Game of thrones - the books

[Eddie Teach]

That doesn't seem like such a great bulk deal, you could probably find them separately for about the same. But yeah, good series, shame it's not going to be finished.

Heh you have no idea whether or not he is going to finish.

You're really a glass half full kind of guy, aren't you. 

[Syt]

The story was ok, but halfway through book three I had to stop because I don't like his writing (it took me three attempts to go through book 1).

[Richard Hakluyt]

After all the recent chat on Languish I'm going to get the first book and give it a go. I had assumed that it was standard fantasy pap, but too many Languishites take it seriously for that to be likely; I like a good fantasy novel..........it's just that most of the genre is dreadful drivel 

[The Larch]

After all the recent chat on Languish I'm going to get the first book and give it a go. I had assumed that it was standard fantasy pap, but too many Languishites take it seriously for that to be likely; I like a good fantasy novel..........it's just that most of the genre is dreadful drivel 

Which are your likes and dislikes of the fantasy genre? This series is much heavier on the political machinations side than in the magicians shooting fireballs side, so to speak. 

[Richard Hakluyt]

The thing I like most is when a world has been lovingly created and realised. There should be complexity. Too many fantasy worlds seem to have been jotted down on the back of a napkin in 5 minutes after a particularly boozy meal 

[Slargos]

The thing I like most is when a world has been lovingly created and realised. There should be complexity. Too many fantasy worlds seem to have been jotted down on the back of a napkin in 5 minutes after a particularly boozy meal 

Well then Steven Erikson is your uncle. 

Don't listen to all the haters.

[The Larch]

The thing I like most is when a world has been lovingly created and realised. There should be complexity. Too many fantasy worlds seem to have been jotted down on the back of a napkin in 5 minutes after a particularly boozy meal 

Then I think you'll greatly enjoy ASOIAF, the universe where it takes place is really detailed and well crafted. It can get a bit overwhelming too, as there are characters by the bucketload, but fortunately the books come with handy genealogies and character lists.

[Gups]

After all the recent chat on Languish I'm going to get the first book and give it a go. I had assumed that it was standard fantasy pap, but too many Languishites take it seriously for that to be likely; I like a good fantasy novel..........it's just that most of the genre is dreadful drivel 

Might be worth waiting to see what reviews the latest one gets. The first three were excellent - the writing is poor by literary standards but excellent for the genre, but the plot is superbly complex. Unfortunately the fourth novel, although it had its good points generally went nowhere and saw a serious deterioration in prose quality. If Martin returns to form with the fifth, I'd say go for it. 

[Brazen]

I must have read the first 50 pages of the first book three times. I gave it a chance because of the Languish love (and Marti made me) but I really didn't get on with it.

[The Larch]

The first third of the first book is extremely heavy on exposition and character introduction, so I can get how it can be too tough to follow at first. Once it picks up pace it's a juggernaut, though.

[Richard Hakluyt]

I like Victorian novels, so verbosity holds no terrors for me 

I'll report back once I've read (or failed to read) it.

Incidentally, this thread accidentally led to me buying a kindle. I went to Amazon to oder the Martin book and then went on to order Trollope's Palliser novels............but suddenly noticed that a kindle edition of most of his work was available for some paltry fee 

Quick research revealed that this was standard for loads of 19th century stuff  It's going to save me a fortune and any amount of shelfspace.

So, when the kindle arrives I'll download the first Martin book onto it and make a start.

[Gups]

I've never read any Trollope but keep meaning to. Any recommendations as to where to start?

[Richard Hakluyt]

That's a tricky question 

I'm no great expert having only read 2 Palliser novels, the Barchester novels and The way we live now. I started with The Warden, but it is an early novel and that shows......also I'm told that a lot of people find the  mid-19th century ecclesiastical doings a bit of a turn-off (they were a big plus for me, a strange little world of which I had known nothing).

The way we live now is a more serious and weighty tome in all respects and has become curiously relevant since the banking fiascos of a couple of years back. Yes, I think I'd recommend reading both; if you like neither then you won't like Trollope 

[Josquius]

I must have read the first 50 pages of the first book three times. I gave it a chance because of the Languish love (and Marti made me) but I really didn't get on with it.

It took me a while to get into it,  for the first few chapters I really wasn't there. It picks up though.

[Grey Fox]

As I said in the TV thread. I aint reading those books before RR dies.