A Feast For Crows

"After centuries of bitter strife, the seven powers dividing the land have beaten one another into an uneasy truce. But it's not long before the survivors, outlaws, renegades, and carrion eaters of the Seven Kingdoms gather. Now, as the human crows assemble over a banquet of ashes, daring new plots and dangerous new alliances are formed while surprising faces--some familiar, others only just appearing--emerge from an ominous twilight of past struggles and chaos to take up the challenges of the terrible times ahead. Nobles and commoners, soldiers and sorcerers, assassins and sages, are coming together to stake their fortunes... and their lives. For at a fest for crows, many are the guests--but only a few are the survivors. "

Throughout the first three installments in the series A Song of Fire and Ice by George R.R. Martin, the main players in this game of thrones were the highlighted narrators. However, in A Feast for Crows, the fourth book, nearly all of those players are absent.

The main characters that readers have come to love and hate are left out of this entire book. Tyrion and Dany being the most obvious characters that didn't make it into any part of the novel. Although Jamie Lannister and Queen Cersei become narrators for this book. There sections are by-far the most interesting, along with Brienne, the maid of Tarth.

The novel seems to foretell that in order to understand what will happen in the fifth book, the fourth book is necessary. It does little else then to lay a foundation and uncover character motivations that readers questioned in the previous book. While focusing on King's Landing, A Feast for Crows also shows the reader what has been happening in parts of the Seven Kingdoms that we haven't ever been introduced to. Meaning that, unless the reader accepts the fact that this book is the "story behind the story" from the beginning, I think many will dislike it.

I have to say that I felt disconnected from the whole novel. I was never a fan of Cersei or Jamie, who steal the entire focus of the novel creating chaos. Although it seems karma may be coming to call upon dear sweet Cersei soon.  My favorite characters had little or no part in this book, and I feel many readers will have a hard time connecting with characters that were either marked as evil or hadn't been previously introduced. But, Martin promised on the past page of A Feast for Crows that all of our favorite (and least favorite) characters will return in A Dance of Dragons. :)

A Feast for Crows

on Amazon

rating: 3/5 cups

Teaser Tuesday (5)

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Another teaser this week from George R.R. Martin's series! :) Spring Into Reading really has me racing through these books and I'm absolutely loving it! (I've even started the watching the HBO series) :D 

A Storm of Swords (p. 404)
              - George R.R. Martin

"Down in the square, a thrown stone caught the captive on the cheek, turning his head. Not the Kingslayer, Arya thought, when she saw his face. The gods had heard her prayers after all." 

Should Be Reading @ Wordpress

You Either Win or Die

It's a game unlike no other. A gamble with the roll of a dice.
"When you play the game of thrones, you either win or die."

The games take hold when an unexpected death breathes whispers of murder, revolt, and war.

Podpad

Lord Eddard Stark is asked to become the King's Hand, a respected position whose main responsibilities are counseling the King, carrying out his orders, and ruling the kingdom when he's away. Lord Eddard, who loves King Robert like a brother, cannot refuse the request, even though he knows the last King's Hand was the one murdered...

With the story centering around the Stark house, the family members take the main perspectives of the novel. (Though not the only perspectives as other characters are also given a chance to tell their tales.) With each chapter covering a different view of the Seven Kingdoms, everyone plays a part in this chess match, where one wrong move can mean death, while Eddard tries to discover why the last Hand was murdered before it's too late.

Meanwhile, across the sea, the last members of the dragon born are awaiting their chance to take back their land, the Seven Kingdoms. Before the current King Robert, the dragon born ruled. A war brought their end, with only two children surviving to carry on the name. And they seek their revenge.

Above the wall, the northern boundary of the Seven Kingdoms, men are dying, only to come back to life and fight. With black hands and ice blue eyes, the Others, a mere fairy tale, seem to be re-appearing, if they ever existed at all...

* *

Throughout the first installment of George R.R. Martin's series, A Game of Thrones, various characters take the role of main character. Each character carries the plot forward with different perspectives, showing the reader what they need to know, and allowing them to draw their own conclusions.

The entire novel was a joust with lies and betrayal battling honor and loyalty.

Podpad

The best and worst part of this novel was the amount of detail. A detail from chapter two made all the difference in chapter ten. Remembering every minute piece of information was a bit tedious, but it made the novel all the better. It made each motive understandable. Each event believable. And each character relatable. 

The amount of detail also makes the characters true to life. They have flaws and their own reasons behind their actions. Martin gives the reader a glimpse into their role of the game without allowing the reader to accurately predict their next move. Interesting and intriguing.

Of course I had my favorite character, Arya. Who I like to refer to as, the little-ninja-trouble-making-girl. A character of my own heart. And the one I'm most worried about for the second book.

A Game of Thrones 
                           on Amazon
               
                        rating: 4/5 cups

Spring into Reading Thing 2012

Spring into Reading Thing 2012 will be the first reading challenge that The Coffee Pot has ever participated in, being a new blog of only seven months old, and I'm really excited to be a part of it! :)

I have created my Spring Reading list based on a series that I've been wanting to get my hands on: The Game of Thrones series by George R.R. Martin. My goal is to read books one through five by the end of the challenge, June 20th. I will also be reviewing each book as I finish it!

My Spring into Reading Thing 2012 Challenge List:

1. A Game of Thrones [X] review

2. A Clash of Kings [X] review 

3. A Storm of Swords [X] review

4. A Feast for Crows [X] review

5. A Dance with Dragons [X] review