A Song of Ice and Fire (Game of Thrones Books Thread)

[Saluki]

A Song of Ice and Fire, for those who don't know, is the name the books series of which Game of Thrones is the 1st book. Since the series has alot of guys reading the books now figured it was time for them to have their own thread.

 

Dances with Dragons (the 5th book) drops on Tuesday.

[BigHouseUSA]

I'd love to see this thread take off. The only books I remember that I had a thread at MM were Harry Potter, but working at a bookstore it's not too bold to say this series could reach that popularity. Everyone is reading it.

[stevsta]

I'd love to see this thread take off. The only books I remember that I had a thread at MM were Harry Potter, but working at a bookstore it's not too bold to say this series could reach that popularity. Everyone is reading it.

Im surprised it first came out in 1996 and I did not know about it [edit] throughout middle school and high school.

[St. Francisco]

I have to go offshore Monday night for two weeks.

So not only do I miss NCAA, but I also miss a Dance with Dragons. Fuck.

[SethMode]

I left a Feast for Crows at work and I'm off until Monday!!!!!

[Saluki]

I have to go offshore Monday night for two weeks.

So not only do I miss NCAA, but I also miss a Dance with Dragons. Fuck.

Fail

I left a Feast for Crows at work and I'm off until Monday!!!!!

And you If you have an android phone there's an app that you can use to read the 1st 4 books for free. That could tide you over.

[riley420]

I've read them all twice, and I'm halfway through SoS again. I'm going to skip FoC...it was weak sauce, and I just want to get to the new stuff Tuesday. I'm stoked.

As for the show, it was one of the best HBO shows in years, and probably the best book-TV translation I've seen.

[SethMode]

The new one will be awaiting me when I get home from work. Pretty excited, although I still have about 200 pages of FoC to blow through (as a read it isn't moving quite as quickly as SoS did for me).

[St. Francisco]

So I managed to download it to my Nook...damn, I should've re-read the books a third time before diving him. I had forgotten about...

 

The wildling's attack on the wall.

Read the first chapter last night...stoked to get more into it. In the beginning, Martin states that the book runs side-by-side with FoC until the very end, then the two books join together again and they press forward.

[Bigpapa42]

I was tempted to re-read the series heading toward the release date, but I ended up loaning the books to a co-worker. Going to have to pick this up in the next few days.

[mgoblue2290]

I've finished the book. I'd put it on par with A Clash of Kings. Don't read my spoilers until you've finished the book.

 

The only reason I'm putting above A Feast for Crows is because all of the interesting characters are back. I didn't feel like anything truly major happened in the book. Sure Dany got married and that lasted for all of a week and Jon brought wildlings through the Wall but that was about it. The only really major thing was finding out that Rhaegar's son Aegon was still alive.

I was disappointed at the lack of chapters devoted to Davos and Bran. Mostly because I really like those characters and I thought more would be devoted to them. And not much is really given to the characters featured in A Feast for Crows when the plot pushes past what happened in that book. I thought Theon's chapters were the best actually because even though he's an evil bastard, it was cool seeing him going from Reek back to Theon.

And then of course the big shocker being Jon stabbed to death by his brothers becaue he wants to lead an attack on Winterfell or at least go there and cause trouble. I don't really think he's dead to be honest. He's our guy on the Wall, like Dany is the main on overseas. Those two are the biggest characters and I doubt he's killed him off. I expect Melisandre will have her hand in resurrecting him somehow and I also believe he is going to end up being Azor Ahai reborn because in one of her visions she asks to see Azor Ahai and all she sees is Jon's face.

More evidence, not written by me though. Makes sense that Jon is Azor Ahai: Jon is Azor Ahai. Beneath a bleeding star. Born of salt and smoke. Reread the passage. Ser Patrek's sigil is the star, caked with blood, being ripped apart by a giant. The dagger wounds smoke. Bowen Marsh is weeping as he stabs him (salt)

[riley420]

I've finished the book. I'd put it on par with A Clash of Kings. Don't read my spoilers until you've finished the book.

 

The only reason I'm putting above A Feast for Crows is because all of the interesting characters are back. I didn't feel like anything truly major happened in the book. Sure Dany got married and that lasted for all of a week and Jon brought wildlings through the Wall but that was about it. The only really major thing was finding out that Rhaegar's son Aegon was still alive.

I was disappointed at the lack of chapters devoted to Davos and Bran. Mostly because I really like those characters and I thought more would be devoted to them. And not much is really given to the characters featured in A Feast for Crows when the plot pushes past what happened in that book. I thought Theon's chapters were the best actually because even though he's an evil bastard, it was cool seeing him going from Reek back to Theon.

And then of course the big shocker being Jon stabbed to death by his brothers becaue he wants to lead an attack on Winterfell or at least go there and cause trouble. I don't really think he's dead to be honest. He's our guy on the Wall, like Dany is the main on overseas. Those two are the biggest characters and I doubt he's killed him off. I expect Melisandre will have her hand in resurrecting him somehow and I also believe he is going to end up being Azor Ahai reborn because in one of her visions she asks to see Azor Ahai and all she sees is Jon's face.

More evidence, not written by me though. Makes sense that Jon is Azor Ahai: Jon is Azor Ahai. Beneath a bleeding star. Born of salt and smoke. Reread the passage. Ser Patrek's sigil is the star, caked with blood, being ripped apart by a giant. The dagger wounds smoke. Bowen Marsh is weeping as he stabs him (salt)

Again, don't read my shit unless you've finished....

 

I was sorely disappointed in this book. Jon's early story had promise, with him growing into his role as Lord Commander. His beheading of Slynt was classic....and then GRRM got rushed. The last 4 chapters were the same. Jon does something treasonous, gets yelled at, locks up Ghost, repeat. Dumb, dumb dumb.

Danaerys was pointless in this story. It took her 10 chapters to realize she was the mother of dragons? Really? As soon as the first murder by the Sons of the Harpy, you bet your ass I would've been raining dragonfire down on Mereen. And Yunkai. SO SLLOOOOOWW...

Tyrion's chapters were awesome. Victarion's chapters were awesome. Theon's path to redemption was awesome (did you figure out Abel was Mance before the letter from Bolton? The clues were there.) Davos will end up being awesome, because he is going to go find Rickon and Shaggy, who will be vicious man eaters who rule Winterfell.

Bran is a tree. Not enough Arya. Not enough Jaime. I put this book the same as AFFC. Way behind the rest.

[Saluki]

Again, don't read my shit unless you've finished....

 

I was sorely disappointed in this book. Jon's early story had promise, with him growing into his role as Lord Commander. His beheading of Slynt was classic....and then GRRM got rushed. The last 4 chapters were the same. Jon does something treasonous, gets yelled at, locks up Ghost, repeat. Dumb, dumb dumb.

Danaerys was pointless in this story. It took her 10 chapters to realize she was the mother of dragons? Really? As soon as the first murder by the Sons of the Harpy, you bet your ass I would've been raining dragonfire down on Mereen. And Yunkai. SO SLLOOOOOWW...

Tyrion's chapters were awesome. Victarion's chapters were awesome. Theon's path to redemption was awesome (did you figure out Abel was Mance before the letter from Bolton? The clues were there.) Davos will end up being awesome, because he is going to go find Rickon and Shaggy, who will be vicious man eaters who rule Winterfell.

Bran is a tree. Not enough Arya. Not enough Jaime. I put this book the same as AFFC. Way behind the rest.

You should add to that, "Don't read unless you've finished the newest book...jerk.

[mgoblue2290]

Again, don't read my shit unless you've finished....

 

I was sorely disappointed in this book. Jon's early story had promise, with him growing into his role as Lord Commander. His beheading of Slynt was classic....and then GRRM got rushed. The last 4 chapters were the same. Jon does something treasonous, gets yelled at, locks up Ghost, repeat. Dumb, dumb dumb.

Danaerys was pointless in this story. It took her 10 chapters to realize she was the mother of dragons? Really? As soon as the first murder by the Sons of the Harpy, you bet your ass I would've been raining dragonfire down on Mereen. And Yunkai. SO SLLOOOOOWW...

Tyrion's chapters were awesome. Victarion's chapters were awesome. Theon's path to redemption was awesome (did you figure out Abel was Mance before the letter from Bolton? The clues were there.) Davos will end up being awesome, because he is going to go find Rickon and Shaggy, who will be vicious man eaters who rule Winterfell.

Bran is a tree. Not enough Arya. Not enough Jaime. I put this book the same as AFFC. Way behind the rest.

 

Yeah the more I think about it, the less I like it. I think I'd put A Clash of Kings above it. I figured out Mance was Abel once I realized the servants who were talking to Theon were all girls. I thought a couple were guys for some reason.

Literally nothing happened with Dany until the very, very end. A complete waste if you ask me. The whole point of her being in Mereen was to learn how to rule and yet the only thing she learns is that she wants to bang Daario 24/7.

And Jon deciding to just abandon the Night's Watch to go save Winterfell make absolutely zero sense. He already abandoned Winterfell when he turned down Stannis' offer. Now a letter provokes him to go there?

I think he has too many characters going to be honest. There will have to be about 20 POVs in the sixth book. He needs to start killing people off in mass. I think that can be the downfall of any series, it just gets too convoluted. I'd also bet he stretches this series to 8 books. I mean Dany hasn't even begun to move on Westeros and our big battle we didn't even see an Other in this book.

[riley420]

You should add to that, "Don't read unless you've finished the newest book...jerk.

Which is why I quoted mgoblue's post....

If it's in spoilers, and you're not sure you want to read it....don't read it.