A Dance with Dragons
Ratings987
Average rating4.2
If you don't want to be spoiled on Game of Thrones on HBO, you probably need to read the books. Book 3 is still my favorite, 4 least favorite. #5 is somewhere in the middle. Don't want to spoil anything, but to say it follows a lot of my favorite characters.
I find the characters interesting but I don't reallly like any of them. Spending all of one book with POV'S I did not care for and now, halfway through ADWD if find myself asking, what's the point, what are we working toward? I feel like whoever gains the iron throne won't change Westeros for the better. I'm also sick of the poor treatment of women and placing scenes of rape in the background of several scenes. Probably won't re-read this series. I'm honestly kind of sad I can't join the ASOIAF fan club, but that's how I feel right now.
This series got more and more boring with each book. I couldn't finish, nothing was happening. The first couple books were good, then it became progressively less and less interesting.
A Solid Continuation, But Lacking the Spark
While A Dance with Dragons certainly picks up the pace compared to its predecessor, A Feast for Crows, it still struggles to maintain the same level of excitement and intrigue as the earlier books in the series. Martin's decision to juggle so many different perspectives, while ambitious, can also lead to a fragmented narrative that can be difficult to follow.
The author himself has acknowledged the challenges he faced in writing this book, and it's evident in the pacing and tone. The story feels like it's meandering, taking its time to set the stage for the climactic events that are yet to come. While this approach might be necessary for world-building and character development, it can also leave the reader feeling a bit impatient.
Tyrion Lannister continues to be a standout character, his wit and resilience providing a much-needed breath of fresh air amidst the chaos. His journey through the world of Westeros offers some of the most engaging moments in the book.
Overall, A Dance with Dragons is a solid continuation of the series, but it falls short of the heights reached by the earlier books. While it's certainly worth reading for fans of the series, it's likely to leave many readers feeling a bit unsatisfied and eager for the next installment.
I got this when it came out. I've tried to read it multiple times but only got half way before setting it down. Finally I finished it. I still found it very boring. A lot of setup for a book we may never get.
Finished! This one didn't take nearly as long. The detail in these books is fantastic. Some times I don't know what I should be paying attention to. I'm not good with names and forget who is whom and how they are related to the story.
After a third I gave up. I simply lacked the motivation to listen to this and not remembering the majority of the names mentioned. Thanks A Wiki of Ice and Fire, I guess, for providing all those chapter summaries. This way I could still find out how the story continues. Maybe I'll be more motivated for the sixth book should it ever be published.
I had high expectations for this one. Since I spent so much time with Jamie and Cersi in the last book I was looking forward to finding out what was going on with Tyrion and Daenerys and everyone else I like, but there's just too many characters. Too many names to keep track of, too many story lines to follow. Too many pages to read......
Once you are at book 5 in a series you're in for the long haul, so what to add that hasn't been said? My grump is that it is too long and the editing feels too loose. These are subjective of course.
I skimmed some of this – too many characters to keep track of. I want to focus on the characters I've followed since the beginning
I just realized this took me over a month to read. There are lots of things I enjoyed about this book and lots of things I really could have done without. my best friend can tell you there were parts of this book I wish I could skim. While the Character development was flawless as usual I just didn't enjoy this as much as I wanted to.
It was a fantastic book! It's curious how the TV series, deviates from the books. I'm ready for the next one.
Este libro ha sido increible. Realmente uno no puede dejar de pensar en qué diablos se ha fumado el tío George.
Es probable que muera de la impaciencia esperando el 6to libro. Supongo que ya puedo empezar a ver la serie.
I thought I really enjoyed this book. Looking back on my notes there were a lot of fillers. It was much better than A Feast for Crows, but too many pointless chapters to give it 5 stars.
Jon: Trying to get control of the nights watch. some chapters were brilliant, others a waste. Still one of the strongest characters in this book. Lived hearing more about the Wildlings.
Danaerys: if I hear one more thing about Daario I might scream. She didn't care about the city, so I gave up caring too.
Bran: That's it?.... sure his character is boring, but we finally were getting somewhere! Then silence. George could have easily swapped a pointless chapter for this one.
Theon/Reek. on his was to a redemption plotline. Easy my favorite chapters. The inner struggle, hiding from Ramsay. The chapters were cruel, but he had the best character development.
Tyrion: I'm on a boat. I found a dwarf friend. I get on another boat. I'm sold into slavery. get on another boat. finally almost meet Danaerys. she flies off. I try to find a new boat.
Sir Barristan: Important POV after Dany leaves, and he tells what's happening when she's too busy daydreaming about Daario. chapters just too long and boring.
Quentin Martel. hilarious. boy thinks he can whip a dragon into obeying him. moron.
other Martels : trying to screw over the lannisters I'm ok with that.
Melisandre: oooh visions. I'd be fond with more chapters from her. they actually made me like her.
Random Targaryan kid: who? why. stupidest plotline by far.
Asha Greyjoy: she's horny.... ok..... pointless chapter.
Arya: ooh closure. good. looking forward to what happens next with her.
cersei. got what she deserves. hope they behead her. what's with frankenstein??
Jamie and Brienne: I need more!! let's go!!
Davos: captured again. his plot seems done.
Victorian Greyjoy: I think he's someone to watch. using blood magic. hope Dany crisps him .
epilogue: best part. poor kevan, but FINALLY Varys shows back up. the boom missed his scheming.
So so good! Not entirely fond of how GRRM split up the last two books but overall it was still awesome! This is one of my favorite series and I'm so happy that I'm finally all caught up! Now for the next book to come out... hurry up, George!
I can't freaking believe what happened towards the end of this book. What. The. Fuck?!
Loved it though. Better that ‘A Feast for Crows' in my opinion.
Slow, drawn out, and overall it's boring. Aside from a few good scenes, this book has no business existing. I've never been so happier to have finished a book just so I can be done with it.
Now that was a long book!! Unfortunately, not a whole lot happened. I still love the world George R.R. Martin has created so I didn't really mind crawling through this one too much.
Amazing that a story arc with so many POV characters can be so engrossing. Now I settle in to wait for winter and catch up with the television series.
Het is allemaal een beetje in één geschoven, de hele reeks van A Song of Ice and Fire, vrees ik: ik had deel één al gelezen, jaren geleden, en toen heb ik de televisieserie gezien, en toen heb ik deel één tot en met vier herlezen, en net toen deel vier uit was, heb ik deel vijf gelezen. Deel vier en vijf waren oorspronkelijk opgevat als één boek, en met ze zo meteen na mekaar te lezen, zitten ze ook zo in mijn hoofd.
Ik heb de indruk dat het allemaal wat sneller had kunnen gaan, met wat minder geëmmer hier en wat meer detail daar, maar ik ga niet klagen. Het ging uiteindelijk vooruit; niet zo goed als in het begin, maar een mens krijgt toch de indruk dat de stage helemaal geset is voor een zekere conclusie.
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Feastdance, A Feast with Dragons, A Dance for Crows: noem het hoe ge wilt. Wat het is, is hoe deel vier en vijf van A Song of Ice and Fire zouden moeten gelezen worden.
Het verhaal is bekend: GRRM was begonnen aan deel vier, en het bleef maar groeien, en groeien, en groeien, en iedereen werd ongeduldig, en het lukte maar niet om alles af te ronden zoals hij het wou afronden – en dus besloot hij maar om het boek in twee te splitsen.
Niet chronologisch in twee, want het grootste deel van boek vijf loopt parallel met boek vier. Ook niet thematisch, want de thema's lopen over en door de twee boeken heen. Wel op basis van de personages, grotendeels. De afweging was: vertel ik in boek vier ongeveer de helft van het verhaal voor (bijna) alle personages, of (bijna) het hele verhaal voor ongeveer de helft van de personages.
Het is dat tweede geworden: het minste kwaad, dacht Martin. Begrijpelijke, maar vooral spijtige zaak, want de twee boeken zijn vele (véle) keren beter als ze samen gelezen worden.
Wie de boeken nog niet gelezen heeft, rep u naar hier om te leren hoe ze zouden moeten gelezen worden. Wie de boeken wél al gelezen heeft, haast u naar hier om te zien hoe Sean T. Collins (en Stefan, en vele anderen) de twee in elkaar gestoken hebben.
Ik kan niet zeggen hoe content ik ben van mijn ikweetnietmeerhoeveelste herlezing.
Love the writing, though the distance between major events keeps increasing rather than the opposite! Further, the endless introduction of new POV characters is getting excessive, to my taste. Look forward to next instalment...