Best written chapters?

[Team_Rob]

Dany's chapter when she takes Astapor

Dany in the House of the Undying.

A Ghost in Winterfell

Arya's 'The Ugly Little Girl' chapter

Ser Barristan in 'The Kingbreaker'

[Teal'c]

I agree with everyone elses. One chapter I've always been fond of is one of Sam's chapters in SOS where he slays the Other at the end. The chapter uses flashbacks intermittently to explain how Sam and the NW got overrun at the Fist of the First Men. The craziness of the wights attack, Sam's utter desperation and hopelessness ending with him killing an Other with dragonglass was just beautiful.

This is one of my favorites as well. I loved the parallel structure of the paragraphs, where most begin with Sam taking one more step away from the horror at the Fist of the First Men.

[Old-Growth]

Also that chapter ends with Grenn and Sam heading off into a clearing morning to catch up with the Old Bear. A nice touch, that.

[Old-Growth]

Such a diversity of opinion: this suggests to me that there is a uniformity of quality in the better chapters of which there are many. :-)

[Francis Buck]

Jaime's first chapter in AFfC, where he's reminiscing about various things while standing vigil over his father's body.

[Jolene Brown]

Jaime's first chapter in AFfC, where he's reminiscing about various things while standing vigil over his father's body.

I love this one! I also think the one at the end of AFFC, where he dreams of his mother, then wakes up to the snow at Riverrun and the letter from Cercei (that's all the same chapter right?) is amazing and sad, especially the part where he wants to cry out "Don't leave me," and then it says "But of course she'd left him long ago."

[Viserys_The Transformed]

Chapter 21 of Storm of Swords,

when Jaime and Brienne fight (its musical).... and ends in Jaime loosing his sword-hand... it was great feeling to read it arousing mixed reactions in us for Jaime Lannister.

[Winter gives me wind]

For me it would be a toss up between the RW and the preview chapter for TWoW.

I'd probably choose Theons preview as the RW really needs the viewpoint of Arya and Cat tfor full effect and therefore wouldn't be one chapter. That would be my favourite series of chapters though.

Theons TWoW preview is brilliant! It has so much tension, the culmination of and lead into a number of storylines (Karstark/Stannis betrayel, battle for Winterfell, Iron Bank), the fading but still present madness of Theon. His believable return from being Reek. An entire chapter in the room with Stannis giving us a previosly unseen view of his character out of the public eye. I could go on, this scene to me is outstanding!

Close 3rd place the chapter where Jon needs a block.

[Francis Buck]

I love this one! I also think the one at the end of AFFC, where he dreams of his mother, then wakes up to the snow at Riverrun and the letter from Cercei (that's all the same chapter right?) is amazing and sad, especially the part where he wants to cry out "Don't leave me," and then it says "But of course she'd left him long ago."

Yup, that's another good one as well. Something about Jaime's character really lends itself to GRRM's writing style I believe; he combines Tyrion's wit with a greater degree of confidence and, in some ways (particularly later on), a slightly less skewed view of reality. Jaime, despite his flaws, seems to have a very realistic perspective of himself and the world. His chapters, along with Sansa's and Arya's, were the main thing that got me through AFfC.

[hughie]

The chapter where Sansa comes down from the Eyrie with the child. Having worked as a teacher with challenging children for many years, I can tell you the boy's reactions were uncannily plausible. Also Sansa began to emerge as a rounded character, who dealt with the child with considerably more skill than the Septa at Winterfell ever showed. The tension of the descent was beautifully maintained, and even though there weren't major plot developments going on, I was completely absorbed.

[Francis Buck]

The chapter where Sansa comes down from the Eyrie with the child. Having worked as a teacher with challenging children for many years, I can tell you the boy's reactions were uncannily plausible. Also Sansa began to emerge as a rounded character, who dealt with the child with considerably more skill than the Septa at Winterfell ever showed. The tension of the descent was beautifully maintained, and even though there weren't major plot developments going on, I was completely absorbed.

Yeah, that was also a great one. Sansa really came into her own in AFfC, and I think it was a great hint of what's to come for her character.

[Villemo]

Red Viper vs the Mountain

Dracarys!

Red Wedding

trial Beric Dondarrion vs the Hound

all Theon chapters from ADWD

[Blood of the Trout]

The Red Wedding (ASOS Catelyn VII);

Cat of the Canals (AFFC Arya III);

Winterfell in snow (ASOS Sansa VII);

Birth of the dragons (AGOT Dany X);

Red Viper vs. The Moutain (ASOS Tyrion X);

Theon and Jeyne's escape from Winterfell (ADWD Theon VII);

Septon Meribald's speech (AFFC Brienne V);

Maester Cressen's Prologue;

[mankytoes]

The Red Wedding wasn't the best for me. I was confused by what was taking place at first. In fact, it was only on third read that I understood exactly why Robb suddenly had three arrows in his chest. The 'Rains of Castamere' reference needed to be spelt out more, as I didn't at the time suddenly think Lannister. I was also confused by who had turned against the Starks until second read through.

I would say the Tyrion chapter of Blackwater was better than Davos'. That had me hooked on a night flight when I should have been fast asleep.

For me, that was part of what made it so great. I felt like my mood was just like Catelyn's- "something isn't right here, but surely they aren't going to murder everyone, that would just be unthinkable...", then when it kicks off, it's just like "what's going on? This can't be happening". I missed most of the details too, but that gives it re-read value and made it such a shock. I actually had to put down the book and take a minute, which might not sound like much, but I'm pretty unmoveable usually, and I didn't even really like Catelyn or Robb.

I can't say I've read much fiction, but the first Reek chapter, I've never read anything like that, so that's pretty special for me.

Can't think of one in particular, but I loved Cersei in AFfC too.

[The Mountain That Posts]

This thread needs WAY more mention of that Kevan chapter at the end of ADwD.

I'm actually depressed that GRRM killed him off, because if every Kevan chapter was written that well, and he had a bunch of chapters in the sixth book that would've been excellent IMO. Ah well, all for the sake of the plot!

[Great Dayne]

The Tower of Joy......best dialogue of the series

Oberyn Martell when he meets Tyrion at Kings Landing...first appearance of Dorne and two great wits going at it

Oberyn v the Mountain.... Actually anxious reading the chapter

[willy york]

the first reek chapter in a dance with dragons. i dont think ive ever read depravity captured so well in words.

[Houndbird]

Sansa's chapters in A clash of Kings with her intxersctions with Sandor.

Theon/Reek chapters were harrowing but compelling. The snow winterfell chapter was beautifully written.

The Red Wedding.

[Imjustababydirewolf]

All of Theon/Reek/Prince of Winterfell, etc. chapters

Ned's rememberance of the TOJ was beautiful, sad and haunting

But really, the books as a whole are so very well written that it is hard to simply find only one (and obviously I didn't)

[locke and key]

pretty much all of theons chapters in ADWD other than the last are pretty amazing