A Dance with Dragons (A Song of Ice and Fire, #5) in Multiculturalism in YA,Fantasy, Sci FI,Paranormal and fun books ;p

Apr 18, 2014 Ramsey Isler rated it liked it

Although better than its predecessor, this installment in the series still didn't live up to the mastery of Books 1 - 3 for me. The narrative still felt like it was spiraling out of control, and going places I wasn't particularly interested in. Also, there's a fairly major plot twist involving a character who was thought long dead for the previous 4 books an just suddenly appears out of nowhere, alive and well and ready to change the world. Although there are certainly some major developments, a ...more

1 like · Like · see review

Jun 01, 2011 Sasha rated it it was ok

Since I only just started this book series last year, I didn’t have to wait a long time in between books. This turned out to be a good thing, because it was six years between the last book in this series and this one, which, if you ask me, is an unusually long time to wait (and I’m not a very patient person). Beware, slight spoilers and slightly more ranting to follow.

While absence may have made the hearts of some readers grow fonder, it certainly hasn’t for me. A Dance with Dragons suffers from Since I only just started this book series last year, I didn’t have to wait a long time in between books. This turned out to be a good thing, because it was six years between the last book in this series and this one, which, if you ask me, is an unusually long time to wait (and I’m not a very patient person). Beware, slight spoilers and slightly more ranting to follow.

While absence may have made the hearts of some readers grow fonder, it certainly hasn’t for me. A Dance with Dragons suffers from many of the same things as its predecessor, A Feast for Crows. For one, the length. Don’t get me wrong. I’m not a lazy reader by any means. A thousand pages is not a daunting thing for me to read, especially if I enjoy the story. But there are just too many words! Martin really needs to learn to get to the point.

For example, I could care less about the extensive feast descriptions that pop up, it seems, once per chapter. See, Mr. Martin, I can do it too:

“The table was covered end to end with dishes overflowing: lamprey pies slowly congealing in the tepid air, tender roast mutton whose meat looked like to drip off the bone, tail of dog soup, caramelized cranberry steak tartar, blood pudding served with steaming buttered loaves of sour dough bread, Dornish wine glittering in crystal decanters, broiled pig stuffed with dates and walnuts, food, more food, some more of that food we were talking about, did I already mention food? Well here’s some more, let me describe it to you in exhaustive detail if you don’t believe me…”

And five years later we get back to the story, but I’ve already forgotten what we were talking about. And now I’m hungry. Awesome. I felt like I was reading a medieval Martha Stewart cookbook. I’m sure some would call this overabundance of description “details,” but I think it is unnecessary and something that hinders the progression of the plot. If you say that they’re having a feast or dinner or whatever, Mr. Martin, I believe you. I promise! Now please use that page space for furthering the plot instead.

I don’t have all negative things to say about ADwD. I do love the POV characters. Well, okay. Most of them, the ones that actually add to the story. But those one-off, fringe characters that easily could have been shafted from the final draft? Those characters get on my nerves. Why waste a chapter on The Iron Suitor when I could read more of Arya, or Jaime? The POV characters who got significant face time in this book were, thankfully, very interesting, although Tyrion is starting to wear out his welcome. I’ve always been fond of Bran as a character, so I really looked forward to reading his share of the chapters. I liked that Theon had his chance to shine, and I do love reading about the Wall and the North through Jon’s POV.

Here’s my main problem with the series however. No amount of clever wording, surprisingly exciting (but few and far between) chapter installments, or intriguing character development can mask the fact that not a lot has happened over the course of these five books. I feel like I’m watching one of those television shows where each week they have some exciting, self-contained little adventure that adds absolutely nothing to the overarching plot.

Argue with me all you want to the contrary, I’m sticking with that assessment. I’ve been so blinded by the idea of this being an epic fantasy book series that I’ve ignored the fact that there has been very little follow-through in that regard. This series has been overhyped. There, I said it. It’s still a tremendous body of work, sure, but if Mr. Martin churns out hundreds of pages per installment and can only move the plot along at a snaillike pace, maybe I’m not getting enough bang for my buck, and that disappoints me. I want this story to be worthwhile.

And I want to see how this all ends. I do. But it’s going to be a wearisome struggle to get there. Is it really worth it? ...more

Like · see review

Feb 14, 2014 Martyn Halm rated it liked it · review of another edition

Too bad the series ends at a cliff hanger. Character arc was pretty interesting in this one, but the lack of resolution is disappointing. I still think, even with a series like this, that there should be some kind of temporary resolution at the end of this book.

Imagine if GRRM keels over without finishing the series...

One thing I noticed that over time, the books become more and more drawn-out... whereas in the first book the action followed action pretty quickly, the latter books are less 'acti ...more

Like · see review

Jul 25, 2011 Brenda Morris rated it it was amazing

Shelves: fantasy

As always, Martin has taken me on a roller coaster ride of emotions. Some events I hoped for happened, many did not, characters I love both succeeded and suffered. In the end, my main disappointment is knowing I have to wait for the next book!

Like · see review

Sep 04, 2014 Eucaris rated it liked it

Shelves: favorites

I have loved the saga so far, it truly is well build but this installment was a bit dissapointing, it's not bad but you feel like it lacks something ...more

Like · see review