45 replies to this topic

[Mormont'sRaven]

I thought it was fun!

Wasn't as good as the previous two books, obviously, but still wonderful.

The damphair chapters were a drag. Some of Sam's chapters were a drag.

I heard people hating on Brienne's chapters but I thought they were fine. I was so sad that the hound died though and doubly so about my poor little Onion Knight

Still, it was a great work and Cercei's schemes were so evil. I felt so horrible how she ruined that one woman's life (told her husband to kill Bronn, which he botched, and then sent the poor woman to the black cells to be tortured! )

It was an emotionally powerful book and several times I had that "can't stop reading, must stay up until 3 am" feeling that dogged me throughout the other books.

Now, onto reading ADWD!

[shamshir]

heh, reread the chapter where the hound's death is revealed. you might notice something

[ckal]

I liked AFFC. I read this book faster than the others probably. There are some undoubtedly great chapters in there, but the book overall could have benefitted from some trimming.

I also have this feeling that Davos is not dead. He's a crafty smuggler that one.

shamshir, on 19 June 2012 - 03:02 AM, said:

heh, reread the chapter where the hound's death is revealed. you might notice something

Did I miss something or just not remembering since I finished AFFC a few weeks ago?

[Elder Sister]

There's a lot of discussion about the chapters involving

Spoiler

the Hound's death...if you go back and reread the text, note the following:  the novice that is digging graves is at least as tall as Brienne and walks with a pronounced limp, as he's lame in one leg.  He stops digging and kneels down and pets Dog.  Clegane's horse Stranger is stabled at The Quiet Isle...this is the horse that no one can do anything with.  How is he managed, if Clegane is not there?  Lastly, the description of the Hound's 'death' is open to interpretation.  The man describes his own 'death' but what he's saying is that his old self died, and he is a new man, reborn.

With all that, he still talks about burying the Hound, so I don't think anyone really knows whether he's alive or not.  I guess we'll find out if George ever decides to bring him back.  I personally hope so.  I love the Hound and think he's a total hoot!  

And I loved AFFC as well.  No, it's not the same tempo or pace, or non-stop action that ASOS was, but I really enjoyed the book.

Edited by Elder Sister, 19 June 2012 - 06:19 AM.

[Lummel]

Mormont, on 19 June 2012 - 12:47 AM, said:

...I was so sad that the hound died though and doubly so about my poor little Onion Knight ...

ckal, on 19 June 2012 - 06:08 AM, said:

...Did I miss something or just not remembering since I finished AFFC a few weeks ago?

shamshir, on 19 June 2012 - 03:02 AM, said:

heh, reread the chapter where the hound's death is revealed. you might notice something

Yes Shamshir is quite right, you might want to think over what you read or maybe have a look at some of the people involved

[gougef]

I think, if not a one-to-one correlation, the opinion of AFfC is related to whether you had to wait to read it, with newer readers, who didn't have wait, with a higher opinion. Same with ADwD.

[sumpthy]

Elder Sister, on 19 June 2012 - 06:17 AM, said:

There's a lot of discussion about the chapters involving

Spoiler

the Hound's death...if you go back and reread the text, note the following:  the novice that is digging graves is at least as tall as Brienne and walks with a pronounced limp, as he's lame in one leg.  He stops digging and kneels down and pets Dog.  Clegane's horse Stranger is stabled at The Quiet Isle...this is the horse that no one can do anything with.  How is he managed, if Clegane is not there?  Lastly, the description of the Hound's 'death' is open to interpretation.  The man describes his own 'death' but what he's saying is that his old self died, and he is a new man, reborn.

With all that, he still talks about burying the Hound, so I don't think anyone really knows whether he's alive or not.  I guess we'll find out if George ever decides to bring him back.  I personally hope so.  I love the Hound and think he's a total hoot!  

And I loved AFFC as well.  No, it's not the same tempo or pace, or non-stop action that ASOS was, but I really enjoyed the book.

Don't forget that when

Spoiler

Brienne asks if Sandor Clegane is dead, the elder brother responds "He is at rest," which seems like avoiding the question to me.

[SummerGhostofNymeria]

First off, I'd like to say that I'm extremely excited that I can FINALLY go into this thread without a fear of AFFC spoilers. That being said... I have to admit that it was very slow for me at first, but it redeemed itself. I understand why it's not at the same pace as the rest because truthfully you couldn't continue on like that after all of the big events of the previous book. However, the end of AFFC I loved. I can't remember where, but I reached a point towards the latter half of the book where I felt like I couldn't put it down. I'm now a little ways into ADwD. Happy meeee.

[S N Black]

Let's see; I just finished the Arya chapter where she is sent to work for a fisherman in Braavos.  I can understand the hate and complaints.  After reading AGoT and ASoS,for all of it's suspense, action-packed narrative and plot twists, AFfC, drags a bit in parts.  The Iron Islands are irritating to get through, there is no Dany and Tyrion as of yet.  However, the Dorne chapters are very interesting, and GRRM almost has me liking Littlefinger.  Almost.  Cersei, on the other hand,I thought it would be interesting to read her PoV chapters, but she is just getting worn out as a character.  It's mind-boggling that she is still alive.

Idk, at this point, unless it gets better, I am just getting through this book to get to ADwD.

[Lady Sansa Stark]

I actually liked all the chapters. Sansa/Alayne's chapters are always my favourite, as she's my favourite character, but I really can't name one chapter as 'boring' in AFFC. My personal opinion of course, but still..
I really like Jaime now and I hate Cersei even more (although Margaery is also quite some character-to-hate for me.) Brienne's chapters are always nice, the Iron Islands were quite interesting and we learned a lot from Sam's chapters for example. (And, Maester's death, hello, dra-ma!)
I think ADWD will be harder to get through for me, as I really don't like to read Daenerys' chapters for example. Theons on the other hand and Jon's, will be very interesting.

[SummerGhostofNymeria]

Lady Sansa Stark, on 19 June 2012 - 11:38 AM, said:

I actually liked all the chapters. Sansa/Alayne's chapters are always my favourite, as she's my favourite character, but I really can't name one chapter as 'boring' in AFFC. My personal opinion of course, but still..
I really like Jaime now and I hate Cersei even more (although Margaery is also quite some character-to-hate for me.) Brienne's chapters are always nice, the Iron Islands were quite interesting and we learned a lot from Sam's chapters for example. (And, Maester's death, hello, dra-ma!)
I think ADWD will be harder to get through for me, as I really don't like to read Daenerys' chapters for example. Theons on the other hand and Jon's, will be very interesting.

To be honest, I have to agree, I actually enjoyed Sansa's chapters in this book. Which is saying something because I didn't like them at all in the beginning of the series, then I thought they were just okay. Sam's chapters, I felt, were boring, as were the Ironmen. I'm not a fan of them, so maybe that's why. I feel like I've spent way too much time on ships too. I'm done sailing, can we give it a rest for a bit GRRM, pleeeease? (that's a joke... kind of) We'll see what happens though. I REALLY liked Sansa's last chapter in AFfC....

[JimWolf]

One thing I've noticed about GRRM.  When he kills someone, we see it.  We saw Ned's head come off.  We saw the sword go through Robb's heart.  We saw Joffrey choke to death.  Oberyn's skull was crushed.  When we only hear of someone's death, or death is implied, then maybe they didn't die.  Bran had a long fall, but did not die.  Bran was killed by Theon, but we saw only corpses, not his death.  Arya took an axe to the head, but did not die.  Davos drowned on the Blackwater, but then he didn't.  People say he's dead now, but who was there to see it, and did they see his head come off?  And what about Theon.  Is he dead or did he just pass out at the end of Clash?  The Hound could be dead if Arya had killed him, she didn't.  We last saw him alive, now people are saying he's dead.  I dunno if I buy it.   I've become very sceptical of believing someone is dead unless there is a PoV that witnesses it.  The only time I've had to completely trust that someone was dead without reading it through a pair of eyes is Balon Greyjoy.

Edited by JimWolf, 19 June 2012 - 01:16 PM.

[ckal]

Elder Sister, on 19 June 2012 - 06:17 AM, said:

There's a lot of discussion about the chapters involving

Spoiler

the Hound's death...if you go back and reread the text, note the following:  the novice that is digging graves is at least as tall as Brienne and walks with a pronounced limp, as he's lame in one leg.  He stops digging and kneels down and pets Dog.  Clegane's horse Stranger is stabled at The Quiet Isle...this is the horse that no one can do anything with.  How is he managed, if Clegane is not there?  Lastly, the description of the Hound's 'death' is open to interpretation.  The man describes his own 'death' but what he's saying is that his old self died, and he is a new man, reborn.

With all that, he still talks about burying the Hound, so I don't think anyone really knows whether he's alive or not.  I guess we'll find out if George ever decides to bring him back.  I personally hope so.  I love the Hound and think he's a total hoot!  

And I loved AFFC as well.  No, it's not the same tempo or pace, or non-stop action that ASOS was, but I really enjoyed the book.

Spoiler

Ah, yes, great call. I actually did not make this connection on my first read through. I remember thinking the grave digger seemed a bit odd, or one of those characters you are slightly skeptical of, but I did not think he was the Hound. But all that makes sense now, and it was Septon Meribald himself who said he 'buried' the Hound, but there are no witnesses. We don't know this for sure, and he may have just brought the Hound back to the Quiet Isle, and healed him. I think the whole man 'reborn' makes a lot of sense looking over these details. But the limp in the leg...I'm sure I have forgotten, but did he get a limp from an injury he received before Arya left him for the Saltpans?

[Elder Sister]

ckal, on 19 June 2012 - 06:25 PM, said:

Spoiler

Ah, yes, great call. I actually did not make this connection on my first read through. I remember thinking the grave digger seemed a bit odd, or one of those characters you are slightly skeptical of, but I did not think he was the Hound. But all that makes sense now, and it was Septon Meribald himself who said he 'buried' the Hound, but there are no witnesses. We don't know this for sure, and he may have just brought the Hound back to the Quiet Isle, and healed him. I think the whole man 'reborn' makes a lot of sense looking over these details. But the limp in the leg...I'm sure I have forgotten, but did he get a limp from an injury he received before Arya left him for the Saltpans?

Remember  -

Spoiler

He is drunk when he walks in the inn with Arya and comes upon G. Clegane's men.  He gets injured in the hip during the fight, and it turns septic.  Arya notes it as he is laying on the ground.  Then he begs her to kill him.

Edited by Elder Sister, 19 June 2012 - 06:38 PM.

[ckal]

Elder Sister, on 19 June 2012 - 06:37 PM, said:

Remember  -

Spoiler

He is drunk when he walks in the inn with Arya and comes upon G. Clegane's men.  He gets injured in the hip during the fight, and it turns septic.  Arya notes it as he is laying on the ground.  Then he begs her to kill him.

Spoiler

Ah, yeah. I remembered he got injured in the head, I couldn't remember where else he got injured as well. Thanks for the reminders.

[Elder Sister]

ckal, on 19 June 2012 - 07:42 PM, said:

Spoiler

Ah, yeah. I remembered he got injured in the head, I couldn't remember where else he got injured as well. Thanks for the reminders.

You're very welcome!  

[Retoreance Stone]

I actually like the book also, its a bit slow in the begining but it got a whole lot better towards the end.

[Retoreance Stone]

Mormont, on 19 June 2012 - 12:47 AM, said:

I thought it was fun!

Wasn't as good as the previous two books, obviously, but still wonderful.

The damphair chapters were a drag. Some of Sam's chapters were a drag.

I heard people hating on Brienne's chapters but I thought they were fine. I was so sad that the hound died though and doubly so about my poor little Onion Knight

Still, it was a great work and Cercei's schemes were so evil. I felt so horrible how she ruined that one woman's life (told her husband to kill Bronn, which he botched, and then sent the poor woman to the black cells to be tortured! )

It was an emotionally powerful book and several times I had that "can't stop reading, must stay up until 3 am" feeling that dogged me throughout the other books.

Now, onto reading ADWD!

Tell me about it I felt horrible when they said Davos was dead, I really like his character. Hopefully it was just a lie and they thought that they killed him.

[Arnold Layne]

I have just finished my first reread since AFFC was released and enjoyed it far more this time.  I have just read the first 4 back to back in preparation for ADWD, which I have now started, and gained a great benefit from doing it that way.  I still think GRRM's original idea of moving foward 5 years (or something) after ASOS would have been better though.

The Iron Islands storyline is definitely the weakest, but I didn't enjoy them in previous books either.  I liked the Brienne stuff and enjoyed seeing Cersei head towards what was clearly going to be a train wreck.  The most enjoyable sections for me were the ongoing Jaime redemption chapters along with the Alayne storyline.  Arya's is great too (she's my favourite character) but there aren't enough chapters of her to make it significant, plus I like the idea of letting her get on with her training without us necessarily following it blow by blow.

I enjoyed the Dorne stuff, and the approach of telling the unfolding story from different POV.

[justashadow]

I just finished the book today and the last 1/2 of the book was completely took me by surprise espcially the last few chapters. I can't wait to see what happens next. ADWD paperback doesn't come out until Aug...guess i'll be heading to the library to get the book!! I can't wait that long...LOL!!