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Which is your favourite book in the ASOIAF series? Please explain why.


Free folk Daemon

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ASOS. It is full of tragedy and action, contains some of the most significant events in the series so far, and introduces a few new POV's, like Jaime, that really help you understand some of these characters more.

ADWD is probably my second favourite. Really does a great job of expanding upon the lore, introduces some more new characters like Young Griff, and ends on quite a cliffhanger that is really pulling me in for TWOW.

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"A Game of Thrones", naturally as the first book it got me interested, introduced me to the whole world of the 7 Kingdoms and the treachery of that world, as well as those who try to hold onto honor. None of the remaining books have, IMO, come up to it.  In fact, with all due respect I find that Books 4&5 really needed a good editor or really shouldn't have been in the series at all.  I have read that GRRM's original plan called for three books and I wish that is what we had because, IMO, those would have been three awesome, action and adventure, triumph and betrayal packed books.

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Have to go with ASoS. 

It's the book where the war of the five kings is at its peak, it's got the two major weddings plus the murder of both Joffrey and Tywin. And the greatest single character development of the books (Jaime)

My secondmost favorite is probably AGoT, because of its buildup to the conflict and all of its twisted surprises. But I have to say I appreciated AGoT more after re-reading it, when I had second knowledge from reading the rest of the books.

 

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AGOT is great. ADWD is great too. I think my favorite is AFFC. I do love the Starks and it gets dark for them in ACOK and ASOS, but my favorite character arc is Jaime's. He's probably my favorite POV character other than Sansa (post ACOK). He does a 180 in my eyes and his internal monologue is both entertaining and enlightening. He is by no means absolved of what he has done (by Westeros or me) but he's a compelling character. The only other characters I'd want to see a POV from more are Roose and Tywin.

And this isn't relevant to the thread, but if Nimble Dick and Penny got erased from a AFFC/ADWD rewrite, nothing of merit would be lost.

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Game is my favorite. It's the one that drew me in so I have fond memories of it, but I'd also say that it's the most controlled of the novels, with Ned's slow fall as the anchor. After that, probably Clash, followed by Storm.

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ASOS because, well, looking at Jaime's storyline alone should be enough explanation as of why. Perfect character development, he embarked on the journey of self-discovery and redemption to become a better human being. Besides, ASOS was all action-packed with lots of tearful, gasp-worthy dramas and revelations that helped thicken the plots by probably 350 degrees. Also it marked the end of Dany's exciting days (I mean, I strongly dislike her Meereen storyline in ADWD) when she liberated the unsullied. It made me laugh, cried and shrieked in horror. It was the only book that made me wanted to throw it across the room in frustration. So. Much. Feels, man. So much. 

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1.ADWD (because it has the best Theon chapters) 2.ACOK (because it has Theon chapters) 3.AFFC (because the Cersei chapters were amazing, I also enjoyed the Jaime chapters a lot and the Sansa ones. Not to mention that the last Brienne chapter in feast is one of my overal fav chapters, it really left an impression) So yeah, for me it's really about which characters have chapters, I like the books that have the characters I enjoy reading about the most in them :)

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ASOS, I mean some people are fond of some characters, events or chapters so they pick something else, some say AGOT because it got them into series, but ASOS is objectively the best.

Talking from the literary criticism standpoint here, ASOS is tightly and superbly written, events happen in rapid succession, balancing of the POVs is amazing. It has much richer and more complex narrative then AGOT and ACOK, but much more focused then AFFC and ADWD.

And it has most emotional impact per page, it is very climactic, roller coaster.

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2 hours ago, Equilibrium said:

ASOS, I mean some people are fond of some characters, events or chapters so they pick something else, some say AGOT because it got them into series, but ASOS is objectively the best.

Talking from the literary criticism standpoint here, ASOS is tightly and superbly written, events happen in rapid succession, balancing of the POVs is amazing. It has much richer and more complex narrative then AGOT and ACOK, but much more focused then AFFC and ADWD.

And it has most emotional impact per page, it is very climactic, roller coaster.

Nope. Just your opinion. All of the other reasons people give for liking this or that book are just as valid as your reasons.

For instance, AFFC changes so much of the story.

Often times people will say, "I think blah, blah, blah will happen".

I will respond, "No, because blah, blah, blah happened."

They will say, "When did that happen?"

I will answer, "In AFFC."

So, you see, in my opinion AFFC has the richer more, complex narrative.

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1 hour ago, bent branch said:

Nope. Just your opinion. All of the other reasons people give for liking this or that book are just as valid as your reasons.

For instance, AFFC changes so much of the story.

Often times people will say, "I think blah, blah, blah will happen".

I will respond, "No, because blah, blah, blah happened."

They will say, "When did that happen?"

I will answer, "In AFFC."

So, you see, in my opinion AFFC has the richer more, complex narrative.

Nope, still objectively better. you kinda shoot your own argument down, reasons for liking, liking something doesn't make it better, there is a thing called literary theory, which evaluates writing on the technical and artistic merit, liking Twilight doesn't make it better then War and Peace, even if you don't like War and Peace.

And especially from AFFC, don't get me wrong I am not AFFC hater (there are plenty of those, no one hates ASOS on the other hand, if you insist peoples tastes are benchmark), I love Brienne chapters, Jaime's also and Ironborn and Dornish politics do add to the story, but it is diluted, it has less bang for a buck, so to say, it lacks half the characters, it meanders at times, ASOS never does. 

See there are so many major story points in ASOS and many with great emotional impact on readers, and AFFC doesn't have as many, it is plain and simple. 

I will drop this now, not because I am wrong, but because I got off topic, yes I am at fault, I somehow switched to "best book" instead of "favorite book" and I apologize.

Favorite book, well, ACOK, we get Stannis and Tyrion's reign over the KL, plot thickens and magic grows in prominence.

 

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49 minutes ago, Equilibrium said:

Nope, still objectively better. you kinda shoot your own argument down, reasons for liking, liking something doesn't make it better, there is a thing called literary theory, which evaluates writing on the technical and artistic merit, liking Twilight doesn't make it better then War and Peace, even if you don't like War and Peace.

And especially from AFFC, don't get me wrong I am not AFFC hater (there are plenty of those, no one hates ASOS on the other hand, if you insist peoples tastes are benchmark), I love Brienne chapters, Jaime's also and Ironborn and Dornish politics do add to the story, but it is diluted, it has less bang for a buck, so to say, it lacks half the characters, it meanders at times, ASOS never does. 

See there are so many major story points in ASOS and many with great emotional impact on readers, and AFFC doesn't have as many, it is plain and simple. 

I will drop this now, not because I am wrong, but because I got off topic, yes I am at fault, I somehow switched to "best book" instead of "favorite book" and I apologize.

Favorite book, well, ACOK, we get Stannis and Tyrion's reign over the KL, plot thickens and magic grows in prominence.

 

Literary criticism is indeed a matter of opinion. If there was a bright clear line of what was good or excellent in literature, then the literary critics wouldn't have anything to do. :P Also, if there was a definite standard by which to judge literature, the work of art that completely met all requirements would probably be a piece of shit. There is no more a "correct" way of writing or understanding a piece of literature than there is a "correct" way to paint a picture, compose a song, sculpt a block of marble or brew a beer.

As you say this is digressing from the original question so I'll let it go here.

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I'm not a brienne fan at all (other than the fact she is the one true knight) so ASOS is really brought down for that reason. It's tied with AFFC. I enjoyed both the iron islands and the dornish plots more than most others on here.

So the obvious answer is ADWD (surprised more people seem to be going AGOT over ADWD) I think people's hatred towards Dany's Mereen is so hypocritical when they judge her so harshly for crucifying those masters. Like she totally tried to resolve the issue diplomatically by getting married.... She's not on anyone else's time  

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I will have to go with The World of Ice and Fire-

Hold on it's my lawyer.

Hmm? You're saying I can't choose that book? Well why not? Oh it's not in the main series but it has- Well fine then.

 

I guess my favorite is A Feast for Crows mainly because it was a hassle to get through my first time and when I finally did it brought me into the Politics within Dorne and that was simply amazing. I hope Winds of Winter will address what the Crown will do upon hearing about the fudge that went down in Dorne.

Next would be A Clash of Kings or A Storm of Swords, I'm not sure which book it was but in one or the other I was introduced to the R+L=J theory by connecting the dots and I was like "No way, could this be? I might just blow everyone's mind with this." But when I looked it up online like everyone knew about it.

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ASoS, by a pretty wide margin. I'd go aGoT next. Then aCoK. aFFC and aDwD next. I don't like the half books and cliffhangers after so much waiting.

ASoS had the most twists (RW and PW, Tywin's death). The folks who appeared triumphant  we're laid low later (Jeoff and Tywin). Plus we had the most satisfying revenge moments in the series: Purple Wedding and Tyrion killing Tywin. No payoffs like that in the entire series.

 

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