Right at the beginning of the year, before I even went back to work after the holiday break, I got together with one of my book clubs for our monthly discussion and annual gift exchange.
When it was my turn to choose a gift, I got these:
Since then, my every spare moment has been spent reading and reading and reading. Each book is at least 1,000 pages long. These five are the only ones in the series that have been released so far.
They. Are. Awesome. Complicated, nuanced characters in a vast and varied world. Bloody feudal statecraft. Little touches of the supernatural.
Reading them isn't exactly easy - I would often start a new chapter (each chapter is about a different character) and think, "Now, who is this again?" It's completely worth it, though.
On Saturday morning, a little 4:00 a.m. insomnia led me to read the last 200 pages of the final book in the middle of the night. So now I am free to resume my life as it was before. At least until the DVDs of the TV series come out...
That's the kind of book I don't care for. They require too much concentration! Actually, I don't like any sort of fantasy or futuristic story. Give me simple blood and guts stuff like the John Sandford books.
Posted by: Donna W | January 29, 2012 at 09:21 AM
I guess I'm responsible for throwing your life balance out of whack! I'm glad you devoured them and loved them! I wish I had time to read them! See you soon.
Posted by: Marnie | January 29, 2012 at 09:42 AM
I love this series. I found them about ten years ago and try and re-read every couple of years or so from the beginning. Makes the decades long wait for the next one more bearable!
Posted by: Lisa C | January 29, 2012 at 11:39 AM
That was the one series that almost made me rethink dropping HBO - I liked what they did with the books last year...
Posted by: Nick | January 29, 2012 at 08:22 PM