Chapters you're likely going to skip?

[Syphon of Oor-Tael]

I just finished re-reading Clash of Kings and once again, I got struck by how boring Bran really is. Is anybody else in possession of a peeve against one character that they will likely skip if re-reading the books?

 

[viZion]

Bran's chapter are awful in the first three books. However, they actually improve considerably in ADWD. I think he only mentions being a knight once, maybe twice. I actually there would have been one more Bran chapter in ADWD so we could get a clearer idea of his role in the series.

Other than Bran, I've never had the urge to skip chapters.

 

[devilsgrin]

i often seem to skip Arya's chapters, and more often than not, Jon's (although i sincerely like the Jon chapters, his POV is the most traditional fantasy perspective, so whilst interesting a couple of times, and i immerse myself in them when i do re-read, i find them incredibly easy to remember). Characters like Tyrion, Sansa, Catelyn, and Ned (for the short time we have him) are ones i always re-read, and yet, i LOATHE Tyrion.

 

[The Imp]

It never occurred to me to skip a chapter. I think that in part it's because i read the audiobooks, and skipping a chapter isn't as simple as when reading in print. I guess i also feel as if there's always something to be learned from every chapter, even in the more "boring" ones, although i've never felt any were actually boring to the point of not wanting to read them. Even the "worst" Bran or Brienne chapters are better than most of anything anyone else writes. It's all relative.

 

[Koopa]

In rereads i don't bother with reading the whole book. I just read the parts that i'm interested in at the time, or about a certain character.

 

[Culhwch]

I don't know that I'll ever do another re-read. If I do, it will probably be a long time after the final book comes out. I read the first three books numerous times, but all many years ago, but I never got around to re-reading Feast, and I don't know that I would read Dance again either. I just don't read as fast or as voraciously as I used to, and I'd rather spend my time reading new books.

 

[Sleepless]

Would skip all of Danys. Her entire role in ADWD can be summed up as 'oooh hes so handsome I cant resist his rakish charms *giggle*, I must do whats right for my subjects and marry mr serious though, maybe ill come to love him I do hope hes not in charge of the people killing my guys, ooh theres the dragon i didnt lock up, what am i doing in this stream?'. I wish something would eat her.

 

[Ursa major]

I wouldn't dream of skipping any of the chapters. The only person who knows what's going on is GRRM and there's no guarantee that some throwaway line in one of the POVs that some people find boring isn't a key to what appears later on.

Instead of wondering, as a reader, why some POV chapters are there, look at it from GRRM perspective. He thinks those chapters have to be there. And if there's nothing obviously of interest, perhaps the reason for the chapter's presence is hidden in the text.

I'm not saying that this is true of all the chapters that some readers find less than compelling. They may be there to add to the world building, or to get a character on the way from A to B, or a number of other reasons. But one or two of them may hold a key part of the puzzle that is ASoIaF.

 

[Chella of Cheyk]

While reading AGOT, I did skip a few chapters of Bran, and a chapter of Jon's. For some odd reason those two characters at first were in a sense, 'stepping in the way' of some of the more intriguing characters. I would find myself rushing past Jon's chapters to get to Tyrion, or rushing Bran's to get to Danys. It depended the dramatic point each of the characters were at. After finally getting half way through AGOT, I ended up connecting with all of the characters and went back to re-read those that I had skipped. It just took a while to finally grow compassion for them.

Heck, now I admire Jon, and can tolorate Bran. Tyrion's chapters are always my favorites though.

 

[Chella of Cheyk]

Would skip all of Danys. Her entire role in ADWD can be summed up as 'oooh hes so handsome I cant resist his rakish charms *giggle*, I must do whats right for my subjects and marry mr serious though, maybe ill come to love him I do hope hes not in charge of the people killing my guys, ooh theres the dragon i didnt lock up, what am i doing in this stream?'. I wish something would eat her.

I read her chapters, just for Jorah. I'm a major Jorah Mormont fanatic because of his placement I think. A lost knight who would do anything for a royal pardon, but torn by guilt. He kind of sets Sandor Clegan's view on knights straight. This knight actually does have a glimmer of honor.

 

[juleska]

Would skip all of Danys. Her entire role in ADWD can be summed up as 'oooh hes so handsome I cant resist his rakish charms *giggle*, I must do whats right for my subjects and marry mr serious though, maybe ill come to love him I do hope hes not in charge of the people killing my guys, ooh theres the dragon i didnt lock up, what am i doing in this stream?'. I wish something would eat her.

Although I didn't hate Dany's storyline in ADWD like many here did, I gotta say that was pretty daggum funny.

I would never skip a chapter, myself. Occasionally when Brienne was wandering the countryside aimlessly I got frustrated with her storyline and would turn ahead to see which chapter was next, or how much further I had to read to get to another Tyrion chapter, but I never skip chapters. Just like I don't walk out on bad movies. Just my thing I guess.

 

[thaddeus6th]

I wouldn't skip any, but I certainly wasn't too fond of Bran's (until ADWD) or Theon's (again, until ADWD).

Plain-warrior-woman-whose-name-I-forgot in AFFC was also not very interesting.

Tyrion and Daenerys are my favourites over the series as a whole, but I was less keen on the former's chapters in ADWD, and liked the latter's even less.

 

[Boaz]

When each book is this long (heck, the series is huge) that there is a tendency to pick and choose... like at a salad bar. You can (and should) go read your favorite passages and chapters for enjoyment. (This is how I find quotes and trivia for our games here.) But if you only do that, I think your ability to relate certain characters, actions, and themes together will become limited.

When I fist picked up AGOT, ACOK, and ASOS, I read each of them in twenty-four hours and then I immediately reread each one. But with AFFC, I waited a day and then slowly reread it. And I took four days to read ADWD and then I waited six weeks to reread it.

I was caught up by AGOT and I loved discovering GRRM's world. But by AFFC and ADWD, the story was not going exactly the way I expected. Maybe that's because I had so much time to think about the characters and the plots. I admit that I've been disappointed (during my first read) with some of the directions that each character takes. But the rereads have been more fulfilling than the rereads of the first three books.

For example, Brienne's POV has mayhaps been the most maligned in the series. But upon my reread of AFFC, I discovered that Brienne's POV filled the void created by Arya's departure to Braavos. Arya's POV showed the conditions of the commoners of Westeros during the Game of Thrones. And even Arya's revelation of the lives of the poor failed to depict the longing for fame and fortune and then the resulting futility that comes through Septon Meribald's speech in Brienne's fifth chapter of AFFC. It may be the longest speech in the series... it may be the most honest.

I think someone noted this above... but there is a difference between the POV and the character providing the POV. Honestly, Brienne is a stupid wench. She's also honorable and yet pitiable. But her POV gives us insights that none of the others can.

Personally, I dislike Jon. I always have. But I love his POV. The NW and The Wall make for an outstanding story. Et tu, Bowen? And... I dislike Catelyn, Sam, Sansa, Theon, Cersei, and Arianne... yet I like their POVs.

I don't like Bran nor do I like his POV. But where else can I know that Bloodraven is alive, that seers look through the Face Trees, or that there was a mystery knight at Harrenhal? Nowhere else. I must read Bran to learn these secrets. And after that... everything with Jaime and Tyrion is pure joy!

 

[Bunami]

For myself, I found the first 3 books chapters 'short & sharp" and the only characters within those chapters that got annoying/frustrating were those of Sansa and Bran BUT....because said chapters were not long I would find myself 'whisked away' to another characters POV and so any negativity was soon forgotten and when we returned to them I was ready for my 'next dose' so to speak.

Not so unfortunately in the following two novels, the chapters all seemed to go on for far too long. Instead of feeling 'immersed' ......... 'soaked through' would be a better description with too much information from the charcater POV (especially the Daenerys and Tryion chapters in ADWD). Though that could well be the consequence of effectively halving the number of POV's in the following two books whilst still trying to release 'door stop size' novels

My biggest disappointment and 'most likely to skip' on a re-read would have to be Daeny's chapters in ADWD. To have come so far and through so much (death, destruction, treachery, lost love and so forth) in the early books she took such a giant leapt backwards for me in ADWD that even now I still have a nasty taste in my mouth whenever I reflect back on the latest book.

Just my very humble opinion of course =)

 

[Eulalia]

I thought there was a little too much about the mercenaries, and yet, I still started to get them confused. Since they are probably going to change the balance of power in significant areas, I understand the build up.

I didn't mind the Dany chapters. I liked the fleshing out of the Mereen culture, and the idea that a ruler, no matter how benevolent, can be sabotaged.

Also, sometimes I think GRRM takes a little inspiration from Elizabeth I for Dany. (although just a smidge). Elizabeth posed as the Mother of her people, took to the field at least symbollically, was usually most responsible and did genuinely have their best interests in mind, I believe. However, she had a romp with her step father (not really her fault, I think), flirted with her best looking rakish courtiers, and came close to marrying for the sake of the realm or at least pretending to consider offers for political leverage. I think giving Dany a few weaknesses, appropirate to a teenager, makes her more lively and human.

Also, it sets Tyrion up to be a much needed Hand. Elizabeth also had some clever advisors.

Still the time passing in Merreen is frustrating. But really, you didn't like the whole chapter when she runs out to stop the dragon and ends up mounted? I thought that was a great way to get her a dragon back without making ADWD too much like a Pern story.

 

[Quick Ben]

I would skip Dany's chapters.

 

[Eulalia]

To each his/her own.

I'm not a chapter skipper anyway. But the ones that I had most difficulty re-reading were Gilly chapters in AFFC. With Dany's I find all sorts of political and cultural nuances that I missed, and it helps that I am not a Dany hater.

Historical inspiration spotting is perhaps not a common pursuit. I really like how GRRM seems to raid the best tidbits in history, but it is hard to be sure. Et tu Bowen, indeed!

 

[chongjasmine]

I find the chapter on Tyrion to be something I like to skip over. I don't really like him as a character.

 

[Tywin]

I find the chapter on Tyrion to be something I like to skip over. I don't really like him as a character.

Say it isn't so!

If I were skipping chapters I would skip the Davos ones. I wish he would grow himself a spine.

 

[Mesanna]

LOL, I'd skip the Iron Islanders, except maybe Asha. But I hope the rest of them sink! But I'd never skip Tyrion. Never ever ever!