[SPOILERS] A Dance With Dragons

[Iormlund]

BTW, did anyone else have that (excellent, but annoyingly memorable) theme song to the HBO show playing in their heads the whole time they were reading this book? 

Yep.

Anyway, somewhat disappointed with the book, though it was better than the last one (maybe because there's a lot more stuff going on in these parts of the world).
As others have said, way too many Tyrion and Dany chapters. And while I do like "filler" POVs I agree that some should have been handled as flashbacks (Victarion for one). I also agree that resurrecting Aegon this late without a single hint early on is not cool.

Still, I liked Theon's chapters, the new and hugely improved Rat Cook and seeing Jon finally free of his oath. Time to finally fuck Val's brains out and take command of the wildlings.

Varys' reasoning in the epilogue also left me going huh? So you want to sow more chaos and war and famine to save the children of Westeros. Right.

The war would be much worse and take much longer If he let Kevan properly respond to the landings.

[grumbler]

Not true.  They get used again.

True - but never when they would truly be useful. 

[Siege]

The most intriging story in Westeros:

[Faeelin]

The most intriging story in Westeros:

I didn't realize they had blue tiberium in Westeros. But the notion that Kane is behind everything makes much more sense than the current plot...

[Viking]

yeah so

littlebird-:

        as mentioned below, worked with a girl who's boyf is best mates with jack gleeson
        i finally got his age, he's nineteen
        anyway
        apparently he constantly gets people coming up to him in the streets screaming 'I FUCKING HATE YOU'
        and he's like the shyest, nicest guy ever
        omg
        i told her to tell him i'm his biggest fan ever and i just want to give him a massive hug, and i knew a bunch of people who felt the same, even all the way in america and australia.
        have a heart
        hug a joff

Aw.

Time to start the 'Hug a Joff' campaign, y/y?

ok, thats a bit excessive and how you get school shootings.

[Zoupa]

I don't think that's how you get school shootings, no.

[Tamas]

Just finished the book.

Aegon not really dead? come on, that's lame.

And Jon better stays dead (altough I don't think he will). Undeading him would be very cheap and tiresome.

Otherwise I enjoyed the book very much, and I disagree about the "pointless POVs", even if I was growing tired of some of them. If you want to see the end of the story, 99% of the book was pointless. Instead of spending pages upon pages on Dany, Martin could have written "Dany spent her time tearing up her realm, disabled by conflicted morals and being in heat, resulting in the dragons getting loose and she learning how to ride them". There, you saved a lot of space, and the exact episodes of her shenangians "could have been released as small stories"

[Solmyr]

I disagree. I enjoy the entire Dany storyline. It's something different from the standard medieval European fantasy that is the rest of Westeros.

[Tamas]

I disagree. I enjoy the entire Dany storyline. It's something different from the standard medieval European fantasy that is the rest of Westeros.

What I am saying is that "not needed" is too broad a term. When it comes to what actually progressed the grand storyline, you could have a page, instead of a book. But it would be stupid to complain about that.

[Viking]

I disagree. I enjoy the entire Dany storyline. It's something different from the standard medieval European fantasy that is the rest of Westeros.

What I am saying is that "not needed" is too broad a term. When it comes to what actually progressed the grand storyline, you could have a page, instead of a book. But it would be stupid to complain about that.

Are you suggesting that Martin has contracted Jordanitis (overindulgence in worldbuilding) in addition to his pervasive Martinitis (paralyzing fear that the next book will let down fans)?

[Tamas]

I disagree. I enjoy the entire Dany storyline. It's something different from the standard medieval European fantasy that is the rest of Westeros.

What I am saying is that "not needed" is too broad a term. When it comes to what actually progressed the grand storyline, you could have a page, instead of a book. But it would be stupid to complain about that.

Are you suggesting that Martin has contracted Jordanitis (overindulgence in worldbuilding) in addition to his pervasive Martinitis (paralyzing fear that the next book will let down fans)?

Sort of. But if you like the world, it should be okay. I think it was on acceptable levels, except for the grand reopening of the pits which was looooooooooong.
I did not mind Vicarion and the other "fillers" - I got to learn what was going on those parts. And if you (well not you, but grumbler) say that this could have been covered more easily "on the side" or as brief flashbacks later, then sure, but that goes for almost all of the book's content and one is left wondering: why read it at all?

[Tamas]

Also, the Lannisters are now a has-been family, it would appear.

[Solmyr]

Until Tyrion comes back and takes Casterly Rock via the drains, anyway.

Also, I read on the westeros.org forum that Mirri Maz Duur's prophecy appears to have been fulfilled:

When the sun rises in the west and sets in the east - Quentyn Martell coming east and dying there.

When the seas go dry and mountains blow in the wind like leaves - Dothraki Sea drying up, and the pyramids in Meereen destroyed by the dragons.

When your womb quickens again, and you bear a living child - Dany's apparent pregnancy at the end.

Cue Drogo's return, perhaps symbolically (his spirit within Drogon?).

[Viking]

Also, the Lannisters are now a has-been family, it would appear.

hmm...

Tywin and Kevan dead from crossbowitis
Tyrion on the run
Jamie questing for honour and about to meet UnCat
Joffrey death through being a dick
Myrcella unlikely to leave Dorne
Tommen distracted by the issue of banning beets and the nighttime activities of ser pounce and co.
Cersei certifiably nuts
Lancel - religious freak

yepp.. I agree, Lannisters are fucked

[Tamas]

Until Tyrion comes back and takes Casterly Rock via the drains, anyway.

Also, I read on the westeros.org forum that Mirri Maz Duur's prophecy appears to have been fulfilled:

When the sun rises in the west and sets in the east - Quentyn Martell coming east and dying there.

When the seas go dry and mountains blow in the wind like leaves - Dothraki Sea drying up, and the pyramids in Meereen destroyed by the dragons.

When your womb quickens again, and you bear a living child - Dany's apparent pregnancy at the end.

Cue Drogo's return, perhaps symbolically (his spirit within Drogon?).

what apparent pregnancy? Apparent womb-quickening perhaps