A Dance with Dragons

While much more satisfying than Book 4, I am now faced with waiting at least half a decade before any of these new cliffhangers are resolved.

On the whole, I think this one felt a little more complete than the last book, tying together plot lines, destroying red herrings, and carrying out the slow reveals that Martin excels in. This does not excuse him leaving Sansa out for the whole book while giving at least a token chapter to all the other Feast for Crows viewpoints.

After what happened to Cat, I am hesitant to believe Jon Snow is dead. In Martin's world, major characters don't seem to stay dead unless someone they love is there to watch, witness, and mourn. The deaths have to hurt. Also, while I recognize Jon as a vital character and would love to seem him take down Bolton, his point of view is one of the harder ones to slog through. Also difficult to deal with are characters like Victarion, Quentyn, and Griff, characters who seem to be there to move the story along but with whom Martin doesn't really develop that emotional character/reader bond he does with others. I hope the next book has fewer, for lack of a better word "NPC" characters and more time with "stars."Because I'm sure I will forget half the book before the next one comes out, I'm going to make notes on the questions I have at the end/plot lines I'm most anxious to see resolved.-Asha and Theon's reunion. WTF happened in Bolton's camp? Stannis' death is another thing I'm led to doubt.-Who is Melisandre, really. This book built more and more sympathy for her, and I'd love her POV to be more fully explored.-Varys has been plotting with young Aegon the whole time? Must know more!-When the frak is Dany getting to Westeros.-Tyrion's plot line didn't leave me in dire concern for his safety, but I just want more of him. Possibly hanging out with Dothraki.-Likewise on Arya, though I don't see how she'd meet up with Dothraki. Then again, GRRM works in mysterious ways.-Why the frak does Bran disappear halfway in never to return? I want to know more about his spooky powers. -What is Brienne doing with Jaimie? I really don't think she has it in him to send him to slaughter, but we still don't know the word she screamed to save her life at the end of FfC.


Part of me is a bit relieved to be caught up with the series. It's wonderfully convoluted which makes for long hours slogging through feasts and battles and council meetings to get at the meat of the characters I'm so in love with. Reading it feels like a mental cardio exercise, pushing to a goal that is as yet hidden.