A song of ice and fire

[MrCarrot]

[Hemzoozlefluff*]

I've just ordered the first book on the strength of all the enthusiasm for the series I've seen on here! DO NOT DISAPPOINT ME FORUMITES.

[Talvalin]

Er, you do realise that the series hasn't actually been completed right and that there's a distinct possibility that Martin, like Robert Jordan, will drop dead before he finishes the last two books?

I'm only saying this to prepare you for possible disappointment further down the line. In the meantime, enjoy what's available as it's all really good.

[Rudi von Starnberg]

Apart from the sex scenes which are almost all awful!

[Wickedkitten]

Tell you what, I'm glad I've read all four books in the past couple of weeks. If I had gotten to the end of A Feast of Crows, saw that the next book might be out next year, look further down and saw June 2005,, and then had to wait 6 years and a month for A Dance of Dragons, I probably would have been annoyed.. Mind I did read that he did have a hell of a lot of it written but then scrapped it and started from scratch. I do actually think (and am probably wrong\) that I know who the other two heads of the dragon will be.

[Hemzoozlefluff*]

Er, you do realise that the series hasn't actually been completed right and that there's a distinct possibility that Martin, like Robert Jordan, will drop dead before he finishes the last two books?

I'm only saying this to prepare you for possible disappointment further down the line. In the meantime, enjoy what's available as it's all really good.

It's too late....the book has arrived!

I will be back.

[dreamylittledream]

Er, you do realise that the series hasn't actually been completed right and that there's a distinct possibility that Martin, like Robert Jordan, will drop dead before he finishes the last two books?

I'm only saying this to prepare you for possible disappointment further down the line. In the meantime, enjoy what's available as it's all really good.

Not neccesarily such an awful thing - it terms of actually finishing and improving the series Jordan's death was the best thing that oculd have happened to The Wheel of Time saga - the first two Brandon Sanderson volumes (with one more to follow) have been released on schedule and have been much better than the preceeding couple of series entries penned by Jordan.

If the show takes off and Martin dies before the books are completed I suspect something similar might occur - in fact I'd nominate Joe Abercrombie for the task should it be needed

(not that I'm wishing Martin dead here - I'd prefer him just to sort his workrate out and perhaps calm down some of the more sprawling plotlines from the later volumes...)

[dreamylittledream]

Tell you what, I'm glad I've read all four books in the past couple of weeks. If I had gotten to the end of A Feast of Crows, saw that the next book might be out next year, look further down and saw June 2005,, and then had to wait 6 years and a month for A Dance of Dragons, I probably would have been annoyed.. Mind I did read that he did have a hell of a lot of it written but then scrapped it and started from scratch. I do actually think (and am probably wrong\) that I know who the other two heads of the dragon will be.

Welcome to my world.

Although on the bright side the new book and the show gives me an excuse to re-read the series again from scratch...

[minkee]

I seem to remember reading, linked from on here somewhere no doubt, that Martin has said that under no circumstances will anyone else be allowed to finish his series. The bastard just better finish it then.

[Rudi von Starnberg]

Yes, it was at some point last year I believe when all the calls of FINISH THE BOOK GEORGE got too much for him and he posted a ranting blog post on his 'Not A Blog' about how he would have all his notes burned if he died before finishing it.

[csuzw]

After reading the massive book spoiler I'm now wondering if I did actually read book 4. I definitely own it and can't think why I wouldn't have but some of the stuff mentioned doesn't ring any bells at all. Guess I'm going to have to go back and read the books again

[MrCarrot]

My god. I've just finished book 4 and finally felt safe to read some of the stuff about the series out there on the web. I've just run into the R+L=J speculation and mind = blown

I'd never even considered that

Jon might not be Ned's. There was obviously something fishy about what lead to Robert's rebellion and how Lyanna died, but did she die in childbirth?

I'm just glad I don't have to wait 6 years for the next part.

[Zappster]

On the subject of the next book, it appears that there's a preorder promotion on in waterstones, whereby you get A Dance with Dragons plus another book, Prince of Thorns free. The latter is supposedly a promising debut novel by Mark Lawrence and which isn't out until August. I believe you're given an ARC of it when you preorder Dance.

[The Boatman]

This is true - you're also guaranteed to get ADWD for half price, the same as Amazon are currently selling it at.

[Looper]

Japanese covers for the books. I love the look of Tyrion!

[The Fox]

My god. I've just finished book 4 and finally felt safe to read some of the stuff about the series out there on the web. I've just run into the R+L=J speculation and mind = blown

My girlfriend read the books before me and as I was reading ACoK, she asked me if I'd read the bit with Dany's visions and I said yes. Then she asked me who the woman and baby were with Rhaegar and I said I had a theory. She said who and I said "Ned's sister, and Jon" and she was like "WHAAAAAAAAAAT I'm so dumb I only found it out on the internet afterwards :(" and I was like

[Melon_Bread]

Japanese covers for the books. I love the look of Tyrion!

They are fantastic, a Japanese animated take on the story in the style of the first 4 covers would be amazing.

[Looper]

Oh man, it would be beautiful.

Finished book 4, did I miss the *cue big dramatic music* significance of the very very end

with Sam and the apprentice Pate? He was the dude at the start of the book who sold the guy the key and collapsed in the alley? Other then the fact the guy Sphinx clearly diverted Sam from the place he was supposed to be, was there something else implied there because I missed it if so...

[MrCarrot]

I think

'Pate' at the end isn't Pate any more.

Also maybe worth noting that Archmaester Marwyn was the guy who taught Mirri Maz Duur about how a person's innards work and he's the only maester who Qyburn seems to like!

[Looper]

I think

'Pate' at the end isn't Pate any more.

Also maybe worth noting that Archmaester Marwyn was the guy who taught Mirri Maz Duur about how a person's innards work and he's the only maester who Qyburn seems to like!

Think you might be onto something there, there was a big deal made of how ordinary the guy he sold the key to was, I wonder if he's one of the face changing bunch.

Christ, I have gone crazy if I'd read it back in 2005 expecting the next book the year after as it says in the postscript

[Headache]

Reading those spoilers reminds me of just how much I've forgotten since I've only read the series through once all those years ago! Think I'll definitely need to go back and re-read them before the new book comes out.

[Harsin]

Think you might be onto something there, there was a big deal made of how ordinary the guy he sold the key to was, I wonder if he's one of the face changing bunch.

Christ, I have gone crazy if I'd read it back in 2005 expecting the next book the year after as it says in the postscript

He's Jaqen H'ghar, well at least he's described exactly like his last identity.

[Wickedkitten]

Oh man, it would be beautiful.

Finished book 4, did I miss the *cue big dramatic music* significance of the very very end

with Sam and the apprentice Pate? He was the dude at the start of the book who sold the guy the key and collapsed in the alley? Other then the fact the guy Sphinx clearly diverted Sam from the place he was supposed to be, was there something else implied there because I missed it if so...

aye he's Jaqen , with the sphinx actually being Alleras

[Silent Runner]

Just finished the first book and I think I need to go and lie down. I loved it and I really didn't know where it was going. There were sections where I was just reading pages as quick as I could to get to the action like

when they killed Ned (the sons of bitches). I was flying through the pages hoping for some kind of intervention to save him. Maybe some kind of crazy heroism from Arya but then I got that sick realisation that that was never going to happen. And I had to experience the whole thing through Arysa eyes. Horrible but totally compelling.

And then the Dragons were born! God dammit that was awesome. I'm dreaming of a Dragons/House Stark alliance in future books.

Onto book 2.

[SuperSheep]

@ Rudi von Starnberg post.

I kinda get annoyed at that. You create a huge series, with hundreds of thousands of fans and you've been writing this book for years and years. You have to expect people to want it, you created a bloody brilliant world and you're getting pissed off people want more? Just be grateful we're paying for your books and take it all on the chin. It's not like it'll effect how he writes knowing him. Saying he's going to burn it is a bit dickish tbh.

[roskelld]

Just finished the first book and I think I need to go and lie down. I loved it and I really didn't know where it was going. There were sections where I was just reading pages as quick as I could to get to the action like

when they killed Ned (the sons of bitches). I was flying through the pages hoping for some kind of intervention to save him. Maybe some kind of crazy heroism from Arya but then I got that sick realisation that that was never going to happen. And I had to experience the whole thing through Arysa eyes. Horrible but totally compelling.

And then the Dragons were born! God dammit that was awesome. I'm dreaming of a Dragons/House Stark alliance in future books.

Onto book 2.

I remember going through the same motions when I was reading it. The emotion packed into that scene is immense.

As for the birth of the dragons, I had a grin on my face from ear-to-ear. It's amazing that having read so many fantasy books with dragons in them, when I read this it was like he'd just invented a whole new creation. Never has such an element in a fantasy realm excited me so much.

I think it's down to the fact that generally the books are so well grounded, that when a typical fantasy event happens, magic, dragons etc.. it's mind blowing.

[Aluco]

I think

Also maybe worth noting that Archmaester Marwyn was the guy who taught Mirri Maz Duur about how a person's innards work and he's the only maester who Qyburn seems to like!

I think that Archmaester Marwyn is disreputable in the eyes of The Citadel because he is a radical that is working against their (unspoken) agenda.

I think the the Maesters come from a rationalist mindset that aims to be able to explain everything (sort of medieval natural philosophers). They wish to exercise power through authority based on knowledge. They value the knowledge they gather but guard it jealously amongst themselves. They exercise power by being advisers to all the great and good.

Supernatural stuff messes with that agenda. There are strong indications that magic and the supernatural is tied up with the presence of living dragons in the world. There are also hints that the maesters of The Citadel were responsible for quickening the destruction of the previous generations of dragons, presumably to suppress the supernatural and strengthen their own world view.

Marwyn is like the exception that proves this rule, he knows the supernatural is there and sees it as just another thing to study and learn from. He is less interested in wiping out these unexplainable mysteries than the more hardcore maesters. Thus they think he is disreputable.

The more GRRM writes the more nuanced and complicated his world becomes. There are no straight arrows here. Every faction is divided, every character has their own, usually complex and sometimes conflicting, motivations.

[MotiVater]

60% through book 3 here.

I cannot believe what I just read:

They killed Rob and Cat!

Christ, I'm devouring this series. I cannot put it down nor stop thinking about it. Amazing stuff.

[Kingpin]

I've just watched episode 5 of the TV series. I just want clarification on something, if it actually happened in GOT or in later books:

Renly and the knight of flowers man love? I really did not remember this. I just remember the ladies being really into both of them throughout the series. It figures.

After reading the spoiler tags posted above, I really cannot remember a single thing about Feast. Seems I'll be digging into that Tower of the Hand website before Dance comes out.

[Rudi von Starnberg]

It's never shown outright

(since neither are POV characters) but it's REALLY heavily implied by basically every character who isn't Sansa and in love with Loras. Even leaving aside all the Knight of Flowers/Rainbow Guard stuff.