It Was a Dark and Stormy Sword

[spectralbovine]

For all you A Song of Ice and Fire fans who have been waiting for me to get through A Game of Thrones and A Clash of Kings so I could get to this book: the time has come.

Comments

[lareinenoire]

Oh, man, I still remember coming to the end of ASoS and discovering (this was 2002) that there were NO MORE BOOKS and it was literally like slamming into a brick wall--that was the kind of adrenaline rush occasioned by that book. ;)

[robyn_migratori]

I was always randomly thinking about that when I was reading these books: "Oh gawd, what if I were reading them as they came out and I had to wait five years for the resolution of [whatever unfinished plot point]?" And of course the ones that GRRM doesn't address immediately would leave people waiting eleven years -- I honestly think I would have given up on the series.

[smrou]

I also read the first three books (since that's all there were) in 2002. And I certainly haven't given up on the series at all, but I will say that having to wait so long for the next book, and then having to wait yet again...well, it did drain my enthusiasm somewhat. I mean, I was really really eager for more when I finished A Storm of Swords, but I have a difficult time maintaining that level of excitement and eagerness for a long time (plus I have a terrible terrible memory for plot) so by the time the next book actually came out I wasn't half as eager. To the point that I had no trouble waiting for it to come out in paperback before I even bothered buying it.

It also didn't help that I wasn't a big fan of A Feast for Crows, so then I was even less eager for the next book. I think if I'd been able to go straight from SoS to FfC to DwD I would have been more enthusiastic

[spectralbovine]

I was going to wait! But then there was a TV show and everyone was talking about it. So. Like you said.

[soundingsea]

This is definitely one of GRRM's greatest strengths: third-person unreliable narrators

And you are so lucky that you get to read books 4 and 5 right away! You might want to check this recommended reading order out: http://boiledleather.com/post/25902554148/a-new-reader-friendly-combined-reading-order-for-a (no spoilers there). It might alleviate some of the frustrations I remember feeling when Feast lacked so many good characters.

[skjaere]

This is easily one of my favourite books in all the world, and I think it was just as much of an adventure following you through it as it was reading it for the first time myself. Thanks for ride. I'm very much looking forward to AFFC.

[catalyst2]

This is a wonderful book - so many "Meh?!" characters were transformed for me in this book into favourites that I feel like it is the highlight of the series so far.

And Joffrey? Fuck Joffrey.
Best. Quote. Ever.