AFFC - General question.

[Torque]

This question is for anyone, but please avoid any spoilers.

I am about half way through AFFC (page 390 in the soft cover version), but I feel like something is missing compared to the previous three novels. The introduction of a substory within the main story line is understandable but I'm having a hard time putting all the fast paced action of Kings Landing, The Wall, Renly's conquest and Daenerys' conquest. Am I likely to be fed some excitement towards the end of the book? How about ADWD?

NO SPOILERS PLEASE!

Thanks.

[Tarandor]

I'd have to say... keep reading. :) I really liked AFFC but I found it to be much slower than say, A Storm of Swords, where it seemed that things were happening at every turn. There's a lot of planning in both AFFC and ADWD. There are a few chapters in ADWD that were meant to be in AFFC, so for the first third of the book you're thinking "didn't this already happen??" It may be a bit frustrating at first but trust me, it's worth it. I feel like the NEXT book, the sixth, will be comparable to A Storm of Swords, in terms of things being carried out, and maybe much less of this planning stage everyone seems to be in. At least I hope so.

Also, you brave soul, I didn't feel comfortable coming on here until after a finished ADWD. Happy reading!

[Retoreance Stone]

It gets better towards the end and I have to admit even though I liked AFFC I am enjoying ADWD more. I can't get into it without spoilers so I will leave it at that.

But your not alone a lot of people had a hard time getting through the book, but I did like the Dorne chapters.

[ckal]

I liked AFFC a lot, it is a good book. The first third or so is a bit slow in its pacing, but about halfway it picks up and ends in 5-6 chapters of brilliance.

AFFC is unlucky in its place in the series, being directly after the most fast paced and action oriented book of the whole series, ASOS. AFFC is a change of pace more in line with AGOT. People seem not to realize that it would be impossible to top ASOS in terms of action and pacing based on where the story is. I also feel that because of this, and people who had to wait 5 years for the book to come out, they have thrown largely unfair and angry opinions out there about this book, that many other people are forming preconceived notions on.

I am almost done with ADWD and I love this book. It is great, and yes it does have more action than AFFC.

[Torque]

Thank you for all your replies!

I'd have to say... keep reading. :) I really liked AFFC but I found it to be much slower than say, A Storm of Swords, where it seemed that things were happening at every turn. There's a lot of planning in both AFFC and ADWD. There are a few chapters in ADWD that were meant to be in AFFC, so for the first third of the book you're thinking "didn't this already happen??" It may be a bit frustrating at first but trust me, it's worth it. I feel like the NEXT book, the sixth, will be comparable to A Storm of Swords, in terms of things being carried out, and maybe much less of this planning stage everyone seems to be in. At least I hope so.

Also, you brave soul, I didn't feel comfortable coming on here until after a finished ADWD. Happy reading!

You made me chuckle when you mentioned my braving of the forum where spoilers run everywhere. Thanks for that.

I liked AFFC a lot, it is a good book. The first third or so is a bit slow in its pacing, but about halfway it picks up and ends in 5-6 chapters of brilliance.

AFFC is unlucky in its place in the series, being directly after the most fast paced and action oriented book of the whole series, ASOS. AFFC is a change of pace more in line with AGOT. People seem not to realize that it would be impossible to top ASOS in terms of action and pacing based on where the story is. I also feel that because of this, and people who had to wait 5 years for the book to come out, they have thrown largely unfair and angry opinions out there about this book, that many other people are forming preconceived notions on.

I am almost done with ADWD and I love this book. It is great, and yes it does have more action than AFFC.

The "5 - 6 chapters of brilliance"..... I am really looking forward to those. I am having a hard time keeping everything straight.

Anyone know a good technique for remembering names? (I use the back family descriptions a great deal)

[OhioKat]

I'm glad to hear it gets better. I feel like I'm slogging through it and missing hearing about what Tyrion is up to or what is going on with Bran. There were already so many characters in this story the addition of new ones is a little frustrating.

[Rockroi]

I am about half way through AFFC (page 390 in the soft cover version), but I feel like something is missing compared to the previous three novels. The introduction of a substory within the main story line is understandable but I'm having a hard time putting all the fast paced action of Kings Landing, The Wall, Renly's conquest and Daenerys' conquest. Am I likely to be fed some excitement towards the end of the book? How about ADWD?

Its tough for me to comment on this and not give away spoilers; its far easier for somebody who enjoyed AFfC (currently numbering about 68 people world-wide) to say "Keep reading" and getting your hopes up and they say that they liked the book (Pro-AFfC people always reflexively have to state how much they loved the book. Nobody does that for any of the other ASoIaF books, and there is a reason for that). Instead, I will try to give you some very subtle, non-spoiler, non-ban-worthy hints:

1. Your overall comment about the introductions of "sub-stories" is sound; AFfC is, in many ways, a collection of sub-stories about things happening with these characters at this point in time, and not about any overarching conflict or building tension that would lend one to believe its leading to a climax. This is NOT to say that the book does not have a climax

it doesn't

Its just saying that there is an appearance that there is no climax.

2. If the chapter consists of anything occurring on the Iron Isles, you can skip it. You miss one maybe two plot points max, and those are repeated in ADwD so, no harm no foul.

3. The book's overall pace ranges from "glacial" to "the maximum value for entropy." Its so slow physicists measure the revolutions of Neptune around the sun by it.

4. If you think you missed something in a previous chapter, chances are 1) you didn't or 2) it will be repeated in a subsequent chapter. This is particularly true for any chapter involving Cersei and there are a good deal of those.

5. I hope you like Brienne.

for the record, I like Brienne and I thought that he chapters were actually very strong.

6. By the Laws of the Moderators of this Board I am contractually obligated to point out that AFfC "gets better on reread." Nobody says this about any of the other books, but many many many many people feel compelled to say - whenever somebody else says how ... "unfulfilling" AFfC was - that "I used to feel the same way, but it gets better on reread." Again I NEVER hear anyone ever feel compelled to say "Storm of Swords was good, but it got MUCH better on re-read." You know why? Because it was good the first time. Oops... hope that wasn't a spoiler.

7. AFfC is, by-in-large, considered the weakest book in the series. This is true mostly of the casual fans (ie: fans who do not visit these boards regularly and are definitely not moderators of these forums). A very large % of the people who do visit these boards also feel as if AFfC is the weakest book in the series.

8. GOOD NEWS: ADwD is better.

Bottom line: AFfC is the low point in the best sci-fi fantasy series written since Tolkien. That makes it better than 98% of the tripe that passes for sci-fi/fantasy these days. It gets better on reread (thus completing my obligation) but not appreciably to escape my ranking it the fifth -best book in the series (by a wide and appreciable distance). The high points, to me are good, but by no means great; there is a pacing problem (as in there is no pace); there is a gigantic over proliferation of characters (one that Martin himself has stated was a mistake); there is a lack of overall tension; the central character to the story is terrible; the overall narrative pedantic and repetitive (yes, we get it- there was a war here... thanks for reminding us ... again... and again... and a...gain...). There are some very good moments with some very good characters, but they are few and far between.

Overall: a bridge book that resets the expectation-meter after the break-neck speed of ASoS, but fails to recapture that books sense of danger, importance, depth or complexity.

[Lady Snowcat]

I definitely agree with what is expressed above. Coming off of ASoS, I didn't dare read AFfC right before bed or it was straight to dream land. But it was a great cure for insomnia.

I also agree with others that it does pick-up in the end and that if you miss something (or forget something) from AFfC, there will be a reminder in ADwD.

AFfC is 1/2 of the story that is continued in ADwD - the events of the 2 books actually are occurring at the same time. Thus, ADwD feels much more satisfying to me because of what I learned in AFfC.

What made AFfC less enjoyable for me is that the POV's in this book were characters I wasn't as interested in: Brienne, the Ironborn... but I did like the Dorne chapters. ADwD covers the characters I like much better: Tyrion, Jon, Dany....etc.

As for keeping name's straight, I can't give you a better suggestion that what you are doing. However, I have found that as I've read thru the books, minor character's backstories keep reappearing to reinforce current storylines. Each time there is a repeat, I get better at remembering these various characters names and histories.

Now that I am reading ADwD, I have taken to doing 2 things:

1) I break out the chapters by character names so for example, I have a Tyrion list and it shows his chapters start on pgs 16, 71, 112, 179 etc. This way when I come to a new Tyrion chapter, I can quickly go back to where his previous story ended and refresh my memory.

2) I write a quick summary after I finish each chapter. This serves 2 purposes: writing things down seems to improve my memory and I can refer back to things more easily - especially dreams, visions or any piece of info. I think might be important in the future.

Perservere with AFfC & you will be pleasantly surprised when you get to ADwD. I'm on page 500 of ADwD & am thoroughly enjoying it.

[Torque]

THANK YOU FOR THE REPLIES, now i'm going to read the rest of it with slightly different expectations! :) :)

To: The Rock That Roared

Thank you so much for that thorough analysis.