posted
So, I haven't been back in that thread for quite some time as I noticed spoilers starting to pop up and decided it would be too dangerous to keep opening the thread.
I'm through the first two books of the series, and just wanted to check with people who are posting in there whether I should go back there until I've finished the first 4 books. I imagine this is the case, but just wanted to check.
I'm loving the books so far!
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And things that presumably don't have anything that could possibly ever ever *ever* have any tantalizing detail about what happens in parts you haven't read.
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I think this is payback for all the contributions I've made to thread derailments over the years. I can't open my own thread! Posts: 8741 | Registered: Apr 2001
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Yea, it's a safe bet that if you want those books to surprise you, to stay away from any discussions about GRRM or aSoIaF.
And trust me, there are a lot of surprises coming your way...like when Ned returns from the dead as a dragon...I mean...um...nothing. Posts: 6683 | Registered: Jun 2005
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quote:Originally posted by Stone_Wolf_: And trust me, there are a lot of surprises coming your way...like when Ned returns from the dead as a dragon...I mean...um...nothing.
Only to be slain again by Viserys' golden tongue Posts: 891 | Registered: Feb 2010
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GRRM is not nice to his characters or readers. It would be easier if he wasn't such a good writer.
Posts: 6683 | Registered: Jun 2005
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quote:Originally posted by Strider: I'm 2/3rds of the way through Storm of Swords now. And all I have to say is F*@K this book!
Okay, not really, but man am I pissed right now.
Yeah. I actually threw the book across the room when I got to the bit you just got to. It's the only time I've ever done that.
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I'm listening to the audiobook, and I was in my car, and I started banging my fists on the steering wheel! Thank god I was less than a minute away from home, or I might not have been able to drive.
When I got home I told my housemate, "If I was reading a physical book, I would've ripped in two, thrown it across the room, and then stomped on it".
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When I finished that chapter, I had to go sit in the bathroom, because I thought I was going to throw up. Just out of utter shock. I've never had such a visceral reaction to fiction before.
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I see you got to one of the best parts in Storm of Swords. And most infuriating.
I remember saying a few curse words when I read that part. My wife asked me what was wrong and I think I said something to the effect of "I hope GRRM dies in a fire." Then I realized that he wouldn't be able to finish the series, and cursed again.
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For years I've been told to read this series. Now I realize it wasn't because people cared about my enjoyment, but only so I could share in their pain and misery. Evil bastards.
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I am reasonably sure that it is the most often thrown book ever published. Even more than Vilette.
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quote:Originally posted by T:man: When I got to that part, I became extremely nauseous.
A book has never made me sick with dread before.
Somewhat similar to my reaction. I wasn't nauseous but I did just set the book aside, softly mutter an expletive beginning with F and stare out the window for a while. I felt defeated and deflated. Amazing what a physical as well as emotional impact it can have.
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I, quite literally, went "This. Is. BAD***!" and tore into the next chapter. It was the same near the end of the first book - when Joffrey made his decision, I went "Oh no you did not!" and dug into the fallout.
The only book I've ever thrown was HP and the Deathly Hallows, because of the epilogue. It was heavy, and I was tired and annoyed, and it felt good.
Posts: 3932 | Registered: Sep 1999
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Heh, I was so surprised and horrified and that was just reading it, not hearing an audio version. I think the response would be even better in an audiobook, and it's interesting to me because I was just now listening to a section of 'The Yellow Admiral' by Patrick O'brian, and there was a scene in which one character describes prize fighting at length to another. I was interested, but I could tell I enjoyed it more than I would've reading it because of the enjoyable narration.
I realized that about mundane bit of disposition. I imagine if I were listening to *that* scene...whew!
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I'm glad I wasn't alone. I was really uneasy during the chapters leading up to it too. I've learned in this series that whenever I think something is going to work out well, or that I know how things will go, it NEVER goes that way.
But it was worse than I thought, and I was way more affected by it than I thought I would be. I laid awake last night thinking about it. And I don't even normally tend to get that invested in characters.
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Rakeesh, the guy who reads the book isn't fantastic, but yes, it does make scenes like that feel more visceral.
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I spent most of the book trying to figure out who the protagonist was. I finally decided that I had figured it out, and *BAM*.
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quote:Originally posted by Strider: For years I've been told to read this series. Now I realize it wasn't because people cared about my enjoyment, but only so I could share in their pain and misery. Evil bastards.
I told my 73 year old grandmother to read the books. She is a huge fan of Sci-Fi / Fantasy so I figured she would love them. Last night I was answering a few questions for her about the first two books and she mentioned where she was in the third. I smiled at her and said "Keep reading, it just gets better!"
I woke up this morning to a text she sent at 2am. It read "I hate you" Posts: 1937 | Registered: Nov 2006
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I was skeptical of Strider's conclusion, until I read about how you burned your gramma! Man, we are evil bastards!
Posts: 17164 | Registered: Jun 2001
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My dad called me the other week and said he'd been seeing all these rave reviews of A Dance with Dragons and was starting to think he might want to read it.
"Do you think I could just pick it up and start there? Would it make sense?"
". . . NO."
"Well, I don't want to read thousands of pages to get to it!"
I think he will not be reading the series.
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I'm 350 pages into Dance and im tense and anxious. No other series puts me on edge like this one.
Posts: 21898 | Registered: Nov 2004
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Yep, there will be an update later today actually. I spent the last week moving across the country, so it slowed down both my reading, and a lack of internet access slowed down my posting.
I haven't lost track of it though (like I did with Feast!), it shall return soon!
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Just put up two posts with a third to follow shortly. That brings me up to date with where I am in the novel. Hope you all enjoy my musings.
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How would you characterize the style, Shan? What don't you like about it (the writing style, not the plot)? There are things that chafe in it, for me, but nothing that rises to the level of dislike.
Posts: 1087 | Registered: Jul 1999
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Well, let's see . . . in many ways it feels disjointed. It does not seem to flow well, and the connection between chapters, plot lines, and characters often seems thin -- not like a severely stretched rubberband, but with the feel of tossing a safety rope out and hoping it gets caught. I don't know if that makes sense.
I don't know that he ever really decided on a main character, or perhaps he's trying to make them all main characters -- it feels like a connection is finally being made with one or two characters and then boom! off and away with some other character . . . sometimes with really lengthy stretches between the chapters which makes it hard to pick the thread of that character up again . . . which irritates me.
It just seems undisciplined, not well edited, and still in the early stages of writing where all the ideas come pouring out -- good, bad, indifferent. It's like he did not spend time actually doing the slog work of writing -- getting rid of the superfluous and focusing the story in a way that made sense.
I don't know. *shrug* And all that being said, I just want to see how he ties it all up, but it sounds like he has more coming. *sigh*
It's all Facebook's fault for posting a link via their TORN (LoTR) page to this new series with Sean Bean. Grrr! I have avoided these books for years. Caught! Hook, line and sinker.
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quote:I don't know that he ever really decided on a main character...
Ah! I remember having this conversation with you, and being deeply confused by your need to have a single main character. Posts: 37449 | Registered: May 1999
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posted
Most of Shan's criticisms are precisely the reasons why I'm getting so much enjoyment out of the books!
Posts: 8741 | Registered: Apr 2001
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quote:I don't know that he ever really decided on a main character...
Ah! I remember having this conversation with you, and being deeply confused by your need to have a single main character.
I can understand that. I like to identify with the protagonist - I need [i]someone[i]to root for to be emotionally engaged - and it can be jarring to "switch loyalties" all the time.
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quote:I need [i]someone[i]to root for to be emotionally engaged
I don't know, I root for most of the main characters in ASOIAF. Several being on opposite sides of a war doesn't matter too much to me.
For instance, it would be very interesting to me to read a book about World War II, with the chapters equally split between (for example) an American paratrooper, a British fighter pilot, a Russian tanker, a German submariner, a Japanese battleship gunner, and an Italian civilian.
They'd be on different sides of a war, perhaps even in the same battles, but they could all be "good guys", with families and loved ones and hopes and dreams, etc.
You know, like real life?
Posts: 5656 | Registered: Oct 1999
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quote:I need [i]someone[i]to root for to be emotionally engaged
I don't know, I root for most of the main characters in ASOIAF. Several being on opposite sides of a war doesn't matter too much to me.
For instance, it would be very interesting to me to read a book about World War II, with the chapters equally split between (for example) an American paratrooper, a British fighter pilot, a Russian tanker, a German submariner, a Japanese battleship gunner, and an Italian civilian.
They'd be on different sides of a war, perhaps even in the same battles, but they could all be "good guys", with families and loved ones and hopes and dreams, etc.
You know, like real life?
Have you ever read Neal Stephenson's Cryptonomicon? It's a bit as you described. I think you would enjoy it.
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I've seen it often when browsing the SF/Fantasy section of Barnes and Noble. I'll consider your recommendation next time I see it .
Posts: 5656 | Registered: Oct 1999
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I think you would dig it, I sure did. It's sort of two different stories at two different times that come together in the end.
One story takes place during WWII. It focuses on several characters, mainly a US Marine, A US crypto-analyst, and a Japanese Army Lieutenant but we also get bits from a German sub captain, British intelligence officers and I think even Himmler makes an appearance.
The second story is present day and also focuses on several characters, many of whom are descendents of the WWII characters. In the end it all comes together to form one story, 50 years in the making.
Posts: 891 | Registered: Feb 2010
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quote:Originally posted by Xavier: For instance, it would be very interesting to me to read a book about World War II, with the chapters equally split between (for example) an American paratrooper, a British fighter pilot, a Russian tanker, a German submariner, a Japanese battleship gunner, and an Italian civilian.
This pretty well describes Harry Turtledove's Timeline 191.
But don't read it.
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