Addai67 wrote...
Why were you waiting for resolution? There are two more books.
Where to begin, how to explain . . . .
Yes, I knew this was not the last book. Word is, there might be 3 more - which doesn't surprise me, what with the vast amount of nothing I just read, but anyway - so yes, I know the overall story is not over.
When you write a series, it's not enough - to me - to write part of a story, bind it, put a title on it, and sell it. "Part 1 of aSoIaF". Each bound edition is still a book in its own right.
A book - which tells a story - should have (again, according to me) a beginning, a middle and an end. Introduce us to our characters, tell us their problems, show us the solution. I'm not saying there should never be a cliffhanger in a series. However, in each book, I do expect certain things to be resolved, or at least to move toward that cliffhanger.
GoT introduced us to the world, showed us the Lannister-Baratheon conflict, resolved that with Robert's death. It introduced the Starks, killed Ned (resolving his arc) and led us to the rise of the young wolf. We were introduced to Dany and her brother, and Drogo, saw the end of her brothers aspirations, and the growth of Dany into someone not willing to cower behind or be led by someone (her brother) or to simply let someone else make decisions and do things (Drogo), but become someone ready to take that role herself.
Did Robb's story end? Dany's? No, of course not. The series wasn't over.
CoK fleshed out Renly, introduced us to Balon. We saw the end of Renly, the introduction of Brienne, the rise of Balon, the continued demise of the Starks. Littlefinger was fleshed out, Tyrion became a major player (more than before), Cersei's ambitions (and delusions) began to be revealed. Plots began, some ended, some expanded, but there was an ending to the book.
SoS brought us the Red Wedding, Brienne's search, Arya's flight continued, Jon's election as Lord Commander, etc. Sure, there were cliffhangers there - did Brienne live, is Arya blind forever, Did Tyrion escape, etc. Yet Joffrey was dead, Tywin was dead, Robb Stark was dead, the north broken, the Vale in the hands of Littlefinger. Things ended.
Feast, for all it was half a book, gave us some excellent ending points - Cercei's capture, Theon's capture, the Kingsmoot on Pyke (or whichever island), Sam's arrival on Oldtown. Plots moved, some were resolved, some had ending points. Yes, many plots were left out entirely.
Then we get Dance. Dany hangs out in Meereen. Was there really any advance in her plot at all? Tyrion, we learn, is off to the Free Cities to find Dany . . . .and at the end of the book, is still trying to do that. Jon has been letting wilders flood through the gates of the Wall . . . . and not much else. Wights? Others? No sign of them. Jorah was trying to find a way back into the graces of Dany . . .and stumbled on Tyrion. So he's now essentially lost as well.
We met Quentyn - and he died. We met Aegon . . . and he's not doing much, except invading a minor keep in the middle of nowhere. Him meet with Dany? Yea, sorry, she's busy in Meereen still.
Where was plot advancement? I didn't see any. Dany's in Meereen, Tyrion, Jorah and now Victarion are all still trying to find her. Margaery is still locked up. Cersei walked across the city naked, and then had dinner with her son and uncle.
What resolved? Quentyn? Big deal. Was there further shakeup in the Seven Kingdoms? Nope. Consolidation of power? None of that either. Uncle Kevan died. As with Quentyn . . . big deal. Perhaps a shock, but was Kevan Lannister viewed as a major player here? I don't think so. Tywin was the brains of that family. Jon is (perhaps) dead. That is a big shock. But what had changed at the Wall, anyway . . . . well, we now have a ton of wildings outnumbering the Night's Watch, rather than Stannis and his people. Is Bran found? Where's Rickon?
The fact that he caught the timelines up at the end makes it even worse - more Cersei chapters, but they advanced nothing from Feast. A few Jaime chapters, ending with him walking into what may well be a trap. Cliffhanger. Cliffhangers work if things are also being resolved. He resolved none of the cliffhangers he left us after SoS, and simply added more.
No, I didn't expect everything to be resolved. But I expected a beginning, a middle and an end. Instead, what I feel I got was a middle. Maybe a little beginning. But no ending. At all. Just a place where the book stopped.
Understand that I love this series. It's one of my favorites. A lot of my frustration probably stems from the fact I've been reading it - and re-reading it - since GoT came out in paperback in 1997, when I bought it. I gobbled up CoK the minute it was released. I did the same with SoS. I waited patiently for five years for Feast, and even though it was half a book, enjoyed it. I felt it did the job for the characters presented. I waited - rather impatiently, I admit - 6 years for Dance, the other half of Feast. Dance failed to deliver.
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