It took me 6 months to finish five books of ASOIAF.
It took me two weeks to finish all seven books of the Harry Potter series.
This says a lot.
Of course, I understand that HP and ASOIAF are of writing styles worlds apart, with targeted audiences wholly different (maybe excluding children who like their bedtime stories gritty), hence why it's like comparing oranges to apples.
But if there's one obvious thing in common with the two, it is this: Both are freakishly long.
(*insert outdated "That's what she said" punchline here*)
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| they were also both painfully thick ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) |
To be more precise, finishing the first four (A Game of Thrones, A Clash of Kings, A Storm of Swords, A Feast for Crows) only took me roughly two months. The last one however, I just had to stop halfway for some unexplainable reason.
Okay, maybe not THAT unexplainable.
Reading the first four, to me, was a breeze; They were action-packed, heart-wrenching, and real page-turners. Sure, there were some dry parts here and there, but there's this tendency to turn a blind eye because you just know the next chapter would make up for it. I mean, that's how G. R. R. Martin rolls, right? Exposition, followed by the character reminiscing the good ol' days, a little more chit-chat here and there, then a sprinkle of sweet, sweet murder.
*sigh* Happy times.
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| ah, that moment of pure bliss when a favorite character dies. |
On the latest one though, the author obviously wanted to dabble more on the politics and war preparation stuff (presumably to let his readers be more immersed with the universe, as if we're not already), introducing new players on the "game of thrones," as well as day-to-day struggles of some of our characters (again with the immersion stuff). I get it. I totally get it.
It's just that there are some bits that I couldn't help but feel as if they're unnecessary long, only to find out at the end of the chapter that it's nothing but a "buildup" for the real action.
And, when the actual intense bits come, how you feel is like this:
You're watching a thriller. And as with all thriller films, the protagonist's major asset is to do all the wrong decisions.
Now, protagonist hears a noise behind a closed door. He slowly approaches. The suspenseful background music goes up, as well as your heart rate. His hand oh-so slowly approaches the doorknob, the camera focuses on his nervous face, which most likely currently mirrors yours. His hand clenches and you tense up too, readying yourself to scream for when the murderous beast pops out.
The camera then proceeds to pan on a lot of things: The drop of sweat trickling on his forehead, his uneven breathing, the way he keeps shuffling his feet, on the peeling paint on the door, etc.
And by this time, all the built up tension from you is gone. Frankly, you're just bored. You're left thinking, "Man, just freakin open the door already."
And the beast does come out. You're taken by surprise, of course, but looking closely, you notice how poorly-done the prosthetics on the beast is. So instead of pure, unadulterated shock, you're just left feeling a bit disappointed and unsatisfied, thinking: "Oh, well. At least I wasn't cheated on my expectations, so I guess it's alright."
That's pretty much what happens over and over and over again throughout my reading experience on the fifth installment. And it got so frustrating (and annoying) that I just felt that I needed to take a break, or else I'd completely lose interest in the series.
But thankfully, I did find the patience to finish the fifth book, and am now kind of relieved that I still have the excitement to read the next installment of ASOIAF.
Hopefully soon!
The Verdict:
From a Game of Thrones to A Feast for Crows: 4.5 stars out of 5.
A Dance with Dragons: 3 stars out of 5.
