Is ADWD better the AFFC?

[Rockroi]

It really depends who you ask.

If you like boredom, tedium, having the same thing explained to you multiple times; if you enjoy side-plots that take up a disproportional amount of space just to culminate in a dead-end; if you enjoy being introduced to a multitude of new characters who all seem to act, look, speak and think the same; if you like not hearing hide nor tail of some of the more important characters in the series; if you like "bait and switch story-telling; if you enjoy a book that ends more-or-less in the exact same place where it began than you will like A Feast for Crows.

Otherwise, Dance is much better.

[Elder Sister]

I adored AFfC. No, it wasn't action-packed, but I found it fascinating.

I enjoyed aDwD, but I thought it was a bit unsurprising, honestly.

[justashadow]

I just finished ADWD today. It's action packed but had some great moments for characters at the same time...it was a great read for me.

I really enjoyed AFfc,..there is just an appeal to it, not action packed like the rest but more intriguing and well written. Maybe it's the subtletiesof the book.

Honestly, I don't think any book is better than the other...I think its the connection the reader makes to that particular piece of work.

[Lord Manwoody]

I enjoyed the two books about the same. I thought both were great, though not quite as good as the initial three. I get the impression that these two are a bit of a bridge between a great set-up and finish. At some point, the story has to "shrink" as the characters converge and I expect that will begin with the battle at Slaver's Bay. Can't wait.

[Roose Seal]

I adored AFfC. No, it wasn't action-packed, but I found it fascinating.

I enjoyed aDwD, but I thought it was a bit unsurprising, honestly.

I think that's what bugged me most about Dance. It was unsurprising.

Huge things happen but for some reason my reaction to most of them was "ah" or "oh" at best.

Maybe the books have become a little predictable or maybe I'm just blasé about the characters but Dance just felt extremely dull to me.

Btw, have you recovered from that time you went to Catalina ?

[Elder Sister]

I think that's what bugged me most about Dance. It was unsurprising.

Huge things happen but for some reason my reaction to most of them was "ah" or "oh" at best.

Maybe the books have become a little predictable or maybe I'm just blasé about the characters but Dance just felt extremely dull to me.

Btw, have you recovered from that time you went to Catalina ?

No, I have not, but thank you for asking. (btw, did you see where Netflix is getting ready to commence filming AD? Am so, so jazzed. :) )

Back to aSoIaF, I so agree with you about Dance. I enjoyed it, it was good writing, good stories, my favorite characters excluding a few, but as you say, it was an unsurprising read.

AFFC was very surprising in some ways, and really delved more deeply into history, characters, etc. I loved it, even when it was moving slowly, because I was getting the bigger picture.

With Dance, I got tired of Mereen. I got tired of Dany always saying the same thing...I got tired of Tyrion and his hyper-awareness/insecurities...it was just a little grating at times. And the new characters that were introduced were kind of 'vanilla' to me.

Don't get me wrong, even a bad GRRM book is a good read. And I'm not saying it was bad...it just wasn't what I'd hoped for.

Off to make more shots in the photo booth...