.... ookkaaaayyyyyyyy... this is the strangest book - for one thing it's almost 900 pages long and when I looked back after 3 weeks of reading I wasn't 100% sure what had actually happened.... did it really need to be so long when so little happened??
Epic fantasy, but without dwaves and elves.. a medieval setting... warring families...an untold horror in the wild lands that only features for about 20 or 30 pages (but you know is going to get a lot worse)....
A huge feat of imagination and maybe the reason the book was so big, and the actual meat so short, was because as a first book he needed to set the picture...
Steve the Wargamer gives this one six out of ten... but in the full knowledge that this will really appeal to some people....possibly with more time on their hands....
Bring me a shorter book next time...!
I quite liked it - and I very rarely read contemporary fantasy. Gemmell and Moorcock were the last chaps to really hold my attention.
ReplyDeleteI see your point Steve, in terms of setting a picture.
Steve
ReplyDeleteI thought a darn good read. But the bad news is it is just the first of multi-volume (and unfinished) series. Since it take Martin years to complete each volume, you've got time for it to grow on you.
PD
I'm more than halfway through this book at the moment, I'm enjoying it!! My mate read all the others in the series, some are even longer than the first book!!!
ReplyDeleteCheers chaps - see - I told you some people would really like it.... :o)
ReplyDeleteI guess my problem is the sheer investment in time required to read such a massive tome.... it was OK... I finished it after all... but there is so little time, and so many books that in this case, for this series, I'm going to give it a miss.....
Funny. I am currently listening to it as an audio book and it took quite some time before I really got into it. At the Grand Tournament and it is just starting to heat up.
ReplyDeleteIt's my favourite fantasy series and the first book doesn't pick up speed until half way and the rest takes you to the top of the roller-coaster....now with book two you need to grab on tight because your now going down the roller-coaster and the ride of your life!! Book two is the best fantasy book I've ever read bar none and made all the follow up books trying to catch up, but never quite achieving the same status although still remaining good no doubt.
ReplyDeleteChristopher
Steve,
ReplyDeleteBe sure to check out Ross' blog because he's got a report on the first game of your mini-campaign:
http://gameofmonth.blogspot.com/2012/02/stony-creek-surprise.html
-- Jeff
A young lady in Texas has recommended this very highly to me. She is a (red-headed)tarot/goth/SF/erotica/Led Zeppelin chick so our tastes may not co-incide!
ReplyDeleteHave you seen any of the TV show? Are they similar?
I think it entirely pertinent that the eminently well read and clearly personable readers who have left comments on this post all seem to like it much more than I do! Read in to that what you will... I have to say I'm now thinking more of reading volume 2 than I was! :o))
ReplyDeleteNot seen the Sky series... Sean Bean as Eddard Stark I believe.. he's not how I imagine him having read the book...
You should try it I think...
I cant, tried but it is a genre and style that catches me out. Important point that you may not know is that Darksword Miniatures have a George R R Martin range beautifully sculpted.
ReplyDeleteWas a decent read indeed.. but one that if you leave it by the wayside for too long you can absolutely forget what happened a ways back.. have the rest of the series, but struggling to find time to read them..
ReplyDelete