201 replies to this topic

[Baratheon Badassery]

I read GoT in a week, I read the entire red wedding to the end of aSoS in 4 days, these book enthrall me.

But aFFC is just really a grind for me to get through, but I REALLY want to get a aDWD. My friends who read the series had the same issue.

Without all my favorite characters, and so many new ones who don't hold my interest I'm really having trouble. anyone else?

[SpareBoot]

yeah, I read like 300 pages of ASoS yesterday.and blew off homework today to read, but I'm only 70 pages in. I know the last 300 of ASOS was really exciting, and this book is setting up for it's arcs, but im not going to power through it. 2 more books till I join the ranks of those waiting for book 6

[MotherStark]

i'm actually enjoying it..i'm kind of glad because I got worried with the first few chapters..but there's a lot going on..and alot I need to know..can't wait till 6th book..on page 674 AFFC. by the way..I really dislike Cersei.

[Robb_]

When I read AFFC I found the first few chapters rather dull but I did end up liking the book a lot, there are some really good chapters in it.

[AegonTargaryen]

I'm just about done the book and it's far and away the most "dull" book of the series, especially after the shit storm that was aSoS.

[Baratheon Badassery]

I really like the Jaime Chapters, and the Cersei ones are interesting enough... Sansa and arya are too scarce.... It's just really the chapters that are the Titles, like Asha's Chapter or Hotah's chapter. they're informational... but not fun, IMHO

[justashadow]

AFfC is just a quieter book than the action packed pace of ASOS.Brienne and Jamie's chapters were well written as well as Dorne. It changed my opinion of Sansa considerably. I enjoyed the Cerseisms although I don't agree with the things that Cersei did at times. There are moments of rich backstory and political agendas. It's actually one of my favorites of the series.

[Lady Snowcat]

nightshadow, on 17 July 2012 - 04:13 AM, said:

AFfC is just a quieter book than the action packed pace of ASOS.Brienne and Jamie's chapters were well written as well as Dorne. It changed my opinion of Sansa considerably. I enjoyed the Cerseisms although I don't agree with the things that Cersei did at times. There are moments of rich backstory and political agendas. It's actually one of my favorites of the series.

I concur. After coming off the whirlwind pace of ASoS, AFfC seemed a bit plodding. Especially the 1st half: Brienne's endless...endless...journey and the whole Iron Islands thread. However, in retrospect (I am now reading ADwD) I agree with nightshadow that the backstory and history are important.

I think alot of people are 'bummed' that some of the most favored characters (Jon, Tryion, Dany...) have no storyline here. But since the 2 books run parallel to one another, I guess GRRM felt this was the best way to go.

The second half of the book redeemed it for me. I liked the Dorne chapters. I thought the Cersei POV was great. It aroused all my revenge feelings and allowed me to vent a bit about all the crap she's pulled off. I kind of did a: neener, neener, neener...you know, kindergarten reaction.

When you start reading ADwD, things will start to fall into place. ADwD also does not match the fierce pace of ASoS but I don't know what could.

[Ser_Willem]

nightshadow, on 17 July 2012 - 04:13 AM, said:

AFfC is just a quieter book than the action packed pace of ASOS.Brienne and Jamie's chapters were well written as well as Dorne. It changed my opinion of Sansa considerably. I enjoyed the Cerseisms although I don't agree with the things that Cersei did at times. There are moments of rich backstory and political agendas. It's actually one of my favorites of the series.

It needed to be quieter.

After a battle (Isn't a battle a storm of swords?) the soldiers retire and leave. (The dead people stay there and become a feast to the crows...)

[Lord Tyrion]

Baratheon Badassery, on 16 July 2012 - 07:29 PM, said:

I read GoT in a week, I read the entire red wedding to the end of aSoS in 4 days, these book enthrall me.

But aFFC is just really a grind for me to get through, but I REALLY want to get a aDWD. My friends who read the series had the same issue.

Without all my favorite characters, and so many new ones who don't hold my interest I'm really having trouble. anyone else?

Still reading so I am trying not to read other posts for spoilers.

I am having trouble reading this. A lot of these characters I couldn't really give a shit about.

[podrick_payne45]

I really enjoyed it.

[Christopher]

The end of the book makes it all worth it.  Things start to take an interesting turn in my opinion.

Edited by Christopher, 17 July 2012 - 03:11 PM.

[FanTasy]

Keep reading The pace of the book after ASOS blurs that an enormous amount of information is given in AFFC, information which makes you begin to understand and re-discover characters. And this book makes you aware of the broader picture that GRRM is painting.
I had the most trouble at the first read with the Brienne chapters, and some troubles with Dorne and Pyke.
But this all changed when I did a re-read by character. Now I think it is one of the most wonderful books in the series.
So have fun!

Edited by FanTasy, 17 July 2012 - 03:21 PM.

[Lord Tyrion]

FanTasy, on 17 July 2012 - 03:21 PM, said:

Keep reading The pace of the book after ASOS blurs that an enormous amount of information is given in AFFC, information which makes you begin to understand and re-discover characters. And this book makes you aware of the broader picture that GRRM is painting.
I had the most trouble at the first read with the Brienne chapters, and some troubles with Dorne and Pyke.
But this all changed when I did a re-read by character. Now I think it is one of the most wonderful books in the series.
So have fun!

Most of the trouble is coming from Brienne, and then after that is the trouble wth the new characters - Victarion, etc.

And to be honest, I really hate the Greyjoy story and the Damphair and all those people on Pyke

[SpareBoot]

Lord Tyrion, on 17 July 2012 - 03:25 PM, said:

Most of the trouble is coming from Brienne, and then after that is the trouble wth the new characters - Victarion, etc.

And to be honest, I really hate the Greyjoy story and the Damphair and all those people on Pyke

Damphair is a death I'm looking forward to. I'd like to see him go nuts and revert back to the sleezy drinker, but he seems to be on the Drowned God kick. I guess the reason I'm not as excited is the lack of the storylines towards the end of ASOS, like whats going on at The Wall(and beyond). Where the hell is Rickon and Osha? Will Hodor say "Hodor"? These are the questions I need answered! I just ordered ADWD today, so I'll finish AFFC in the next day or so. Then I'll be dreaming of the days I was bitching reading a new(to me)ASOIAF book.

Edited by SpareBoot, 17 July 2012 - 03:49 PM.

[krisd]

I am enjoying the book, but in very small bits at a time or my mind wanders! I do get that we need a lul(l)(I am Danish so has lul(l) got one or two l's?) - but a little bit of action would be nice - oh wait Victarion just slashed a lot of people, but move on! No wolves (Yeah I get Nymeria is in the background) No Dragons, No Tyrion, No Wall.

However i am living the Sam chapters - I think I love him

[Sigrid]

I just finished the book yesterday and ultimately I did enjoy it.  The first third or so was tedious, but it really picked up towards the end.  There was a post in another thread which really crystalized what this book is about.  I'm trying paraphrase the author of the post, but basically after a "storm of swords" (i.e. war) comes the calm and the carnage, the feast for crows.   It's all about examining the aftermath of the War of the Five Kings and figuring out where do we go from here?  

I've also read posts describing it as more politically minded, which I think is accurate.  Clash of Kings was actually my least favorite because a lot of it was military strategy and the immediate horrors of war, which I don't find as interesting as the political intrigue and examination of the true cost of war that is explored in AFfC.

I would also recommend the thread "For those Struggling with A Feast for Crows" it had some interesting points made.

[Pulak Kumar]

I find this book to be rather inconsistent as well. I'm a little over halfway through right now, and while the pages don't seem to pile on endlessly as in ASoS, it's a very off-and-on sort of relationship I'm currently having.

The king's landing's chapters were largely interesting, as well as the Iron Islands once Asha Grevjoy and Euron entered the game, but Brienne's chapters seem almost pointless as of now, as she's going off to find someone and we already know where that someone is, though the scenes with Randyll Tarly were interesting. The Samwell chapters are sluggish but still sort of interesting, though he is taking his own sweet time to reach Oldtown. I wanted to see how a maester is trained, but the book still hasn't reached that stage.

[MotherStark]

I finished it and actually enjoyed the book. and am eager to start ADWD...Cersei/Jaime POV made it worthwhile. and I doubly loathe cersie now that I'm done with AFFC. and I think I might like Jaime but its so hard to like a lannister...I still think its grimey that Tyrion killed his Dad..but I've gotten off the subject. The book was a good read to me...it made me somewhat forget about the Red Wedding and how heart broken I was after that.

[ServantOnIce]

I just finished a Re Read and the Brienne Chapters were just too boring and too slow. There was some action in the fight scenes but it was too far in between the ho hum.  I think AFFC struggles because while there is action, important action there is too much back story in the chapters. Still a necessary "come down" after the shocking act of SOS.  Things needed to chill out.