"A Dance With Dragons"

[keep_counting]

After finishing this (finally!) I wrote a short review for the fifth book in George R. R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire-series, over on goodreads. Figured I'd post it here, because feelings:



I felt like 'A Dance with Dragons' lacked a lot of what the other books gave me: the thrilling sense of adventures. There were a lot of lulling moments, long stretches that - while I admit, were important - I simply found uninteresting. That is not to say that I did not like it: perhaps it was the introduction of so many new characters in one go, and the shift between more characters than what we have been used to in previous books: so much is going on. I also feel like Martin is taking his characters and the story in itself in a direction I was not expecting at all - see 'Young Griff' for example, as well as Tyrion and Dany's storylines. This is not necessarily a bad thing, but it did left me nonplussed. Perhaps because the core-theme of the characters suddenly felt changed: yet it was not forced, it was in flow with the story, and the unpredictiability of the lives these characters live. Viewed another way, the chaos even fits with where we are now: the lines are blurred, there are so many different sides. Everyone wants peace, yet everyone is fighting. It has gotten to the point were it is simply ridicolous, but in a good way - it is human nature. What are they really fighting over? The Iron Throne - the seat were the two latest kings were driven to madness or so extreme boredom that they neglected their duties and ended up (inadvertently) causing massive civil wars?

I think I'm also mad because CLIFFHANGERS IN THE EXTREME and for the first time now, I have to wait for a new book: I can't just go to my shelf and continue on with the adventure. How have you guys been able to stand it for so long? I'm going crazy already and it has only been five minutes...

Comments

From your friendly neighborhood LJ stalker

[sweet-anise.livejournal.com]

It... gets easier? My best friend just finished the series, too, and she's freaking out over the inevitable wait. I didn't know how I'd do it, either (I read FfC back in, I think, 2007, so I had years), but it just sort of moved into the back of my mind. It didn't even feel real when DwD did come out. :)

I agree that DwD felt different, but I know I changed a lot in the intervening years, so it would be hard for me to put myself back in my old mindset no matter what. I'd had so long to imagine scenarios that the actual events seemed strange and unexpected, like you described, but I wouldn't say that anything felt particularly forced or unnatural.


Also, [SPOILER][SPOILER]Jon Snow is SO NOT (permanently) DEAD.

Re: From your friendly neighborhood LJ stalker

[keep-counting.livejournal.com]

I suppose :) I certainly have enough distractions at the moment!

I do think it had more to do with me than with the actual storylines; the beauty of ASOIAF is that it feels so real and tangible: people's choices are the main driving force of the story, which makes it harder to predict things (especially with Martin's love for killing off characters at seemingly random!) and also makes the story even more beautiful, in many ways. We can relate to these characters, despite the very different world they live in.

(I know he most likely isn't, I'm still freaking out about it though!!!)