Book Review - George R R Martin - A Feast For Crows

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2005 – Harper-Collins – Spoiler alerts The fourth volume of five in the proposed seven book cycle of the Song Of Ice And Fire also known as Game Of Thrones. This is a disappointing volume, mainly for Martin’s decision to focus on lesser characters and dedicate no chapters to two of his best loved characters at all, Tyrion Lannister, last seen in desperate need of somewhere to escape to after having to kill his own father. The second absentee is Daenerys, the mother of dragons. A third character readers particularly love, John now, appears only for a few pages this time. There are great elements remaining. The spectacular downfall of the evil Queen Cersei, while actually humanizing her rather than keeping her as solidly megalomanic is very powerful. Anya’s blindness is a startling development, as is Sansa being manipulated into becoming a bride to Littlefinger in his pursuit of Winterfell, the Stark family estate. Sam moves closer to learning about the dragons, and breaks his vows of celibacy. Jamie is sickened by the war’s effects on the people of Westeros, while Brianne travel round rather aimlessly looking for Sansa before finally being captured and assigned to killing Jamie Lannister if she is not to be hanged. Many adventures and fight scenes could be trimmed or cult entirely in a rather meandering text that lacks the edge of other books in the series but even at its worse, Martin’s writing is way above the fantasy genre’s average. Leaving the cliff-hanger of Tyrion’s fate and whereabouts for a later volume is however unforgivable. Arthur Chappell