Life is not a song sweetling...someday you may learn that to your dismay
You know, with A Feast For Crow being there any days now, I'm realizing something. Something grave and daunting. There's much too few people on my flist who are into A Song of Ice and Fire. Much too few. Oh of course, I've got at least three friends from my ancient ASOIAF fandom days, and all my exalted buddies I convinced to read it. And there must be a couple of others, surely (surely ?) But, given the amount of squeeing and rabid fangirling and possibly random analysis after each chapter (if I manage myself to stop reading, unlikely as it is) I'm planning on doing, this is much too little.
And of course I always love to share my joy at reading book by reccomanding them to my friends and to innocent bystanders. So I think it's time for some unabashed advertisment and review.
Hear, hear :
Why A song of Ice and Fire by George RR Martins is the best fantasy serie
and why YOU should read it now
Présentation
"When you play the game of thrones, you win or you die. There is no middle ground."
There's three volumes out : A Game of Throne, A Clash of Kings, A Storm of Sword, and the soon to be released a Feast For Crows.
There's a likely total of seven books planned for the entire serie, so we're midway through it.
The story takes place in the land of Westeros called the Seven Kingdoms. Three centuries ago, those seven kingdoms, and their seven kings, were conquered and united by the Targaryens with the help of the three dragons they'd brought with them. However, fifteen years before the beginning of the book, dragons were long the stuff of myth when the last Targaryen king, the mad Aerys was killed to put an end to his folly and murders. Of their line, only the prince Viserys nicknamed the Beggar King, and his sister Daenarys remain, exiled in exotic lands.
This is world where seasons may last several years, and where a long summer is finally drawing at end. In the harsh, isolated northernest part of the Seven Kingdom the Stark family word, grim and daunting, is "Winter is coming". Eddard Stark has a reputation for being a sternly honourable man, and he certainly raised his five children, and his bastard child John Snow, with honour in mind. The story starts with his family being visited by the current king since the upraising and his old childhood friend Robert Baratheon. In his baggage he's bringing the wealthy and powerful Lannisters, of whom he wed the sister Cersei. There's a certain distrust between the Starks and the Lannisters, dating from the war. Jaime Lannister certainly earned quite an infamous reputation when he murdered former king Aerys despite having been part of the sacred knight guard sworn to protect the king. Tyrion Lannister his younger brother is mocked as the "Imp" for being a dwarf.
Back in the capital of King's Landing Jon Arryn who was Hand of the King, the leader of the Small Council that helps ruling the country, has died in suspicious circumstances. Robert Baratheon came to ask his old friend to replace him, to come all the way south to become to new Hand. Eddard can bring his daughters with him at court, they'll betroth Sansa Stark to Robert's elder son Joffrey. And meanwhile, he may investigate over the circumstances of Jon Arryn's death.
Beyond the Stark's northern fronteers, there's wild lands where strange creatures of old still live. It's also a place where Wildlings and savage men survive. A huge, millenia old Wall and the Night's Guard of men sworn to guard it, have always been protecting this border. From raids and sacking from the Wildlings, but also from the Others of old legends. But surely, those old woman's tales are no longuer of any relevance, are they ?
Setting and mood
"There are no true knights, no more than there are gods. If you can't protect yourself die and get out of the way of those who can. Sharp steel and strong arms rule this world, don't ever believe any different"
As fantasy goes, ASOIAF has a rather classical, comfortably medieval setting. Mind you, it's a more informed, detailed, crudely realistic medieval setting than you'll find in most fantasy. One of the main inspiration is the War of the Roses, and in many ways it'll remind you more of Shaekspeare than of Tolkien.
ASOIAF is dark, unabashedly so. If seeing your favourite character getting killed turns you off reading a book definitly, don't read this one. If you like the grittiness however, and if you like epic battles, deadly sharp intrigues and more than everything wonderfully ambiguous characterization, you WANT to read it.
However, ASOIAF isn't the Black Compagny. It's not all cynical humour and grim situations. It's got also lyrism, beautifully haunting lines, idealist and honourable characters. And they don't even all get killed. :) Thing is, in this books, the dilemnas displayed will be honour against loyalty, survival against compassion, love against duty. Some characters, a whole score of character, are so complexely drawn no one will agree whether they're more or less the heroes or villains of the play. And that's not because you don't know their true loyalties, just because as they struggle to make their choices in a complex (and deadly) world, you'll learn to either sympathize with them as they do horrible acts for the sake of something they hold dear, admire their courage and wit no matter how ruthless, or instead loath the very reasons they use to justify. This is the only book where I can name a character I truly detest. This is also the only book where I can name a character I genuinely adore despite the fact he pushed a 8 years old child from a tower window so as to protect his very traitorous sexual relationship for his own sister. Be prepare to be challenged. I'm sure you'll find someone to root for, but I hardly think anyone is shown as the righteous party thay should by all accounts win.
Magic isn't something you'll meet casually in this serie. It's not inexistent either, but it's of a suspicious, half charlatanery, half religion, nature. It's also good for great, eery foreshadowing, very symbolical, and will always come at a deear price. There's magic still, and wonder, rare enough that when it is there, it's got a great effect of awe. If you dislike prophecy gimmicks as much as I do, this is also a book you'll love. Prophecies, in this book, can definitly be destroyed as easily as it is to murder a child.
Plot
"I did warn you not to trust me."
The plot is possibly the part that Martins masters the most skillfully. The cast is rather huge (you'll be thankful for the annexes provided at the end of the volumes if you want to follow the smallest threads) and Martins makes a very clever use of the twists and ties of family relationships among noble houses. Hints given in the first book can be relevant to unknotting an intrigue two volumes after. There's only very few failures of consistencies. If you like complaining about the lack of coherence in one writer's world building and plot threading, i'm afraid you'll find few things to whine about. Twists come, fast-paced and logical in a way that makes you think "I should have foreseen this !". Actions reap consequences, and don't expect Deus Ex Machina.
There's intrigues, lots of lovely, intricate, treacherous intrigues. There's battles. There's devious bastards and badass fighters. There's also lots of seemingly weak characters who do nonetheless trick their ways to survival. There's alliances betweens characters who were ennemies, there's betrayals. There's unlikely friendship. There's act of courage and daring that manage to reap victory back from the edge... or not. There's duels, Trial by combat. It's a book that is overall very hard to put down by the side of the table. It's also a story that is very rewarding to follow and analyze in details for clues about what really happened, or what could likely happen. Theories abound, and it's a lovely thing to debate about with a friend.
Style
"He dreamt an old dream, of three knights in white cloaks, and a tower long fallen, and Lyanna in her bed of blood."
George Martins doesn't usually go for the too outrageously dramatic or lyrical. However, in an understated, wry, cutting fashion, he's got a gift for carving lines that you'll usually remember long after closing the book, this I can promise to you.
It's the one serie for which I've got a txt file full of goodie quotes.
Some of them are terribly humourour, though more often than not the humour is a darker tone. There's lots of characters with ready wit and a sharp tongue to make you laugh with delight or grin with appreciation to sarcasm (especially Tyrion Lannister, who, by personnality and demeanour reminds me a LOT of darker, less idealist Miles Vorkosigan)
There's also some lines that beautiful and haunting, and very poetic. I think everyone will agree that in general, Martins is very good at evoquing an appropriate mood suiting his setting and plot. The descriptions are vivid and detailed. The names in the text are often simple but acutely fitting. The dialogues are extremely good.
Characters
"Lord Varys, I am growing strangely fond of you. I may kill you yet but I think i'd feel bad about it."
As I said before, there's lots of characters, however don't be afraid of remembering keenly the mains ones. They tend to make a vivd impressions.
As I've said before, there's a lot of ambiguity in the characterization. However, do not fear that they are all dark, cynical characters. There's definitly a fair share of rather innocent and likeable characters as well. Actually a fair share of the main characters are children at the beginning of the book, ranging from 9 to 16 (the Stark children and Daenarys Targaryen) and they're very well written as such. Not all the characters are so lovable no matter what they do either. There's some mean, sadistic bastards all right.
It's easy to care for a lot of characters, as well as easy to despise them. They're realistic, too. And they make do with the circumstances the best they can. Sometimes to terrifying consequences. A lot of them belong to the nobility of the seven kingdoms, but less high born characters also have their importance and influence on the stories. Sellswords, whores, wise Maesters, former smugglers turned knights, barbaric Wildlings, bastard child raised as a blacksmith, and road brigands are all characters who'll also have their share. Both male and female characters are well written. Some female characters are extremely badass. Some manage to be so without ever touching to a weapon.
Romance exists, though i'd hardly say it's the highlight of the story. In many ways, love is shown to be as often as not a bad idea, and possibly something that draws the worst out of people as well as the best. It's a serie where "the things I do for love" brings some definite chilling overtones. Sometimes, howevers, it's redeeming. It brings hope and light in the most damning darkness. There's some relationships between characters that will totally pull you in for their intensities. George Martins spent years writing for Beauty and the Beast, and it shows, it's one of the theme you'll find often (with twists, oh so lovely twists) And, did I mention there's canon gay ?
Conclusion
"All men must die, Jon Snow. but first we'll live"
All right, I hope I haven't been to sleep-inducing and that i've convinced you and you've already ordered your own book on Amazon. ^_^ I promise you won't regret it... in all likelyhood.
And of course I always love to share my joy at reading book by reccomanding them to my friends and to innocent bystanders. So I think it's time for some unabashed advertisment and review.
Hear, hear :
Why A song of Ice and Fire by George RR Martins is the best fantasy serie
and why YOU should read it now
Présentation
"When you play the game of thrones, you win or you die. There is no middle ground."
There's three volumes out : A Game of Throne, A Clash of Kings, A Storm of Sword, and the soon to be released a Feast For Crows.
There's a likely total of seven books planned for the entire serie, so we're midway through it.
The story takes place in the land of Westeros called the Seven Kingdoms. Three centuries ago, those seven kingdoms, and their seven kings, were conquered and united by the Targaryens with the help of the three dragons they'd brought with them. However, fifteen years before the beginning of the book, dragons were long the stuff of myth when the last Targaryen king, the mad Aerys was killed to put an end to his folly and murders. Of their line, only the prince Viserys nicknamed the Beggar King, and his sister Daenarys remain, exiled in exotic lands.
This is world where seasons may last several years, and where a long summer is finally drawing at end. In the harsh, isolated northernest part of the Seven Kingdom the Stark family word, grim and daunting, is "Winter is coming". Eddard Stark has a reputation for being a sternly honourable man, and he certainly raised his five children, and his bastard child John Snow, with honour in mind. The story starts with his family being visited by the current king since the upraising and his old childhood friend Robert Baratheon. In his baggage he's bringing the wealthy and powerful Lannisters, of whom he wed the sister Cersei. There's a certain distrust between the Starks and the Lannisters, dating from the war. Jaime Lannister certainly earned quite an infamous reputation when he murdered former king Aerys despite having been part of the sacred knight guard sworn to protect the king. Tyrion Lannister his younger brother is mocked as the "Imp" for being a dwarf.
Back in the capital of King's Landing Jon Arryn who was Hand of the King, the leader of the Small Council that helps ruling the country, has died in suspicious circumstances. Robert Baratheon came to ask his old friend to replace him, to come all the way south to become to new Hand. Eddard can bring his daughters with him at court, they'll betroth Sansa Stark to Robert's elder son Joffrey. And meanwhile, he may investigate over the circumstances of Jon Arryn's death.
Beyond the Stark's northern fronteers, there's wild lands where strange creatures of old still live. It's also a place where Wildlings and savage men survive. A huge, millenia old Wall and the Night's Guard of men sworn to guard it, have always been protecting this border. From raids and sacking from the Wildlings, but also from the Others of old legends. But surely, those old woman's tales are no longuer of any relevance, are they ?
Setting and mood
"There are no true knights, no more than there are gods. If you can't protect yourself die and get out of the way of those who can. Sharp steel and strong arms rule this world, don't ever believe any different"
As fantasy goes, ASOIAF has a rather classical, comfortably medieval setting. Mind you, it's a more informed, detailed, crudely realistic medieval setting than you'll find in most fantasy. One of the main inspiration is the War of the Roses, and in many ways it'll remind you more of Shaekspeare than of Tolkien.
ASOIAF is dark, unabashedly so. If seeing your favourite character getting killed turns you off reading a book definitly, don't read this one. If you like the grittiness however, and if you like epic battles, deadly sharp intrigues and more than everything wonderfully ambiguous characterization, you WANT to read it.
However, ASOIAF isn't the Black Compagny. It's not all cynical humour and grim situations. It's got also lyrism, beautifully haunting lines, idealist and honourable characters. And they don't even all get killed. :) Thing is, in this books, the dilemnas displayed will be honour against loyalty, survival against compassion, love against duty. Some characters, a whole score of character, are so complexely drawn no one will agree whether they're more or less the heroes or villains of the play. And that's not because you don't know their true loyalties, just because as they struggle to make their choices in a complex (and deadly) world, you'll learn to either sympathize with them as they do horrible acts for the sake of something they hold dear, admire their courage and wit no matter how ruthless, or instead loath the very reasons they use to justify. This is the only book where I can name a character I truly detest. This is also the only book where I can name a character I genuinely adore despite the fact he pushed a 8 years old child from a tower window so as to protect his very traitorous sexual relationship for his own sister. Be prepare to be challenged. I'm sure you'll find someone to root for, but I hardly think anyone is shown as the righteous party thay should by all accounts win.
Magic isn't something you'll meet casually in this serie. It's not inexistent either, but it's of a suspicious, half charlatanery, half religion, nature. It's also good for great, eery foreshadowing, very symbolical, and will always come at a deear price. There's magic still, and wonder, rare enough that when it is there, it's got a great effect of awe. If you dislike prophecy gimmicks as much as I do, this is also a book you'll love. Prophecies, in this book, can definitly be destroyed as easily as it is to murder a child.
Plot
"I did warn you not to trust me."
The plot is possibly the part that Martins masters the most skillfully. The cast is rather huge (you'll be thankful for the annexes provided at the end of the volumes if you want to follow the smallest threads) and Martins makes a very clever use of the twists and ties of family relationships among noble houses. Hints given in the first book can be relevant to unknotting an intrigue two volumes after. There's only very few failures of consistencies. If you like complaining about the lack of coherence in one writer's world building and plot threading, i'm afraid you'll find few things to whine about. Twists come, fast-paced and logical in a way that makes you think "I should have foreseen this !". Actions reap consequences, and don't expect Deus Ex Machina.
There's intrigues, lots of lovely, intricate, treacherous intrigues. There's battles. There's devious bastards and badass fighters. There's also lots of seemingly weak characters who do nonetheless trick their ways to survival. There's alliances betweens characters who were ennemies, there's betrayals. There's unlikely friendship. There's act of courage and daring that manage to reap victory back from the edge... or not. There's duels, Trial by combat. It's a book that is overall very hard to put down by the side of the table. It's also a story that is very rewarding to follow and analyze in details for clues about what really happened, or what could likely happen. Theories abound, and it's a lovely thing to debate about with a friend.
Style
"He dreamt an old dream, of three knights in white cloaks, and a tower long fallen, and Lyanna in her bed of blood."
George Martins doesn't usually go for the too outrageously dramatic or lyrical. However, in an understated, wry, cutting fashion, he's got a gift for carving lines that you'll usually remember long after closing the book, this I can promise to you.
It's the one serie for which I've got a txt file full of goodie quotes.
Some of them are terribly humourour, though more often than not the humour is a darker tone. There's lots of characters with ready wit and a sharp tongue to make you laugh with delight or grin with appreciation to sarcasm (especially Tyrion Lannister, who, by personnality and demeanour reminds me a LOT of darker, less idealist Miles Vorkosigan)
There's also some lines that beautiful and haunting, and very poetic. I think everyone will agree that in general, Martins is very good at evoquing an appropriate mood suiting his setting and plot. The descriptions are vivid and detailed. The names in the text are often simple but acutely fitting. The dialogues are extremely good.
Characters
"Lord Varys, I am growing strangely fond of you. I may kill you yet but I think i'd feel bad about it."
As I said before, there's lots of characters, however don't be afraid of remembering keenly the mains ones. They tend to make a vivd impressions.
As I've said before, there's a lot of ambiguity in the characterization. However, do not fear that they are all dark, cynical characters. There's definitly a fair share of rather innocent and likeable characters as well. Actually a fair share of the main characters are children at the beginning of the book, ranging from 9 to 16 (the Stark children and Daenarys Targaryen) and they're very well written as such. Not all the characters are so lovable no matter what they do either. There's some mean, sadistic bastards all right.
It's easy to care for a lot of characters, as well as easy to despise them. They're realistic, too. And they make do with the circumstances the best they can. Sometimes to terrifying consequences. A lot of them belong to the nobility of the seven kingdoms, but less high born characters also have their importance and influence on the stories. Sellswords, whores, wise Maesters, former smugglers turned knights, barbaric Wildlings, bastard child raised as a blacksmith, and road brigands are all characters who'll also have their share. Both male and female characters are well written. Some female characters are extremely badass. Some manage to be so without ever touching to a weapon.
Romance exists, though i'd hardly say it's the highlight of the story. In many ways, love is shown to be as often as not a bad idea, and possibly something that draws the worst out of people as well as the best. It's a serie where "the things I do for love" brings some definite chilling overtones. Sometimes, howevers, it's redeeming. It brings hope and light in the most damning darkness. There's some relationships between characters that will totally pull you in for their intensities. George Martins spent years writing for Beauty and the Beast, and it shows, it's one of the theme you'll find often (with twists, oh so lovely twists) And, did I mention there's canon gay ?
Conclusion
"All men must die, Jon Snow. but first we'll live"
All right, I hope I haven't been to sleep-inducing and that i've convinced you and you've already ordered your own book on Amazon. ^_^ I promise you won't regret it... in all likelyhood.