A Song of Ice and Fire: Discussion thread [spoiler: Book 5]

[Big Mike]

I didn't actually have a user name set up...I just had: first name "Big", last name "Mike".
And I just found out that "Big Mike" was already taken.

So on there, I'm now "Oilfan94" and I have the same avatar as here.

 

[Compaq]

To try and bring it back on track LOL


One of the great things with ASOIAF is that important characters, even those whose POV we've seen, may die. The "heroes" aren't "immune" to death, as Harry Potter apparently was. Eddard died, Robb died. The Mountain may have died, and may not have. The Hound. Joff. Many important characters are killed off. One might even say that Arya has died, and lives as no one.

Another thing is the POV chapters. I'm not used to this. Getting to see several sides of the same story is fantastic, and really brings the story up. The fourth books was slower than the rest, can't deny that. I, however, don't see any reason why that's negative. If one starts to read an epic septology, all books around 1000 pages, you can't expect action and things happening all the time. The story is complicated, there are very many characters to remember. It must be difficult to write such a thing. There are things in the first book, pointing to things happening later. GRRM is a fantastic writer, and I don't believe he's "dragging out" the series. It is necessary, I believe.

I excited to know what might happen to Bran. I'm pretty sure he won't sit in his tree for the rest of the series. Rickon has yet a role to play, I believe. Maybe he will be the next Lord of Winterfell, or even King in the North.

Jon may not even be Eddard's son, but Lyanna's and Rhaegar's. I can't wait for the next book.

 

[Overread]

The fact that no character is invulnerable really does make this a series that stands out for many. In most fantasy stories the key character will never die until the very end (if ever); whilst many support characters will only ever die at a key moment if they will at all. In ASOIAF any character can come up for the chop; and they need not be ending their life in some great moment of self sacrifice.

It gives the series a level of realism and an element of page turning surprise that really makes it such a refreshing wind in the genre. That said it can also really throw you when key events happen and the nature of the chapters makes it one that you can quite easily pick up and put down over a longer period of time. This really shows strong with the Starks - the opening "good guys" from the series who one would expect to make it all the way through are already being cut down left, right and centre - in fact I think at this point in the series there's a feeling that they might not even make it through alive! This big change in the series is another that really makes it shine - you can't guess the outcome from book one - you can't guess it from book two - you've got to come along for hte whole ride.

 

[Compaq]

Talking about the Starks, I'm curios as to what happened to Catelyn. She was killed, but she's risen, though we've barely gotten any information about her. I don't believe Bran will die - he has an important role yet to play in the final outcome of what I think is the final battle: dragons vs others. Arya I believe will take the life of many, if not all, that are mentioned in her prayer - whether the many faced God wants it or not

I won't claim to have read many fantasty series, but this one strikes me as very good. I, for one, enjoy a huge cast and many details in geography and families. It demands a certain devotion from the reader, though, which I think is nice. After you've read it once, you've understood the plot. After the second time, you'll probably notice more details and things early on that you see later on. After the third time you will notice even more things. That was how it was with the harry potter series for me. I like that series, even if it isn't completely unique in the plot.

I've only read ASOIAF once, though, but I keep feeling an urge to read it again. So I might just start over soon.

 

[MTVision]

I didn't actually have a user name set up...I just had: first name "Big", last name "Mike".
And I just found out that "Big Mike" was already taken.

So on there, I'm now "Oilfan94" and I have the same avatar as here.

I swear that this "BigMike" on Goodreads was you! I'm not 100% sure where you live but I thought it was the UK which is where the other BigMike is and a lot of the books were fantasy genre books and one of the books he had listed was from ASOIAF.

But anyways - I sent you a friend request....

 

[MTVision]

To try and bring it back on track LOL

One of the great things with ASOIAF is that important characters, even those whose POV we've seen, may die. The "heroes" aren't "immune" to death, as Harry Potter apparently was. Eddard died, Robb died. The Mountain may have died, and may not have. The Hound. Joff. Many important characters are killed off. One might even say that Arya has died, and lives as no one.

Another thing is the POV chapters. I'm not used to this. Getting to see several sides of the same story is fantastic, and really brings the story up. The fourth books was slower than the rest, can't deny that. I, however, don't see any reason why that's negative. If one starts to read an epic septology, all books around 1000 pages, you can't expect action and things happening all the time. The story is complicated, there are very many characters to remember. It must be difficult to write such a thing. There are things in the first book, pointing to things happening later. GRRM is a fantastic writer, and I don't believe he's "dragging out" the series. It is necessary, I believe.

I excited to know what might happen to Bran. I'm pretty sure he won't sit in his tree for the rest of the series. Rickon has yet a role to play, I believe. Maybe he will be the next Lord of Winterfell, or even King in the North.

Jon may not even be Eddard's son, but Lyanna's and Rhaegar's. I can't wait for the next book.

I love love love the way the books are written from each characters POV. I only know of one other author who writes every single book like that - I'm sure there are probably more than that though.

I agree GRRM is an amazing author and I can't imagine how difficult this series must be to write......but I do wish he'd write a bit faster. That's just me though - the suspense kills me. I almost wish I had never started the series and just waited until it was out in its entirety. I mean jeez - I've been waiting for over a decade to find out what happens. I started the series way back in like 2001. It's been FOREVER.

 

[Big Mike]

I didn't actually have a user name set up...I just had: first name "Big", last name "Mike".
And I just found out that "Big Mike" was already taken.

So on there, I'm now "Oilfan94" and I have the same avatar as here.

I swear that this "BigMike" on Goodreads was you! I'm not 100% sure where you live but I thought it was the UK which is where the other BigMike is and a lot of the books were fantasy genre books and one of the books he had listed was from ASOIAF.

But anyways - I sent you a friend request....

That's definitely not me I live in Canada.

 

[Big Mike]

One of the great things with ASOIAF is that important characters, even those whose POV we've seen, may die. The "heroes" aren't "immune" to death, as Harry Potter apparently was. Eddard died, Robb died. The Mountain may have died, and may not have. The Hound. Joff. Many important characters are killed off. One might even say that Arya has died, and lives as no one.

I agree, this is fairly rare in this genre and it does make GRRM stand out. I'll admit that I was shocked when Robb & his mother were killed...and then when Jon was killed. It's certainly an added excitement (the first time though) when you don't know who will live and die.

But that being said, I think he's gone to that trick too many times. I feel like telling him "OK, you're not afraid to kill off main characters...we get it already".
As some point, people will get turned off by that because they liked those characters...I think someone in a post above, said they stopped reading because their favorite characters were all dead.

And then there is the chance that characters will come back to life...which opens up the possibilities and the mystery...but it almost feels like a cop out as well.

I do think that he's a good author...but when I read a review that called him the JRRT of America...I puked in my mouth. :roll: