To be honest I became fascinated with George R. R. Martin's "A song of Ice & Fire" series after I watched the first episode of the HBO tv series. Since then I bought the books and started reading those and never looked back. I just finished the fourth installment of the series "A Feast for Crows".. and It's high time I write a review about the book. Since I became a fan very recently, unlike other die hard loyal fans I was spared the agony of waiting between books.. Apparently there was a five year gap between 3rd and the 4th book of the series. Well enough of that.. Let me tell about my thoughts of the book..
In the 3rd installment of the series, GRRM killed almost all the interesting characters loved by the fans. The same way he killed Lord Eddard Stark. Most of the characters were killed during the infamous "Red Wedding". So GRRM thought since I have written a successful series for the 4th installment I can write about a quarter of the characters introduce useless and somewhat annoying characters and be unclear about several peoples fate as if it means nothing at all.
Really GRRM.. I say again REALLY ?
I loved the way GRRM told the story in the first three books but fourth book is no way near the standard of the first three books. Were there no editors involved in this book ? This is what he gave fans after FIVE freaking long years ?
For example, what happened to Oberyn Martell's bastard children ? Thank god no paragraphs were dedicated to them.. It would have been very painful to read.. What happened to the man who appeared in prologue ? He literally melted a man and GRRM vanished the man much of the same away from the book.. Not sure whether he would appear again as the same way he got vanished in the next book..
(Spoiler Alert) Only upside of the book is the fate of Queen Regent (aka Cersei Lannister). I really enjoyed reading that chapter..
I still love the series and his writing is great. It felt like he lost his way a bit and I think we need to get a big spotlight and collectively say " Get the fuck over here". Here being nowhere near Dorne.