OT: A Song of Ice and Fire Series (spoilers inside)

[MrBug708]

Im gonna buy the book today, but I have like 150 pages left of the first wheel of time book...ahh!

[GrantDawg]

Bought it today at B&N. The girl behind the counter laughed because was the third person in a row that bought the book, and she had seven people waiting outside when the store opened to buy it this morning.

[DaddyTorgo]

There were over 1500 people at the signing i was just at. I was lucky I got in in the first like 100 or so, so I'm home already. Nice guy...I got up to the table to have my book signed and he was like "Thank you for coming out" and I said "Thank you for giving us all a reason to come out" to which he replied "my pleasure."

I'm ~140 pages or so in at the moment. Couldn't really focus to read while I was standing in the hot sun for the last 3 hours.

[spleen1015]

Martin is going to be at a B&N on Saturday that I drive by every day. I am debating on going. I would have to buy a hard copy of the book...

Decisions.

[DaddyTorgo]

Originally Posted by spleen1015

Martin is going to be at a B&N on Saturday that I drive by every day. I am debating on going. I would have to buy a hard copy of the book...

Decisions.

Go for it!

Hardcover is ~25 bucks (it's already a bestseller so it's 30% off). Just...be prepared to wait a long time in line.

[GrantDawg]

First day of release-on 6th printing. I think it might sell well.

[cougarfreak]

Originally Posted by spleen1015

Martin is going to be at a B&N on Saturday that I drive by every day. I am debating on going. I would have to buy a hard copy of the book...

Decisions.

Hell, I've got the book on Kindle and I'd do that in a heartbeat.

[spleen1015]

I've decided to go along with a co-worker that is a huge fan of the books.

I have never done anything like this before. How far ahead should we plan on getting there? I don't know how many people will show up here in Indy.

[Chief Rum]

Originally Posted by spleen1015

I've decided to go along with a co-worker that is a huge fan of the books.

I have never done anything like this before. How far ahead should we plan on getting there? I don't know how many people will show up here in Indy.

I believe you're required to dress up as your favorite character.

[spleen1015]

Originally Posted by Chief Rum

I believe you're required to dress up as your favorite character.

At 6'3, I wouldn't make a good Tyrion.

[Fidatelo]

Originally Posted by spleen1015

At 6'3, I wouldn't make a good Tyrion.

Sounds like you might be a good fit for Brienne

[Chief Rum]

Originally Posted by Fidatelo

Sounds like you might be a good fit for Brienne

Or Hodor.

[DaddyTorgo]

Originally Posted by spleen1015

I've decided to go along with a co-worker that is a huge fan of the books.

I have never done anything like this before. How far ahead should we plan on getting there? I don't know how many people will show up here in Indy.

FWIW there were 1600 people here in the Boston suburbs last night (but I heard some reporter that was there saying he picked this store to start particularly because it sells a huge number of his books/fantasy books in general or something). I got in line around 3:30-4pm and the signing actually started probably right before 8pm. I was out the door and in my car between 8:20-8:30.

Either way you'll end up waiting in line I suppose. Not saying you should expect 1600 people, just trying to give you an idea of the time involved given the # of people. Scale it up/down if you like.

FWIW he was moving very fast (at least at the beginning).

[Glengoyne]

I've gone the Audible route with this one. I've listened to the first four chapters or so. I'm not sure that this can apply to a narrator, but I'd say that Roy Dotrice has "lost a step". Dany now sounds like Tyrion impersonating an old crone, and so many others are close to the same. I'm just not finding his narration as pleasurable as I remember it. I've not yet decided if he has changed or if I've just listened to enough other solid narrators that he doesn't stand out as much as he did when I listened to the first books in the series.

[terpkristin]

I got it yesterday in the mail from Amazon (pre-ordered, but didn't pay for expedited shipping and it still came on release day). Also got it on my Kindle yesterday. And bought on Audible yesterday.

Now if only I had time to take a break and actually read (actually, that's the plan for after I look at the rest of the posts here at FOFC).

/tk

[DaddyTorgo]

HOLY CRAP!!!

(Page 240) Shit is getting REAL!!!

Spoiler

Baby Aegon Targaryn (Rhaegar's son) somehow survived the sack of King's Landing and has been fostered in Essos by Sir John Connington (Rhaegar's best-friend and a Targaryn loyalist). Fuck me...never saw THAT coming!!!

[GrantDawg]

Originally Posted by DaddyTorgo

HOLY CRAP!!!

(Page 240) Shit is getting REAL!!!

Spoiler

Baby Aegon Targaryn (Rhaegar's son) somehow survived the sack of King's Landing and has been fostered in Essos by Sir John Connington (Rhaegar's best-friend and a Targaryn loyalist). Fuck me...never saw THAT coming!!!

You ain't the only one, buddy boy. I was happy when a few the things I had guesses had come to pass, but that one threw me for a loop.

[Coffee Warlord]

Should have this one finished by the weekend, if not tonight.

[DaddyTorgo]

Originally Posted by GrantDawg

You ain't the only one, buddy boy. I was happy when a few the things I had guesses had come to pass, but that one threw me for a loop.

Stuff before that, or after that??

I'm deliberately trying to pace myself...I could have gorged on the book this week and finished the whole thing, but I wanted to delay some of the gratification, so I'm only around page 300...

[Doug5984]

I've avoided this thread for a while now, and will continue to do so just in case of any spoilers or anything- but I wanted to say that last night I finished the previous series I had been reading (pretty good BTW) and started on the first book, I only had time to read the prologue and even just barely touching on that has me wanting to get home for the weekend plop down and read as much as I can.

[GrantDawg]

Originally Posted by DaddyTorgo

Stuff before that, or after that??

I'm deliberately trying to pace myself...I could have gorged on the book this week and finished the whole thing, but I wanted to delay some of the gratification, so I'm only around page 300...

A little of both.

[MrBug708]

Spoiler

I loved the Janos Slynt scene with Snow. I thought it made him look like a total badass

[spleen1015]

I hate spoiler tags because I want to open them!

I need to finish Feast, dammit.

[Coffee Warlord]

Book finished. This is merely a short review of things, not really spoilerific, but..

Spoiler

Personally, I kinda feel like he's pulled a Robert Jordan. After 5 years, I was hoping for at least SOMETHING. Very little actually occurred. For all his claims about starting to move people together, almost nobody is together. Hell, half of the book was spent with various characters on a boat of some sort. I've had enough of sea transit, thanks.

He's actually getting on my nerves with ending chapters implying a character is dead - then a few chapters later is right back. Yeah, every so often for tension is fine, but after the third or forth time he did it in this book, it was worthless.

All in all, I gotta say, it gets a solid meh.

[GrantDawg]

Originally Posted by Coffee Warlord

Book finished. This is merely a short review of things, not really spoilerific, but..

Spoiler

Personally, I kinda feel like he's pulled a Robert Jordan. After 5 years, I was hoping for at least SOMETHING. Very little actually occurred. For all his claims about starting to move people together, almost nobody is together. Hell, half of the book was spent with various characters on a boat of some sort. I've had enough of sea transit, thanks.

He's actually getting on my nerves with ending chapters implying a character is dead - then a few chapters later is right back. Yeah, every so often for tension is fine, but after the third or forth time he did it in this book, it was worthless.

All in all, I gotta say, it gets a solid meh.

Not finished, but...

Spoiler

liking it better than you. I agree about the sea journeying, though. Bit too much, and you know there is going to be graphic descriptions of bodily functions (vomit, diarrhea, etc.) and at least one if not several storms. Sea journeys are hard, we get it. Move along.

[bronconick]

Originally Posted by Coffee Warlord

Book finished. This is merely a short review of things, not really spoilerific, but..

Spoiler

Personally, I kinda feel like he's pulled a Robert Jordan. After 5 years, I was hoping for at least SOMETHING. Very little actually occurred. For all his claims about starting to move people together, almost nobody is together. Hell, half of the book was spent with various characters on a boat of some sort. I've had enough of sea transit, thanks.

He's actually getting on my nerves with ending chapters implying a character is dead - then a few chapters later is right back. Yeah, every so often for tension is fine, but after the third or forth time he did it in this book, it was worthless.

All in all, I gotta say, it gets a solid meh.

Spoiler

This reeks (hah) of Jordan, frankly. Where RJ talked about women's fashion, braid tugging, and pillow friends, GRRM is apparently about food and travelogues. He needs an editor willing to use red ink. After the first three books, you could make the claim that the "Ice" and "Fire" were Jon and Dany and they would be the keys to stopping the Others across the Wall and claiming the throne eventually. Now, here I am after 5 books of a supposedly 7 book series, and according to one count, 1,770,000 words in, and one of those two is being stabbed repeatedly along the Wall he's been at since Book 1 ended, and the other is STILL on a different continent, hasn't met Tyrion, and there is apparently someone with a superior claim to the throne that will be in Westeros much sooner. If Aegon isn't a fake, why the bleeding hell did I need to read that much about Dany?

This is either a 9-10 book series (with an iffy chance of completion), or it's going to have Dark Tower level of disappointment for an ending. I'm not sure which is worse. At least the next guy on the library list will be thrilled that the book is back after one week instead of the full 3.

[spleen1015]

Got me a signed copy of the book!

The B&N I went to did it right. You showed up, you got a wristband with a number on it. They had everyone divided into groups. I was in group 15. When they call your group's number, you get in line.

He started right at 2pm, took 30 minutes to say a few words and answer some questions. I was called to the line at 3:30 and walked out of the store at 4. Not too bad really.

I found the whole experience a little underwhelming. I haven't been a super fan of Martin's for a long time. I only started reading the books since March.

Now, I need to finish Feast so that I can read this book.

[DaddyTorgo]

Originally Posted by spleen1015

Got me a signed copy of the book!

The B&N I went to did it right. You showed up, you got a wristband with a number on it. They had everyone divided into groups. I was in group 15. When they call your group's number, you get in line.

He started right at 2pm, took 30 minutes to say a few words and answer some questions. I was called to the line at 3:30 and walked out of the store at 4. Not too bad really.

I found the whole experience a little underwhelming. I haven't been a super fan of Martin's for a long time. I only started reading the books since March.

Now, I need to finish Feast so that I can read this book.

That's pretty cool - we had unnumbered wristbands. Sounds like a good time though. Yeah - I can see how it would be underwhelming if you only started reading the books a couple months back - hopefully it's something you can look back on in the future though, ya know?

[spleen1015]

One of my other friends wasn't bale to make it and would really like a signed book. I think I may sell it to him for what I paid. It would mean more to him, I think.

[Scoobz0202]

That's a nice gesture.

[terpkristin]

I hate you all for having time to read it.

/tk

[Simbo Klice]

Originally Posted by Coffee Warlord

Book finished. This is merely a short review of things, not really spoilerific, but..

Spoiler

Personally, I kinda feel like he's pulled a Robert Jordan. After 5 years, I was hoping for at least SOMETHING. Very little actually occurred. For all his claims about starting to move people together, almost nobody is together. Hell, half of the book was spent with various characters on a boat of some sort. I've had enough of sea transit, thanks.

He's actually getting on my nerves with ending chapters implying a character is dead - then a few chapters later is right back. Yeah, every so often for tension is fine, but after the third or forth time he did it in this book, it was worthless.

All in all, I gotta say, it gets a solid meh.

Spoiler

I've got to say, I agree on not enough happening and the lack of consolidation back to Westeros. I think both Dance and Feast were "meh", and a big reason was the splitting of the characters. Sure, the scope got bigger, but to fill the book with half the characters a lot of less-than-necessary chapters were included, and they hobbled the book along. I kept waiting for things to get back into full swing like they did in Storm of Swords, but it never happened. Well, maybe kinda in the epilogue (Varys!). And the phony cliffhangers are hack writing that he shouldn't be resorting to, another side effect of not having enough truly compelling items in the earlier chapters.

[Mota]

I haven't read the new book yet, but I've been stuck on the 4th book for nearly a year. I just don't enjoy it, he's introduced too many characters over the years and they're just not as interesting as the original characters that are mostly killed off. I agree about the Robert Jordan feeling that he's losing control of the story, it used to be about the Starks and all the stuff happening with the kingdom, now it's way more than that, but not nearly as focused so you don't feel for the characters like you used to. I don't know why I should care about Brienne, but she sure as heck is getting a lot of pages dedicated to her.

[DaddyTorgo]

Originally Posted by Mota

I haven't read the new book yet, but I've been stuck on the 4th book for nearly a year. I just don't enjoy it, he's introduced too many characters over the years and they're just not as interesting as the original characters that are mostly killed off. I agree about the Robert Jordan feeling that he's losing control of the story, it used to be about the Starks and all the stuff happening with the kingdom, now it's way more than that, but not nearly as focused so you don't feel for the characters like you used to. I don't know why I should care about Brienne, but she sure as heck is getting a lot of pages dedicated to her.

Agree about Brienne...but disagree that it was all about the Starks. And there's still Starks, with some very cool things happening to them in this latest book (although Book 4 was quite light on Starks I agree).

You're seduced into believing it's all about the Starks and the Iron Throne, when the reality is that that doesn't really matter. It's not about that. It's about the Wall...about what's beyond the wall, and the coming of Winter.

[GrantDawg]

Originally Posted by GrantDawg

Not finished, but...

Spoiler

liking it better than you. I agree about the sea journeying, though. Bit too much, and you know there is going to be graphic descriptions of bodily functions (vomit, diarrhea, etc.) and at least one if not several storms. Sea journeys are hard, we get it. Move along.

Ok, finished. And I take it back. Yeah, he has morphed into Jordan. Disappointing.

[spleen1015]

Originally Posted by Mota

I haven't read the new book yet, but I've been stuck on the 4th book for nearly a year. I just don't enjoy it, he's introduced too many characters over the years and they're just not as interesting as the original characters that are mostly killed off. I agree about the Robert Jordan feeling that he's losing control of the story, it used to be about the Starks and all the stuff happening with the kingdom, now it's way more than that, but not nearly as focused so you don't feel for the characters like you used to. I don't know why I should care about Brienne, but she sure as heck is getting a lot of pages dedicated to her.

My problem with 4 is that is doesn't feel as exciting as 3. Maybe it is because the biggest 'Holy shit!!!!!' moment of my experience reading books happened in 3. 4 feels like a hangover to me. I am trying to get through it though. I hope to be done within the next couple of days.

[JAG]

I'll take the minority opinion and say I enjoyed it, a good bit more than 4, which I still liked but thought was the weakest of the series. At some point I'll share some spoiler thoughts about it.

[DaddyTorgo]

I have maybe 200 pages to go...I'm enjoying it more than Feast for Crows I'd say.

[GrantDawg]

I don't think anybody would say it is not better than 4. The problem is you put four and five together, and it about equal to books 6-8 of the Wheel of Time series. Only these books took even longer to get here. That is scary and sad for a series where 1-3 were probably the best fantasy books ever written.

[ISiddiqui]

Originally Posted by DaddyTorgo

Agree about Brienne...but disagree that it was all about the Starks. And there's still Starks, with some very cool things happening to them in this latest book (although Book 4 was quite light on Starks I agree).

You're seduced into believing it's all about the Starks and the Iron Throne, when the reality is that that doesn't really matter. It's not about that. It's about the Wall...about what's beyond the wall, and the coming of Winter.

This. Now I haven't read much of Dance with Dragons (I think I'm 30% through), but the Starks v. Lannisters is mostly a background story masquerading as a foreground story. The real story deals with the coming Winter and those dedicating to stopping it (which includes, I'd imagine, Daenerys and her dragons).

[Coffee Warlord]

Heh. I wonder if you give Martin more credit than he deserves at this point. I'm not sure HE even knows what the 'real story' entails anymore.

[DaddyTorgo]

Originally Posted by Coffee Warlord

Heh. I wonder if you give Martin more credit than he deserves at this point. I'm not sure HE even knows what the 'real story' entails anymore.

He claims that he does. I mean I wouldn't expect him to say that he doesn't...but he does say that he does (including having an idea which characters will make it to the end).

I'm a bit frustrated by the glacial nature of some of the plot development in Feast for Crows and Dance with Dragons myself. I was saying the other day to someone like "okay...there are bad storms...we get it. We don't need to see very bad storm described in 2+ pages of detail from every POV character to reinforce that. Trim that down, and maybe you could move the action along at a bit faster pace."

For example, I'm about 150 or so pages from the end of the book and I'm wondering

Spoiler

if we're even going to see Dany/Drogon return in this book.

My expectation is not. And that character's POV in this book included a significant % of the book - surely there were things in there that could have been trimmed down (not even cut, just trimmed) in order to say oh...I dunno

Spoiler

unite her with her nephew IN THIS BOOK?!?!?!

. Not like we needed every chapter of hers to conclude in basically the same way...say it twice and we get it...you don't need to spend time on it in every POV chapter of hers.

[DaddyTorgo]

Just found this on winter-is-coming.net. Thought maybe some other people might like to see some chapter-by-chapter discussion threads. Reddit ones seem to be the easiest ones to locate which chapter you're at, but westeros.org also has a guide by page numbers stickied at the top of the forum.

With 5 days past since A Dance with Dragons was published, more and more folks are finishing it up and taking to the web to discuss the book. Our Dance thread continues to be active. If you are still reading (like me), there are some places you can go to discuss the book chapter-by-chapter without fear of spoilers, such as Westeros.org and Tower of the Hand. Also this Reddit page has done a good job of setting up some chapter-by-chapter ADWD discussion, which I have been enjoying perusing as I make my way through the book

[GrantDawg]

Originally Posted by DaddyTorgo

Just found this on winter-is-coming.net. Thought maybe some other people might like to see some chapter-by-chapter discussion threads. Reddit ones seem to be the easiest ones to locate which chapter you're at, but westeros.org also has a guide by page numbers stickied at the top of the forum.

Quote a comment on the last thread on Tower of the Hand:

"I'm going to Home Depot to get the supplies to build my own Moondoor so me and a fellow fan can throw oursleves out of it."

'Bout right.

[GrantDawg]

Sorry, another by the same guy:

"My impression is that GRRM is trying to piss the fans off enough that they won't care and he won't have to crank out 2 more 1400 page books."

I think I am beginning to like him.

[DaddyTorgo]

Haha.

Eh - am I frustrated by it...sure. I'd like to see the series reach a great conclusion without drawing things out so far that the ship sails on it as perhaps the best fantasy series of all time (although to be fair that probably has sailed. Books 1-3=phenomenal. Books 4 & 5=too drawn-out, not enough plot advancement). Because we're all hooked in at this point, and we all know the characters. I mean look...I know Victarion Greyjoy is a hard-ass. You don't have to spend multiple POV chapters reminding me of that before advancing his plot-line along. Just spend maybe...one...and move the plot line along faster.

But am I...upset about it? Nah. I mean at this point I know what I'm in for, and yet I made the conscious decision to keep coming back for more. Only cost me what...$25? And I've gotten hours of free time out of it. And I'll get hours and hours more on the periphery (web-browsing, playing the Medieval II Total War mod, etc) without spending another dime. Better value than going to see a movie and having it over in 2 hours.

[ISiddiqui]

Originally Posted by Coffee Warlord

Heh. I wonder if you give Martin more credit than he deserves at this point. I'm not sure HE even knows what the 'real story' entails anymore.

Well, considering that the prologue of the first book is based on the Others, I figure that is the BIG story. So I think he does have an idea, he's just plodding along.

[DaddyTorgo]

Okay - wow - the end of the book delivered some more WTF moments and accelerated things nicely again.

[Vince, Pt. II]

Originally Posted by Coffee Warlord

Book finished. This is merely a short review of things, not really spoilerific, but..

Spoiler

Personally, I kinda feel like he's pulled a Robert Jordan. After 5 years, I was hoping for at least SOMETHING. Very little actually occurred. For all his claims about starting to move people together, almost nobody is together. Hell, half of the book was spent with various characters on a boat of some sort. I've had enough of sea transit, thanks.

He's actually getting on my nerves with ending chapters implying a character is dead - then a few chapters later is right back. Yeah, every so often for tension is fine, but after the third or forth time he did it in this book, it was worthless.

All in all, I gotta say, it gets a solid meh.

I liked it a bit more than you did, and was completely amped after finishing the book. After a bit of reflection...I'm not nearly as happy with the book as I was right after the fact. I would definitely agree that it feels Jordan-esque - although a bunch of stuff did in fact happen, it could have happened WAY faster in the narrative.

[Glengoyne]

Still moving along with my listening to Dotrice.

Spoiler

I'm not convinced that Dotrice has lost a step, but he certainly seems to have made some odd choices. Dany's voice is awful, seriously she sounds like an old crone. Maybe an old dwarven clone. I'm a bit concerned that once Tyrion reaches her, that I'll have to rely on context to determine who is speaking.

Reek/Theon is using Sam's voice, and that is frankly unacceptable.