Book Review: George R.R. Martin's "A Feast for Crows"

- by V.L. Locey, 12 July 2012

With no new episodes of the HBO "Game of Thrones" show currently on tv, the time is right for new fans to get into George R.R. Martin's epic "A Song of Ice and Fire" book saga. As you should well remember, last month we were joined here at Trash Mutant by our friend, fellow Martin fan and book author, Vicki Locey, who did a guest review of "A Storm of Swords".

This month we're happy to have Vicki back for a follow up to that article: the review of the fourth book in the saga - "A Feast for Crows". So whether you're a longtime fan of the books/show, or just recently got into the world of Westeros, read along and check out what she thought of the book!

G.R.R. Martin's "A Feast for Crows"

Have you  ever read a book  that haunts you  for days  after you  turn  that last  page? Most  generally  when I close a book for the last time, I place it on my ‘Trade-In’ pile and that's that. I'll review it, chat about what I liked or disliked, then pick up another novel and dive in. Sometimes, if they are real gems, they go onto my bookshelf for posterity or future re-reads.

"A Feast for Crows" by George R.R. Martin wouldn't let me follow my routine. It is still gnawing at the bones in the corners of my mind, like some hungry dog, forbidding me to get too involved with the next book on my long, long list. I keep setting aside the romance I've heard so much about and, no, it is NOT "Fifty Shades".  (Don't even get me started on that one!)  I keep coming back mentally and reworking what I read in "A Feast for Crows".

For those of you who aren't familiar with the fantasy novels, or the award-winning HBO series, "A Feast for Crows" is the fourth book in the "A Song of Fire and Ice" novels, dealing with the game of thrones being played in the land of Westeros. War is rampant throughout the land. The Wall is looking weaker and weaker. The dead are rising. People are dying and being killed left and right and not only on the battlefields. It is a riveting story filled with characters that are not black and white, but multiple shades of grey.

After reading the three previous books, I thought I knew what to expect from Mr. Martin. Wrong. Upon reflection I should have known better. I should have been prepared for this novel to delve into some of the characters that had been sideline players up to this point. There is little for the fans of Jon Snow, Daenerys, or my main man, Tyrion Lannister in this book. I will admit that the lack of my favorites, at first, make me a touch cranky, especially given what transpired in book three. (No I am not saying what happened. Get off your fanny and get to your local Indie bookstore to find out!)

It took me until I was a halfway through this novel to give up wishing for those characters to appear and get involved in the ones being spotlighted this time around. That is my bad, not Mr. Martin's. His writing, as usual, is impeccable, tight, driven, dramatic, and by the Sevens, depressing as hell. I plan on reading two lighter books before I pick up the fifth novel, "A Dance with Dragons", just to wipe away the melancholy and lingering darkness in my heart.

This time around we get deeper looks into Jaime, Cersei, Samwell, Sansa, Arya, and Brienne. I found myself stunned at some of the developments. I was cheering on someone I had hated at one point (and yes, that's you I`m talking about, Kingslayer.), gasping at what happens to the Maid of Tarth, shaking my head at the situation that Sansa is now in, and chewing my nails as Samwell leaves the Wall on his own adventure. The plots and sub-plots are just too tangled and thick to even TRY to unravel in a review. Beautiful people turn out to be monsters, people you like end up being tortured or ravaged by bandits, folks you hate turn around and surprise the living hell out of you…My mind is still trying to work out all the fine details.

As always the action and violence is brutal, the sex is sizzling, and the intrigue thick as clam chowder and just as tasty.

Please, if you're a reader of any kind, pick up this series. I've heard folks saying that they don't wish to read the books because "It's too mainstream now" or "I don't read fantasy novels". They are missing out on one of the premier works of fiction to come along in years due to their short-sightedness. Jump in now. Find out what all the talk is about. I guarantee that once you dip your literary toes into the cold, cold lakes of Westeros, you will be just as enthralled as I am. But do remember this while you're splashing about in that chilly water of fictional glory….

Winter is coming.

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V.L. Locey is the author of ‘Of Gods & Goats’, the first in a trilogy of rural romantic comedies with a heavy Greek mythos flavor. When not writing, V.L. is reading, playing X-Box, sipping coffee, tending goats, “researching sexy Greek gods” or has her nose buried in a Marvel comic book. She is also the writer for the web strip, ‘Don't Ever Tell Alex’ and has several online stories, ranging from Marvel-based fan fiction the original character tale ‘Sons of War’ and a new original work entitled ‘Bloodlines’ set to debut in July.


To purchase a copy of her book, you can go to her website, or grab a copy for your eReader at SmashWords.

To read along with her MU based work, check out Mickey's Tavern.

If you're hankering for original character work, you can find V.L. Locey's stories at Essential Webcomics.

If you're a fan of web strips, check out her work, along with Mr. Paul Rose's 3-D art right here, on the "Don't Ever Tell Alex" blog.

She can also be found on Twitter, Facebook, GoodReads or any local book shop.

Tagged: books, Reviews.

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