I'm sure you've heard this before...

[Chezdon]

..but I had to get it off my chest.

What a disappointment A Feast for Crows is.

AGOT started off a bit slow like I expected, as it needed to introduce people etc but then it got really good. Then a Clash of Kings was immense. The next two books were good, but I could see them slowly getting worse.

Then AFFC.

The appendix was the same size as the book itself. There were SO many characters being introduced that I lost all interest in them, they were just names on a bit of paper.

In fact I stopped reading half way through because I saw every chapter was just Brienne, Cersei, and a load of random chapter titles. Sad to have wasted months reading them.

Maybe I just didn't get my head into them enough of maybe I'm not just intelligent enough.

I don't suppose anyone here will agree with my but I had to say it.

 

[Winters_Sorrow]

Welcome to Chronicles, Chezdon.
You're far from alone in being disappointed with the last book I'm sure, and I sympathise with your viewpoint. Certainly it feels more disjointed than some of the earlier books because the leaping about from place to place (in AFFC there's Braavos, Dorne, Kings Landing, the Vale, the Iron Islands, the Riverlands, the Wall and more I'm forgetting probably) and the introduction of several new characters which, along with the omission of older characters and storylines, was bound to test the patience of anyone wanting to know how their favourite characters were doing.

Having said all that, and after several re-reads, I have grown to love AFFC as much as any of the others for expanding the story and really getting into the heads of some other PoV especially those of the "bad guys" (Cersei, Jaime, Victarion & Asha to name a few) and see their motivations and backstories which really flesh out the characters and take them from cardboard cut out boo-hiss villains to wonderfully human and flawed souls. You can still hate them but now you get to pity them and understand them too, which is a mature approach I really like in GRRM's writing.

So I would either go back and re-read the book and see if it grows on you like it has on several of us or grit your teeth and persevere as I can't see GRRM making the story any less complex, whether you think it should be or not.

 

[TK-421]

Ugghhhh....

Time to start digging up those previous threads.

Sorry, but I disagree Chezdon and in my opinion, AFFC was an excellent book where alot happened, the storyline advanced significantly and I could go on but let previous threads do the talking.

Favourite Book in ASOIAF

AFFC - afterthoughts

A Feast for Crows - disappointed

A Feast For Crows - The split, the reasoning doesn't make sense!

 

[The Imp]

AGOT started off a bit slow like I expected, as it needed to introduce people etc but then it got really good. Then a Clash of Kings was immense. The next two books were good, but I could see them slowly getting worse.

In fact I stopped reading half way through because I saw every chapter was just Brienne, Cersei, and a load of random chapter titles. Sad to have wasted months reading them.
.

Welcome to The Chronicles

To start, there are 4 total books in the series. You seem to think there are 5. I'm also not sure how you can pronounce judgement on a book when you stopped reading it halfway through. No offense, but it kind of makes me feel that your opinion on this particular matter isn't worth very much.

As far as AFFC goes, I agree that it was the most disjointed of the 4 books written to date, BUT, it's still a great book IMO. I liked it a lot better after a re-read btw.

I think many people on this forum would rate AFFC the worst of the 4 in the same way that you might say that your favorites are (sorry veggies) Filet Mignon, Porterhouse Steak, Prime Ribs of Beef and an 8 OZ charbrolied Angus burger (all done exactly as you like them at your favorite steah house)) The burger is the worst of the bunch but better than 99% of the other burgers out there. AFFC suffers from being in the same compnay as the other 3. It's still a fine book, and more importently, it's part of the entire story, making it must reqad if you plan on reading ADWD.

 

[Chezdon]

That's the reaction I was expecting

Thanks, Winters Sorrow.

You're probably right. A re-read would help immensley, the only problem being I read about 1 hour a day and I'd spend the next 6 months reading them again. There's too many books out there I want to read and life's too short!

 

[Chezdon]

Welcome to The Chronicles

To start, there are 4 total books in the series. You seem to think there are 5. I'm also not sure how you can pronounce judgement on a book when you stopped reading it halfway through. No offense, but it kind of makes me feel that your opinion on this particular matter isn't worth very much.

As far as AFFC goes, I agree that it was the most disjointed of the 4 books written to date, BUT, it's still a great book IMO. I liked it a lot better after a re-read btw.

I think many people on this forum would rate AFFC the worst of the 4 in the same way that you might say that your favorites are (sorry veggies) Filet Mignon, Porterhouse Steak, Prime Ribs of Beef and an 8 OZ charbrolied Angus burger (all done exactly as you like them at your favorite steah house)) The burger is the worst of the bunch but better than 99% of the other burgers out there. AFFC suffers from being in the same compnay as the other 3. It's still a fine book, and more importently, it's part of the entire story, making it must reqad if you plan on reading ADWD.

I don't know but one of the books seemed to be split into two halves. The Third book was split into two when I read it. So that's why I'm saying 5.

Well I was just getting tired. It was getting ardous towards the end of the third book and I just couldn't take anymore characters. Too many locations and too many chapters on Cersei and Brienne who I really didn't care for.

Maybe I'll re-read them when the series is finished (if I'm still alive?) as there is no way I would remember characters years after putting the last book down.

 

[Ursa major]

In the UK, the paperback of A Storm of Swords was divided into two volumes:

A Storm of Swords 1:Steel and Snow
A Storm of Swords 2:Blood and Gold

Volume 1 ends with Jon's chapter at, I think, Brandon's Gift.

 

[The Imp]

I don't know but one of the books seemed to be split into two halves. The Third book was split into two when I read it. So that's why I'm saying 5.

Well I was just getting tired. It was getting ardous towards the end of the third book and I just couldn't take anymore characters. Too many locations and too many chapters on Cersei and Brienne who I really didn't care for.

Maybe I'll re-read them when the series is finished (if I'm still alive?) as there is no way I would remember characters years after putting the last book down.

My apologies on the bogus correction on the number of books

To be honest, this may not be the right set of books for you. Reading them IS a labor of love, and it DOES take a great deal of time getting through them. If you're not enjoying your journey then you shouldn't be on it.

I will say though that you may find that you're njoying AFFC more by the second half of it. For me, it p[icked up steam and became more cohesive in the latter parts of it.

Good luck, hope to see you posting again.

 

[Winters_Sorrow]

I don't know but one of the books seemed to be split into two halves. The Third book was split into two when I read it. So that's why I'm saying 5.

Well I was just getting tired. It was getting ardous towards the end of the third book and I just couldn't take anymore characters. Too many locations and too many chapters on Cersei and Brienne who I really didn't care for.

Maybe I'll re-read them when the series is finished (if I'm still alive?) as there is no way I would remember characters years after putting the last book down.

You may change your mind if you continue through AFFC. The Cersei chapters in particular really pick up the drama quota later on and if you miss the Mountain vs Red Viper fight scene you will kick youself hard later. trust me!

 

[Chezdon]

Ah man. I really did love the 2nd and 3rd books, so I probably should finish it anyway. Tyrion was a great character, as was Bronn, Jaime and Stannis.

I'm sure I will keep posting, I'm a big fantasy lover