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I must slow down...


montana

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Hi Forum readers and Martin fans. I am new here and decided to write a brief introduction.

I am a voracious reader and, almost exclusively, my reading is confined to non-fiction, biography and history. When I do delve into fiction it is usually a detective story or a techno-thriller but never, repeat never have I read fantasy. My nephew tried to turn me on to fantasy several years ago giving me a copy of a book written by, someone named Jordan I believe. Just couldn't get into it.

And then...

My wife and I started to watch the HBO series; I was intrigued. Shortly after that I was in Barnes and Noble and picked up A Game of Thrones... read a couple of chapters and ended up buying it.

Well I was hooked! Since AGoT I have read A Clash of Kings and am now about half way through A Storm of Swords. It then hit me... like a pie in the face... after A Feast for Crows I will have run out of Mr. Martin's books. A Dance with Dragons will not be available until mid July or so. Just thinking about not being able to continue the story makes my palms sweat. Then I came upon a plan... SLOW DOWN!!! If I time it right I will finish ASoS and AFfC just about the time A Dance with Dragons is available.

Well that is the plan... I have to pace myself. It will be difficult but with considerable restraint I will not deplete my stash and end up going cold turkey... at least not for an inordinate length of time.

Heh, heh, brilliant right?

BTW / I was well into the second book when I came to the realization that Mr. Martin has written an unadultrated classic and will not be out of print for generations to come.

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Muahahaha. After July, you'll be able to join the rest of us on the long wait. Maybe you could try reading ADwD one line per day to make it last long enough? :devil:

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Muahahaha. After July, you'll be able to join the rest of us on the long wait. Maybe you could try reading ADwD one line per day to make it last long enough? :devil:

If GRRM keeps the current rate, he could probably do up to about half a page a day or so and not have too much down time after ADwD. :)

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No need to slow down. Just reread! One of the joys of the series is that the books really do reward a reread.

Then go and get some recommendations for books that are every bit as good. (Yes, they're out there, and they're not just GRRM's backlist. Although that's a heck of a place to start. :))

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No need to slow down. Just reread! One of the joys of the series is that the books really do reward a reread.

Then go and get some recommendations for books that are every bit as good. (Yes, they're out there, and they're not just GRRM's backlist. Although that's a heck of a place to start. :))

Any tips would be welcome

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  • 2 weeks later...

Understand that many of us were where you are now in 2000. It's been a long time.

In fact, you've missed out on one 'special' experience. For both A Storm of Swords and A Feast For Crows, there was a gap between the US release and the UK release. (UK earlier for ASOS, US for AFFC). I had to spend a boatload to fly a copy of Storm across the Atlantic. It was unthinkable to wait the ten weeks that characterized the difference. Thankfully, GRRM has now gotten big enough (and the internet too pervasive) for either publisher to let that happen again.

I was a somewhat latecomer by the standards around here. ASOS came out (in the UK) about two months after I finished ACOK. But no way was I going to let another ten weeks (or whatever it was) pass. IIRC, the gap between Feast in the US and Feast in the UK was closer to three weeks.

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I empathize with your conflict. I am also a latecomer by this board's standards and I'm lucky because I've only been waiting about 7 months for ADWD. I cannot even imagine the sheer torture of waiting years and years between books and...

And I guess I'll experience it firsthand myself, sometime this July. You know, after I've inhaled ADWD.

I do agree with mormont, though: one of the singular best things about ASOIAF is the fact that it's as enjoyable, if not more on re-reads. The first time you're hurtling toward the huge events and climaxes. On re-reads you discover tiny clues or references you missed earlier, or simply lean back and appreciate all the marvelous character moments, turns of phrase and so on.

All in all, it could be worse. ;)

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Listen to mormont. It's fun to re-read these books. My second read-through was even more enjoyable than the first. My third was tons of fun as well. I finally forced myself to take a break and read other things. It's been a few months since I've read any ASOIAF and I am getting itchy for a 4th reading. I will probably start the whole series again after reading ADWD at least twice.

Don't get your hopes up for finding another fiction series that you will love as much as ASOIAF. Some people here love lots of fantasy and see ASOIAF as just another stellar example. Others, like me, see it as something else completely. It sounds like you might be one of those. If so, you'll be disappointed by all other fantasy you try to read.

Don't forget about Martin's Dunk & Egg stories. They're like prequels to ASOIAF.

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Really? I don't get it. Why put off book 4 until the day book 5 comes out? :dunno:

Because I have an insane nightmare that he would order the publisher to pull all the copies of book 5 before July 12 and decide to revise it again! :leaving:

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Because I have an insane nightmare that he would order the publisher to pull all the copies of book 5 before July 12 and decide to revise it again! :leaving:

LOL, I think you can relax about this particular conspiracy theory, truly. Publishing houses across the the planet have now invested millions in the July 12 date, as well as many other spin-off corporations involved in calendars, games, posters, whatever. Its waaay beyond an author's whim at this point. The huge wheels are in motion from a thousand different perspectives and not even the author at this point has the clout to stop that freight train.

Me? I'm saying you just have time to to do a good, slow, in-depth read of aFfC before THE date. Because then, you'll get book 5 right along with all the rest of us, read it along with all the rest of us, and will be then fully qualified to leap into all the threads, discussions, arguments, yelling, complaining, cheering, whining, outrage, shock, joy, wonder, etc etc etc. Its like you'll be qualified then to take your vows and join us as a man/woman/person of the Night's Watch, you'll be as qualified as anyone else here to leap into the whirlwind that will follow that July 12 date. BUT, you're not qualified yet, you're still a recruit until you've done your duty and read aFfC.

Look forward to seeing you around the threads after July 12! Happy reading! :cheers:

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No need to slow down. Just reread! One of the joys of the series is that the books really do reward a reread.

Mormont my man,

I have no need or desire to reread the reason is (I have always had this talent even as a little kid) the ability to understand and retain (in the 90th percentile no kidding) anything I read.

But I read em just like the author wrote em... one word at a time... so I ain't the fastest reader that's fur sur.

I kind of envy folks that get great enjoyment in rereading... alas.

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I understand Montana perfectly. I start reading the first book in April, it was a birthday present. Now two months later I´m in the middle of a Fest for Crows and fearing to end it... I´m from Spain, and the release of a Dance with Dragons in spanish still remains unanounced. Usually it takes 8 to 12 months to translate a book and launch it.... I´m fucked, I want to know desperetely how the stroy goes, I´ll probably try to read ADWD in english... but once I finish it, how many years it´s going to take the next one, I think I can´t stand it.

Best,

Angel

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When a history is tens of thousands of years old, you cannot retain all the information on a "skim read". Heck, I doubt its possible to to understand the utter depth of this series on one read through.

That is its subtle beauty, a fragment of conversation, a fever dream or a forgotten memory all give convoluted hints to intrigue that keep you guessing and reading again and again to reaffirm your suspicions.

I had read the books over 8 times before I truly felt comfortable with what I believe to be Jons heritage, and thats nothing compared to my Arya prophecies!

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Montana, I'm sort of in a similar situation to you, I have just finished reading ASOS and now started AFFC and I know I am going to finish it before the release of ADWD but I won't complain about waiting a couple of weeks for fear the long term fans will kill me considering they have been waiting 5-6 years.

I am massively enjoying this series, I am pretty much an avid fantasy reader and recently read 'The Demon Cycle' series (Well the 2 released so far) and they became my favourite series of all time, but I think ASOIAF might have overtaken them, this series has me hooked. I have read the first 3 books in a little over a month, whilst working full time and trying not to ignore the girlfriend too much whilst reading.

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