Think ASOIAF spoiled me

[Rydis]

When I first started reading, I read American Gods and really loved it. I read a few Shanarra series books but eventually moved to A Game of thrones..then had the rest ordered and read within a month. Then I lost interest in reading a bit. Then I read hey, new book might be out, came to forums and read topics and then listened to audio books twice over 3 years, and still loved the books. Then just picked up The Hunger Games, and I find that I really lost a lot of interest in ASOIAF, and find more traditional books a bit better. Not sure if its the long wait and deciding its not worth waiting for the series after all the ADWD fiascos, or if maybe reading the series early just gave me a bad perspective, but as I read/listen to other books, my interest from this series disappears a lot as I see it fails in comparison to other books now, most recent being the Dark Tower Series (yeah yeah I know 15 year wait there). Just think getting into ASOIAF spoiled my view of other types of stories.

[aimlessgun]

Your interest in Song of Ice and Fire disappears in comparison to the Dark Tower? Different strokes for different folks I guess.

I think I'm the opposite. Other fantasy books seem worse now in comparison. Like how watching The Wire destroyed my enjoyment of every other cop show.

[Ahmrogar]

Your interest in Song of Ice and Fire disappears in comparison to the Dark Tower? Different strokes for different folks I guess.

I think I'm the opposite. Other fantasy books seem worse now in comparison. Like how watching The Wire destroyed my enjoyment of every other cop show.

I'd agree with this. If you see a really solid example of a genre, everything else seems a bit worse.

[Wras]

I wouldn't say everything gets worse. You just need to keep reading. The more you read, the broader your spectrum will be. At worst, ASOIAF will be an outstanding work at the good end of the spectrum, at best you've broadened your horizons.

[Brienne the Beauty]

Oh yes. I used to read a lot of fantasy before I read ASOIAF. Now everything else seems tedious or tawdry. Either too damn clever or idiotic. I wish someone would write another series with the perfect combination of readability and complexity that ASOIAF has.

[Pallantides]

Oh yes. I used to read a lot of fantasy before I read ASOIAF. Now everything else seems tedious or tawdry. Either too damn clever or idiotic. I wish someone would write another series with the perfect combination of readability and complexity that ASOIAF has.

I definitely can agree with that. I've found that any other fantasy books I read, I don't really enjoy them or they don't interest me as much as I think they would if I hadn't read ASOIAF. Such as Raymond E. Feist's Riftwar saga. Though, truth be told I also can't read many fantasy books outside of ASOIAF (including the Dunk and Egg stories of course), Tolkien's work, Guy Gavriel Kay's work, and Robert E. Howard's. There's obviously other authors strewn in there that I find their work absolutely amazing, but those are the main ones.

It's kind of sad that I do compare other stories to these "giants" as it were, and I know I shouldn't as I'm probably missing out on a lot. But it tends to just be something that I do. I guess it just means I have something to work on...

[ogbebaba]

have you tried Joe Abercrombie?

[Porcupine Tree]

Oh yes. I used to read a lot of fantasy before I read ASOIAF. Now everything else seems tedious or tawdry. Either too damn clever or idiotic. I wish someone would write another series with the perfect combination of readability and complexity that ASOIAF has.

Before children, I read avidly. Towards the latter 1980s, I got fed up by the lack of quality in the new writers in SF /fantasy. The plots were so predictable, the characters so one-dimensional, the objects of power so obvious. I stopped reading the genre completely; too busy with other things. In the early 2000s, Terry Pratchett persuaded me to give fantasy another chance.

Since then, I've read Guy Gavriel Kaye, McAvoy, Robin Hobb among others, and my faith has been restored.

But, nothing compares to aSoIaF. So, yes, I agree, I'm spoiled, too.

[Pallantides]

have you tried Joe Abercrombie?

Can't say I have. Though I've noticed his books in the bookstore, and they look intriguing but I've never even read the back of them (usually because I'm in a rush to just pick up the graphic novels I've ordered and then to order a couple more). Thanks for the recommendation though, I'll make sure to grab a couple of his books.

[RedEyedGhost]

have you tried Joe Abercrombie?

Or Felix Gilman?

Or Scott Lynch?

Or Scott Bakker?

But, nothing compares to aSoIaF. So, yes, I agree, I'm spoiled, too.

And Daniel Abraham says, "Hi."

As much as I love ASoIaF, I'm not too worried about ADwD because there are so many other good books out there.

[afterroots]

I second REG's post.

[Cantabile]

SoIF has its flaws and all...but paling in comparison to the Dark Tower? :shocked:

[fall787]

Or Felix Gilman?

Or Scott Lynch?

Or Scott Bakker?

And Daniel Abraham says, "Hi."

As much as I love ASoIaF, I'm not too worried about ADwD because there are so many other good books out there.

All of these are pretty bad. I couldn't get through any of them, and finished some just out of sense of wonder of how anyone could find them comparable to ASOIAF. In my world, where ASOIAF is 10, I haven't found a book that was even close to maybe 4.

[Cantabile]

All of these are pretty bad. I couldn't get through any of them, and finished some just out of sense of wonder of how anyone could find them comparable to ASOIAF. In my world, where ASOIAF is 10, I haven't found a book that was even close to maybe 4.

All of those authors are certainly different than Martin, but all brilliant in their own right. What exactly was it about their works that you found 'pretty bad'?

[Merrett Frey's Sponsor]

Or Felix Gilman?

Or Scott Lynch?

Or Scott Bakker?

And Daniel Abraham says, "Hi."

I have been very happy with all of the above, other than Felix Gilman (whom I have not read).

REG, I have liked your recommendations in the past (I especially share your Abraham love) yet I know nothing of Gilman. Is Half Made World the place to start?

[fall787]

All of those authors are certainly different than Martin, but all brilliant in their own right. What exactly was it about their works that you found 'pretty bad'?

Tastes are subjective, so is definition of "brilliant".

Here is the thread I created awhile ago on what I dislike about few particular contemporary authors/stories.

[Arthmail]

Tastes are subjective, so is definition of "brilliant".

Here is the thread I created awhile ago on what I dislike about few particular contemporary authors/stories.

Except when you're objectively wrong. Kidding.

Listen, you'll get over ASOIAF. It's going to be another year or more before the next book, probably, and then around another five for the next one. There are so many other good books inbetween. Abercrombie is a good one, David Gemmell (especially his Troy series)....what have you.

And give Bakker another shot. Once you get over some of the bullshit, its pretty awesome stuff. And before you say, "well, ASOIF is awesome all the way", its really not. The writing is great, but sometimes there is whole lot of nothing going on.

[Liadin]

Tastes are subjective, so is definition of "brilliant".

This all the way.

Pretty sure Fall and I don't share the same tastes, but I was pretty underwhelmed by Lynch, and neither Bakker nor Abraham sounds appealing to me (although in Abraham's case, it's not that the books sound unappealing so much as I read the first 10 pages of one once and found it kind of annoying. I might go back and try again sometime when I don't have anything to read).

[Cantabile]

Tastes are subjective, so is definition of "brilliant".

Here is the thread I created awhile ago on what I dislike about few particular contemporary authors/stories.

"Prince of Nothing - indifferent. Weird names.

Blade Itself - terrible. Random fights. Book reads like a movie.

Lies of Locke Lamora - pretty bad. Out-of-character swearing is stupid. "

I don't think those are exactly very detailed or valid criticisms, especially when SoIF has plenty of fights that do not advance the plot, as well as "weird" names outside of Westeros (which itself somehow has English names and variants despite having a completely different language) :P

Tastes are indeed subjective, and one is more than welcome to like whatever they want for whatever reason. Everyone has their favorite cup of tea, but all your criticisms of those series are more like disliking the tea because of the color, or the cup its in, rather than the taste. If one is to dislike a book it should be for the substance, not the superficial.

If you hold SoIF on a holy grail above every other work, could you explain what it is about the series that you esteem so highly?

[Gabriele]

Tastes are subjective, so is definition of "brilliant".

Here is the thread I created awhile ago on what I dislike about few particular contemporary authors/stories.

I'm afraid there's no cure for you but to write your own great Fantasy masterwork. ;)

But I expect you to share it on the net for free because traditional publishers only produce crap and we'd never see it. :P