence of characters like Tyrion, Jon, and Danaerys and lack of or minimal progression on some of the overarching story lines of the series (such as the Wall or Danaerys' journey back to Westeros) may leave this book as "that one you have to get through" for some readers. However, those willing to wait for those characters, and take in this book as it is, will still find a book that is definitely a part of the series and well worth a read.

I recently completed a re-read of this book and came away with such a hugely differing opinion from my first time through that I thought it important to encapsulate my thoughts here before they fade away with time.

Upon my first read I was struck with a similar feeling to those critical of the book; namely that I didn't care about these new (or previously secondary) characters, and that the plot moved too slowly and "nothing happens". Clearly, my expectations coming into the book during both of my reads served to enhance my reaction. The first time through I had just finished A Storm Of Swords, in which nearly 1,300 pages flash by in an instant thanks to the plot moving at the speed of light. So much happens in that book. And AFFC is its polar opposite in terms of pacing and what it's focused on. ASOS is hurtling you through the climax of the War of the Five Kings, the instability of the Night's Watch and the Battle at the Wall, and Daenerys's aggressive escapades in the East. Even the more slowly paced chapters, such as the Arya chapters, are highlighted with some great, pulse-pounding moments, such as Sandor Clegane's trial in Hollow Hill. The book is full of climactic moments; I almost consider it to be the conclusion of A Song Of Ice And Fire's first arc. It's fantastic.

A Feast For Crows, then, is not so much Martin beginning to pick up the pieces the first three novels have tossed around and establishing the beginning of the plot arcs for coming books (though he is certainly doing that), but Martin giving us a middle chapter in which we take a breath, look around, and survey all the chaos that has been wrought by the characters we've been following up until this point. Up until now, the focus has remained very deep and detailed; we're watching these characters' actions from the inside of their heads, primarily concerned with how they're going to attempt to accomplish their goals. AFFC sharply changes that.

More than half of this book takes place in the eyes of Brienne (8/46 chapters), Cersei (10/46 chapters), and Jaime (7/46 chapters). Instead of each chapter taking place with characters across the globe from one another, we're now centered in Westeros' very core, with Cersei ruling King's Landing, Jaime spending time in King's Landing and the neighboring Riverlands, and Brienne wandering the Crownlands and the Riverlands. These areas have been hard hit by the war. The common people of the Westerlands, the Riverlands, and the Crownlands bore the brunt of the war, as you might expect. Entire villages are gone, burned lumps of ash sacked and looted, their people executed and raped for no real reason other than a Lannister, Stark, Frey, or whomever patrol had come through. But it's been bad for the "haves" of this society as well. Landed knights, minor lords, and even some great and storied Westerosi noble houses have had their holdings burned around them and their granaries cleaned out by passing armies leaving them to starve in the coming winter. Entire great houses that have been around for thousands of years are extinguished. One of the major points of this novel is that things are bad amongst everyone in Westeros, even the victors. Well, except maybe the crows. Hence the title.

The plot does progress, albeit far more slowly than in any of the previous novels. The war is winding down, the climactic moments have occurred, and the victors are cleaning up what little resistance remains. So why did I enjoy this book so much? What fills the hole that all of these awesome, climactic moments have left?

A Feast For Crows is the most atmospheric of all the novels in the series up to this point. Martin's writing has clearly improved from the initial novel in the series, and he lets it shine here. This series features some of best character and dialogue writing in all genre fiction, and it's on full display in this book. There are several instances in this book in which the dialogue was so excellent, I had to set it down and remark aloud:

- Aemon Targaryen, 102-years old and dying, waking from a fitful sleep to address his long-dead brother; "Egg? I dreamed I was old."

- Septon Meribald's "broken man" speech putting into perspective how hellish the prospect of war actually is for Westeros' serf class.

- Thoros of Myr lamenting upon what war has done to the brotherhood; "We were king’s men, knights, and heroes... but some knights are dark and full of terror, my lady. War makes monsters of us all."

- Mya Stone describing her memories of Robert Baratheon's love for her prior to his abandonment, and how she was raised by the mountains of the Eyrie after he left.

This book is Martin's rumination upon why war is so terrible, why it's a net-negative for all of those involved. Nobody has come out of the War of the Five Kings in a better place than when they've started. The losers, obviously not. But even the victors. Their granaries are empty. Family members have died in the war or are marrying people they hate to bury the hatchet with previously rival houses. Vast swaths of lands and holdings have been destroyed. And while all of this death and destruction could have made a book like this a bleak slog of a read, Martin's consistently excellent mise en scène alleviates that problem, as does his inclusion of many minor characters who serve to heighten the story past what it could have been. The moments of beauty and hopefulness present in this novel contrast more sharply given their context.

I understand that Martin's decision to split the narrative between this and A Dance With Dragons was a difficult one, but I really enjoy that A Feast For Crows stands on its own as his treatise on why war is such a terrible thing. It's a well-written, atmospheric treat for anyone who's a fan of this world, and coming into this novel a second time while knowing what to expect allowed me to enjoy it far more than I did the first time. The more I read, the more I found myself melting into its world, passively experiencing its characters and its setting, and becoming wholly immersed in what Martin has created. I didn't need the bombastic foolishness of the HBO series, or the climactic battles of the previous novel, or pulse-quickening episodes of single combat. I was too busy being enveloped in the pine trees gently rustling in the wind as Brienne, Pod, and Dick Crabb slowly meandered their way through the woods of Crackclaw Point. I was skipping alongside Arya as she explored the quiet canals of Braavos at night under a full moon. Or with Jaime and his pensiveness in Castle Darry as a fire crackles in the corner and the Autumn wind howls against the shutters. Reading A Feast For Crows is like watching one of those 10-hour long YouTube ambiance videos and sipping on hot wine while thinking about something as profound and serious as what total war says about humanity as a whole and does to humans as individuals, and I love that about it. What it lacks in explosiveness, it makes up for in subtlety and its impeccable craft. If that sounds boring to you, then you probably won't like this. But if you love Westeros as much as I do, you'll probably enjoy this book for what it is.

TL;DR -- 4 stars for ASOIAF fans like myself who enjoy just "being" in this world, 3 stars for others who aren't as infatuated with Martin's world due to the slower plotting.

Expectations were without a doubt going to be high coming off of what many people (including myself) considered to be the best novel in the series: A Storm of Swords. Perhaps the expectations were impossibly high. Too high for any author to meet, including George Martin. With some of the decisions that Martin had to make for this book to come out at all, there was likely to be some vocal backlash from certain fans. (In an attempt to not regurgitate a summary of A Feast for Crows, which many of people have already done. I will focus on how the novel compares to previous books, and try and quell reader's fears.)

The problem proved to be what most people predicted at the end of A Storm of Swords: the series got too damn big. Although there are many fantasy series out there with more books in them. I mean look at Robert Jordan, his novels have managed to span fourteen volumes, not including the prequel novel, and a companion book. I'm pretty certain that he is in large part the reason for deforestation. Not to mention the likes of Piers Anthony (whom I am very fond of) and select other authors who don't seem to understand the word "ending". However, unlike many other fantasy authors that seem to fill half of the novels with mere bloating tactics, while their ongoing plot arches are paper-thin and miles wide. Martin develops A Song of Ice and Fire, with a scope that is unmatched by any author. If you want depth, you're looking at the Mariana trench of fantasy sagas. It is safe to say that A Song of Ice and Fire didn't just raise fantasy's literary bar, it became the standard for which everyone else must try and match.

With A Feast for Crows, Martin found himself faced with the insurmountable odds of tying in characters and story lines, which after half a decade of buildup, ended up with him cutting it in half. The unfinished storylines and their characters were simply held off until the next book in the series, A Dance with Dragons. Feast's length is closer to that of A Game of Thrones than Storm, which might make some people disappointed after such a long wait. But I think it was a better choice for the story - or to put it more aptly, this installment of the story. Considering that Feast was originally supposed to be two times longer, its most impressive quality is that it flows so smoothly together, and how concise the narrative remains.

As the story opens, the reader is introduced with a flurry of new characters (a necessary device, considering that most of the characters from the first three novels are now dead), some minor characters are now prominent figures, and several chapters that detail the relative calm across the land following the calamity of war. The best part, for me anyways, is that some of the new point of view characters recap key plots that may have slipped many readers' minds over the series.

Some readers might be disappointed that we don't see much of the bloody and violent action of previous volumes in Feast. There is a lot of exposition, as Martin has to bring us up speed on not only characters we remember, but also on the new ones he's introducing. Martin obviously has a skill for worldcraft with compelling storytelling that remains virtually unchallenged in fantasy, but it also comes with, what many consider a down side. Many of the characters have lengthy discussions of politics, both present and historical. Like I said, many people believe this to be the worst part of the book. However, I felt that it was the most interesting. There is something to be said for the level of painstaking detail of history that Martin placed into his novel.

If A Feast for Crows is only a transitional volume in this gigantic saga, it is still a story told with as much passion and humanity as Martin has brought to any previous volume. And it adds much detail and texture to an already rich and layered world. The choices of what to cut and what to hold back obviously were not easy ones, considering the book's long and frustrating gestation. But readers who have managed to avoid building up unrealistic expectations will find that Martin has brought his story to a necessary, believable, and appropriate pass. In the aftermath of catastrophic war, in the endless, vain and violent quest for power and more power, no matter whose banners are flying at the end of the day, there are no real winners. Except the crows.

Five Stars

P.S. I know that many people have written about how you could skip the Cersei chapters. DO NOT DO SO!!! You would be doing yourself a great disservice. She is without a doubt the most interesting character in this particular novel.

After finishing Book 3, Storm of Swords, I was emotionally drained. So much happens in such a short time to characters you care about. When I flipped through Book 4 to browse the chapter headings, I was worried. No Tyrion, no Danaerys, no Jon Snow, no Bran. That was troubling. But there are a number of reasons I ended up loving this installment. To start, I think the pace needed to slow down from the first three books. This is the lull before the storm that is clearly coming when Danaerys makes her way to Westeros. I think what Martin is trying to do is to show us the entire world he's created. Not just House Stark and Lannister and Targaeryon. I wouldn't want the story to come to completion without understanding as much of the world as I could. Of course, that only works if you find the characters he creates interesting and compelling. Obviously, a lot of reviewers (amateur and professional) didn't. But I did. I loved learning more about Dorne, getting to know Arianne and Prince Doran, getting more of the Iron Islanders, those sick, Drowned-God-loving lunatics. I was captivated by Arya's journey in Braavos, as well as Sam's odyssey and Brienne's. For some reason, I just enjoy the characters Martin creates--and he creates a lot of them. But each time I think, "Oh, no, not another new character," I become enthralled with their story. The thing about the people Martin creates is they don't always do what you'd like them to do, but they always do what their character demands. Some grow, and some don't. And I found the chapters from Cersei's point of view fantastic. I mean, holy cow, she's got some issues. And her comeuppance is sweet (although I keep suspecting, of course, that the Frog's prophesy is really about Danaerys and not Margaery). If you didn't enjoy reading the Cersei chapters, I don't know what to tell you. At the same time, I found Jaime's growth--and growing disaffection from Cersei--to be just as compelling.

One other thing that I think Martin is trying to do in Book 4 is to show, after the vicarious thrills of battle depicted in the first three books, the true cost of war. The author was (I believe) a conscientious objector during Vietnam, and I think he's trying to sober us up a little bit to the realities of what this conflict has wrought throughout the realm. The slaughter of innocents during wartime is not a 20th-century innovation. Anyone who's read anything about the 100 Years' War can't help but pick up on the similarities (the rape, pillage, and burning; the roving bands of brigands threatening anyone in their path, even entire towns; the complete descent into lawlessness; the common people resorting to religious fanaticism, etc.). Some of Brienne's experiences on the road and the people she meets along the way beautifully illustrate that.

Having said that, I can understand why so many people have dismissed this book. (If you look at the Amazon reviews for Books 1-3, they're about 95% five stars. Books 4 and 5 are split evenly between one, two, three, four, and five stars.) All I can say is that, if your expectation for Book 4 is another installment just like Book 3, this will disappoint you. As for me, even though some of my favorite characters from the first three books were absent, I still loved this book. I know we'll get back to Tyrion and Danaerys, etc., so I wasn't worried and just enjoyed the journey. Also, I appreciated the slowing down of the pace and learning a lot more about the history and mythology of Westeros and the east. As for the complaints that much of the narrative is unnecessary, I'm a little perplexed. If you didn't get that Dorne is going to play a huge role in the coming conflict, you need to reread those chapters. Same goes for Victarion Greyjoy. And no doubt Brienne and Jaime's relationship will play a crucial role as their paths are bound to intersect again.

If you don't like reading all that detail, I guess you could just wait for season 4 of the HBO series. I plan on enjoying both, because even a TV series as great as Game of Thrones can't convey what the books can (and do). For me, I thoroughly enjoyed A Feast for Crows and can't wait to start A Dance with Dragons.

A Feast for Crows picks up where A Storm of Swords leaves off, and the events run concurrently with the next book, A Dance with Dragons. As usual with the Song of Ice and Fire books, George R.R. Martin’s great use of multiple POV’s weaves a grim tale set within the tumultuous lands of Westeros and Essos.

No chapters for Jon, Tyrion, and Daenerys in this one. The story follows the points of view from Cersei, Brienne, Jamie, Sansa, Arya, Asha, Sam, Littlefinger, and more. Brienne of Tarth on her search for Sansa, and Arya’s voyage to Braavos to find the Many-Faced God are some of the best chapters here. Victarion Greyjoy, younger brother of Balon Greyjoy, and Lord Captain of the Iron Fleet, has been mentioned several times throughout the series. He makes his POV debut in A Feast for Crows, and reportedly has a POV in The Winds of Winter. I hope so. This is my favorite chapter, and I'm curious about his role in the next book.

A Feast for Crows can be a slow-burn at times. It is a hefty book with 753 pages, appendixes included. But don’t worry, Martin’s masterful storytelling and character development will hook you in. Characters to get invested in, only to be killed off later, is part of the charm. You know it is coming, but it still shocks you when it happens. People say this is the worst book in the series, and I think they are out of their minds. But seriously, everyone is entitled to their opinion, and I can see why, with everybody's favorite trio of Jon, Tyrion, and Daenerys, especially Tyrion for me, not leading the way. Brienne, Jamie, and Arya’s character arcs are some of the best in the entire series. All in all, a great book and a must-have for the diehard!

NB: You should have read the first three books prior to reading this review.

Summary: The weakest book in the series, though not necessarily a bad book. Lots (too many) of new characters, many of whom seem redudant/uninteresting. Pages per chapter rate is too high. The book gets better as you move through it, but does not come close to Storm of Swords.

Even before I read into this book's development, I could tell that it was a poorly planned book. In the previous three, Martin's writing always feels as though it has a purpose. You can tell the story is going somewhere, even if you can't tell where. The twists come, but they are not cheap twists. They fit into the context of the story and you can understand characters' motivations. In this book, several twists come to mind that make me think, "why?". Perhaps I will find out in the next book (I have not read it yet). In general, though, the chapters and the story seem to be moving without purpose. Sure, things happen, but they are not especially exciting.

Part of this problem can be traced to the characters. About 2/3 of the perspectives are new; this would not be a problem if these were perspectives of characters we had seen very often. Three of them, I believe, have never appeared in the books aside from descriptions or references. Several others we have met briefly. Too many are unfamiliar. Some are introduced and then disappear for long stretches of the book. And then there is Cersei. By far, she takes up the most room in this book. Martin has done a good job of casting unlikable characters in a sympathetic light once we are introduced to their perspective. We may still dislike them, but we understand their motivations better. So, I was interested to get a look into Cersei's mind. Unfortunately, she is just as one-dimensional in this book as she is in the others. The big reveal, where we learn what motivates her, comes slowly and isn't fully realized until near the end of the book, but it's fairly disappointing. That's why she is how she is?

Martin also uses this bizarre naming convention for his chapters, whereby some characters are referred to by their name, some by their title, some by their alias, and some by a random descriptor. So, Arya has assumed about 10 different names throughout the books thus far, but suddenly her chapters are renamed to fit the name she takes in this book. You'll meet a new character in Dorne, the captain of Prince Doran's Guards, so he is called the The Captain of the Guards. Meanwhile, Jaime, who is now the Lord Commander of the Kingsguard, is still just Jaime. Then there is another character is described at one point with a reference to her current situation. That is, every other chapter name (alias, given name, title) could be considered a proper title to be used in greeting the character, with one exception. Why? I don't know. Oh, they change throughout the book. So, you meet a ton of new characters and then when you reach their second or third chapter have to spend a paragraph discrerning who this chapter is about. The most glaring example of this is found in the second half of the book when the alias used as the chapter name fits two different characters.

And yet the book is still good, as far as books go. Some of the new perspectives are interesting, picking up storylines from book three that you hoped would not be dropped. I have heard people say they do not enjoy Arya's chapters as much in this book, but I still found her to be as interesting as ever. Meanwhile, and this is a testament to Martin's writing as I wouldn't have imagined this in the first book, Sansa is starting to rival Arya as one of my favorite characters. The book hits it's high water mark near the end in a quite unlikely place. You will know it when you get there as a smile might creep across your face.

Whew, this is a tough book to review simply because it doesn't follow on the expectations of the readers after A STORM OF SWORDS.

Now some people are already saying that the book is horrible and a great letdown and others go to the other extreme and hold faithfully that it's just as good as the previous books.

I don't feel either take is fair or accurate.

To be fair, yes, the book doesn't move like the previous books, especially a STORM OF SWORDS. There are simply not the same level of WHAM BAM big moments nor shocking realizations (i.e. who killed Jon Arryn?). Additionally, some of the favorite characters of readers, like Jon, Dany and Tyrion, are not in this novel. Lastly, there are two new main POVs so we need to adjust to those. BTW, since other readers are spoiling the mystery POVs, did most of you notice that Brienne is apparently a descendant of Dunk from THE HEDGE KNIGHT. Pretty kewl. :)

Getting back to the debate, remember that:

(1) This is only half of a mega-sized book. GRRM is putting out only half of it and the other half is going to be in the next book. So, in essence, for those complaining he's taking too long, this is like four books as the average novel is 400 pages. Additionally, remember the guy has been writing for something like 30 + years and he's finally getting national acclaim. He has been asked to write scripts to some of his old novels, there's a game based on his series that he looked over, he's also gone over the HEDGE KNIGHT comic strip, he's written two novelettes on the hedge knight, hes been asked to attend dozens upon dozens of readings at various book/convention events (and, most recently, the prestigious one in D.C. where he was asked to give a long speech), he tends to answer the emails he gets from everyone which is in the thousands, he taught at the Odyssey program for about six weeks back east, etc. Most of these in the last two years.

So, bully for him as he's getting more acknowledgements but keep in mind the guy has said he can't write except back in New Mexico. Things are going to go slower; and

(2) While several of the POVs don't have resolutions, also keep in mind that they may show up in the next book with all those WHAM BAM moments everyone is seeking. Additionally, it probably isn't fair to view this as a stand alone simply because book four and five are like one book. The reason he broke it up, per his webpage at [...], is that his publishers demanded he get it out. For all we know, book four may be the midpoint of the story and book five is going to have a lot of climaxes.

AFFC is really a come down from several climaxes. As the dust settles, lots of information is shared. There's a great deal of focus on characters. Lots and lots of characters, even if fleeting. As a result, not as much seems to happen. To some, this might be seen as meanderings, and, well, yes, some of it probably is. lol For those who want to know more about the world, here's your chance. Just don't expect it to be like ASOS.

I remember several complaints by earlier reviewers of previous books that there wasn't enough about context and almost nothing about the religion of the times. People complained that one would think the religion would have a greater impact and political power base than shown in the last three books. Well, you get it in this book. Big time.

Another thing to keep in mind: there are probably about 35-50% more character POVs simply because there are several small focuses on various characters all over the globe. We get a lot of focus on Dorne and the Iron Isles as well as King's Landing. There are sprinklings in other areas, too, like Oldtown and where Brienne travels (i.e. don't want to spoil it so I won't say where).

As result, these characters slows the story down from having big moments because there's more to tell.

While I get this is probably the least popular book of the four, assuming we were to take a tally, I still feel GRRM is the best living fantasy author out there if you want tales that don't overuse archetypes and have complex characters and plots.

I challenge anyone to email me to suggest a better author.

On that note, for people who haven't read the previous books, here's why GRRM is a superb writer from my previous review on ASOS:

First off, I'm a heavy duty fan of GRRM. I've read over a 100 different fantasy authors in my time (started at 12; I'm now 32). Took about 5 years off from the genre b/c I felt it was all getting too formulaic and cliched. Typical archetype character who turns out to be the missing heir or boy wonder who saves the world against the Dark Lord.

So, when I came back to fantasy at the end of 1999, I read the usual: Goodkind, Jordan, etc. and then someone told me about GRRM and man, that was the kicker!

Here are the reasons to choose GRRM. I've also listed the reasons not to choose him to make it fair b/c I know their are certain personalities who won't like this series:

WHY TO READ GRRM

(1) YOU ARE TIRED OF FORMULAIC FANTASY: good lad beats the dark lord against impossible odds; boy is the epitome of good; he and all his friends never die even though they go through great dangers . . . the good and noble king; the beautiful princess who falls in love with the commoner boy even though their stations are drastically different . . . the dark lord is very evil and almost one sided at times . . . you get the idea. After reading this over and over, it gets old.

(2) YOU ARE TIRED OF ALL THE HEROES STAYING ALIVE EVEN THOUGH THEY ARE UNDER CONSTANT DANGER: this gets even worse where the author kills a main hero off but that person comes back later in the story. Or, a hero does die but magic brings him back.

This sometimes carries to minor characters where even they may not die, but most fantasy authors like to kill them off to show that some risked the adventure and perished.

(3) YOU ARE A MEDIEVAL HISTORY BUFF: this story was influenced by the WARS OF THE ROSES and THE HUNDRED YEARS WAR.

(4) YOU LOVE SERIOUS INTRIGUE WITHOUT STUPID OPPONENTS: lots of layering; lots of intrigue; lots of clever players in the game of thrones. Unlike other fantasy novels, one side, usually the villain, is stupid or not too bright.

(5) YOU ARE INTERESTED IN BIASED OPINIONS AND DIFFERENT TRUTHS: GRRM has set this up where each chapter has the title of one character and the whole chapter is through their viewpoint. Interesting tidbit is that you get their perception of events or truths. But, if you pay attention, someone else will mention a different angle of truth in the story that we rarely see in other novels. Lastly and most importantly, GRRM doesn't try to tell us which person is right in their perception. He purposelly leaves it vague so that we are kept guessing.

(6) LEGENDS: some of the most interesting characters are those who are long gone or dead. We never get the entire story but only bits and pieces; something that other fantasy authors could learn from to heighten suspense. Additionally, b/c the points of views are not congruent, we sometimes get different opinions.

(7) WORDPLAY: if you're big on metaphors and description, GRRM is your guy. Almost flawless flow.

(8) LOTS OF CONFLICT: all types, too; not just fighting but between characters through threats and intrigue.

(9) MULTILAYERED PLOTTING; SUB PLOTS GALORE: each character has their own separate storyline; especially as the story continues and everyone gets scattered. This is one of the reasons why each novel is between 700-900 pages.

(10) SUPERLATIVE VARIED CHARACTERS: not the typical archetypes that we are used to in most fantasy; some are gritty; few are totally evil or good; GRRM does a great job of changing our opinions of characters as the series progress. This is especially true of Jaime in book three.

(11) REALISTIC MEDIEVAL DIALOGUE: not to the point that we can't understand it but well done.

(12) HEAPS OF SYMOBLISM AND PROPHECY: if you're big on that.

(13) EXCELLENT MYSTERIES: very hard to figure out the culprits; GRRM must have read a lot of mystery novels.

(14) RICHLY TEXTURED FEMALE CHARACTERS: best male author on female characters I have read; realistic on how women think, too.

(15) LOW MAGIC WORLD: magic is low key; not over the top so heroes can't get out of jams with it.

REASON TO NOT READ GRRM

(1) YOU LIKE YOUR MAIN CHARACTERS: GRRM does a good job of creating more likeable characters after a few die. But, if that isn't your style, you shouldn't be reading it. He kills off several, not just one, so be warned.

(2) DO NOT CARE FOR GRITTY GRAY CHARACTERS: if you like more white and gray characters, this may unsettle you. I suggest Feist or Goodkind or Dragonlance if you want a more straight forward story with strong archetypes.

(3) MULTIPLE POINTS OF VIEWS TURN YOU OFF: if you prefer that the POVS only go to a few characters, this might be confusing for you.

(4) SWEARING, SEX: there's a lot of it in this book just as there is in real life. If you have delicate ears, this book may upset you.

(5) YOU DEMAND CLOSURE AT THE END OF EVERY BOOK: this isn't the case for all stories in the series. Some are still going on; some have been resolved; others have been created and are moving on.

(6) IF YOU WANT A TARGET OR SOMEONE TO BLAME: this can be done to some extent but not as much. This is b/c he doesn't try to make anyone necessarily good or evil.

(7) ARCHETYPES: some readers like archetypal characters because it's comfortable; we like the good young hero (sort of like Pug in Feist's THE RIFTWAR SAGA); it's familiar and we sometimes like to pretend we're this upcoming, great hero. You wont' get much of this in GRRM with the exception of one or two characters. There really aren't any super heroes compared to all the other characters as it's more grittier and no one is shooting fireballs every milisecond or carrying around some super powerful sword.

(8) LENGTH: you don't want to get into a long fantasy epic series. In that case, look for shorters works as this is biiig.

(9) PATRIARCHY: men are most of the main characters with lots of power (one female exception). While this is realistic of the medieval era, some readers may not prefer this if they want more girl power, so to speak.

By the way, if you don't want to commit to a big book until you know the author better, check out his short story, THE HEDGE KNIGHT, in LEGENDS.

For many years, I held off starting this series because of the negative reviews and complaints. But after enough friends compared the series to The Wire in terms of scope and complexity, I realized that I had to give it a shot. Now I believe that this series represents one of the masterworks in the fantasy genre. There is nothing I can add to the positive reviews but I would like to address the negative reviews. If you look closely you will realize there are very few bad reviews, ONLY BAD REVIEWERS!!! The vast majority of negative reviews can be broken down into a few groups:

BAD REVIEWERS GROUP ONE: Children (emotionally or mentally).

I stopped reading fantasy books in my early twenties because they are, by and large, childish and simplistic. Some reviewers complain that they don't like the characters or can not identify with the characters Mr. Martin has created. I can only assume that these people want HEROES and VILLAINS. To those reviewers I say - stick with Disney films. The characters created by Mr. Martin are complex and ambiguous. In fact, many of the characters I hated in the first book, I found myself rooting for by the third book.

BAD REVIEWERS GROUP TWO: Impatient amusement park riders.

I will be the first to admit that it is hard to wait to find out what happens next. But people who want Mr Martin to "finish the series" seem to be operating under the faulty assumption that this series will end in some glorious conclusion that ties everything together. I have no such expectation. This is not Lord of the Rings. Good will not eternally triumph over evil and justice will not be granted for everyone. If that is what you are looking for, then you are craven and should return to your childish fairy-tales!

BAD REVIEWERS GROUP THREE: The Choose your own adventurers.

By books three and four you will notice more and more reviewers complaining about which characters Mr. Martin focuses on. Rarely, if ever, do they complain about the quality of the prose or the rich detail of this world Martin has created. Usually their reviews can be boiled down to - "I want to know what happens to so and so right now!" They also like to complain that some chapters are just filler that do not relate to the story. It seems to me that this complaint is premature until the series is complete. Minor characters in the first book are major characters in the third book and some characters disappear in the first book only to pop up again in the third. With this in mind I will assume that these filler characters or the information revealed in their chapters is relevant to later parts of the story. If you like a chef, you will be excited to eat whatever he dishes up. Not all of the meals will be to your taste but what you enjoy is the chef's creativity and boldness, not a specific flavor. This group of bad reviewers loved the first meal dished out and now they want everything to taste the same - To them I say - stick with Taco Bell! That way you always know what you are getting.

BAD REVIEWERS GROUP FOUR: The Kindle reviews.

Reviews regarding kindle formatting have no place amidst the book reviews. And some of these people complain that the kindle version should never cost more than the paperback version. I would argue that having all of the books in a slender little device is an added bonus that is worth something in-and-of-itself. Just imagine trying to travel with all five books!

If you have the patience and maturity to go on this journey then I urge you to do so. Leave your expectations at the door and let the story unfold as it will. If you are going to read a story that is thousands of pages long, I would hope you are there for the journey, not the destination. For the rest of you, enjoy your Disney/taco bell/fairy-tales.

Thank you, Mr. Martin for creating such a rich and surprising world. I am along for the ride, wherever it leads, and for however long it lasts!

It's kinde handbook actualy if you want to read this also add to basket a magnifying glass

A capa não chega a ser dura, mas é de material resistente. As folhas são ótimas pois não são no estilo “página de Bíblia”, então são resistentes também.

Arte da capa é linda. Recomendo.

I loved the second and third instalments of the series but I wasn't expecting to enjoy this as much considering how this was split into two parallel time-lines (continuing in book 5). Thoroughly enjoyed the book in spite of the split in story lines.

I almost didn't buy this book because of the negative reviews and the litany of complaints about the quality of this book compared with the first three. I'm glad I wasn't swayed. True, some of the prominent characters from the first three books (who still survive) are missing, notably Tyrion and Daenerys as POV characters; but they are there in spirit and their (mis)deeds continue to influence the actions of the other main characters. With them missing, and a number of other characters killed off, who supplies the POV? Well, a number of new characters, sometimes only inhabiting one chapter; but unlike some reviewers I found that the new characters added a new dimension to the book, which together with the flashbacks to times long gone, added flesh to the bones of a rip-roaring adventure to make it a true classic.

The landscape is as dark and dreary as before but with new horrors. Perhaps the most understated is Qyburn, who carries out unspeakable acts in the deep dungeons of Kings Landing - well, maybe not always unspeakable, as some of the torture scenes are described in horrible detail. As always decapitated heads, rotting flesh, maiming, disfigurement and cannibalism are well covered in the writing, brought into vivid contrast by descriptions of juicy oranges being enjoyed in Sunspear the capital of Dorne. Meanwhile we get an in depth look at the Ironborn people, with their fiercely proud but cruel code of conduct. This is typified by the idea that going to sea without wearing full armour is craven because it shows that you are afraid of drowning; a novel, but somewhat warped concept!

One of the key elements in this book is the emphasis given to the different religions and their growing importance, which first became apparent in "A Clash of Kings" with the murder of Renly. Also, the divide between the living and dead is becoming blurred (Watch out for The Hangwoman!), possibly paving the way for fresh horrors from beyond the wall in the next books of the series.

Apart from the price of the Kindle edition, the only other area in which I would agree with some of the negative reviews is the complexity of the plot and the vast number of characters, often with similar names. To make it even worse, a couple of the characters change their name, and in one case the new name is used as a POV character. To follow all of this you either have to have an excellently organised memory, or read the book in one mammoth session. Failing that, do as I did - cheat! The only way I can manage the books in this series is to read them with a concordance alongside. As I mentioned in a previous review I have found a couple of Apps for the iPhone which work well for me. Game of Thrones - Wiki (online) and Game of Thrones Companion (offline). By occasionally referring to one, or both of these, I can just about keep my head above water (no reference to the Ironborn intended) and enjoy this masterpiece.

Great book but the shipping was horrible.