A Song of Ice and Fire - Believable?
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A Song of Ice and Fire - Believable?
I'm about half way through "A Clash of Kings" and I'm really enjoying this series so far, so no spoilers please! However...
Is it just me or are some of the magical elements of the story a little hard to accept? The Others I can believe, maybe because they were introduced right at the beginning, but the birth of the dragons and Melisandra's magics feel like they've been sprung on us as an afterthought.
Is it just me or are some of the magical elements of the story a little hard to accept? The Others I can believe, maybe because they were introduced right at the beginning, but the birth of the dragons and Melisandra's magics feel like they've been sprung on us as an afterthought.
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~ “Life may not be the party we hoped for, but while we're here we should dance.”
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I will try not to spoil anything by saying this series is IMO the best fantasty series ever, so keep reading! I want to reread it myself (again), but I'm waiting for the official release date of the next book so I can time it right....I'm doing the same thing with Donaldson. I'd do the same with Erikson too, but he writes too fast! As for the use of magic in this series; it sure isn't as pretty as in LOTR, that's for sure. Other than that, I don't feel it was an afterthought.
Dandelion don't tell no lies
Dandelion will make you wise
Tell me if she laughs or cries
Blow away dandelion
I'm afraid there's no denying
I'm just a dandelion
a fate I don't deserve.
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Dandelion will make you wise
Tell me if she laughs or cries
Blow away dandelion
I'm afraid there's no denying
I'm just a dandelion
a fate I don't deserve.
High priest of THOOOTP
*
* This post carries Jay's seal of approval
- Mysteweave
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Oh, I'll definitely keep reading!
I'm actually looking forward to re-reading them, now that I know who all of the characters are.
I'm actually looking forward to re-reading them, now that I know who all of the characters are.
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~ “Life may not be the party we hoped for, but while we're here we should dance.”
I personally find the magic makes sense. The birth of the dragons is a turning point--that much seemed obvious, because up until then dragons seemed extinct. At the same time the world is changing (Winter Is Coming), with prophecies starting to be fullfilled. Yeah, I bought it.
"O let my name be in the Book of Love!
It be there, I care not of the other great book Above.
Strike it out! Or, write it in anew. But
Let my name be in the Book of Love!" --Omar Khayam
It be there, I care not of the other great book Above.
Strike it out! Or, write it in anew. But
Let my name be in the Book of Love!" --Omar Khayam
Me to. Hook, line and sinker!
War is an ugly thing, but not the ugliest of things. The decayed and degraded state of moral and patriotic feeling which thinks that nothing is worth war is much worse. The person who has nothing for which he is willing to fight, nothing which is more important than his own personal safety, is a miserable creature and has no chance of being free unless made and kept so by the exertions of better men than himself. John Stuart Mill
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A very good point.Farm Ur-Ted wrote:I think that the magic is much more believable than the idea that A Dances with Dragons is going to be released in this decade.
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Okay, this has got nothing to do with believability, I just have to vent!
I'm just over halfway through A Storm of Swords and I'm in shock...
I suppose I could see it coming, I just didn't think he (Martin) would do it.
I'm just over halfway through A Storm of Swords and I'm in shock...
Spoiler
Three of my favourite characters have just all got killed off in the space of two chapters!!!!!!
I suppose I could see it coming, I just didn't think he (Martin) would do it.
x Covenant x Mordant's Need x Saltheart Foamfollower x
~ “Life may not be the party we hoped for, but while we're here we should dance.”
Audacious, isn't it?!?! Welcome to GRR Martin land!
War is an ugly thing, but not the ugliest of things. The decayed and degraded state of moral and patriotic feeling which thinks that nothing is worth war is much worse. The person who has nothing for which he is willing to fight, nothing which is more important than his own personal safety, is a miserable creature and has no chance of being free unless made and kept so by the exertions of better men than himself. John Stuart Mill
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Okay, this is officially one of my favourite fantasy series ever. Is it bad that I'm upset over finishing AFfC and want to go back and read the series all over again?
x Covenant x Mordant's Need x Saltheart Foamfollower x
~ “Life may not be the party we hoped for, but while we're here we should dance.”
No but if you want to jump into another spectacular series I would recommend R. Scott Bakker's The Prince of Nothing Trilogy. It starts with "The Darkness that comes Before". For me, Donaldson, Martin and Bakker are all gods within the Holy Trinity of fantasy authors!
War is an ugly thing, but not the ugliest of things. The decayed and degraded state of moral and patriotic feeling which thinks that nothing is worth war is much worse. The person who has nothing for which he is willing to fight, nothing which is more important than his own personal safety, is a miserable creature and has no chance of being free unless made and kept so by the exertions of better men than himself. John Stuart Mill
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Thanks! I'll keep that in mind.
I've just started Steven Erikson's Garden's of the Moon but I'll keep an eye out for it.
I've just started Steven Erikson's Garden's of the Moon but I'll keep an eye out for it.
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~ “Life may not be the party we hoped for, but while we're here we should dance.”
Misteweave, I'm starting Gardens of the Moon as well and like Waddley, I had a hard time at first. So hard, in fact, that I put it down for a year and decided to pick it up again because Fist kept going on about what a great book it is.
Brinn, I agree with Donaldson and Martin but I've never read Bakker. I will have to pick him up now. Thanks for the tip.
But, Gardens of the Moon first.
Brinn, I agree with Donaldson and Martin but I've never read Bakker. I will have to pick him up now. Thanks for the tip.
But, Gardens of the Moon first.
The King has one more move.
IMHO, Bakker is leaps and bounds ahead of Erickson as an author. Gardens of the Moon was a difficult slog for me and, although the following books were better, the series just hasn't hooked me. I think the cast is much too broad and the chracterizations much too thin.
Erickson has improved as a writer since "Gardens" and he has an amazing imagination. I also applaud him on being able to handle such a vast and convoluted plot without getting lost (as Martin apparently has). Unfortunately, his prose doesn't impress me and all the characters feel like slight variations of one another. Once you've read Bakker I'd be interested in your comparisons.
Erickson has improved as a writer since "Gardens" and he has an amazing imagination. I also applaud him on being able to handle such a vast and convoluted plot without getting lost (as Martin apparently has). Unfortunately, his prose doesn't impress me and all the characters feel like slight variations of one another. Once you've read Bakker I'd be interested in your comparisons.
War is an ugly thing, but not the ugliest of things. The decayed and degraded state of moral and patriotic feeling which thinks that nothing is worth war is much worse. The person who has nothing for which he is willing to fight, nothing which is more important than his own personal safety, is a miserable creature and has no chance of being free unless made and kept so by the exertions of better men than himself. John Stuart Mill
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Forgive my ignorance...but is Martin's stuff done as Series or Novel/Trilogy?
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Martin's is a series. He's up to... six or seven books? Maybe five. It's been a while. If I had to put money on it, it'd be six.
Exact same thing happened to me, 'cept I think it was Luc who made me pick it back up. And I'm really glad that I did.caamora wrote:So hard, in fact, that I put it down for a year and decided to pick it up again because Fist kept going on about what a great book it is.
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Martin's series is supposed to be 7 books long. Originally it was supposed to be a trilogy, but he expanded it to 6 books, then Feast became too big so he expanded it to be 7.
Dandelion don't tell no lies
Dandelion will make you wise
Tell me if she laughs or cries
Blow away dandelion
I'm afraid there's no denying
I'm just a dandelion
a fate I don't deserve.
High priest of THOOOTP
*
* This post carries Jay's seal of approval
Dandelion will make you wise
Tell me if she laughs or cries
Blow away dandelion
I'm afraid there's no denying
I'm just a dandelion
a fate I don't deserve.
High priest of THOOOTP
*
* This post carries Jay's seal of approval