Is ASoIaF the greatest series ever written?

[Frey Pie]

Come off it. For one thing, there's hardly any mention of sex in the story. For all we know, it doesn't exist in Middle Earth, and babies are delivered by Tom Bombadil...

Now theres no sex scenes in his works but does there have to be? Think of the times he wrote it in also

Ever read the Children of Hurin? Another thing iv seen Tolkien criticised for is the lack of morally ambiguous characters which is completey incorrect. Tolkiens works are still head and shoulders above the rest imo

[Datepalm]

And of course you need to really love Peake's Gormenghast.

Did you ever finish that? I remember you started, years ago. Or maybe it was someone else.

ADWD is brilliant. The only thing wrong with it is that it's too short. (Well, ok, niello.) Haters gonna hate.

[Sci-2]

Tolkien writing about sex would be boring.guy prolly died without giving or receiving oral.

[Darth Richard]

I love the books, but I rank Dune and TCoTC above GRRM's stuff everyday of the week, and twice on sundays.

Ok, Maybe it's because I just woke up, but whats TCoTC?

Wait. Covenant. Figured it out.

[Myshkin]

What naive picture is that?

If you'll allow me to indulge in a bit of I'm-smarter-than-him dick waving, I believe our dear Dr Robotnik is unfamiliar with Tolkien's literary style, and has mistaken Romanticism for naivety.

[Darth Richard]

If you'll allow me to indulge in a bit of I'm-smarter-than-him dick waving, I believe our dear Dr Robotnik is unfamiliar with Tolkien's literary style, and has mistaken Romanticism for naivety.

Or he only saw the movies. :P

Or never read The Silmarillion.

[Whitestripe]

You should read more.

Oh for the want of a "like" button!

[wolverine]

It is my personal favorite one, I highly doubt that means it is the best.

[Howdyphillip]

You're changing the subject of discussion. Maybe Roald Dahl had the biggest effect on my life. Maybe the kids' encyclopedia did. It has nothing to do with anything that anyone, by any plausible interpretation, could possibly be interested in discussing.

Your logic is irrefutable. How dare I hold an opinion that may differ from yours? I shall change it at once to more suit you.

I have no idea why there's such a stigma associated with admitting that Martin is just about the best of the best. Probably something to do with the need to feel to superior to the mere "hoi poilloi" with their popular tastes in literature.

I'm going to assume that this particular site if filled with people who just don't like this series and have a desire to see it fail. Else wise, there could be no logic in all of us to not come together with one voice and proclaiming it The Bestest,,

[jagilki]

I always thought the only thing keeping LoTR from being good, and accepted by the general public was vivid and raunchy sex.

[peterbound]

Also, this thread had made me want to go back and read everything Wolfe ever wrote.

[Samsaptakas]

Am I the only one here who think Feast and Dance are better books than first three?

[Reposado]

Am I the only one here who think Feast and Dance are better books than first three?

i'm sure there are plenty, but you could find someone here with almost any opinion. you're certainly in the vaaaast minority on that one, though many don't hate them as much as some vocal opponents do.

[Francis Buck]

I think that Dance and Feast would be fantastic if they were cut down and merged into a single book (kinda like it was supposed to be originally).

[Howdyphillip]

Am I the only one here who think Feast and Dance are better books than first three?

When I combine this opinion with the one you expressed in the Abercrombie thread about Jezel being your favorite character, it raises the eyebrow. You definitely have a unique way of interpreting literature.

That is not a bad thing at all. I quite often find myself having vastly differing opinions than the majority as well. You would probably make an interesting guy to sit with a cup of coffee and have a discussion with.

[Samsaptakas]

When I combine this opinion with the one you expressed in the Abercrombie thread about Jezel being your favorite character, it raises the eyebrow. You definitely have a unique way of interpreting literature.

That is not a bad thing at all. I quite often find myself having vastly differing opinions than the majority as well. You would probably make an interesting guy to sit with a cup of coffee and have a discussion with.

I think Feast and Dance are boarder in scope. And about First Law, I think is a good series, but it is overrated.

[Galleymac]

Never in a *thousand years* before this thread would it have ocurred to me to compare Douglas Adams and GRRM. Their genres, their millieu, what they are trying each to ultimately accomplish, is just so... utterly different.

I have to give Adams the edge, if I were going to compare (which I'm really not keen to do) if only because Martin's output is, well, *more vast*, and thus has more room for fat which could be trimmed. I take issue with Adams' cynicism (hence why, say, Pratchett is more of my go-to -- Prachett being somewhere, remotely, in the same sphere as Adams, at least, for comparisions) but that's an ideological difference between me and Adams, not a judgement of craft and skill.

(I don't really have a problem with any of the *books* of ASoIaF -- I have a problem with certain character threads, which isn't enough for me to raise the energy to complain, much. I could if prodded. ~__^)

(ETA: Oooh, I'm a squire!)

[sologdin]

babies are delivered by Tom Bombadil...

awesome. i'd like a long novel about that. would it be like frankenstein with tom hunting down certain offsprings, or told from goldberry's perspective, a middle earth madame bovary?

[Lyanna Stark]

Did you ever finish that? I remember you started, years ago. Or maybe it was someone else.

It may have been someone else, but I did start it and failed at finishing it due to someone reccing it in another thread and basically spoiler dumping the entire trilogy in a single post. :crying:

ADWD is brilliant. The only thing wrong with it is that it's too short. (Well, ok, niello.) Haters gonna hate.

The Jon/Mel chapters are the best at the Wall chapters of any ASOIAF novel, imho.

awesome. i'd like a long novel about that. would it be like frankenstein with tom hunting down certain offsprings, or told from goldberry's perspective, a middle earth madame bovary?

I thought Tom Bombadill was mostly mythical to the majority of people in Middle Earth, so seems to me the would be mothers of Breeland, Gondor and Rohan would be more likely to experience a Eriador/Rhovanion version of Waiting for Godot.

[Buckwheat]

The Jon/Mel chapters are the best at the Wall chapters of any ASOIAF novel, imho.

This, plus the Theon chapters.

I think that AFFC and ADWD are not half as bad as some claim them to be, only their pacing in slower and there is not that many battles and action going on.