I was warned--I should have listened. I gave #4 a chance because it set up a lot of potentially interesting story lines. But this book... It was disappointing.

NOTHING HAPPENS. People eat a lot and get dressed (or undressed) and talk about fights before or after they happen. This is a study in off-stage writing and long-winded introspection. Even though I feel like I understand the characters better, it still doesn't make the book more interesting to read.

This book is in serious need of a good editor to slash all the food descriptions and the reminiscing. With books as good and gripping as the first three, it was really frustrating to face this mammoth and see that all it contained was useless fat. Some bones and muscles would have made this book much more palatable. 4 and 5 could easily be slashed in half and joined together as a single book.

Read it if you must, or wait a few years for what promises to be a much better rendition from HBO.