George R. R. Martin's A Feast for Crows (of the Song of Fire and Ice series) suffers from MBSS, or Middle Book in a Series Syndrome. It lacks the addictive excitement and intrigue necessary for early books and the catastrophes and closures I'm looking forward to from later books. It's just a link in the chain. My initial response to it reminds me of my initial response to J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix . I trust in the vision of the author and am certain the book is essential to the ongoing series, but, without those remaining books at my disposal, I am rather unenthused. (On a side note, Order of the Phoenix has become one of my favorite Harry Potter books--perhaps in time A Feast for Crows will have a similar ascent.)

Compounding the issues of MBSS, A Feast for Crows introduces a parade of new characters that help both to continue expanding the borders of Martin's extremely impressive fictional world and, just as importantly, to fill the character gaps left by his earlier stories' bloodbaths. While I know some of these new characters will grow on me, I fear that I have a limited amount of room in my head for more names and a limited amount of affection in my heart for more characters. Speaking of my affection for characters, I was irritated to discover that A Feast for Crows is only half of Martin's intended fourth book and stars only half of his (remaining) main characters. An entire book without my favorite--perhaps that's why this review is leaning toward negative.

I should get to the positive, because, whine as I do, I know there is much more positive in A Feast for Crows than negative. As someone who reads for patterns, for instance, I loved the recurring presence of the novel's title throughout the text. Each time it was both clever and alarming. I say this with every new Song of Fire and Ice book, but I can't help noticing and admiring Martin's character development. Met with the unexpected struggles of war, his characters grow and change. It is a true sign of Martin's artistry that while, at book one, I could never have predicted the shifting attitudes and actions of his characters in book four, upon reading through book four, I can look back and clearly understand why his characters now act the way they do. And while his story doesn't always develop in the way I would like it to, it seems to develop organically as the natural product of a chaotic world peopled with complex individuals. Which in my opinion testifies to the strength of Martin's plot structuring, the skill of his storytelling, and the integrity of his vision. (Nota bene, Stephanie Meyer.)

I can't wait for the next book. So much so that I'm going to have to buy it in hardcover. Ew.

Note:
Upon reading Feast a second time, I'm adding a star to my rating. Once I coped with the overwhelming disappointment of Tyrion's absence and prepared myself for the onslaught of new characters, I could really appreciate the plot twists and character development in this book. As I wait for the fifth installment (in July!), I have two thoughts: sadness upon reading Martin's prediction that Dance would be out in 2006 and anxious anticipation for the sixth book in the series, because news on all of Feast's cliffhangers will have to wait until then. CAN'T I JUST DEVOUR THE WHOLE SERIES NOW?!

Quotes!

"Words are like arrows... Once loosed, you cannot call them back."

"Knowledge is a weapon... Arm yourself well before you ride forth to battle."

"Men of honor will do things for their children that they would never consider doing for themselves."

"History is a wheel, for the nature of man is fundamentally unchanging."

"No fight is hopeless till it has been fought."

"Every man should lose a battle in his youth, so he does not lose a war when he is old."

"I prefer my history dead. Dead history is writ in ink, the living sort in blood."

"A king who does not protect his people is no king at all."

"Valor is a poor substitute for numbers."