Done with ASOS should I just read the wiki for AFFC?

[Melonica Stormborn]

The even-numbered books of a series tend to be slower for me. Resolving the conflicts of the preceding book and setting up the plots for the next book could be rather anti-climactic. However, they're equally important to establish mood and character development. Forgive me for this poor example but just look at Chamber of Secrets, Goblet of Fire and Half-Blood Prince - for me these are the weaker books for HP but they did establish a lot of character development (e.g. Harry's honor, Hermione's SPEW initiative which annoyed the hell out of me but established her good nature). Also suffered from poor editing when JK got too big. Just look at the page count of books 4-7.

That said, if you got over The Two Towers (LOTR), then you sure as hell can get over AFFC.

[MotherStark]

I just start AFFC and at first I was like oh no...Captain of the Guards..and The Prophet...and this weird changing of perspective..I got lost the second chapter as I didn't know what was going on..so I kept reading...and so far...I'm curious about the Sand Snakes...I like the fact they are women and bastards!...I'm glad Cersei has a chapter as I never got into her head so is she indeed a strong woman or just a brat that wants to tell people what to do?..I saw Brienne's name so I'm curiouser. As for the Greyjoys. I hate Theon..so I hate the Greyjoys however its good to know your enemies. So I will read...maybe it won't be as fast as the first 3 books. But I think its important to read it...I just can't wait till ADWD!!!

[Melonica Stormborn]

I might have to add that ACoK is also tedious but necessary (personally speaking) but ASoS picked up the pace a lot.

[Northern Lily]

I actually read AFfC right after ASoS. So yes, ASoS was longer, more engaging, more thrilling, but we didn't just skip ACoK for example to get right to that. And that still doesn't mean AFfC is bad or boring or should be skipped. It cannot be skipped, the Wiki won't be enough.

Read it. Jaime's chapters are brilliant, regarding how they are written and the story for him and his character development. Cersei's are even better, since it's the first time we actually get into the Queen's head, so instead of judging for ourselves or taking the word of others on how Cersei is, how she thinks, why she does what she does, we get to see for ourselves for once. I liked that. Dorne and the Iron Islands were just WOW, but still doesn't mean you should read nothing but them. So, the Brienne and Sam chapters could be a little boring, but they got interesting towards the end (at least to me) and you wouldn't really understand what happens in the end before reading the previous chapters, would you?

Read it. Enjoy it, more like it. You won't regret it, I promise.

[KhaleesiDany]

I just had this thought, you could have a friend who read it go through for you and mark out the best chapters. A lot of the greyjoy chapters repeat the same information (just read the one with Victarion on the boat!) the same thing with the Brienne chapters, I feel like you could go from her first two chapters to her last two without missing much. So much of this book is exposition you could get the gist of what happened just by reading half of it.

I'm alone in the world but I really don't like wikis, the way they summarize stuff, you miss the subtle details about the characters. Things will stick out to you in the story you won't be mentioned in the wiki. then they will make a big deal about other things just because someone has a theory about it. Also, I've read some details in the wiki that I had no idea about going through the story, things that might be important to Westeros history but aren't really important to what's going on in the story now. i think you would be better off reading just parts of AFFC than skipping it.

[Dirty Steve]

If you don't read all the books you are not a true fan and should never post here. Affc was good and if u don't read it you will be lost. How dare you make such a foolish comment. You make me sick!

[Northern Lily]

If you don't read all the books you are not a true fan and should never post here. Affc was good and if u don't read it you will be lost. How dare you make such a foolish comment. You make me sick!

Come now... That was uncalled for.

[mycah from dorne]

I've just finished reading ASOS and hopefully will start AFFC next week. Before reading ASOS i was spoiled a bit about the red wedding from the wiki so it had less of an impact on me (still had an impact though) I've learned my lesson and am trying to avoid any spoilers and the wiki at all costs. i think reading about certain events through the wiki instead of in the books diminishes the shock value and surprise, i wouldn't advise it.

[WinterPhoenix]

I am simply unable to understand why anyone would undertake the reading of a series (whatever series, doesn't have to be as amazing as this one) and then decide to skip a book in said series based on hearsay and word of mouth. It seems ridiculous to me that you'd ever skip a book in a series, unless the books aren't supposed to be read in any chronological order. That having been said I wanted to post here on this topic because for me though AFfC isn't as fast paced and whirlwind-y as ASoS (let's face it, how could it be?) it is still an extremely interesting read. I for one love the use of exposition to provide an a far more detailed view into aspects we were fairly in the dark about prior to the book. And from reading this topic I see I am a member of the masses when I say that Cersei's chapters and - even more so in my opinion - Jamie's chapters are things to behold, they really are sublime. I found I quickly got over my initial disappointment when I discovered that Tyrion and Danaerys have no chapters in the book, because the novel as a whole creates an entirely new angle for what is already an epic series. I think it is really matter of trying to stack the book up against ASoS and to a lesser extent AGoT that really sees it come out lacking for many readers, I firmly believe that to be a mistake - I haven't finished AFfC just yet, so I am in the dark as to the happenings of ADWD for now.

In my opinion AFfC actually contains within it one of the best passages in the entire series so far, and I believe it will remain so even once the series is finished. It is not important to the plot, it doesn't contain any shocking details or political intrigue. It simply does it's level best to sum up completely the horror of the books most prevalent theme (that of war) and is easily one of the most poignant passages that Martin has wrote in the series to date. I would copy out entirely the words of Septon Meribald, but I fear it takes up a page and a half and I have already waffled on for some time now .

[Angmar]

Lol, a "true fan". Since when being a fan of anything meant to do a sort of test? *rolls eyes so hard they pop out of my skull* :rolleyes:

Anyway, skip if you want, but I'd say no. It's tedious, slow and boring, but it brings lots of info that we don't get in ASOS, and if you jump into ADWD without reading AFFC first you'll be lost. I get bored a lot by the Sam, Brienne, and Greyjoys chapters, but it's necessary to know.

[TalalOfDorne]

I wouldn't dare skip a chapter let alone a whole book. I understand why people tend to see Feast as a drag (Though it was my second favorite after SOS) but there are so many good moments in it. Yes not as much action and battles but we get introduced to new characters and a new region.

[Pinkie Baelish]

I'll admit, I read the wiki for AFFC and ADWD the first time too, mainly because I had exams and didn't have time to start a new book. But I recommend reading both books.

[Robert's Rebellion]

lololol i get it u like the sea

[Robert's Rebellion]

In my opinion AFfC actually contains within it one of the best passages in the entire series so far, and I believe it will remain so even once the series is finished. It is not important to the plot, it doesn't contain any shocking details or political intrigue. It simply does it's level best to sum up completely the horror of the books most prevalent theme (that of war) and is easily one of the most poignant passages that Martin has wrote in the series to date. I would copy out entirely the words of Septon Meribald, but I fear it takes up a page and a half and I have already waffled on for some time now . Are you talking about meribalds convo with brienne when he points out to her how peasants are the true victims when nobles play their game of thrones? I think he says something along the lines of "they hav never held a sword before but now are being told to stay in formation when an armored horse is charging at them"

[SWJamie]

The events of A Feast for Crows and A Dance With Dragons occur simultaneously but this part of the story is split in to two, with some characters in one and the rest in the other. Maybe you just prefer the characters who are in ADWD but I wouldn't skip a Feast for Crows.