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[Stinkles]

I could NOT get past the first chapter of the first book for months. Just got back from a vacation where I got hooked and sped through 'em up to about 3/4 way through the third.

What impressed me most was how consistent it is. Each chapter is totally engrossing, and feels correct. The way the fantasy is worked in was nice when it was subtle in the first book, but now that the supernatural stuff is "real" it feels a little more conventional. But still brilliant.

 

[Ford Prefect]

I tried reading it a few years ago, but couldn't stay interested after 50-100 pages or so. I guess you're saying it gets more interesting, and not just soap opera-y?

 

[Stinkles]

I tried reading it a few years ago, but couldn't stay interested after 50-100 pages or so. I guess you're saying it gets more interesting, and not just soap opera-y?

Yes and no. It gets way more interesting, but there's no pretending it's not about familial intrigue.

I hate soap operas, if that helps.

And there's like

Spoiler

dragons, zombies, magic swords and shit

as well as all the incest and raping.

 

[valkillmore]

HBO Adaptation in the works.

That was a close one. Was almost talked into reading the books.

 

[Amir0x]

i knew Bungie was working on a videogame adaptation of Song of Ice and Fire, was just waiting for you to announce it.

Will buy

 

[Ford Prefect]

HBO Adaptation in the works.

That was a close one. Was almost talked into reading the books.

:lol

That's actually a good point, though. Since it's HBO it's bound to be decent, and since quality fantasy series are pretty much non-existent--whereas quality fantasy novels are not--I might as well wait for the series.

 

[Stinkles]

HBO Adaptation in the works.

That was a close one. Was almost talked into reading the books.

Holy shit.

I can't believe the cast!


Patrick MacGoohan as Tywin Lannister, Peter Dinklage as Tyrion, Ray Stevenson as The Hound!


I can't believe it because I just made it up.

 

[Flynn]

Holy shit.

I can't believe the cast!


Patrick MacGoohan as Tywin Lannister, Peter Dinklage as Tyrion, Ray Stevenson as The Hound!


I can't believe it because I just made it up.

Peter is a shoe in.

 

[Stinkles]

Peter is a shoe in.

He's probably too good looking, but that ever stopped Hollywood.

 

[Flynn]

He's probably too good looking, but that ever stopped Hollywood.

True, he isn't a monster. But wouldn't that make his treatment all the more appalling? Win/win I say.

 

[Elhandro]

Congrats on finally getting into the book. Now if someone would be nice enough to tell Martin to stop screwing around and finish the series, millions of fans around the world be much happier.

And the books just keep on getting better, the latest one is a big tease though.

 

[Kalren]

I had been reading your typical fantasy until I began to read ASOIAF. What drew me was the lack of magic and the fact that there didn't seem to be any "off limit" characters

Spoiler

My poor Ned.

But Martin build up these characters and made them so very human with so many plans that just fell apart, much like they do in real life.

 

[jon bones]

I'm nearly done with A Game of Thrones and I absolutely love it. I have the second book waiting for me at home already : )


The format of the book really hooks you in (not to mention the quality). The chapters are so bitesized and full of awesome, you can't stop reading.

 

[Mama Smurf]

And the books just keep on getting better, the latest one is a big tease though.

Well...better...better...BETTER...much worse...and hopefully better, we'll see.

 

[PantherLotus]

I got about 1/3 through A Feast for Crows before being sidetracked. It's been about a year. I love the series but don't know where to pick it back up. I don't really want to start the whole thing over only to wait for another sequel....


Maybe I'll just start at the beginning of FoC and see if I get it.


Ooh I just remembered the scene where

Spoiler

the guys up north are fighting those things on the wall and there's a whole bunch of zombie things and some pregnant wife and the guy who was trying to take care of here and

Spoiler

yeah I better start over.

 

[Stinkles]

I got about 1/3 through A Feast for Crows before being sidetracked. It's been about a year. I love the series but don't know where to pick it back up. I don't really want to start the whole thing over only to wait for another sequel....


Maybe I'll just start at the beginning of FoC and see if I get it.


Ooh I just remembered the scene where

Spoiler

the guys up north are fighting those things on the wall and there's a whole bunch of zombie things and some pregnant wife and the guy who was trying to take care of here and

yeah I better start over.

Fix your spoiler tag bitch.

Spoiler

please

 

[Uncle]

What drew me was the lack of magic and the fact that there didn't seem to be any "off limit" characters

Spoiler

My poor Ned.

That's why I love the series as well. Immortal characters make boring books.

 

[Brian Fellows]

Holy shit.

I can't believe the cast!


Patrick MacGoohan as Tywin Lannister, Peter Dinklage as Tyrion, Ray Stevenson as The Hound!


I can't believe it because I just made it up.

Clancy Brown IS Tywin Lannister.

I had been reading your typical fantasy until I began to read ASOIAF. What drew me was the lack of magic and the fact that there didn't seem to be any "off limit" characters

Spoiler

My poor Ned.

He got what he deserved. So did

Spoiler

Rob

for that matter.

 

[coldvein]

good job on finally getting into the series. definitely the best fantasy series i have ever read. so fucking compelling and dramatic. i've read through all of the books a couple times now, just waiting.. hopefully the author's heart won't stop beating before he finishes the story.

 

[speedpop]

I agree.

 

[Learn2read]

I enjoyed the 4th book, some others didn't.

I'd go into it with the knowledge that he split the 4th book into two and perhaps the lesser bits fell into A Feast for Crows. Also it's a bit of a breather after A Clash of Kings. You should enjoy it then.

 

[Kyoufu]

I came into this thread expecting a youtube link to an actual song ;(

 

[IAmtheFMan]

I enjoyed the 4th book, some others didn't.

I'd go into it with the knowledge that he split the 4th book into two and perhaps the lesser bits fell into A Feast for Crows. Also it's a bit of a breather after A Clash of Kings. You should enjoy it then.

You mean Storm of Swords.

AFFC is definitely slower then the first three, but I still liked it. I read somewhere that it was less like Act I Scene IV, and more like Act II Scene I which I definitely agree with. That being said, I think there was a lot of putzing around for a lot of characters, namely the older previously peripheral characters, but the new stuff in that one was pretty good, and it set up for the continuing story nicely in pretty much all the character plot lines.

This is my favorite fantasy series, and Martin needs to FINISH this series before he becomes another Robert Jordan.

 

[avatar299]

Is it to much to ask for a rule stating that you can't make a Song of Ice and Fire thread unless you have some new information about the HBO show.

I almost had a fucking heart attack when I saw this thread.

 

[Stinkles]

Is it to much to ask for a rule stating that you can't make a Song of Ice and Fire thread unless you have some new information about the HBO show.

I almost had a fucking heart attack when I saw this thread.

I refuse to say LTTP. We were talking about this at dinner, and all our bitches were kind of intrigued by the soap opera/dragon ratio. Mrs. Stinkles has agreed to watch the HBO show eventually.

 

[Prime crotch]

Love the series and Martin's realistic style but the wait for Dance of Dragons is killing me. While waiting I thought reading Wheel of Time would be a good idea but, I don't know if it's Jordan's writting or just the setting, I'm a bit disapointed with the first book so far. Although I've only read about half of it.

 

[Brian Fellows]

Love the series and Martin's realistic style but the wait for Dance of Dragons is killing me. While waiting I thought reading Wheel of Time would be a good idea but, I don't know if it's Jordan's writting or just the setting, I'm a bit disapointed with the first book so far. Although I've only read about half of it.

I tried the same thing waiting for AFFC. I mean I work in book bindery and could get all Jordans books for free if I enjoyed them. So I gave them a shot and found Eye of the World to be extremely bland. I only made it about 200 pages before giving up. Perhaps the characters get more interesting later on. I'll give it another shot someday.

 

[Mama Smurf]

If you don't like EotW, don't bother reading on. Early WoT is actually very good, but it really takes a nosedive later on. So if you don't even like the first books, it would just be a complete waste of time.

Read The Prince of Nothing trilogy whilst you're waiting (it is a trilogy...but that doesn't mean it's the end of the series, I don't want you to be tricked).

 

[John Harker]

Yea really good. I was hooked for awhile, I just read them all this year, but the last booked sucked. It was a chore just to get through. Ugh.

 

[Manics]

:lol

That's actually a good point, though. Since it's HBO it's bound to be decent, and since quality fantasy series are pretty much non-existent--whereas quality fantasy novels are not--I might as well wait for the series.

I heard the HBO adaptation is on hold with the writers strike, also HBO is thinking of doing some King Arthur shit first too. This series might never get off the ground.

 

[Flynn]

I heard the HBO adaptation is on hold with the writers strike, also HBO is thinking of doing some King Arthur shit first too. This series might never get off the ground.

The way the story goes is that King Arthur doesn't have a script, while ASOIAF does. So they can begin pre-production on it whille King Arthur, though tempting to HBO, must remain in the air.

 

[BlueTsunami]

Am I a nerd for considering giving away "A Game of Thrones" "A Clash of Kings" and "A Storm of Swords" for the Hardcover copies? :lol . I'm about to finish "A Clash of Kings" too. I've never been so absorbed by a series of books, ever.

 

[Relix]

I am reading a Game of Thrones. Awesome book, though time is hindering my desire to read it, I hope to get back to it soon!

 

[gdt]

Awesome awesome AWESOME series. The 4th was a chore though, but an understandable one, considering the back-story.

BTW, Jamie is an awesome character, so complex, heroic, evil, funny, etc. He BY FAR goes through the greatest change through the story.

 

[Green Shinobi]

:lol

That's actually a good point, though. Since it's HBO it's bound to be decent, and since quality fantasy series are pretty much non-existent--whereas quality fantasy novels are not--I might as well wait for the series.

How many good fantasy novel series are there?

I can walk through the fantasy section of a bookstore and see literally a hundred books with some constipated-looking dude, a princess and a dragon on a cover. As a result, I just assume that they all suck. But you're saying that some of these are good?

 

[BlueTsunami]

But you're saying that some of these are good?

A "Song of Ice and Fire" being one of them!

 

[SteveO409]

I got the audiobook today..31 hours long. Guess I listen to it during the spring when I do cardio :lol

 

[BlueTsunami]

I got the audiobook today..31 hours long. Guess I listen to it during the spring when I do cardio :lol

The whole series right? (Up till "A Feast for Crows") Jesus, 31 Hours!

 

[deadbeef]

The whole series right? (Up till "A Feast for Crows") Jesus, 31 Hours!

Game of Thrones unabridged audio is like 33 hours or something.

 

[SteveO409]

The whole series right? (Up till "A Feast for Crows") Jesus, 31 Hours!

Song of Ice and Fire Game of Thrones- 31 Hours
Song of Ice and Fire Clash of Kings- 37 Hours
Song of Ice and Fire Storm of Swords- 42 Hours

So overall, 110 hours

 

[BlueTsunami]

Game of Thrones unabridged audio is like 33 hours or something.

Song of Ice and Fire Game of Thrones- 31 Hours
Song of Ice and Fire Clash of Kings- 37 Hours
Song of Ice and Fire Storm of Swords- 42 Hours

So overall, 110 hours

Oh wow

 

[tokkun]

The audiobooks are really good. The actor on the first three books is quite talented. Unfortunately there is a different actor on Feast who is alright, but not nearly as brilliant as the original (kind of like Feast itself).

 

[Plissken]

For those that haven't seen it, there's a new update on A Dance With Dragons' status and a sample chapter up at Martin's website.

Update - http://georgerrmartin.com/if-update.html

Sample Chapter - http://georgerrmartin.com/if-sample.html

Short version of the update: The book is still not done, but he hopes to be finished in the summer, for release this fall.

 

[tokkun]

Am I a nerd for considering giving away "A Game of Thrones" "A Clash of Kings" and "A Storm of Swords" for the Hardcover copies? :lol . I'm about to finish "A Clash of Kings" too. I've never been so absorbed by a series of books, ever.

You're not a nerd unless you buy the $1500 limited edition illustrated version of A Game of Thrones.
http://www.georgerrmartin.com/books-limited.html

 

[BlueTsunami]

How are RR Martin's other books that aren't apart of SoIaF?

You're not a nerd unless you buy the $1500 limited edition illustrated version of A Game of Thrones.
http://www.georgerrmartin.com/books-limited.html

Jesus Christ

 

[Tim the Wiz]

How many good fantasy novel series are there?

I can walk through the fantasy section of a bookstore and see literally a hundred books with some constipated-looking dude, a princess and a dragon on a cover. As a result, I just assume that they all suck. But you're saying that some of these are good?

Malazan, son. Erikson's fantasy series is, in my opinion, the best there is. Completely destroys the overly-used conventions and formula seen even in the best of the genre. His prose gets better with every book, the scope and ambition of his work is amazing and he's probably the only fantasy author who can write such massive novels at a consistent yearly rate.

Robin Hobb, Tolkien, Moorcock, Tad Williams, Glen Cook, Stephen Donaldson, Scott Lynch, and Martin of course, are also excellent.

Some people really like Bakker and David Gemmell as well. I'm not a big fan of either.

Raymond Feist, (early and book eleven of Wheel of Time) Robert Jordan and Eddings are decent.

 

[PhoenixDark]

I just started the second book, Clash of Kings. Game of Thrones blew me away. At first I wondered whether the characters would be interesting enough to warrant individual POV chapters. It didn't take long for that concern to be thrown out the window. Each character is interesting, obviously some more than others, but each story is tied up nicely. While reading the first book I'd often roll my eyes whenever a Sansa chapter came up, but by the end of the book her story was pretty good.

I really like Tyrion and Arya

 

[BlueTsunami]

Wait till you finish "A Clash of Kings" PD! OMG, better than the first book!

One moment that stands out to me

Spoiler

When Clegane has his dagger to Sansa's throat and tells her to "sing a little song". She nervously sings the prayer to the Mother and Warrior God to help bring peace (or something as such). After she sings she brings her hand up to Glegane's face, burnt side and softly cups it. All he says is "little bird"... walks away, tears of his Kingsguard White Cape and disappears. I was like...woah. So fucking awesome.

Clegane showing fear of fire was pretty crazy too. Basically nearly every character in this series, good, bad, strong, weak is either built up, torn down or killed. Almost complete disregard to any primary perspective, it feels as though every main character is truely at risk of being killed off (I mean, Eddard Stark dieing made me step back and realize I'm not reading some cookie cutter fantasy novel). I liked Ned's insight too...

 

[Prime crotch]

The third book is the best in the series so far, even some people didn't liked the most shocking outcome of it.

 

[Fafalada]

The third book is the best in the series so far, even some people didn't liked the most shocking outcome of it.

Which one would be the most shocking?

Spoiler

I personally took no pleasure in seeing Sandor dying the way he did, nor some of the events on the wall, but were they that shocking? On the other hand, Lord Tywin's fate at hands of Tyrion was hardly something to dislike - and not really particularly shocking, he was long overdue for the curse of the hand anyway. Or are you referring to Cat's ressurection at the end? For me that one left a bad taste only After I read through book 4 and learned the consequences of it...

Or is there some other thing I'm forgetting.
I do agree Book 3 is the best - I breezed through 4 faster then any of the books - but there's too much things that were postponed for 5 due to the whole splitting volumes by character locations, so 4 turned out more of a cliffhanger then anything

At any rate, I agree with the whole breaking conventions thing being great - it was a detriment during first book when reader is not familiar enough with world or its characters, but once you get farther, it really works better and better.