Amph A Song of Ice and Fire Discussion Thread

I tried getting into it. I think I got 6 chapters.
It seemed like it was well written, but pronouncing some of the made up words was driving me nuts.
I got too hung up on that to actually enjoy/try to understand what was going on. I do envy those who
were able to stick with it though.

 

It can definitely take a bit to get into the swing of the novels, and there's a case to be made with starting with the second book, then going to the first.

 

I'm sure I'll give it another go sometime in the future. I've heard a lot of good about it, so, naturally, I'm intrigued.

 

I-- what?

EDIT: Oh, didn't see the entire conversation. lol

 

At this point I think I'm just going to focus on the TV series and be pleasantly surprised when Winds of Winter comes out.

 

Indeed. Gardens of the Moon is just straight up bizarre.

I should finally finish that series but they're so dense I'd have to reread them again and ain't nobody got time for that.

 

The sequence of historical events detailing the world GRRM created is really difficult to recall, if you've only read the books once, or even twice.
So, if you want to brush up on your knowledge of ASOIAF, these videos might help. I don't think they've been posted here yet. The narration is shared
by members of the Game of Thrones cast, which is really cool.

 

They were produced for the Blu-rays.

 

Speaking of the Blu-rays, are the extras worth it? I have HBOGO, so re-watching the episodes is easy - but content like this might be worth owning.

 

I'm hoping to get season 2 for Christmas even though I've watched a fair number of episodes from that season. I'm a collector.

 

http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/ent...ules-out-sharing-westeros-20131111-2xbsy.html

What if Sauron Strikes Back is good George. One might also make the argument Feast and Dance were written by a third rate writer...

 

Both seasons are among the best-looking Blu-rays I've ever seen. Streaming doesn't compare. If that's not enough, the special features are extensive.

 

Fixed it for ya

 

I think you can make the argument that, so far, ASOS is the best book of the series. And so AFFC and ADWD feel, to some, like less than that book. But no way - not a third rate writer, IMO. Of the 5, I found Dance to be the biggest let down of the series, but I've found it improved upon re-read, particularly by reading it "A Feast for Dragons" style.

 

Ok yes I'll take that. And to be honest I would have rather had half the story for half the characters than the full story for half the characters like he did in the last two. Because...in a series of books, thats how it is, their story isn't over until the last book.

 

i thought game of thrones was the strongest entry in the series honestly. it felt the tightest and most like something HAPPENED with the clearest direction. thereafter i feel like things have been increasingly muddled

 

Pretty much. Even in ACOK the prologue was 20 pages. Considering AGOT chapters were fairly succinct and to the point.

 

that's what happens when your book becomes successful and you want it to becomes a series, and then you make it bigger as your ideas becomes bigger. It being a book Martin has the opportunity to explore EVERYTHING HE POSSIBLY CAN in 2000 pages. Still it test his audience patience.

Danny should have been in Westeros last book. I hope she's there atleast mid-way through WOW. Really irritated if she doesn't make land fall until the end.

 

Agreed. The most interesting part in ADWD was Danys council strategizing about how to deploy to Westeros. Then the stalling began.

 

When a series become popular and successful, the author will write more words because they feel they can get away with a lot more.

 

Definitely. I had actually considered writing "if/when" originally.

 

I'd probably rate ASOS just ahead of AGOT, mainly because he cleaned up his prose a bit, or maybe I just got used to it. There was a stretch in the first third of AGOT where I could barely stand it, and seriously considered dropping the book series.

 

Obviously, there are as many opinions on this as there are readers. He's a slow writer and definitely wordy, but I don't feel he's out to milk his readership. An author like that would be churning out drivel every year and telling us to like it. I'm waiting anxiously for TWOW because I need to know what happens next. GRRM is responsible for that.

 

I don't know about that. I think the frustration people have is that he seems to be doing anything and everything except writing TWOW -- tours, other projects, writing episodes of the show, etc. At the same time, in the last few books he's expanded the number of plot-lines significantly. Those combined leave people justifiably wondering if he's ever going to finish.

 

I get that. I do. And I certainly share the fears of many that he won't finish, although I firmly believe he wants to.

I can also see why someone might not want to sit and work solely on one project, instead preferring to do multiple things. I know I would be bored by that, and like to have many things going on in order to keep my interest.

Obviously, it's just my opinion among many, but I happen to enjoy the expansion of the plot-lines and the world he's built. I'm looking forward to reading The Princess and The Queen. I want to read the fourth Dunk and Egg story. This all enriches the world and entertains me. And hopefully keeps GRRM fresh and happy.