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A Feast/Dance/Winds Reading Order

DaveSumm

By DaveSumm,
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DaveSumm

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Eh? Another one? Isn't there, like, loads of these already?

Well, yes. But after looking around, I was a bit disappointed with a lot of the takes on it. I couldn't find any that didn't follow Cersei I with Tyrion I, which doesn't work chronologically for the reasons I've gone in to below. So I set about doing my own version, and it was actually a lot of fun. I thought I'd throw in the Winds samples that have been released just to give my list a USP, although they don't all work in the main timeline of the two books.

The list:

Spoiler

  1. Prologue (1)  

  1. Prologue (1) 

  1. The Prophet (2) 

  1. The Captain of Guards (3) 

  1. Cersei I (4) 

  1. Brienne I (5) 

  1. Arya I (7) note: skip Sam I (6) 

  1. Cersei II (8) 

  1. Jaime I (9) 

  1. Tyrion I (2) 

  1. Daenerys I (3) 

  1. Jon I (4) 

  1. Brienne II (10) 

  1. Sansa I (11) 

  1. Bran I (5) 

  1. The Kraken’s Daughter (12) 

  1. Cersei III (13) 

  1. Tyrion II (6) 

  1. The Soiled Knight (14) 

  1. The Merchant’s Man (7) 

  1. Jon II (8) 

  1. Tyrion III (9) 

  1. Brienne III (15) 

  1. Davos I (10) 

  1. Jon III (11) 

  1. Samwell II (16) 

  1. Daenerys II (12) 

  1. Reek I (13) 

  1. Bran II (14) 

  1. Tyrion IV (15) 

  1. Davos II (16) 

  1. Jaime II (17) 

  1. Cersei IV (18) 

  1. The Iron Captain (19) 

  1. The Drowned Man (20) 

  1. Daenerys III (17) 

  1. Jon IV (18) 

  1. Tyrion V (19) 

  1. Davos III (20) 

  1. Brienne IV (21) 

  1. The Queenmaker (22) 

  1. Arya II (23) 

  1. Alayne I (24) 

  1. Cersei V (25) 

  1. Reek II (21) 

  1. Brienne V (26) 

  1. Jon V (22) 

  1. Tyrion VI (23) 

  1. Samwell III (27) 

  1. Daenerys IV (24) 

  1. Jaime III (28) 

  1. The Lost Lord (25) 

  1. Cersei VI (29) 

  1. The Windblown (26) 

  1. The Reaver (30) 

  1. The Wayward Bride (27) 

  1. Jaime IV (31) 

  1. Tyrion VII (28) 

  1. Brienne VI (32) 

  1. Jon VI (29) 

  1. Davos IV (30) 

  1. Daenerys V (31) 

  1. Cersei VII (33) 

  1. Melisandre I (32) 

  1. Reek III (33) 

  1. Jaime V (34) 

  1. Tyrion VIII (34) 

  1. Cat of the Canals (35) 

  1. Samwell IV (36) 

  1. Cersei VIII (37) 

  1. Bran III (35) 

  1. Jon VII (36) 

  1. Brienne VII (38) 

  1. Jaime VI (39) 

  1. Cersei IX (40) 

  1. The Princess in the Tower (41) 

  1. Daenerys VI (37) 

  1. Alayne II (42) 

  1. Brienne VIII (43) 

  1. The Prince of Winterfell (38) 

  1. Cersei X (44) 

  1. Jaime VII (45) 

  1. Samwell V (46) 

  1. The Watcher (39) 

  1. Jon VIII (40) 

  1. Tyrion IX (41) 

  1. The Turncloak (42) 

  1. The King’s Prize (43) 

  1. Daenerys VII (44) 

  1. Jon IX (45) 

  1. The Blind Girl (46) 

  1. A Ghost in Winterfell (47) 

  1. Tyrion X (48) 

  1. Jaime VII (49) 

  1. Jon X (50) 

  1. Daenerys VIII (51) 

  1. Theon VII (52) 

  1. Daenerys IX (53) 

  1. Jon XI (54) 

  1. Alayne I (w) 

  1. Cersei XI (55) 

  1. The Queensguard (56) 

  1. The Iron Suitor (57) 

  1. Tyrion XI (58) 

  1. Jon XII (59) 

  1. The Discarded Knight (60) 

  1. The Spurned Suitor (61) 

  1. The Griffin Reborn (62) 

  1. The Sacrifice (63) 

  1. Victarion IV (64) 

  1. The Ugly Little Girl (65) 

  1. Cersei XII (66) 

  1. Theon I (w) 

  1. Tyrion XII (67) 

  1. The Kingbreaker (68) 

  1. The Dragontamer (69) 

  1. Jon XIII (70) 

  1. The Queen’s Hand (71) 

  1. Arianne I (w) 

  1. Ser Barristan (w) 

  1. (Tyrion II (w) if you're not bothered about missing Tyrion I (w)) 

  1. Daenerys X (72) 

  1. Epilogue (73) 

 

  1. (Arianne II (w) if you like, but some time has obviously passed since the epilogue) 

  1. (Mercy (w) as above) 

The list, with added reasons and quotes and such:

Spoiler

  1. Prologue (1)  

  1. Prologue (1) 

  1. The Prophet (2) 

If I happen to have caught you before you intend to read A Storm of Storms, I have an alternate recommendation for this chapter; for me, this stands as the most chronologically jarring chapter, with Aeron learning of Balon’s death a good half a book after Catelyn does. Inserting this as an interlude in the middle of A Storm of Swords worked perfectly for me, between Jon V and Daenerys IV, where the UK editions split the paperback version. Catelyn then learns of Balon’s death a comfortable 5 chapters later. This also reduces what is essentially 4 prologues for this combined read down to 3. 

 

  1. The Captain of Guards (3) 

  1. Cersei I (4) 

  1. Brienne I (5) 

  1. Arya I (7) note: skip Sam I (6) 

I ended up removing Samwell I from my list for two reasons; it’s impossible to include it and have both this and Tyrion I in chronological order, at least without moving backwards and forwards through the books which I wanted to avoid. Secondly, there’s a lot exposition on Castle Black here that feels redundant when you then read it again in Jon I (yes, Jon I, surprisingly – not Jon II which runs parallel to this). I quite enjoy reading the same events from different perspectives so I was hoping to include it, but it didn’t work out. The only scenes we see here that Jon doesn’t are Sam’s adventures with the mouse, there’s no crucial information. It's worth noting that this removes entirely the reveal that Gilly has Mance's son and not her own, but that only lasts until Samwell II anyway and obviously isn't possible to preserve if you include Jon II. 

 

  1. Cersei II (8) 

  1. Jaime I (9) 

  1. Tyrion I (2) 

As fun as it is to cut to Tyrion after Cersei I, with Cersei’s paranoia beginning to take hold that Tyrion might be climbing around within the walls of the Red Keep, it just doesn’t work chronologically. Cersei doesn't issue her offer of a lordship until her second chapter: 

 

Cersei II: 

   The man who brought her the dwarf's head would be raised to lordship, she had proclaimed, no matter how mean and low his birth or station. Ravens were carrying her promise to every part of the Seven Kingdoms, and soon enough word would cross the narrow sea to the Nine Free Cities and the lands beyond.  

 

Tyrion I: 

   "How odd that you should mention your fair sister," said Illyrio, between snails. "The queen has offered a lordship to the man who brings her your head, no matter how humble his birth." 

 

Additionally, Jamie tees up the timeline too perfectly here to ignore: 

 

Jaime I: 

   It might be that the eunuch had taken ship with Tyrion, rather than remain to answer awkward questions. If so, the two of them were well out to sea by now, sharing a flagon of Arbor gold in the cabin of a galley. 

 

Tyrion I: 

   He drank his way across the narrow sea. The ship was small, his cabin smaller… 

 

  1. Daenerys I (3) 

  1. Jon I (4) 

  1. Brienne II (10) 

  1. Sansa I (11) 

  1. Bran I (5) 

  1. The Kraken’s Daughter (12) 

  1. Cersei III (13) 

 

Cersei III: 

   Fifty pots had been placed inside the Tower of the Hand, along with logs and casks of pitch and the greater part of the worldly possessions of a dwarf named Tyrion Lannister. 

 

  1. Tyrion II (6) 

  1. The Soiled Knight (14) 

  1. The Merchant’s Man (7) 

I did consider making my version a ‘Fire and Blood reveal retainer’ but decided against it after realising I could get away with putting these two chapters together. We still get a taste of Arianne’s confusion as to what Quentyn's mission is before we meet him: 

 

The Soiled Knight: 

   "You think so? Then tell me, where is Quentyn now?" 

   "The prince is with Lord Yronwood's host in the Boneway," Ser Arys said cautiously. That was what Sunspear's ancient castellan had told him, when first he came to Dorne. The maester with the silky beard said the same. 

   Arianne demurred. "So my father wishes us to believe, but I have friends who tell me otherwise. My brother has crossed the narrow sea in secret, posing as a common merchant. Why?" 

 

The Merchant's Man: 

   The most beautiful woman in the world, thought Quentyn. My bride-to-be, if the gods are good. Sometimes at night he lay awake imagining her face and form, and wondering why such a woman would ever want to marry him, of all the princes in the world. I am Dorne, he told himself. She will want Dorne. 

 

  1. Jon II (8) 

  1. Tyrion III (9) 

  1. Brienne III (15) 

  1. Davos I (10) 

  1. Jon III (11) 

  1. Samwell II (16) 

I initially put this before Bran II to emphasise the identity of the Three Eyed Crow, but I figured it was a little heavy handed so I moved it back to follow a Jon chapter. 

 

Samwell II: 

   It took a moment to grasp what Aemon was suggesting. "That couldn't … she wouldn't … of course it's hers. Gilly would never have left the Wall without her son. She loves him." 

   "She nursed them both and loved them both," said Aemon, "but not alike. No mother loves all her children the same, not even the Mother Above. Gilly did not leave the child willingly, I am certain. What threats the Lord Commander made, what promises, I can only guess … but threats and promises there surely were." 

   "No. No, that's wrong. Jon would never …" 

   "Jon would never. Lord Snow did. Sometimes there is no happy choice, Sam, only one less grievous than the others." 

 

  1. Daenerys II (12) 

I really wanted to put this next to Cersei III but couldn't get it to work. There's a great parallel between the two chapters though, as both queens are presented with fire as a possible means of vanquishing their enemies. Dany is horrified, and chains her dragons beneath the pyramid: 

 

Daenerys II: 

   Mother of dragons, Daenerys thought. Mother of monsters. What have I unleashed upon the world? A queen I am, but my throne is made of burned bones, and it rests on quicksand. 

 

...meanwhile, Cersei uses her pyromancers to burn down the previous residence of Tyrion, on the off chance that he's still in there, and seems to relish it: 

 

Cersei III: 

   The queen could feel the heat of those green flames. The pyromancers said that only three things burned hotter than their substance: dragonflame, the fires beneath the earth, and the summer sun. Some of the ladies gasped when the first flames appeared in the windows, licking up the outer walls like long green tongues. Others cheered, and made toasts. 

   It is beautiful, she thought, as beautiful as Joffrey, when they laid him in my arms. 

 

  1. Reek I (13) 

  1. Bran II (14) 

No prizes for spotting the identity of the Three Eyed Crow this way round. I've left three chapters between this and Samwell II. 

 

Samwell II: 

   "He sent me north aboard the Golden Dragon, and insisted that his friend Ser Duncan see me safe to Eastwatch. No recruit had arrived at the Wall with so much pomp since Nymeria sent the Watch six kings in golden fetters. Egg emptied out the dungeons too, so I would not need to say my vows alone. My honor guard, he called them. One was no less a man than Brynden Rivers. Later, he was chosen lord commander." 

   "Bloodraven?" Said Dareon. "I know a song about him. 'A Thousand Eyes, and One,' it's called. But I thought he lived a hundred years ago." 

   "We all did. Once I was as young as you." 

 

Bran II: 

   "A … crow?" The pale lord's voice was dry. His lips moved slowly, as if they had forgotten how to form words. "Once, aye. Black of garb and black of blood." The clothes he wore were rotten and faded, spotted with moss and eaten through with worms, but once they had been black. "I have been many things, Bran. Now I am as you see me, and now you will understand why I could not come to you … except in dreams. I have watched you for a long time, watched you with a thousand eyes and one. 

 

  1. Tyrion IV (15) 

  1. Davos II (16) 

  1. Jaime II (17) 

  1. Cersei IV (18) 

I've tried to allow a little 'raven time' between chapters as information rarely travels immediately from one chapter to the next in A Song of Ice and Fire. Cersei discovers Davos's predicament here, two chapters after Davos enters Lord Manderley's castle: 

 

Davos II: 

   The gates of the New Castle had been closed, but a postern opened when he shouted, and a guard emerged to ask his business. Davos showed him the black and gold ribbon that bore the royal seals. "I need to see Lord Manderley at once," he said. "My business is with him, and him alone." 

 

Cersei IV: 

   "Just this morning there was another bird. Stannis has sent his onion smuggler to treat with White Harbor on his behalf. Manderley has clapped the wretch inside a cell. He asks us what he should do with him." 

   "Send him here, that we might question him," suggested Lord Merryweather. "The man might know much of value." 

   "Let him die," said Qyburn. "His death will be a lesson to the north, to show them what becomes of traitors." 

   "I quite agree," the queen said. "I have instructed Lord Manderley to have his head off forthwith. That should put an end to any chance of White Harbor supporting Stannis." 

 

  1. The Iron Captain (19) 

  1. The Drowned Man (20) 

 

The Drowned Man: 

   "I know as much of war as you do, Crow's Eye," Asha said. "Aegon Targaryen conquered Westeros with dragons." 

   "And so shall we," Euron Greyjoy promised. "That horn you heard I found amongst the smoking ruins that were Valyria, where no man has dared to walk but me. You heard its call, and felt its power. It is a dragon horn, bound with bands of red gold and Valyrian steel graven with enchantments. The dragonlords of old sounded such horns, before the Doom devoured them. With this horn, ironmen, I can bind dragons to my will." 

   Asha laughed aloud. "A horn to bind goats to your will would be of more use, Crow's Eye. There are no more dragons." 

   "Again, girl, you are wrong. There are three, and I know where to find them. Surely that is worth a driftwood crown." 

 

  1. Daenerys III (17) 

  1. Jon IV (18) 

  1. Tyrion V (19) 

  1. Davos III (20) 

I've put this 5 chapters after Cersei informs the council she has instructed Manderley to take Davos's head, although interestingly, Wyman doesn't appear to act on Cersei's order, but of his own accord. So I guess you could argue he may have jumped the gun and not waited for her response, or that he didn't want to appear too subservient to the Iron Throne so he made show of coming to the same conclusion. Either way, between Cersei IV and V (when she learns that her orders have been carried out) is the best guess for this chapter. 

 

Davos III: 

   "You are still a smuggler, ser, come to steal my gold and blood. You would take my son's head. I think I shall take yours instead. Guards! Seize this man!" 

   Before Davos could even think to move, he was surrounded by silver tridents. "My lord," he said, "I am an envoy." 

   "Are you? You came sneaking into my city like a smuggler. I say you are no lord, no knight, no envoy, only a thief and a spy, a peddler of lies and treasons. I should tear your tongue out with hot pincers and deliver you to the Dreadfort to be flayed. But the Mother is merciful. And so am I." He beckoned to Ser Marlon. "Cousin, take this creature to the Wolf's Den and cut off his head and hands. I want them brought to me before I sup. I shall not be able to eat a bite until I see this smuggler's head upon a spike, with an onion shoved between his lying teeth." 

 

  1. Brienne IV (21) 

  1. The Queenmaker (22) 

  1. Arya II (23) 

  1. Alayne I (24) 

  1. Cersei V (25) 

  1. Reek II (21) 

 

Cersei V: 

   "Your Grace, glad tidings," he announced. "Wyman Manderley has done as you commanded, and beheaded Lord Stannis's onion knight." 

   "We know this for a certainty?" 

   "The man's head and hands have been mounted above the walls of White Harbor. Lord Wyman avows this, and the Freys confirm. They have seen the head there, with an onion in its mouth. And the hands, one marked by his shortened fingers." 

   "Very good," said Cersei. "Send a bird to Manderley and inform him that his son will be returned forthwith, now that he has demonstrated his loyalty." White Harbor would soon return to the king's peace, and Roose Bolton and his bastard son were closing in on Moat Cailin from south and north. 

 

Reek II: 

   Behind him were the camps, crowded with Dreadfort men and those the Ryswells had brought from the Rills, with the Barrowton host between them. South of Moat Cailin, another army was coming up the causeway, an army of Boltons and Freys marching beneath the banners of the Dreadfort. 

 

  1. Brienne V (26) 

  1. Jon V (22) 

  1. Tyrion VI (23) 

  1. Samwell III (27) 

 

Samwell III: 

   "Xhondo mates on Cinnamon Wind. Many tongues he speaks, a little. Inside Xhondo laughs, to see you punch the singer. And Xhondo hears." A broad white smile spread across his face. "Xhondo knows these dragons." 

 

  1. Daenerys IV (24) 

  1. Jaime III (28) 

The movements of Wylis Manderley dictate the order of most of the chapters between here and his return home in Davos IV. 

 

Jaime III: 

   None had any defiance left; especially not Ser Wylis, a bushy-faced tub of suet with dull eyes and sallow, sagging jowls. When Jaime told him that he would be escorted to Maidenpool and there put on a ship for White Harbor, Ser Wylis collapsed into a puddle on the floor and sobbed longer and louder than Pia had. 

 

There's also a nice handover here from Jaime's recollection of Jon Connington to his first chapter: 

 

Jaime III: 

   "Your father." Jaime eyed Red Ronnet's surcoat, where two griffins faced each other on a field of red and white. Dancing griffins. "Our late Hand's … brother, was he?" 

   "Cousin. Lord Jon had no brothers." 

   "No." It all came back to him. Jon Connington had been Prince Rhaegar's friend. When Merryweather failed so dismally to contain Robert's Rebellion and Prince Rhaegar could not be found, Aerys had turned to the next best thing, and raised Connington to the Handship. But the Mad King was always chopping off his Hands. He had chopped Lord Jon after the Battle of the Bells, stripping him of honors, lands, and wealth, and packing him off across the sea to die in exile, where he soon drank himself to death. 

 

  1. The Lost Lord (25) 

The Lost Lord: 

   Even the men who'd ridden with him might not recognise the exile lord Jon Connington of the fiery red beard in the lined, clean-shaved face and dyed blue hair of the sellsword Griff. So far as most of them were concerned, Connington had drunk himself to death in Lys after being driven from the company in disgrace for stealing from the war chest. The shame of the lie still stuck in his craw, but Varys had insisted it was necessary. 

 

  1. Cersei VI (29) 

  1. The Windblown (26) 

  1. The Reaver (30) 

I really wanted to cut from the end of this chapter to a Daenerys chapter: 

 

The Reaver: 

   "I'll go to Slaver's Bay, aye. I'll find this dragon woman, and I'll bring her back." But not for you. You stole my wife and despoiled her, so I'll have yours. The fairest woman in the world, for me. 

 

...but in order to do that, Wylis Manderley would have to arrive home before we learn he's even been sent in Jaime IV. Granted, this is a retrospective thought, but you'd still be left with Wylis travelling to Maidenpool and then by ship to White Harbor in less time than it takes Jaime to make the short trip to Castle Darry.  

 

  1. The Wayward Bride (27) 

  1. Jaime IV (31) 

 

Jaime IV: 

   Jaime had charged Red Ronnet with the task of delivering Wylis Manderley to Maidenpool, so he would not have to look on him henceforth. 

 

  1. Tyrion VII (28) 

  1. Brienne VI (32) 

  1. Jon VI (29) 

  1. Davos IV (30) 

 

Davos IV: 

   Lord Wyman sighed. "I have treated you most shamefully, I know. I had my reasons, but … please, sit and drink, I beg you. Drink to my boy's safe return. Wylis, my eldest son and heir. He is home." 

 

  1. Daenerys V (31) 

  1. Cersei VII (33) 

  1. Melisandre I (32) 

  1. Reek III (33) 

  1. Jaime V (34) 

 

Jaime V: 

   "Jaime," she said, tugging on his ear, "sweetling, I have known you since you were a  babe at Joanna's breast. You smile like Gerion and fight like Tyg, and there's some of Kevan in you, else you would not wear that cloak … but Tyrion is Tywin's son, not you. I said so once to your father's face, and he would not speak to me for half a year. Men are such thundering great fools. Even the sort who come along once in a thousand years." 

 

  1. Tyrion VIII (34) 

  1. Cat of the Canals (35) 

  1. Samwell IV (36) 

  1. Cersei VIII (37) 

  1. Bran III (35) 

  1. Jon VII (36) 

  1. Brienne VII (38) 

  1. Jaime VI (39) 

  1. Cersei IX (40) 

  1. The Princess in the Tower (41) 

 

The Princess in the Tower: 

   "Vengeance." His voice was soft, as if he were afraid that someone might be listening. "Justice." Price Doran pressed the onyx dragon into her palm with his swollen, gouty fingers, and whispered, "Fire and blood." 

 

  1. Daenerys VI (37) 

  1. Alayne II (42) 

  1. Brienne VIII (43) 

  1. The Prince of Winterfell (38) 

  1. Cersei X (44) 

  1. Jaime VII (45) 

  1. Samwell V (46) 

  1. The Watcher (39) 

  1. Jon VIII (40) 

  1. Tyrion IX (41) 

  1. The Turncloak (42) 

  1. The King’s Prize (43) 

  1. Daenerys VII (44) 

  1. Jon IX (45) 

  1. The Blind Girl (46) 

  1. A Ghost in Winterfell (47) 

  1. Tyrion X (48) 

  1. Jaime VII (49) 

  1. Jon X (50) 

  1. Daenerys VIII (51) 

  1. Theon VII (52) 

  1. Daenerys IX (53) 

  1. Jon XI (54) 

  1. Alayne I (w) 

This doesn't have any bearing on any other chapters, so I've just put it half way between the last Alayne chapter and the end to spread things out. 

  1. Cersei XI (55) 

  1. The Queensguard (56) 

  1. The Iron Suitor (57) 

  1. Tyrion XI (58) 

  1. Jon XII (59) 

  1. The Discarded Knight (60) 

  1. The Spurned Suitor (61) 

  1. The Griffin Reborn (62) 

  1. The Sacrifice (63) 

  1. Victarion IV (64) 

  1. The Ugly Little Girl (65) 

  1. Cersei XII (66) 

  1. Theon I (w) 

When this chapter was released, GRRM confirmed that it took place before the last Jon chapter. So I've put it halfway between The Sacrifice and Jon XIII. This was the primary reason I bothered folding in some Winds chapters, it works much better when read before Jon XIII. 

 

  1. Tyrion XII (67) 

  1. The Kingbreaker (68) 

  1. The Dragontamer (69) 

  1. Jon XIII (70) 

  1. The Queen’s Hand (71) 

  1. Arianne I (w) 

I initially put this between the last two Quentyn chapters, as there's a line in it that works well there. But I was left with two Barristan chapters next to each other which I didn't like, so I've moved this one inbetween.  I guess you could pull Daenerys back, but that works far better as a 'final chapter' than Ser Barristan does. 

  1. Ser Barristan (w) 

  1. (Tyrion II (w) if you're not bothered about missing Tyrion I (w)) 

Sadly, there's information here that was obviously discovered in Tyrion I which doesn't make for a very smooth reading experience. I'll leave it up to you. 

  1. Daenerys X (72) 

  1. Epilogue (73) 

 

  1. (Arianne II (w) if you like, but some time has obviously passed since the epilogue) 

  1. (Mercy (w) as above) 

 

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