**"A Mixed Bag: 'A Feast for Crows' in the 'A Song of Ice and Fire' Saga"**

The fourth installment in George R.R. Martin's epic saga, "A Feast for Crows," has its share of strengths and weaknesses. The overarching theme of the post-war world is explored in some depth, showing the complex web of politics, alliances, and power struggles that follow a major conflict. However, the book often feels slow-paced and lacking in the kind of action and excitement that characterized the earlier volumes.

One of the main issues is the lack of focus on some of the beloved characters. While new characters are introduced, their stories don't always have the same impact. The division of the story into two volumes also seems a bit forced, and it disrupts the flow of the narrative. On the other hand, the prose is still of a high quality, and Martin's ability to create vivid and complex characters is on full display. Some of the secondary characters, in particular, shine in this volume, adding depth and nuance to the story.

Despite its flaws, "A Feast for Crows" is still an important part of the "A Song of Ice and Fire" saga. It sets the stage for future events and offers some interesting insights into the characters and their motivations. The ending leaves readers with a sense of anticipation for the next volume, "A Dance with Dragons," and makes them eager to see how the story will unfold. Overall, it's a solid but not outstanding entry in the series.

Technically speaking, I didn't actually finish this. In fact, I only managed to get half way through it.

However, I am choosing to shelve it as read. The reason for this is that it's as good as read as it's ever going to be.

I have put in a significant amount of effort and labour through that much of it, and I feel that I deserve to be able to call it read.

It's not that I didn't enjoy the book or that it wasn't interesting. It's just that for some reason, I wasn't able to complete it.

Maybe I'll come back to it at a later time and finish it, but for now, I'm content with marking it as read.

After all, reading is a personal experience, and we all have our own ways of approaching and enjoying books.

And sometimes, it's okay to not finish a book and still consider it a worthwhile read.

3.5 stars
“History is a wheel, for the nature of man is fundamentally unchanging.

What has happened before will perforce happen again.”

“I prefer my history dead. Dead history is writ in ink, the living sort in blood.”

And so the whole thing rolls on! In this installment, Martin makes a significant departure by abandoning most of the main POV characters and introducing several new ones. Some of these new characters are clearly antagonists, but as always, Martin adds a layer of nuance to their personalities.

In terms of the overall narrative arc established in the previous books, less seems to happen in this one. However, it is important to note that this is all part of the build-up for what is to come. The story is strangely compelling, much like a trashy TV show that you just can't seem to turn off.

One of the few bookish characters in the story sums it up perfectly when he says: “He was beastly tired, but it was hard to stop. One more book, he had told himself, then I’ll stop. One more folio, just one more. One more page, then I’ll go up and rest and get a bite to eat. But there was always another page after that one, and another after that, and another book waiting underneath the pile. I’ll just take a quick peek to see what this one is about, he’d think, and before he knew he would be halfway through it.”

I think many of us can relate to this feeling of being completely engrossed in a good book.

Another truth that is illustrated in this book is that it is easier to gain power than to keep it.

Overall, it's more of the same, but it's still an easy read that's perfect for hospital waiting rooms or any other situation where you need something to pass the time.

George R. R. Martin's A Feast for Crows (of the Song of Fire and Ice series) unfortunately suffers from MBSS, or Middle Book in a Series Syndrome.

It lacks the addictive excitement and intrigue that were present in the early books and the catastrophes and closures that one might expect from the later books. It simply feels like a link in the chain.

My initial reaction to it is similar to my initial response to J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. I have faith in the author's vision and know that the book is crucial to the ongoing series. However, without the remaining books available to me, I'm rather unenthusiastic.

Adding to the problems of MBSS, A Feast for Crows introduces a plethora of new characters. This helps to expand the boundaries of Martin's impressively detailed fictional world and also fills the character gaps left by the bloodbaths in his earlier stories. While I'm sure some of these new characters will grow on me, I'm concerned that I have limited space in my mind for more names and limited affection in my heart for more characters.

Speaking of my affection for characters, I was annoyed to find out that A Feast for Crows is only half of Martin's intended fourth book and features only half of his (remaining) main characters. An entire book without my favorite character - perhaps that's why this review is leaning towards the negative.

However, there are positives to this book as well. For example, as someone who looks for patterns in literature, I loved the recurring presence of the novel's title throughout the text. It was both clever and alarming each time. I also can't help but notice and admire Martin's character development. His characters grow and change in the face of the unexpected struggles of war. It's a true testament to his artistry that while I couldn't have predicted the shifting attitudes and actions of his characters in book four when I first started the series, upon reading through book four, I can look back and clearly understand why they act the way they do.

And while his story doesn't always unfold in the way I would like, it seems to develop organically as the natural result of a chaotic world populated by complex individuals. This, in my opinion, is a sign of the strength of Martin's plot structuring, the skill of his storytelling, and the integrity of his vision.

I can't wait for the next book. So much so that I'm willing to buy it in hardcover, even though I don't really like hardcovers.

Note: After reading Feast a second time, I'm adding a star to my rating. Once I got over the disappointment of Tyrion's absence and prepared myself for the influx of new characters, I was able to truly appreciate the plot twists and character development in this book. As I wait for the fifth installment (due out in July!), I have two thoughts: sadness upon reading Martin's prediction that Dance would be out in 2006 and anxious anticipation for the sixth book in the series, because I'll have to wait until then to find out what happens with all of Feast's cliffhangers. I just want to devour the whole series now!

Quotes!

"Words are like arrows... Once loosed, you cannot call them back."

"Knowledge is a weapon... Arm yourself well before you ride forth to battle."

"Men of honor will do things for their children that they would never consider doing for themselves."

"History is a wheel, for the nature of man is fundamentally unchanging."

"No fight is hopeless till it has been fought."

"Every man should lose a battle in his youth, so he does not lose a war when he is old."

"I prefer my history dead. Dead history is writ in ink, the living sort in blood."

"A king who does not protect his people is no king at all."

"Valor is a poor substitute for numbers."

I was Tweeting about how it's a bad time to be reading dark things as we're in the darkest timeline. Meanwhile, I was reading "A Feast for Crows" for the podcast. I've been really struggling with reading these according to a timeline, as a reading assignment, and as something I already love in another format. Starting from the prologue and the first two chapters that made it clear the world was expanding, I had difficulties. There are already so many places, characters, and problems I care about.

However, I ended up really getting into this story, just like I always do with these books. Yes, they are grim and dark. And yes, GRRM can go on and on. This makes these books definitely not for everyone. But I already have so much investment in these characters that I can endure the weaker parts for the brilliant ones.

Full thoughts will come out when the podcast is released. But I loved Cersei and Jaime's POV chapters. What a crazy journey. And of course, I loved everything at the Vale with Sansa and at Braavos with Arya. And finally, Brienne completely broke my heart. There's only one more (published) book to go. I can't even believe it.

For my full thoughts and feelings about this book, check out this episode of Snark Squad Pod. We talk about the fun of exploring new places with characters we love vs the NO FUN of exploring new places with people we don't even know.

As a child, I held my grandfather in the highest regard. I adored visiting his country home, spending weekends in summer assisting him with the yard work and taking care of the chickens. In return, he would prepare a magnificent feast and regale me with tales of his adventurous youth. As I savored a piping hot lemoncake, he would share stories of his days in the military. He flew fighter jets, even as the world was transitioning towards drones. He was part of the last generation of sky cowboys. He was proud of his exploits, though he tried to hide it, much like the tattoo on his upper bicep. Every time the words 'wild cards' on his ace tattoo became visible, he would quickly pull down his sleeve. I always assumed it was the name of his squadron. Instead of Maverick, he was Ace, and his wingmen were Joker, King, and so on. I wondered if they skipped Queen, but I never asked.

One summer, my parents went on vacation, and I spent two weeks at my grandfather's. I thought I could handle it, but as a fifteen-year-old, I started to feel restless after four or five days. I had explored the house countless times, heard all the stories, and visited the neighbors. My grandfather knew this, and since he knew I liked reading, he took me to his large library to find a new book. I had just finished The Hobbit and was looking for something similar.

He led me to a bookshelf dedicated solely to fantasy. My tough fighter jet pilot grandfather, secretly reading books about elves and dwarves? The thought made me giggle a little. He had an extensive collection, including sword and sorcery, epic fantasies like the complete Wheel of Time, and modern urban fantasies. Naturally, I chose Lord of the Rings.
My grandfather tried to dissuade me, saying the style was a bit stuffy and might not be what I was used to. But I was determined. I knew what he meant. My generation was often accused of having no attention span, no eye for detail, and no imaginative mind, all blamed on technology. But I digress. I grabbed the books, and he shrugged and turned towards the door.
As I took one last look at the shelf, I noticed something. There was a shelf on the very bottom, boarded up. I asked my grandfather what was in there, but he told me not to worry about it, that it was nothing for a child to know. He then marched out of the room, and I followed, my eyes lingering on the forbidden shelf.
My grandfather was starting to show signs of eccentricity, which began after my grandmother's suicide a few years earlier. He drank more, though never when I was around, and he also started gambling and joining mysterious groups in the city. Two weeks away from all this was difficult for him, I guess. So when the weekend came, he went into town for a few days,叮嘱 me not to tell my parents, and gave me some money and food. I was feeling quite grown-up, so it wasn't a big deal for me. And the money certainly helped. He left with a hug and a wink.
It rained, so I spent the day reading. At least, I tried to. I got to Tom Bombadil in Lord of the Rings, but after struggling through those songs, I closed the book and went into the library. I browsed, looking for something else that might interest me, but my mind kept coming back to the boarded-up shelf. I kneeled down, examined it, remembered my grandfather's words, and then stepped back. But curiosity got the better of me, and I went to the garage to get a hammer.
Inside the shelf were four books of different colors, neatly arranged on one side, with the other side empty. I thought it was no big deal, just books. I picked up the first one. It was well-worn, with ink along the side of the pages and a bent spine. Intrigued, I began to read...
The rest is a blur to me. Three days later, my grandfather came home to a quiet house. He found me in the library, those books scattered around. I remember seeing other things as well, like crows and men made of ice, giants and goats. I was delirious, having gone three days without sleep and hardly any food or water.
I remember this clearly: my grandfather bellowed and ran to me. He cradled me in his muscular arms, and I could feel tears wetting my face. Whether they were his or mine, or both, I don't know. He told me later that I kept saying one thing over and over: "Are there more? What comes next?"
I still recall his words, echoing in the recesses of my shattered young mind: a whisper, "There's no more. Nothing comes next." Those words haunt me to this day.
I was in an institution for six months, fell behind in school, and had to repeat a year. I like to think I'm more or less back to normal now. I'm older, with a wife and daughter of my own. I've even read Tolkien and have a newfound respect for his work. But there's always something in the back of my mind, gnawing at me...
My grandfather passed away last month, which has brought back a flood of memories, both good and bad. Maybe that's why I'm writing this, as a sort of confession, something I need to get off my chest. On his deathbed, he kept telling me he was sorry. I never blamed him for what happened. It was my own doing. I suspect he never forgave himself, but perhaps that was just the dementia talking. But he said something else. A week before the end, he called out in his sleep, "I never meant for her to be one of us." My family asked who he was talking about and what it meant. He whispered "Victoria" and then fell silent for the rest of the afternoon. Victoria was my grandmother's name. The rest of the family suspected he was regretting marrying her or something, and drama ensued. Was it really a suicide? But I knew better. I saw things in a new light.
In my attic, there is a safe, padlocked and with a secure code. I know I should throw away my copies of those books. They bring no happiness into my life. But it's hard to let go. I now understand what my grandfather felt and why he never got rid of those damned books. Sometimes, when I'm home alone or drunk and the family is sleeping, I'll creep up the stairs and sit in front of the safe. The code is always at the front of my mind, and my fingers itch to open it. But every time, I slip back down the stairs and into bed without doing so. I know it's dangerous, and you might say it's only a matter of time before something terrible happens again. My wife mostly reads chick lit, and my daughter has been devouring Stephanie Meyer's latest quadrilogy, the one with the leprechauns. I'm okay with that. Because I never want them to become one of us. One of us.

I have really liked it a lot, and I think it is a bit undervalued. However, it does not reach the level of the first volume of the series and much less the third one.

The story has its own charm and unique elements that make it an interesting read.

The characters are well-developed and the plot has its moments of excitement and suspense.

But compared to the other volumes, it seems to lack that certain something that would make it truly outstanding.

Nevertheless, it is still a worthy addition to the series and fans will surely enjoy it.

I look forward to seeing how the story progresses in future installments.

Maybe the next volume will be able to recapture the magic of the first and third volumes and take the series to new heights.

Only time will tell.

\\n  \\"[Cersei] wants power, but has no notion what to do with it when she gets it.\\"\\n

Could there be a more concise and accurate quote to summarize an entire book? "A Feast for Crows" lacks Tyrion's or Dany's point of view; this is Cersei's story. It's the tale of a mother who is desperately attempting to safeguard her children and rule a realm.



Does she make mistakes? Oh yes, she does, repeatedly. However, it's difficult not to feel some pity for her. Cersei has been shaped by a sexist society. Throughout her life, she has been taught that the only form of power lies within a penis, so she endeavors to imitate what she perceives as masculine values: dominance and fear.

Moreover, I'm beginning to have a bit more affection for Arya as well. In my previous two rereads, I didn't exactly despise her, but I wasn't a fan either. Now, I can better relate to her situation and perhaps even pity her.

But Sansa remains my absolute favorite character by a wide margin.



Personally, I believe that the writing in "A Feast for Crows" isn't as excellent as in the previous volumes. Undoubtedly, this is because they streamlined it through editing to satisfy the long-suffering masses. Here and there, a few phrases could have benefited from the use of synonyms.

Well, it's time to move on to "A Dance with Dragons". Every day, I'm grateful to the old gods and the new that I discovered "A Song of Ice and Fire" after the fifth book was released.

The title clearly foreshadows the central theme of this book, namely death. There are so many corpses for the crows to feed on - the dead who are truly deceased and those who are still alive in a sense??? Nevertheless, this sequel powerfully commands the readers' attention. After all, anyone who has read the prequel of this book will surely feel the need to read this one. So, even if Mr. Martin had been lax in writing this book, it would still have been a bestseller. But, that is not the case. The author simply does not have it in him to write any book of the Game of Thrones Series carelessly.

Therefore, major events once again unfold in this book. Jon becomes a true lord when he is appointed as the Lord Commander of the Night Watch. Arya undertakes quests and undergoes transformations in Braavos. And there is a catastrophic turn of events in the life of Cersei. However, no word is heard of Tyrion and Daenarys. This is yet another shrewd move by the author to entice his readers into reading the next book of the series.

The throne of the Iron Isles is fiercely contested. Meanwhile, Queen Cercei devises elaborate conspiracies to prevent King Tommen's young queen from exerting any influence on him. Jaime Lannister, on the other hand, struggles to adjust to life with only one hand. Sam Tarly and Gilly make their way southward. Brienne embarks on a quest to find the missing Stark daughters. Littlefinger maintains his hold on the Vale. And in Dorne, a great deal of action and drama unfolds. Arya Stark continues to be one of the most captivating characters in the world of fantasy.

After a long hiatus of several years, the Song of Ice and Fire series makes its much-anticipated return. However, not every installment can be a home run. Sometimes, one has to be content with a triple.

Despite the absence of Jon Snow, Dany and the dragons, and Tyrion Lannister, I found myself thoroughly enjoying A Feast for Crows, just as I had the previous volumes. At this stage, Jaime Lannister is rapidly closing in on Arya, Jon Snow, and Tyrion as my favorite character. I could easily devour a few hundred pages dedicated solely to Jaime Lannister strutting around and being his typical asshole self. Sam also had his moment to shine, and I firmly believe he will achieve great things before the conclusion of the series. I am truly loving the developments in Arya's storyline. However, I still remain indifferent towards Sansa and Catelyn Stark.

The segments involving the Iron Isles and Dorne did become a bit tiresome at times, giving the impression that Martin might have been prolonging the series to keep the money rolling in. Nevertheless, I was still intrigued by the direction the story took, even though it did not involve any of my beloved characters.

It is a testament to Martin's remarkable writing skill that he has managed to make me care deeply about the Lannister twins, first Jaime and now Cercei. I am eagerly awaiting to discover Cercei's fate and to find out if Brienne is truly dead.

On a final note, there were far too many characters whose names began with the letter E in the same chapter. George, it would be great if you could mix it up a little bit.

Overall, I rate this book four stars. However, if I had been one of those who had to endure the long wait between books, I might have given it a high three.

My review of:
A Game of Thrones - https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
A Clash of Kings - https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
A Storm of Swords - https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Wikipedia:
A Feast for Crows is the fourth of seven planned novels in the epic fantasy series A Song of Ice and Fire by American author George R. R. Martin. The novel was first published on October 17, 2005, in the United Kingdom, with a United States edition following on November 8, 2005.

In May 2005, Martin announced that the "sheer size" of his still-unfinished manuscript for A Feast for Crows had led him and his publishers to split the narrative into two books. Rather than divide the text chronologically in half, Martin opted to instead split the material by plot location, resulting in "two novels taking place simultaneously" with different casts of characters. A Feast for Crows was published months later and focuses mainly on southern Westeros. The concurrent novel A Dance with Dragons, which focuses on other locations such as the North, the Wall, and Essos, was teased to be published the following year, but was delayed and not released until six years later on July 12, 2011. Martin also noted that the A Song of Ice and Fire series would now likely total seven novels.

The War of the Five Kings is slowly coming to its end. The secessionist kings Robb Stark and Balon Greyjoy have been killed. One claimant to the throne, Stannis Baratheon, has gone to fight off invading wildling tribes at the northern Wall, where Robb's half-brother Jon Snow has become the 998th Lord Commander of the Night's Watch, the order responsible for guarding the Wall. The eight-year-old King Tommen Baratheon now rules in King's Landing under the regency of his mother, Cersei Lannister. The warrior woman Brienne of Tarth has been sent by Cersei's brother (and lover) Jaime Lannister on a mission to find Robb's sister Sansa Stark. Sansa is hiding in the Vale, protected by her mother's childhood friend Petyr “Littlefinger” Baelish, who has murdered his wife Lysa Arryn and named himself Protector of the Vale and guardian of Lysa's son, the eight-year-old Lord Robert Arryn.

Goodreads:
Crows will fight over a dead man's flesh and kill each other for his eyes.
Bloodthirsty, treacherous, and cunning, the Lannisters are in power on the Iron Throne in the name of the boy-king Tommen. The war in the Seven Kingdoms has burned itself out, but in its bitter aftermath, new conflicts spark to life.
The Martells of Dorne and the Starks of Winterfell seek vengeance for their dead. Euron Crow's Eye, as black a pirate as ever, raised a sail, returns from the smoking ruins of Valyria to claim the Iron Isles. From the icy north, where Others threaten the Wall, apprentice Maester Samwell Tarly brings a mysterious babe in arms to the Citadel.
Against a backdrop of incest and fratricide, alchemy, and murder, victory will go to the men and women possessed of the coldest steel and the coldest hearts.

AGOT took me 10 days to read. ACOK took me 18 days, and ASOS took me 23 days. AFFC took me 22 days to read, and now, after almost a month, I will state my unpopular opinion - this book is very good. Please no hate in the comment section ;).

To sum things up before I go into details - this was somewhere on the level of the first installment of the series, A Game of Thrones - A Clash of Kings is a bit better and A Storm of Swords is Martin's magnum opus which says everything. Also, there is no Jon Snow, Daenerys Targaryen, and Tyrion Lannister in this book. "WHAT!?", you will probably say. ASOIAF book without series's 3 best characters? Yes. Indeed. And surprisingly it works pretty fine - we explore Cersei, Jaime, Brienne, Sam, Sansa, the Greyjoy's, Arya (with her 3 tiny Braavos chapters). The analysis:
Writing style: 4/5 (it changed a bit, as seen in Brienne and Jaime chapters, the inner monologue is now of great importance)
Pacing: 4/5 (it is ok, nothing special)
Characters: 4.55/5 (excellent as usual, we get more layers to Cersei and Jaime)
Plot: 4.1/5 (not extraordinary like in ASOS, but interesting and fun nevertheless - it was a great idea to introduce sparrows)
Descriptions: 4.5/5 (I have nothing to add here)

4.1 stars - the same rating I gave AGOT, and although this book is more polished and better in the terms of the writing style, pacing, and even characterization - AGOT had a better, more interesting plot. Now wish me luck with A Dance with Dragons!

I can understand precisely why this particular volume isn't the most beloved one within A Song of Ice and Fire. There is an extremely limited presence of Jon Snow. Moreover, there is no Daenarys and no Tyrion. Nevertheless, it still holds a relatively high rating for me. The reason being that I have a keen interest in Arya, Sansa, and Brienne. Yes, I did miss Tyrion, but I am not exactly eager for all the Daenarys-related content that I will inevitably have to endure in the next book!

This is an incredibly dark and violent world, which I can typically manage. However, there were a couple of scenes within this volume that I promptly skipped over. I simply didn't require the gory details. Dare I hope that there will be less of such in A Dance with Dragons? I'm not going to hold my breath. I will read that last-published volume and be done with it. I don't anticipate that GRRM will ever pen that final book. I believe the TV series has extinguished any remaining desire within him to write it. Nevertheless, if I am proven incorrect, that would indeed be a pleasant surprise.

I do eagerly look forward to spending more time with Jon and Tyrion. Additionally, I'm curious to hear how things unfold for Queen Cersei. She has become deeply embroiled in quite a precarious situation! It couldn't have happened to a more deserving person. She should have studied her father's methods a bit more closely. Had no one ever imparted to her the wisdom of keeping her friends close and her enemies even closer? Sending all the schemers away from her court merely provides them with greater liberty to plot and plan. Then there's the old adage about catching more flies with honey than with vinegar. She persistently treated her allies with rudeness and scorn, yet still expected their unwavering loyalty. How can someone in such a lofty position be so utterly clueless?

It will be some time before I take on Dance, but I shall anticipate it with bated breath.

Book number 470 of my Science Fiction and Fantasy Reading Project