A Feast for Crows

A Feast for Crows
by George R.R. Martin
Sycamore Public Library call number: FAN FIC MAR
on disc: CD FIC MAR

The first three books in George R.R. Martin's series, A Song of Ice and Fire--A Game of Thrones, reviewed here, A Clash of Kings, reviewed here, and A Storm of Swords, reviewed here--revolve around the action in the main houses (Stark and Lannister) of Westeros, and at the Wall. The fourth, A Feast for Crows, is a little different. It sets up some back-stories, some new characters, and quite a bit of material that would not have seemed pertinent when interspersed with the 'regular' narrative.

(Martin apparently had originally written this along with the material that would later become book five, A Dance of Dragons. When it was still in the editing stage, though, he determined that it was entirely too long and confusing. Dividing it into the two books made it less daunting and more practically manageable.)

It is not my favorite of the four books that I have read so far. As with the rest of this epic set, there is a great deal to keep straight in one's mind, and I found myself flipping to the front of the book to consult the maps, and to the back of the book for the appendix (laying out the kings and their houses, and the other houses, great and small) every chapter or two. That being said, I am loving this series and would recommend it to anyone who likes fantasy even a little, or who is willing to try something engrossing and devastating.

A Feast for Crows is the fourth of George R.R. Martin's series called A Song of Ice and Fire. Five have been completed to this date; according to the Wikipedia page for the series, there will be two more.

Reviewed by: Amy
Age Group: Adult
Class: Fiction (Fantasy)
Awards:
Hugo Award – Best Novel (Nominated) – (2006)
Locus Award – Best Novel (Fantasy) (Nominated) – (2006)
British Fantasy Society Award (Nominated) – (2006)

Rating: B