A Dance With Dragons: After The Feast by George R. R. Martin

Title: A Dance With Dragons: After The Feast

Author: George R. R. Martin

Released: September 2011

The future of the Seven Kingdoms hangs in the balance.

In King’s Landing the Queen Regent, Cersei Lannister, awaits trial, abandoned by all those she trusted; while in the eastern city of Yunkai her brother Tyrion has been sold as a slave. From the Wall, having left his wife and the Red Priestess Melisandre under the protection of Jon Snow, Stannis Baratheon marches south to confront the Boltons at Winterfell. But beyond the Wall the wildling armies are massing for an assault…

On all sides bitter conflicts are reigniting, played out by a grand cast of outlaws and priests, soldiers and skinchangers, nobles and slaves. The tides of destiny will inevitably lead to the greatest dance of all.

Rating: 5 Stars

Positives: Firstly oh my god the epilogue. I know not exactly the best place to start a raving review but Varys, my dear Varys has returned. Just as Kings Landing was growing a little dull our favourite spider sees fit to return to us. So we don't know exactly where he's been hiding yet, but I'm so so glad hes back. And we finally know who his champion for the Iron Throne is. 

Now that I've got Varys out of my system lets focus on the rest of the book. We've seen some very bold decisions made by Jon Snow in this book and its starting to become clear that he doesn't relish his duty but he definitely has some Stark blood in him. Hes so like Eddard in so many ways, yet we know now from Barristan Selmy's chapters that Jon cannot be the bastard child of Ned and Ashara Dayne as we once suspected. My money's still on him being the bastard child of Rhaegar and Lyanna, but I guess we'll have to wait and see. 

And Dany was doing so well, until she invited Daario into her bed. That really won't help the situation in Meereen but I suppose a queen needs her paramour.  

Negatives: Okay so I know this was the second half of a book that had already been split once before, but I hated how few chapters we have for each character. I think on average there was three chapters per character with only Tyrion and Daenerys exceeding this. And my poor Jaime only gets the one chapter. One chapter which at the very end of we learn Brienne has somehow survived her hanging, and that Jaime is now going off with her. Why leave us on such a cliffhanger? Okay I know its not the biggest cliffhanger ever but there's so much left to be explained. What was this word Brienne shouted? How did she survive? Did Podrick survive too?

Then speaking of cliffhangers how dare you finish Jon's story like that? Yes he was making bold unpopular decisions, but they were for the greater good. Jon is a strong Lord Commander. How how can things be left like that? Its just not fair!!!

Would I recommend this book? Yes I would. Unfortunately though I doubt I'll be returning to this series for some time as we're still awaiting the next installment to be published. Please hurry up. I want to know who wins the game of thrones. 

A Dance With Dragons: Dreams And Dust by George R. R. Martin

Title: A Dance With Dragons: Dreams And Dust

Author: George R. R. Martin

Released: September 2011

In the aftermath of a colossal battle, new threats are emerging from every direction.

Tyrion Lannister, having killed his father, and wrongfully accused of killing his nephew, King Joffrey, has escaped from King’s Landing with a price on his head.

To the north lies the great Wall of ice and stone – a structure only as strong as those guarding it. Eddard Stark's bastard son Jon Snow has been elected 998th Lord Commander of the Night’s Watch. But Jon has enemies both inside and beyond the Wall.

And in the east Daenerys Targaryen struggles to hold a city built on dreams and dust.

Rating: 5 Stars

Positives: Wow there's an absolute curveball in this installment. And when I say it's a curveball that's a major understatement. Without ruining everything for you, my god is Young Griff's true identity a shocker. I mean there's been absolutely no hint of any of this in the previous books and then suddenly .... Well ladies and gentleman we now have a major new contender for the Iron Throne. I mean honestly I'm speechless. But this was definitely needed to spice things up. With the number of deaths we'd had lately it looked like the battle was all bit win for the Lannisters, only this might stick a bit of a spanner in the works. Anyway I should probably quit raving about this development otherwise I'm liable to ruin it for you. 

Secondly it was really nice to get a viewpoint chapter from Melisandre. She's a very mysterious character, and I've really enjoyed watching her develop without revealing her secrets over the series. To finally be able to grasp the tiniest understanding of her background was a real treat. 

However sweet as these things have been we can sense that things are escalating once more. Meereen is on the brink of war, and with Daenerys' impending marriage and her love affair with Daario could this situation only be inflamed further? Could we have a war for sweet Dany's hand? Or will it be for her head? And dear Jon Snow; he's an excellent Lord Commander who makes bold decisions and sticks to his guns, but could this be his downfall? We already see men complaining openly about nearly every decision he makes, and it's only so long before someone decides to stop our young man in his tracks. 

Negatives: Okay this isn't really a criticism of the book, more of the author. Much as I love George R. R. Martin and I appreciate that a masterpiece takes time to write, don't leave a note in the previous installment released in 2005 saying you expect this book to be ready for release next year and then make us wait six years for it! Six years! When this book only follows a few characters whom we haven't seen since A Storm of Swords, it makes me wonder how long it will be before we meet characters like Samwell Tarly again. 

Right rant over. Actual negatives of the book now. What the hell is going on in King's Landing? We haven't seen our dear capital city, the centre of our power plays for an entire book. Now I think thats a big opportunity thats been missed out on there but it might just be me. Plus I miss Jaime Lannister, there I said it okay? I miss the Lannister boy and fully throw in my lot with him now. I want to know if he'll play the gallant knight and go rushing to his sweet sister's aid, or if by burning her note he wasn't just protecting her but ignoring her plea for help as well. 

There was another criticism that I had but I can't think what it was now. I got distracted by the thought of Jaime. Oh yes that was it. Maybe I'm just a faint hearted woman, but I really don't need to know exactly how Ramsay Snow treats his people. I don't care if he's been legitimised he'll always be a Snow to me. Seriously I don't need to know how he flays people, or how his first wife was left to starve so badly she ate her fingers. Sorry but no that just doesn't work for me. 

Would I recommend this book? Of course. This still remains an excellent series and I'm thoroughly enjoying it. 

A Feast For Crows by George R. R. Martin

Title: A Feast For Crows

Author: George R. R. Martin

Released: October 2005

'Crows will fight over a dead man's flesh, and kill each other for his eyes.'

Bloodthirsty, treacherous and cunning, the Lannisters are in power on the Iron Throne in the name of the boy-king Tommen. But fear and deceit are in the air: their enemies are poised to strike.

The Martells of Dorne seek vengeance for their dead, and the heir of King Balon of the Iron Isles, Euron Crow's Eye, is as black a pirate as ever raised a sail.

Across the war-torn landscape of the Seven Kingdoms, Brienne the Beauty (thus named in mockery of her great size and strength) seeks for Sansa Stark, having vowed to protect Sansa from the wrath of Queen Cersei, Tommen's power-hungry mother.

Meanwhile apprentice Maester Samwell Tarly brings a mysterious babe in arms south to the Citadel from the cruel frozen north where the sinister Others threaten the Wall…

A Feast for Crows brings to life dark magic, complex political intrigue and horrific bloodshed. Against a backdrop of incest and fratricide, alchemy and murder, victory may go to the men and women possessed of the coldest steel … and the coldest hearts.

Rating: 5 Stars

Positives: So we get to meet a lot of new characters in A Feast for Crows, and  we also learn a lot more about the politics of the Iron Isles as a successor for Balon Greyjoy is chosen via a kingsmoot. And also was it just me or does the alchemist in the prologue remind you of a certain someone? Is it me or is that the person that Jaqen H'ghar became? And does this alchemist become Pate the pig boy? Because we certainly see Pate die at the alchemist's hands yet Pate is there in Oldtown to befriend Sam. This certainly looks like a mystery worth unravelling.

Secondly we see the potential downfall of the Lannisters approaching. Now that Cersei reigns in all but name we see her starting to lose her grasp on the game of thrones. Sure enough Tommen may be king, but if anything were to happen to Cersei who would step up as Regent to protect his best interests? We also get to see more of Cersei's backstory now that she becomes a point of view character, and I get the feeling that she is becoming a tragic protagonist. There has always been the issue of people self fulfilling prophecies by trying to stop them, and I fear that this is what is happening with Cersei. Just become some of the foretelling she had as a child has come true she is desperate to stop the rest of it doing so, in turn causing it to come true. 

On the other hand we see Jaime grow into himself much more and he actually manages to secure Riverrun for the Lannisters without shedding a drop of blood and keeping his vows to the late Catelyn Stark. I'm really growing to respect Jaime as a character and I think the loss of his sword hand has humbled him somewhat, as well as opening his eyes to the true nature of those around him.

This really was another good book in the series with lots happening even if the pace is somewhat slower than what we're used too. 

Negatives: Firstly what has happened to half of our beloved characters? We barely see Jon Snow, and we don't see Bran or Daenerys or Tyrion. All we know of Tyrion's current escapades is that he is currently eluding capture by Cersei's spies but where is he? Okay yes there was admittedly a little note from the author after the book has ended explaining that the book was becoming too long and that we'll definitely get to visit these much loved characters in the next installment but to go an entire book without them puts things a bit out of kilter. 

Secondly following the vein of the previous point where were the Others? After they played such a big role in A Storm of Swords with Sam the Slayer are we just supposed to believe that they've left the Wall alone for now? Some continuity here would be nice given that they are supposed to be a huge threat to the Realm. 

And really what was that with the babies? I know that to protect Dalla's boy he had to be sent away, but poor Gilly. Jon has definitely changed for the worse since becoming Lord Commander. 

Would I recommend this book? As always with this series yes I would. However expect this one to be much slower in pace than the previous installments. 

A Storm Of Swords: Blood And Gold by George R. R. Martin

Title: A Storm Of Swords: Blood And Gold

Author: George R. R. Martin

Released: August 2001

The Starks are scattered.

Robb Stark may be King in the North, but he must bend to the will of the old tyrant Walder Frey if he is to hold his crown. And while his youngest sister, Arya, has escaped the clutches of the depraved Cersei Lannister and her son, the capricious boy-king Joffrey, Sansa Stark remains their captive.

Meanwhile, across the ocean, Daenerys Stormborn, the last heir of the Dragon King, delivers death to the slave-trading cities of Astapor and Yunkai as she approaches Westeros with vengeance in her heart.

Rating: 5 Stars

Positives: Oh my lord, just when I thought George R. R. Martin couldn't get any better he goes and pulls this out of the bag. I'd worried that maybe he was losing his touch after the severe lack of deaths in Steel and Snow, especially as the War of Five Kings is still raging, but Blood and Gold certainly made up for that. I'd say the war is all but won by the Lannisters now, but I won't ruin it anymore by telling you exactly who has perished. 

With this many notable deaths however I think we can expect to see a noticeable shift in power now, with some rising higher than ever before and others falling so much further. There are some new powers emerging such as the Tyrell family who may pose a threat, and I'm intrigued to see what Littlefinger's end game is. 

What I really loved however was the focus on the Lannisters in this book. Not only does Tyrion gain the chance to defy Lord Tywin, but we also get a real insight to Jaime. We don't just see him as Cersei's twin or the Kingslayer anymore, we see the real man and who he is. I have to say I'm pretty impressed. I may have vowed not to get attached to anymore characters but I may make an exception for Jaime. Plus we see how the Lannisters deal with loss, and I'm surprised at how normally they seem to react. There's no real grief there but I guess we'll have to see how things progress.

Negatives: I'm going to go off on a little bit of a rant here. There was one death in Blood and Gold that I really didn't agree with and I'm more than unhappy about it. I understand why we have the fight for the Wall, but did Ygritte really have to be killed off? To me she brought out the best in Jon Snow because she gave him a better sense of self worth. With Ygritte he was no longer seen as Ned Stark's bastard, and I don't think Jon was ready to lose her. That said though his loss of Ygritte may help him to grow even more as a man, and with the war that is coming Jon definitely needs to grow. 

Would I recommend this book? Yes I would. But I'll guarantee by the end of it that you'll be cursing George R. R. Martin for at least one or two of the deaths in this installment. 

A Storm Of Swords: Steel And Snow by George R. R. Martin

Title: A Storm Of Swords: Steel And Snow

Author: George R. R. Martin

Released: June 2001

Winter approaches Westeros like an angry beast.

The Seven Kingdoms are divided by revolt and blood feud. In the northern wastes, a horde of hungry, savage people steeped in the dark magic of the wilderness is poised to invade the Kingdom of the North where Robb Stark wears his new-forged crown. And Robb’s defences are ranged against the South, the land of the cunning and cruel Lannisters, who have his younger sisters in their power.

Throughout Westeros, the war for the Iron Throne rages more fiercely than ever, but if the Wall is breached, no king will live to claim it.

Rating: 5 Stars

Positives: Firstly George R. R. Martin has brought us a new range of characters to join our much loved ones. We are now finally meeting the Tyrell's with sweet Margaery and her prickly grandmother Lady Olenna; we also get to properly meet Jon's wildling girl Ygritte, and she has a right sense of humour to her. This is something we definitely needed as far too many beloved characters were killed off in the previous book. It's nice to see as well despite the cliffhangers we were given for both Jaime and Davos that the two of them have survived. I don't think I was quite ready to say goodbye to either of them just yet.

And as far as plot twists go, I have to say that I bow down to George R. R. Martin here as well. Who would have suspected that Sansa would marry this particular person? Yes she may not have been consenting to it, but she's still married to him ... For now at least. 

Also we finally saw the return of The Others, and oh my are they scary. Hell I'm glad I don't live beyond the Wall because if one of those things ever came after me I'd be doomed to die a craven's death . That said with their return it was nice to see Sam gain some courage, especially as he's never really had anything going for him. A nice boy by all accounts but not really someone that you'd consider a man of the Night's Watch. Admittedly Sam may still be craven, but he's getting a lot better.

Negatives: And just when I thought maybe our beloved author planned to stop killing people off he goes and kills the Old Bear. Was that really necessary? I kind of liked him, as a grandfather kind of figure who is very set in his ways. But I suppose the Night's Watch has to have change in order to be able to move forwards, and what better change than by having your Lord Commander killed off?

I also would have liked to see what became of Theon Greyjoy after he loses Winterfell. For all we know he's dead or dying, and we haven't seen him for a whole book. Then there's little Rickon Stark as well, I wonder how he and Osha are faring and where they've ended up. Yes I know that as a boy of only four years of age Rickon may not be that interesting a character, but still I'd like to know what has become of him.

Finally what was with those last two chapters? How can you bring Bran and Jon in such close proximity of one another and not have them meet? That's just utterly heartless.

Would I recommend this book? As always with this series, this book gets a huge thumbs up from me. You definitely need to read it.

A Clash Of Kings by George R. R. Martin

Title: A Clash Of Kings

Author: George R. R. Martin

Released: November 1998

The Iron Throne once united the Sunset Lands, but kind Robert is dead, his widow is a traitor to his memory, and his surviving brothers are set on a path of war amongst themselves. At King's Landing, the head of Lord Eddard Stark rots on a spike for all to see. His daughter Sansa is betrothed still to his killer's son Joffrey. Joffrey is now a boy-king, Queen Cersei is his regent, and war is inevitable.

In each of the seven kingdoms, from Dragonstone to Storm's End, former vassals of the Iron Throne declare themselves kings. And Eddard Stark's fifteen year old son Robb wears the crown of the north at Winterfell.

A comet in the night sky, red and malevolent, the colour of blood and flame, can only be an omen of murder and war. Princess Shireen, the pretender's child, dreams of dragons waking from stone. And a white raven has brought word from the Citadel itself, foretelling summer's end. It has been the longest summer in living memory, lasting ten years, and the smallfolk say it means an even longer winter to come…

The first rule of war is never give the enemy his wish. But winter will be the biggest enemy. From beyond the Wall the undead and Others clamour for freedom, and from beyond the sea the long-dead Dragon King's daughter hatches her revenge. Robb Stark will be exceedingly lucky to reach adulthood.

Rating: 5 Stars

Positives: This is a great sequel to A Game of Thrones. We return to many loved characters including the Starks and the Lannisters, but there are also some new characters present to charm us such as Davos Seaworth and Lady Melisandre. 

The prologue once again had me hooked, this time by making me want to know what Lady Melisandre's secret is, as surely R'hallor the Lord of Light cannot protect her from everything. She has a menace about her, but is also fairly charming in her own way. 

But out of all the new characters I have to say I am utterly entranced by Jaqen H'ghar. He is a Lorathi, but apart from that we know nothing of who he is. Yet despite being a seemingly dangerous man, there's something good in him, after all he has proved himself very useful. But who exactly is he? And will Arya discover his deepest secret? This is what I want to know besides much more, but I don't want to spoil things for those of you yet to read this novel.

In general this was a very good installment, and we see just how quickly Westeros is being torn apart with various claimants for the throne. This is a land at civil war, and at the moment I'm hard pressed to say who the victor will be. As Cersei said previously, "In the game of thrones you win or you die." 

Negatives: The only thing I hate, and I mean really hate, is that George R. R. Martin has this habit of making you either sympathise or fall in love with a character, before promptly killing them off. I'm now afraid to like any character in the series as it will most likely mean their untimely demise. And with the rate that key characters are being killed off, although admittedly it is to be expected in a war, we sorely need the introduction of some new characters who may shift the balance of power.

Would I recommend this book? Yes I would. Obviously you need to read A Game of Thrones first, but then you really need to read this one afterwards. As for me, I'm going to scuttle off and immerse myself in the next installment of this epic saga.

A Game Of Thrones by George R. R. Martin

Title: A Game Of Thrones

Author: George R. R. Martin

Released: August 1996

Summers span decades. Winter can last a lifetime. And the struggle for the Iron Throne has begun.

It will stretch from the south, where heat breeds plot, lusts and intrigues; to the vast and savage eastern lands; all the way to the frozen north, where an 800-foot wall of ice protects the kingdom from the dark forces that lie beyond. Kings and queens, knights and renegades, liars, lords and honest men… all will play the Game of Thrones.

Winter is coming…

Rating: 5 Stars

Positives: The first thing that I liked is how very diverse the land of Westeros, and the places beyond it such as Vaes Dothrak are. In order to effectively capture the different cultures that are present within the book, we read different chapters from the viewpoint of different characters. I especially like Daenerys' chapters because she herself has never lived in the land that is truly her home, and we see her adapting to life within the Dothraki, a culture completely different to her own. 

Secondly there is a good balance of comic moments; especially the wit of one Tyrion Lannister, and a mixture of sad moments. Even though I had an inkling it would happen for some reason Robert Baratheon's fate moved me to tears. Its something I would have expected more for Eddard Stark than Robert in all honesty, but that might just be the pregnancy hormones. 

And Arya and Sansa; two wonderful sisters who couldn't be more different if they tried. Sansa who wants everything to be some kind of fairy tale, whilst her sister is much more adept at being a complete tomboy and is more interested in learning how to fight. Perhaps Arya would fit in well with the Mormont women? 

Each of the great families that we meet has their draws to them, and whilst the Starks are the main family followed in A Game of Thrones, I found myself particularly drawn to the Lannisters. Now that's a family I wouldn't want to cross at any point.

This book has so much detail and is so gripping that it definitely makes an excellent read. 

Negatives: Okay my main gripe is this: we meet something called The Others or the white walkers in the prologue of the book, and part of what kept me reading is wanting to know what they are. However we don't see that much of them in the book. In fact they only return for one more scene, and are mentioned in passing by one character at another point of the story. They were the main hook at the beginning of the book, but then they vanish completely. I'm just hoping that they resurface in the later books.

Would I recommend this book? Yes definitely. There may be a bit of a slow start after the events of the prologue, but it's well worth continuing to read. Be warned though the game of thrones is a bloody game, and you may not want to form attachments to many characters.