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toxicneon

A Song of Ice & Fire series

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So, have any of you guys heard/read about this series?

 

Written strictly for mature readers, this series is undoubtedly one of the best fantasy series of all time.

Doubt you may, if read it you have not. (Say that in Yoda speak lmfao)

 

Ok but this series:

-Characters with depth! Martin manages to make characters who appear in one chapter seems more personable than most of the popular characters I've read.

-Fantasy, but believeable fantasy. Yes, there are dragons, but they are believed to be myths. The whole world Martin creates has facets of medieval times, but hints of fantasy: A threat from a distant land (more than one threat, actually, from more than a few distant lands), magic, and all nuances of fantasy. He doesn't use cliches either.

-Descriptive, very much so. Martin pulls you into the each of the factions, rooting for some, jeering on others. Houses forge alliances to gain the crown, and like real life, the good guys don't always win. There is a lot of death, torture and other things that younger readers may find disturbing.

-Realistic events - like I said, the good guys don't always have the upper hand. In fact, who appears to be the good guy might change for you throughout the series.

-Chapters with mutliple POV - each chapter tells the story of a main character. The story continues with each main's chapters scattered throughout. Each character is somehow affected by the civil war, and their paths cross often.

 

I can't think of much more to write, and my little post here doesn't do this sries justice - but seriously. If you like reading fantasy or 'historical' fantasy novels - pick up A Game of Thrones (first book) NOW. I was a skeptic at first, but this has become one of the most engaging books I've ever read.

 

You will not be able to put the book down. Fo' real.

 

EDIT:

 

From the Wiki page:

"The story of A Song of Ice and Fire takes place in a fictional world, primarily upon a continent called Westeros but also on a large landmass to the east, known as Essos.[5] Most of the characters are human but as the series progresses other races are introduced, such as the cold and menacing Others from the far North and fire-breathing dragons from the East, both races thought to be extinct by the people of the story. There are three principal storylines in the series: the chronicling of a dynastic civil war for control of Westeros between several competing families; the rising threat of the Others who dwell beyond an immense wall of ice that forms Westeros' northern border; and the ambition of Daenerys Targaryen, the exiled daughter of a king who was murdered in another civil war fifteen years previously, to return to Westeros and claim her rightful throne. As the series progresses, all three storylines become increasingly interwoven and dependent on each other."

Source

Edited by toxicneon

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I like the series a lot, though sometimes I find the lack of a true "good guy" frustrating. Yeah, it is nice to not have it be black and white, but I think he almost takes it too far in there being few characters you can actually truly like.

 

I have been wondering if he will ever release the fifth book, much less finish the series though. It has been years now, hasn't it?

Edited by Nectaris

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Yeah, it has been forever. I can see with the new HBO series it slows down even more....

but apparently he had to split the 5th book into 2 books since there was so much to cover. So hopefully soon this year!

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<3 to whoever finally convinced me to read these

 

I dislike using terms like this, but it's the only one I think really covers it - I love how [....]ing deconstruction-y the series is. People actually die, defecate, spend forever traveling through places, get robbed/hurt/pulled aside at inconvenient times, become forced to sacrifice their love and black/white morality for politics, etc. It takes more realism without going so far as to break the suspension-of-disbelief I grant to fantasy/sf. It's so perfectly balanced. It's the only "epic" fantasy I can recall liking. It's dedicated to disrupting my expectations in an awesome way.

 

A Feast for Crows became a chore because of how much time/description was devoted to seemingly unrelated/unimportant incidents, but I'm hoping that's just an effect of it being a bridge book.

Now to wait who knows how many more years for A Dance of Dragons..

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Nomnomnom, I like this series because of the realism of the events and the different viewpoints, and I have been waiting for the 5th book for 3+ years now. On the flip side, I agree with Nectaris, that George Martin pushes the good/bad qualities a bit too far and that some characters are quite one-sided and therefore not very believable. But all in all, it's refreshing to see a series with some gore and with an unlikely chance of a happy ending.

 

Oh, I looked up some info about the series in spring, and I probably won't watch it. I'm not optimistic about what more they might change, starting already with the fact, that all the actors portraying Lannisters are dark-haired instead of blonde (good wigs for the actors, maybe?). Also, I'm not fond of Sean Bean as Ned Stark. :|

Edited by lightbird

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O.o i truely think I'lll havetocheck these out ^O^ youve all given such positive comments about them ^^ <3

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Yeah, I'm hoping they use dye/wigs for the Lannisters.. they have to, since Martin takes part in the series and won't let them ruin it. ... I hope. HBO is usually good about these things.

And yeah, sometimes things tend to get real, and that's what I love! There are a lot of #@$%holes, but is that not how real life is?

 

What was the most shocking event for you guys?

Spoilers:

For me, it was when:

1. Ned Stark was beheaded. I was like WHO CAN I ROOT FOR NOW?!

2. Sandor Clegane showed his good side.

3. When Arya woke up blind!! ohmy.gif

4. The character of Coldhands, the strange 'man' riding an elk.

5. When it was revealed that the Maester Aemon on the Wall was the Aemon of a royal bloodline. (Don't remember details..)

There's actually a lot more, but I can't remember much now.

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Looking at those spoilers I remembered about how eager I am to get to know what happens to Brandon after A Storm of Swords. I thought that the (highlight to read) greenseers and the search for the three-eyed raven (or was it a crow?) were nice, creepy additions to the story and the land beyond The Wall generally fascinates me.

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Yeah, I'm excited to learn how the mystery race and the Others are connected, if they are. and how Dany will affect the war when she reaches Westeros...

aggh damnit Marten RELEASE THE NEXT BOOK ALREADY!

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Love. This. Series.

 

This is one of those "don't want to put down this huge book" series. A "must have" series. Carried them with me everywhere so I could read at every chance I had. I am a big fan of Daenerys <3 and Catelyn. I like Cersei in an odd way... sinnister Cersei. >=)

 

After seeing the previews for the series on HBO (April 17th cannot get here fast enough) I am totally giddy about it! I was glad to see GRRM was overseeing some of the production. If he approves, I think we the fans will, too.

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Just wanted to add my reply that I love this series too :3

 

While not many people at the Tower of the Hand website seemed to care for Brienne's POV chapters in AFFC, I really liked them. It was refreshing to see a strong female character, and with such realism... it's like, she gets into fights, her nose has been broken. She isn't some unspoilt warrior goddess who cant' be touched by mortal men or something.

 

I am EXTREMELY EXCITED for A Dance with Dragons, coming this July!

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I'm surprised this isn't a hot topic now that the series has been brought to HBO! I worked at Barnes and Noble for almost 2 years and never heard of it... but that's prob b/c none of his books were released while I was there, Idk. Anyways, I heard of it after seeing the commercials on HBO, then I found out it was a book series. Wasn't really feelin' it at first, I was never a fantasy fan but my boyfriend wanted to watch it so I did too and fell in love! So naturally, any book that is brought to the screen I must read! Went out and got A Game of Thrones as soon as the series ended. Boy was it a pain to find. I was actually going to cry after being told that everywhere I called didn't have it in stock. I didn't want to order it online b/c I didn't want to wait. Eventually I found a Barnes and Noble in my are that had it, but it was the re-print with the TV show cover on it :/ I would've rather the original cover but beggars can't be choosers I guess. Anyway, love love love the book so far. Everything is exact to what I saw on the show but better b/c there's just so much more detail and amazingness<3 lol. George RR Martin is my hero.

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I'd really rather like to read these - but I've always been uncertain if I'd actualy be able to. Are they written from a first person perspective? Because it sounds like they might be and I always find that difficult to read at best.

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I'd really rather like to read these - but I've always been uncertain if I'd actualy be able to. Are they written from a first person perspective? Because it sounds like they might be and I always find that difficult to read at best.

No, they're written in third person perspective, but the narrative switches the POV in each chapter (the chapters aren't numbered but named by the person whose POV they address), so you have to stay put and remember who was where by the last time you read about them.

 

Among reading other books, I began to slowly reread Game of Thrones now.

I have no idea when I'll get to read A Dance With Dragons. Hopefully they'll import some copies to the local bookstores at some point, because I've no idea whether anyone I know locally is going to order them.

Edited by lightbird

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No, they're written in third person perspective, but the narrative switches the POV in each chapter (the chapters aren't numbered but named by the person whose POV they address), so you have to stay put and remember who was where by the last time you read about them.

 

Among reading other books, I began to slowly reread Game of Thrones now.

I have no idea when I'll get to read A Dance With Dragons. Hopefully they'll import some copies to the local bookstores at some point, because I've no idea whether anyone I know locally is going to order them.

I actually really like how the book is laid out. I like that there's names instead of chapter numbers. Very easy to follow... but then again, that might be b/c I remember what happened so well in previous chapters b/c I have the show in my head as a guideline...

I can't wait to read ADWD and I'm not even finished with the first one yet lol. I have a loonnngg way to go. You don't have any chain bookstores around you like Borders, Waldens, Barnes and Noble? Can you order it online?

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I actually really like how the book is laid out.  I like that there's names instead of chapter numbers.  Very easy to follow... but then again, that might be b/c I remember what happened so well in previous chapters b/c I have the show in my head as a guideline...

I can't wait to read ADWD and I'm not even finished with the first one yet lol.  I have a loonnngg way to go.  You don't have any chain bookstores around you like Borders, Waldens, Barnes and Noble? Can you order it online?

I live in Eastern Europe, so, I can't tell if/when there are any going to be imported. :T

 

Anyway, i just made myself an account on amazon.co.uk, let's see if I can buy it.

Edited by lightbird

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I live in Eastern Europe, so, I can't tell if/when there are any going to be imported. :T

 

Actually, I'm temped to make an Amazon account just to order it (paperback, because it's much cheaper, and I'm not overly hot about getting a hardcover edition just because it's a first). Decisions, decisions.

 

Ooooooh okay. That stinks! Mehh I'm sorry to break it to you but ADWD won't be released in paperback format for about a year. New books are always released in hardcover to make money of course, and once sales die down they reprint to another format usually mass market paperback (the tiny paperbacks) and trade paperback (the bigger paperbacks) to bump up sales again. The knowledge I gained from working in a bookstore finally came in handy lol.

ADDED: I know how you feel though, I usually don't like buying hardcover b/c of the price and I just prefer paperback. I like all my books (if it's a series) to be the same format. So you either gotta suck it up and just buy the hardcover if you really want it, or wait it out :/

This reminds me, I was reading something the other day on George RR martins blog about the Amazing Germany publishers. Mr. Martin was fuming b/c they shipped out 180 something books EARLY before they realized their mistake and stopped shipping. Those 180 something people are VERY lucky but now there's spoilers everywhere on the internet before everyone else gets their copy on 7/12/11.

 

Edited by kissxthestarz

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GRRM said that many of those spoilers are supposedly wrong.

 

Anyway, I caved in and bought it, my bank account is going to cry now. :b /is an unemployed student

Well, no worries, I have a few cases of mismatched format books - in fact, I own the Russian translation of Game of Thrones, which is in hardcover and paperbacks of the rest.

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GRRM said that many of those spoilers are supposedly wrong.

 

Anyway, I caved in and bought it, my bank account is going to cry now. :b /is an unemployed student

Well, no worries, I have a few cases of mismatched format books - in fact, I own the Russian translation of Game of Thrones, which is in hardcover and paperbacks of the rest.

GAHH!! I'm so jealous. LUCKY YOU! You must tell me how it is when you finish reading it. (Without spoilers of course lol) Don't stress, the purchase was worth it smile.gif At least you have a bank account, mine is completely empty. I am also unemployed AND not in school at the moment sad.gif or else I would've bought all 5 of the books at once lol.

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I probably won't get to reread it until sometime in August, because I should really push on rereading the first four books. I've forgotten so many details that jumping straight to the 5th book now would be somewhat...redundant, imo. But I've waited four years for this book to come out (read this series for the first time in 2007), so a little more waiting won't kill me. :b

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I probably won't get to reread it until sometime in August, because I should really push on rereading the first four books. I've forgotten so many details that jumping straight to the 5th book now would be somewhat...redundant, imo. But I've waited four years for this book to come out (read this series for the first time in 2007), so a little more waiting won't kill me. :b

Yea, good idea. I did that with all the Harry Potter books, every time a new one came out I re-read the previous ones so everything would be fresh in my mind.

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Not that I'll have reread the books by the time it arrives, but Amazon kindly let me know that they've dispatched my copy of A Dance With Dragons today. :>

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