Bradley K. Brown

Since it was first published in 1996, A Game of Thrones has been one of my favorite books, and the start to one of my most-anticipated series ever. With each new volume of A Song of Ice and Fire, I find myself excited, and anxious to return to the world of Westeros that author George R.R. Martin has created.

When the HBO series Game of Thrones started in 2011, I found myself interested in re-reading the Ice and Fire saga for two reasons: It had been well over a decade since I'd first read it, and many of the specifics of the story had been lost to me over time; The second, and most importantly is the impending publication of the fifth book in the series, A Dance With Dragons, due out in July. It has been six long years since the last time I delved into the lands of Westeros, so found a refresher necessary.

I've since learned that catching up on the Ice and Fire saga is no simple task. With over 3,000 pages making up the series so far, A Game of Thrones was just a small leap into the series. But alas, I did read Thrones again, and here are my thoughts:

The seat of Winterfell is harsh and cold, with little ornamentation or fanfare. Fortunately, the same can't be said of author George R.R. Martin, who does an amazing job of bringing this fictional world to life. The reader is immediately drawn in, with descriptions of evil tidings taking place beyond the Wall. And what a Wall it is! An ingenious setting, the Wall actually becomes a character in itself, imposing and inhospitable. Martin makes the reader actually feel bad for the men of the Night's Watch, as they have this enormous weight standing over their heads; they surely must feel as if the world stands on their shoulders.

Though the novel is long, it never feels tedious or bogged down. The use of so many viewpoint characters helps to keep readers interested, and the plot flowing along nicely. Indeed, with so many characters, it would typically be difficult to keep up with them all, but Martin miraculously prevents this from happening. Where so many authors fail in introducing new characters, Martin shines brilliantly. The story truly revolves around the four main houses: Stark, Lannister, Baratheon, and Targaryen. Hundreds of other houses are introduced, and play their role, but Martin keeps them in their place, as required, and the novel excels because of it.

Memorable characters, landscapes, and events fill A Game of Thrones from beginning to end, and though this is a series based in a mythical kingdom, in a world where summers last years, and winters a lifetime, there is little that is unbelievable; it's a book about real people, with real ambitions, and political scheming, as those with power vie for even more. So much of history is made up of stories like this that the events in the book are not only believable, but plausible as well.

Upon reading through a second time, I actually found the novel more entertaining that the first read-through (or at least I believe so, the first having been more than a decade ago.)  The story is eminently enjoyable and enthralling, ending with a bang. I can't recommend A Game of Thrones highly enough, and thoroughly look forward to reading through the other books of the series for a second time.

The Martian Tales Trilogy is, as described, actually three books, now combined into a single volume. Comprised of A Princess of Mars, The Gods of Mars, and The Warlord of Mars, all written by Edgar Rice Burroughs. Burroughs is responsible for other classics such as Tarzan of the Apes.

Since the books in The Martian Tales Trilogy were published nearly a century ago, there's nothing I could write that most likely hasn't already been said. It is my intention therefore, to put my own thoughts down, for the purpose of this review.

Though written long ago, I was impressed by the language within. Other novels written in older timeframes are often fairly hard to read, since the language often is quite different from modern publications and style. During the course of the novels, the prose does seem to affect some type unusual phrasing, but it's still immensely readable.

The story of John Carter is nothing if impossible, but that doesn't detract from the enjoyment of the story, as it sweeps from pole to pole of Mars, known as Barsoom to its inhabitants. Once you put aside what we currently know about our red neighbor, the story captures the imagination of the reader. When the story was first published, back in 1914, one can only imagine what readers were capable of believing. Very little was known about Mars at that time in history.

Throughout the three novels of the Trilogy, John Carter's heroics are chronicled, as he strives to rescue his Martian wife from the evil clutches of numerous creatures. Written in first-person, from John Carter's view, it does grow a tad tiresome to hear his boasts of swordsmanship and courage, when his story describes no such skills while he's on Earth. Of course, the facts of his magical appearances on Mars, and his seemingly immortal character is also so fantastical that one can only accept it as part of the story.

In all, I thoroughly enjoyed the stories, and was mildly disappointed to reach the end. Certainly, Burroughs could have written much more about the events surrounding John Carter, and continued those marvelous adventures, but alas he did not.

The Martian Tales Trilogy can be described as one of the first science-fiction novels, in a new and upcoming genre of that area. Though I had my doubts about the story before beginning, I quickly cast aside my preconceptions and enjoyed the work.

It's a marvel that this was never turned into a movie or series of films. I highly recommend it for fans of all literature–not just science-fiction. It's more of a fantasy than science-fiction and it does not disappoint.

Whitley Strieber's The Grays is an interesting read from front to back, and never disappoints. In fact, it's hard to know what to expect at any time throughout the novel, as the author provides enough twists and turns to keep readers constantly guessing.

On the surface, The Grays at first appears to be a fairly typical alien-abduction story, but quickly expands to a cataclysmic scale, and the author's imagination provides for some unique ideas, and an interesting climax.

On the whole, The Grays is extremely successful in weaving a complex plot around a fantastic and believable set of characters. From the uber-genius child, to the militant fanatic, to the ailing relationship of the parents, to the unique capabilities of the Grays, the book succeeds on all levels.

The story builds nicely to the climax and resolves pretty much all of the plot elements. It's a book that defies expectations, but does not leave the reader disappointed.

Fans have been looking forward to this one for a LONG time. A Dance with Dragons completes the story begun six years ago, when A Feast for Crows was published in October, 2005. In Feast, fans were given the full story, but only for half the characters. Fan favorites like Tyrion Lannister, Jon Snow and Daenarys Targaryen were noticeably missing from the chapters of the book. Martin's now-infamous claim that Dance would be finished within a year ended up haunting him relentlessly until the day that A Dance with Dragons fell into everyone's eager hands. A Dance with Dragons not only completes the story of that missing half, but also continues the story forward. In fact, Dance is the largest book in the series, weighing in at 1,040 pages.

So how does this fifth entry in the Song of Ice and Fire series match up to the rest? Read on to find out.

Note: It's presumed you've read the series up to the ending of A Feast for Crows, so if you haven't, don't read on.

The Prologue certainly draws comparisons to that in A Game of Thrones, taking place far north of the Wall, and giving us glimpses of the White Walkers. This serves to continue the inexorable march of the undead towards the rest of Westeros. Martin is most certainly taking his time drawing out the inevitable confrontation with the Others, however, and some readers may wonder if he'll ever be able to complete this saga, much less in the two books he claims remain. Nevertheless, it's a promising start to the novel.

Tyrion Lannister
Finally, after ten long years, fans get new Tyrion material. His story begins perfectly in Dance and we see the Imp wallowing in self-pity and taking careless chances, his life no longer important to him. It doesn't take long for that attitude to change, with the help of some unlikely allies, and rather unexpected revelations.

Tyrion sees his ups and downs in this novel, and his luck continues to hold, especially near the end. He's matched up with another dwarf, but where this pairing is going is hard to say. Tyrion's line that he has a heart for “cripples, bastards and broken things,” is never so apt as in this novel. His story does wander a bit, and he's not as endearing as in his previous forays, but he's still very much Tyrion Lannister, and he entertains us nonetheless.

Daenarys Targaryen
Unfortunately, Daenarys Targaryen's return after a decade-long hiatus does not go as well as the dwarf's. She is certainly a willful young woman, but she borders on annoying and insolent throughout the novel. She seems to disregard every piece of advice her advisers give her, always questioning herself, but then stubbornly refusing to reconsider. Though she's the mother of dragons, we unfortunately see very little of them until the latter parts of the book, which is frustrating, considering how integral they seem they must be to the series.

There are some truly exciting portions of the novel in this book, however; One scene in particular seems to be what fans have been waiting for since the moment the dragons were brought to life in the burning embers of Khal Drogo's funeral pyre. It should bring a chill to readers' spines, and was perfectly written–leaving the reader wondering about the fate of the character, of course.

Jon Snow
Jon arguably has the best plot line in the novel, both fleshing out his character further, as well as one of the most surprising final chapters of the book. Strange how the Starks all seem to have the best stories.

There's also an early scene where Jon dispenses justice Eddard-style. It's an unexpectedly welcome scene, not only makes for good reading, but also draws the reader back into the story, which until then founders a little bit.

Davos Seaworth
In A Feast for Crows we learn that Davos is dead. Since Dance takes place during the same timeframe, we get to see his actual situation play out. Without spoiling things, let's just say that Davos' parts are rather boring, most of the time, though Martin leaves things sufficiently appropriate for Davos Seaworth.

Theon Greyjoy
It's been 13 years since we last got into the head of Theon Greyjoy, all the way back in the second book of the series, A Clash of Kings, published in 1998. Martin seemingly killed off the young kraken, but readers have heard bits and pieces about him throughout the series. In A Dance with Dragons, fans finally learn the fate of Theon. Theon's storyline is one of the most interesting of the book, second only to that of Jon Snow.

Bran Stark
Bran has a very interesting story in the novel, but one that seems to end much too quickly. His almost feels like a dropped story thread, and fans will wonder what's happening with him later in the book without ever finding out. This is presumably one of the characters who will see more time in the next entry in the saga.

Quentin Martell
Quentin Martell is the son of the Prince of Dorne, and fans are given quite a bit of time with this character. Ultimately, his part doesn't feel that important to the story, and one is left wondering why he is even a part of it. The importance of Dorne's storyline is becoming more apparent throughout Dance, but it still feels like it's late to the party.

Arya Stark
Still very much in Braavos, Arya was left blind in her last outing. Hers is one of the most involved stories in all of the Ice and Fire saga, and it continues to be no less enveloping in this latest entry. It's still unclear exactly where her thread is leading her, but fans shouldn't be disappointed by her brief appearances in Dance.

Victarion Greyjoy
It's not very clear how Victarion will ultimately play into the saga, but his parts are not at all dull.

Jamie Lannister
When the book finally catches up to the end of A Feast for Crows readers are reunited with Jamie, and his quest to unite the riverlands. He only appears in one chapter in Dance, but it's a fantastic one, with a very suitable cliffhanger ending.

Cersei Lannister
Fans will be very pleased with Cersei's chapters in A Dance with Dragons. The queen has already been brought low, and will sink even further before things are through. Fans may even begin to feel sympathy for her in this round, though they'd be hard-pressed to ever forgive her. Cersei has been the character that fans love to hate, so Dance is all the more shocking for making her seem more human.

Brienne of Tarth
Another character that only appears once, and not as a viewpoint character. Fans won't get a lot of information about what's been happening with her, or what her ultimate fate is, but her presence is crucial to the chapter, feels unexpected, and is perfect.

The Red Priestess Melisandre
Readers are welcomed into the mind of Melisandre for the first time in A Dance with Dragons and given a look at what her plans might be. It's revealed that she's not infallible, and can doubt herself after all. There are some reasonably surprising events revolving around Melisandre in this novel as well.

Stannis Baratheon
Readers have still not seen events from the viewpoint of the truly legitimate King, and after A Dance with Dragons, it's uncertain if it will ever happen. Indeed, Stannis has a lot to do in this book, with very little to show for it. He appears a few times early in the book, then mostly those that surround him allude to him for the remainder. It's fitting that readers should spend more time with his subjects than with the King himself, however.

Ser Barristan Selmy
Selmy is still with Daenarys and serves as the sole member of her Queensguard. Throughout the saga, he's been a bit of a secondary character, but with A Dance with Dragons, he leapfrogs right into major character status. His parts are interesting, treacherous, and fitting for the aged knight. Fans will have much more respect for Ser Barristan before the Dance is through.

Varys the Eunuch
Appears only once, and very briefly, but is the most shocking and enjoyable chapter in the book.

Missing Characters
Ultimately, there are a few characters that do not appear in the novel, their fate uncertain.
- Catelyn Stark
- Rickon Stark
- Sansa Stark
- Samwell Tarly
- Peter Baelish (Littlefinger)

Summary
A Dance with Dragons does indeed feel much like A Feast for Crows did, though is certainly a better novel; it feels dark and gritty. Winter is most certainly coming, as evidenced by Martin's use of the weather throughout the book. Once it snows in King's Landing, it's quite clear how winter is going to affect events in the series.

Once Dance catches up to the ending of Feast, things move along a little faster, but this book still doesn't live up to the greatness of A Clash of Kings and the chaos that was A Storm of Swords. There are moments that drag along, and there are characters included that feel unnecessary or confusing. Fortunately, Martin moves the story along nicely in this book, and it truly feels like there's an end-game coming, though it's still unclear what exactly that is.

The author has stated that there are at least two more books left in the saga, currently titled The Winds of Winter and A Dream of Spring. Though those titles are intriguing, A Dream of Spring doesn't sound like the title of a book that would wrap up this amazing series. It seems like in a song of Ice and Fire, things should end in a blazing inferno, and fire should be a part of the title. Mayhaps there will be another entry in the series. Time will tell, of course, but with the delay between these books growing longer, let's hope not too much time is necessary.

Rating: 4.0 of 5
- Reviewed by Bradley K. Brown

The third book of the Song of Ice and Fire series, A Storm of Swords continues events in Westeros, and holds nothing back. Ned Stark's murder in A Game of Thrones proved that no character is safe, but Swords takes that ideal to the next level, removing no less than six major characters from the story, some in rapid succession, leaving the reader's head spinning.

Not only do deaths abound in A Storm of Swords, but major and surprising events take place at every turn. The book's pace is relatively lazy during the first half of the novel, but once the first of those major deaths mentioned earlier occurs, the second-half of the book turns into a rapid page-turner that leaves no stone unturned.

The story picks up almost immediately after events of A Clash of Kings. With Winterfell burned, one would think that the Starks' could imagine life no more cruel, but they would be wrong, as readers will learn by the end of Swords. It would be easy to spoil events by revealing who lives or dies, but it would ruin the surprise of the story.

The most intriguing portions of Swords have to deal with the politics and betrayal that the reader will mostly likely never see coming. Littlefinger, largely absent, becomes an even more enigmatic player when his role in events is revealed. Clearly, he is a character that has been vastly under-estimated.

Events in Westeros are far more important to the story this time around, and the plight of Daenerys takes a backseat to what's happening on the other side of the Narrow Sea. Still, there are some truly surprising scenes involving Daenerys and her faithful servants, some of which turn out to be less faithful than she'd been led to believe.

With the twists and turns, deaths, and surprising events in A Storm of Swords, it's easily not only the longest of the series, but by far the most superb. Martin has a special skill for storytelling, and for making us care about his characters–and not just the good ones.