I have come to the conclusion that there are four types of people who read (or at least begin to read) Song of Ice and Fire

1. People who start to read it, get 100 pages in (or a whole first book) before giving up in disgust, throwing the book across the room, and wondering what happened to the (usually) good sense and good taste of the friends who will not stop vehemently recommending these books.

2. People that read them, enjoy them somewhat, but don't get caught up in them and don't think about them much once they're over. They appreciate Martin's writing, concede there are some weaknesses, but otherwise go on with their lives. (In my sample population, this is a very small group.)

3. People who love long stories. They read stories for the detail, and don't want the story to end. They would have been easily wiled by Scheherazade. They revel in books that go on and on and on. They long for the next book, yes, but are in no hurry whatsoever for the books to be over, because that means that there won't be any more of them.

4. People who are immediately sucked into the story. They love the characters and the plot. But it's more a compulsion than true love. They skim paragraphs that are mostly about food and clothes. They get rabidly furious with Martin when cruel, bad things happen to their favorite characters. They swear they're going to stop reading. But, like addicts, they keep coming back, even though they don't really enjoy the experience. They want Martin to end the books, tie them up with a big bow, so they can move on with their lives and not have their hearts and affections tormented in such a manner.

People who belong to group number four are the reason, I believe, Martin gets so much crap for taking three to four years to write books. These books are more than 1,000 pages long. That seems a reasonable time to produce a book of that length to me. Novels, especially ones as intricate as these, don't fly off the production line.

These are the people who tell you they love the books, but then in the next breath, go on about how excessively long they are, and how there's too much talk about food, and how whole chapters go by with essentially nothing happening, and how there aren't enough battles and action scenes. When these people are complaining to me about the books, I want to ask (and maybe I should next time) "Well, why are you still reading them, then?" But I think it's the compulsion thing. I don't think they really have a choice. I don't know if they can change from group four to group three. I feel a little sorry for them.

I clearly belong in group three. I love the descriptions. I delight in being told what people are wearing and eating and what the rooms look like. I like the quirky humor Martin sneaks in. I hate long, complicated battle scenes. I tend to skim those when they pop up in books by authors other than a select handfull who can write good battle scenes. I adore Martin's books, and I am having so much fun reading them. I'm eager to read the next one, but not panting to have them over with, either. I'm savoring them.

Storm of Swords gave us some of my favorite characters and themes in the Song of Ice and Fire (so far). We get the Queen of Thorns whom I adore. We get "The Bear and the Maiden Fair." And the Maid of Tarth. And Jaime's arc developing (the beautiful image of him staring at the mostly-empty page). We get a satisfying comeuppance to some characters we despised and tragic things happened to characters we love. We get two of the most memorable weddings I've ever read. The lead-up to the first one was excruciating the second time through. We don't have to find the patience to deal with Theon as a point-of-view character anymore, and we get Jaime instead.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I can't recommend it highly enough. The group twos will enjoy its twists, the group threes don't need to be told to read it, and I can only beg the group fours: Try to enjoy the lemon pies and Myrish lace, OK? It'll all be over soon enough, and then we'll all be sad.

The point-of-view characters in this book are: Jaime Lannister, Jon Snow, Catelyn Stark, Tyrion Lannister, Sansa Stark, Arya Stark, Bran Stark, Samwell Tarly, Davos Seaworth, and Daenerys Targaryen.