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4.52 AVERAGE
4.52 AVERAGE
The series is a bit hit and miss. The first two were excellent the third one was a bit of a slog but the fourth one is really quite good. I haven't started the 5th one yet since I didn't actually get the digital version with all 5 just the first four. I plan on reading the 5th soon.
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
dark
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
adventurous
challenging
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The first book was the most like the show. The first three were an absolute delight to read, four was tough. It was not as thrilling as the others. Five left me waiting for the next book in a way I havnt felt since Harry Potter.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Animal death, Bullying, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Incest, Infidelity, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Grief, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, Sexual harassment, War, Classism
adventurous
challenging
dark
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Thoughts after my ASOIAF reread (including doing a combined reading order for the last two published volumes in the series this time):
- Multi POV with character work is very well done, the best in epic fantasy I have read so far
- Transitions between chapters/scenes is great
- Immersive world
- Writing is good but some tics start creeping in Books 4 and 5 - their presence is quite inexplicable (in that they could have been edited away) and they persist throughout.
- The pacing (or more specifically plot progression) alternates between very rapid to glacially slow. However, the books remain unputdownable.
- Grumpy Alan Moore described Game of Thrones as a soap opera (unclear whether he was talking about the show or book). I will agree but qualify that this a pretty engaging dramatic soap opera. Good stuff.
I will comment a bit on the structure and individual installments (non-spoiler).
- A Game of Thrones (ASOIAF #1) is a prologue (following the sprawling epic fantasy or soap opera drama analogy)
- A Clash of Kings (ASOIAF #2) can be read as setup for Act 1. This means the plot progression is slower, there is a lot of POV introduction and expansion of the world. Towards the end (last quarter) we start to see all the payoff.
- A Storm of Swords (ASOIAF #3) can be read as culmination of all the setup/payoff for Act 1 while leaving the space open for Act 2. The best installment in the series according to most readers, and I would agree.
- A Feast For Crows/A Dance With Dragons (ASOIAF #4 and #5) was actually meant to be one book and there is a combined reading order online which I followed this time. It works but like Clash, it can be read very much as setup of Act 2 where the world sprawls even more and Martin does something audacious by doubling the number of POVs. It is interesting but at times, it is weighed down by the scale of its ambition imo, also because we don't get to see the payoff.
- In my opinion The Winds of Winter will be said payoff of Act 2 like Storm was for Act 1 and A Dream of Spring will be the Epilogue.
- Elephant in the room: do I recommend the series? Yes provided the lack of conclusion doesn't bother you because it genuinely is unfinished. If it does bother you, I recommend stopping at the prologue (Book 1) or Act 1 (Book 3) until the remaining installments are released.
- which brings me to the second elephant in the room: what are the chances of this series being finished? The combined reading order of Feast/Dance was very interesting in that (on this reread at least) I could see almost exactly where Martin started to fumble. In my opinion, it is very difficult to coalesce the amount he has expanded the world, the POVs, the open questions. However, it is not impossible. It is sad how such a promising series lost its way.
Overall a very good series whose reading experience is tinged with sadness due to its unfinished status.
- Multi POV with character work is very well done, the best in epic fantasy I have read so far
- Transitions between chapters/scenes is great
- Immersive world
- Writing is good but some tics start creeping in Books 4 and 5 - their presence is quite inexplicable (in that they could have been edited away) and they persist throughout.
- The pacing (or more specifically plot progression) alternates between very rapid to glacially slow. However, the books remain unputdownable.
- Grumpy Alan Moore described Game of Thrones as a soap opera (unclear whether he was talking about the show or book). I will agree but qualify that this a pretty engaging dramatic soap opera. Good stuff.
I will comment a bit on the structure and individual installments (non-spoiler).
- A Game of Thrones (ASOIAF #1) is a prologue (following the sprawling epic fantasy or soap opera drama analogy)
- A Clash of Kings (ASOIAF #2) can be read as setup for Act 1. This means the plot progression is slower, there is a lot of POV introduction and expansion of the world. Towards the end (last quarter) we start to see all the payoff.
- A Storm of Swords (ASOIAF #3) can be read as culmination of all the setup/payoff for Act 1 while leaving the space open for Act 2. The best installment in the series according to most readers, and I would agree.
- A Feast For Crows/A Dance With Dragons (ASOIAF #4 and #5) was actually meant to be one book and there is a combined reading order online which I followed this time. It works but like Clash, it can be read very much as setup of Act 2 where the world sprawls even more and Martin does something audacious by doubling the number of POVs. It is interesting but at times, it is weighed down by the scale of its ambition imo, also because we don't get to see the payoff.
- In my opinion The Winds of Winter will be said payoff of Act 2 like Storm was for Act 1 and A Dream of Spring will be the Epilogue.
- Elephant in the room: do I recommend the series? Yes provided the lack of conclusion doesn't bother you because it genuinely is unfinished. If it does bother you, I recommend stopping at the prologue (Book 1) or Act 1 (Book 3) until the remaining installments are released.
- which brings me to the second elephant in the room: what are the chances of this series being finished? The combined reading order of Feast/Dance was very interesting in that (on this reread at least) I could see almost exactly where Martin started to fumble. In my opinion, it is very difficult to coalesce the amount he has expanded the world, the POVs, the open questions. However, it is not impossible. It is sad how such a promising series lost its way.
Overall a very good series whose reading experience is tinged with sadness due to its unfinished status.