Krug
Newshound
Ok think a few people have finished the book, so this is a spoiler-laden discussion of the book.
Overall, definitely way better than A Feast of Crows, but still frustrating and nowhere as good as the first three volumes. Little resolution for most plotlines, the story doesn't really close as one would think it should, and a lot of anti climatic moments. Notably the showdown between Stannis and the Boltons at Winterfell. Maybe it'll come up in the next book, but that's a long wait.
The last few chapters are brutal though, and the big question is..
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Is Jon Snow dead?
Martin has a tendency for last-minute saves, and even one magical resurrection. So is it going to be the case here? A lot of threads about Jon, such as his mother, are yet to be resolved, so part of my instinct says no, he's not.
So what now for Daenerys?
I hope Martin isn't going to spend more time on the East. The intrigue there certainly isn't as interesting as what's going on in Westeros. I expected Tyrion to come across her and bring her back finally, but ... nope.
Stannis?
I don't think such a semi-major character will just die off-screen like that, and we only have Ramsay's letter as evidence.
Biggest disappointment was the lack of Littlefinger, but glad to have lots of Tyrion.
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I'm sceptical that Martin can finish things in two volumes. While it isn't getting more bloated, it's still not really deflating enough. His writing is still great, and the characters and cultures are certainly unique and intriguing. I guess I wanted more plotlines to be resolved, and even all those in the past two volumes, such as those surrounding the Drowning God and the new players in the Game, don't advance much.
Well those are my initial thoughts after finishing ADwD. Hope it's not another 7 years until the next book..
Overall, definitely way better than A Feast of Crows, but still frustrating and nowhere as good as the first three volumes. Little resolution for most plotlines, the story doesn't really close as one would think it should, and a lot of anti climatic moments. Notably the showdown between Stannis and the Boltons at Winterfell. Maybe it'll come up in the next book, but that's a long wait.
The last few chapters are brutal though, and the big question is..
[sblock]
Is Jon Snow dead?
Martin has a tendency for last-minute saves, and even one magical resurrection. So is it going to be the case here? A lot of threads about Jon, such as his mother, are yet to be resolved, so part of my instinct says no, he's not.
So what now for Daenerys?
I hope Martin isn't going to spend more time on the East. The intrigue there certainly isn't as interesting as what's going on in Westeros. I expected Tyrion to come across her and bring her back finally, but ... nope.
Stannis?
I don't think such a semi-major character will just die off-screen like that, and we only have Ramsay's letter as evidence.
Biggest disappointment was the lack of Littlefinger, but glad to have lots of Tyrion.
[/sblock]
I'm sceptical that Martin can finish things in two volumes. While it isn't getting more bloated, it's still not really deflating enough. His writing is still great, and the characters and cultures are certainly unique and intriguing. I guess I wanted more plotlines to be resolved, and even all those in the past two volumes, such as those surrounding the Drowning God and the new players in the Game, don't advance much.
Well those are my initial thoughts after finishing ADwD. Hope it's not another 7 years until the next book..