Search - A Dance with Dragons (Song of Ice and Fire, Bk 5)

Martin could have shortened this book by about 200 pages and not lost a bit of the story. Overall another great addition to the series though I may be a little miffed if one of my favorite characters is as doomed as it appears. But that is classic Martin. Can't wait for the next release.

I'd give an extra star if I could!
I felt that the last book was a little meandering, but with this one Martin is back on track and heading toward the finish line!
Absorbing, engrossing, and makes-you-miss-your-bus-stop-'cause-people-are-getting-executed good!
I just hope it's not another 7 years 'til the next one, 'cause I'm gonna be suffering until then.

It seems to me that one mark of an accomplished series writer is the ability to create and maintain a high level of interest and excitement on the part of the reader. George Martin is a past master. Even with the years-long wait between books in the Ice and Fire series, I was amazed to be able to pick up this latest entry and immediately plunge right back in. All the elements from previous books are here: the enormous cast of characters, the meticulous world-building, the unbelievably complex plot, the excellent writing. Through many shifting viewpoints, Martin kept me turning pages, kept tugging me along to find out what would happen next, engaging my mind and my heart, making me gasp and making me laugh, not letting me put the book down until I was done. A terrific story, with more to come. If you haven't started this series yet, you're missing an incredible read.

Martin is a genius with character development and writes to keep the reader up-to-date on so many characters that one must really concentrate to keep it all straight. Tyrion was marooned on a ship that lost several crew members, sails and the mast when they sight a sail coming to their rescue but it was a slaver. Tyrion's next role is as a slave entertaining his master. When he escapes, he joins the sellswords. Jon Snow, in charge of the wall, is trying to staff more forts, but keeps losing men to the wildllings or the wights. All seems to be proceeding ok until Jon is knifed by some of his brothers of the wall. Bran is living in a cave under a hill where he learned to fly (entering a raven) and studying to "see" through the trees to view both past and present. Daenerys is trapped in Meereen waiting for an invading army to attack, marries, and when the fighting pits are opened Drogan, the black dragon is drawn to the blood and gore. When one man tries to kill Drogan, the dragon kills him. Daenerys cannot stand to see anyone kill her dragon, leaps into the pit and rides away on the dragon. Lots of updates on The Onion Knight and others, lots of battles and adventure but you'll have to discover all these deetails for yourself. I really liked this book.

The Game of Thrones continues...who will win is anybody's guess. In the east, Daenerys Targaryen rules with her three dragons as a queen of a city built on dust and death.Fleeing from Westeros with a price on his head, Tyrion Lannister is making his way to Daenerys. Jon Snow is guarding the Wall and is about to face his greatest challenge, not only beyond the Wall but among the Watch. Winter Comes....and it brings a darkness of souls. The Houses will betray each other,intimate alliances will smolder....the cold seeps to the bone. The story will continue, hopefully with less voyages and more character study. This book is 1000 pages and while not my favorite, it does continue the saga and line up the characters for another major confrontation.