Amph A Song of Ice and Fire Discussion Thread

Yep, A Time for Wolves has been dropped, though some people are hoping for an eigth book which would bear that title now.

 

I read it, and then my English teacher read.

Yeah for English teachers that like fantasy and Sci-Fi books

 

Heck, I got my 12th grade History teacher to read it and he liked them. Then I tried to peddle them off to my brother, who loves fantasy, and he said it was too boring. Bah. . . he can stick with his puny Terry Brooks novels.

Has anyone read any of Martin's other books? I read Tuf Voyaging last fall and it was a very nice piece of sci-fi.

 

I have recently started reading this series and have enjoyed it tremendously (I'm about 3/4's through Clash of Kings at the moment).
The way it's structured (that character based chapters deal) is very clever, just when something ominous happens Martin switches to another character and you just can't wait to find out what happens!

Has anyone ever yielded to a temptation to skip some chapters to find out what happens to that a particular character/ part of the story?
I did it once for Thrones, but have been forcing myself not to for Kings, it sure is difficult I tell you

Also, there's this website I stumbled across, perhaps some of you have seen it? (though I'm sure I haven't seen it in this thread)
http://amoka.net/
Check out the gallery and the portraits, great stuff!

 

Despite the temptation, I have never skipped ahead to read a character's story out of order, nor would I ever recommend it. Especially in later, more tangled novels, the resolution to a particular character's dilemma is not always handled in that character's POV chapter, but referenced to in anther's section. Its possible that by skipping around, you could not only miss the action that you wanted to read about, but also spoil yourself for the resolution of said action and/or spoil the resolution of other character's arcs as well.

Skipping chapters is a big

 

It just makes me unable to put the book down, which can be frustrating when real life invades. Makes for terrific reads second, third, forth times around... I love rereading those books.

 

It does seem that everytime I look for something new to read, a little voice in the back of my mind says "just re-read ASOIAF." I think I'll do it a month or so before the next book comes out.

 

I've done skimming of chapters before (mainly the Dany chapters b/c they have nothing to do with the Game of Thrones bit. But go back and reread them properly when you do a reread. It really does help.

ANd when you get to A Feast for Crows, keep in mind that it is supposed to intertwine with A DAnce with Dragons (which is forthcoming)

 

I've been informed Feast for Crows won't paperback until Jan 07, a good 7 months away.

What's the US and UK date? Ukers seem to get advance releases.

 

I want to say it already is in the US; I think I saw it on a shelf at Borders, but I may be confusing it with another one of his books.

 

And that helps me how?

 

By letting you know that it may already be out in paperback in the US, which is what you asked for. Amazon would know for sure.

 

Hmmm, so it does, so it does. It's Jan 07 for Aust, a sithing 7 months more. Decisions, decisions.

 

Ex can't you get it from Amazon?

Listed for a Sept 06 release here but you can order that instead of waiting right?

 

The shipping on Amazon is quite expensive. And Ex has quite the aversion to spending money

 

Outrage! I'll have you know I've proudly put the Horse Lords' kids through college with my comic expenditure. Cheaper to import, but books work out about the same. I can get them below market value at Dymocks with my current arrangements, but have recently found Emporium is even cheaper.

So is their customer service, apparetly. It took 2 weeks just to reply a simple inquiry, and only because I expressed the manager my diplomatic displeasure. Telling me existing customers are priorities over potentials?

Australians! What do you expect? I countered potentials often become existing. Bugger never did get back to me, did he?

Much as I'd love to engage in Martining material, I'm afraid I'll have to celibate myself a while longer. Sorry.

 

Can anyone tell me (preferably via PM) the difference between these two paperback editions of Feast for Crows without spoilers? Is it the size? Why are the page counts different?

[image=http://images.amazon.com/images/P/0006486126.01._AA240_SCLZZZZZZZ_V51925987_.jpg]
Paperback
976 pages
Publisher: Voyager; New Ed edition (November 6, 2006)
ISBN: 0006486126

[image=http://images.amazon.com/images/P/055358202X.01._AA240_SCLZZZZZZZ_V64054126_.jpg]
Mass Market Paperback1104 pages
Publisher: Spectra (September 26, 2006)
Language: English
ISBN: 055358202X


I've seen two Game of Thrones editions too---a paperback, and mass market paperback. One of them looked like Star Wars: I, Jedi. In size and glossy cover and pages. I think it was the MMP.

 

BANTAM TO PUBLISH THE WORLD OF ICE AND FIRE
September 2, 2006
I've had readers writing and emailing me for years asking for some sort of "encyclopedia" or concordance for Westeros and the world of A Song of Ice and Fire, so it thrills me no end to announce that a few hours ago I signed a contract with Bantam Books for just such a companion book. We're calling it The World of Ice and Fire. . . mainly because The World of George R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire is too long and cumbersome to put on a cover, and way clunky besides.
The "world book" will be a big undertaking, and much too complicated for me to tackle alone, especially since I have this novel still to finish (you know the one), but I've been lucky enough to find some splendid help in persons of Elio M. Garcia, Jr. and Linda Antonsson., who will be my co-authors on the project. Elio (sometimes known as "Ran") and Linda are the hosts and webmasters at Westeros.org, with its terrific concordance and colorful rolls of arms, and I have long had the feeling that both of them know a lot more about the Seven Kingdoms than I do.
With the ink not quite dry on the contracts yet, I can't tell you much about the contents of The World of Ice and Fire, but we do know that it will include a lengthy section on the history of the Seven Kingdoms, and a "who's who" of characters past and present, living, dead, and legendary. Heraldry and genealogy will also be included. Oh, and maps. Lots of maps. You asked for them, and we're going to give to them to you.
This will be a large and splendid coffee-table sized book, with full color throughout and artwork on every page. Some of the illustrations will, of necessity, be reprinted from among the best of the work seen in the art book, the card game, the board game, the RPG, and various books and comics, but a lot of it will be original, commissioned especially for the world book. More details when we have them.
As for the rest of the contents... we want to know what you would like to see in an encyclopedia/ concordance/ companion book. However, PLEASE DO NOT EMAIL ME your suggestions. What you should do instead is go to the bulletin board that Elio and Linda maintain at Westeros.org and post your ideas there. This book is for the fans, so tell us what should be in it.
There's no way to project a firm publication date at this time, but my best guess is that The World of Ice and Fire will be released in late 2007 or early 2008, after A Dance With Dragons but before The Winds of Winter.

I am so getting this.

 

Sounds interesting!!! I don't know that I'll get it (it sounds quite expensive) but it migt be something worth checking out from the library.

 

It will be expensive, all right. Steven Erikson has plans for an Encyclopdia Malaz but after the series is completed.

But am I the only one who wouldn't need to know who's who? By the end of the first trilogy, I found I had subconsciously absorbed who is what and where. It's actually not that hard, you need only know a core cast of names. Everyone else is just background faces.

 

What do people think of the Art Of George Martin's A Song Of Ice And Fire picture book? Worth getting?

 

I have heard that it has some GREAT pics in it and is recommended for devoted fans.

I can never find this book in stores.

 

I've leafed through it at Dymocks. Very impressive artwork, and it's nice to see some of the characters pictorialised. Pretty expensive though.

I was going to get it with my Borders voucher but the assistant told me they couldn't get any in for me, so I got something else....a week later there are 6 copies sitting on the shelf.

 

It's widely available online.

Amazon AUD$26 (converted, excl ship cost)
Galaxy bookstore AUD$60
Emporium AUD$47

 

I never claimed it wasn't available. Just that those prices > free, which is what I would have got it for.