Hey bookworms! I'm really excited to get back to talking about the incredible Song of Ice & Fire books again. Thanks for voting and making this your choice for this video. May the Lord of Light, the Heart of Fire, the God of Flame and Shadow keep you warm.
While I respect your opinion, in all honesty I can not & do not recommend this book series to family or friends. Until I see the 6 & 7 books I refuse to put people in the same uncomfortable situation that I am in, almost 10 years bitching & complaining about George Martin not finishing the last two books.
I'm in the same boat. I've read the series through 6 times so far and have binged too much content on youtube and still watch videos like this. It's fun to hear other people reasons for loving something I also love.
I have had it since he came out and still didn't read it. I had started it but had trouble getting into it. It reminds me of The Silmarillon because it reads like a history book.
Oh boy, i guess i should thank ASOIAF for igniting my passion for sci-fi/fantasy. Well, i guess i should also thank the tv-show for being absolute masterpiece for four seasons and gripping my heart, and then terrible for 1.5 seasons to make me read the books to erase this sourness. I adore the books. Great plot, great characters, fantastic execution of subversion of expectations and quite beefy lore. I honestly don't care if the series won't get any proper finale, because what i already got out of it is worth a ton(including the ever growing black hole in my wallet). Of course i want to know how it ends, but the fact that i now have more books behind my back than in 10 years before I read ASOIAF, is more than enough.
I'm actually glad the show ended so badly because it forced me to read the books which are amazing. I'm fairly certain we will get The Winds of Winter but A dream of spring is unlikely. Really interested to see how George will fit all of these plots and characters into one book. I wouldn't be surprised to see TWOW split up like a Dance with Dragons was.
I think the actual ending is going to be pretty similar than the show. The white walkers resolution is what I hope is different... Or, better said, better elaborated (makes sense they are stopped in winterfel tho) For me the show's take was ok-ish... The problem for me was that it was quite rushed, it needed 4 full seasons to unveil and work on instead of just one and a half :S
The book World of Ice and Fire really brings a lot to the series with its lore and expansion of the world of asoiaf. If someone loves this series, they should definitely read that
I had a weird thought about that recently...that is it's oddly poetic in a sense? What if it never gets finished? Sure plot lines dangling and all that ,but it seem's to have a certain beauty too all the same. Ps. After checking out the forsaken chapter from winds of winter....I am excited.
I love this series, discovered it when the first season of the show came out and it was so good I felt I had to read the series. And then the books were even better! Amazing characters, a deep and interesting world and so much scheming. I hope it gets finished one day. I don't think Martin has stopped caring about the series, but he's struggling to reign it in because everything has sprawled so much. Combine that with the fact he hasn't outlined it and he can't get the characters where he wants to take them. He seems to be a slow writer and has so many other demands on his time that like a lot of us he's procrastinating with the difficult stuff to do the easier. Personally I'd like to see him hire a ghost writer who he can work with to get the series finished. I can't see how it gets done otherwise.
Yes, even incomplete it's better than most. Martin has created some unforgettable characters that will live on beyond the books, as well as epic scenes and moments that television fails to capture.
I confess I didn't read the books until the first season of the show was coming out. When I started I read each book in a week. ASOIAF and Malazan are the only books that big I've been able to read that fast, probably because they don't let you stop. Martin was really clever when he titled each chapter with the POV character's name, because that made it sometimes impossible to not read just one more chapter. Still rooting for Stannis, even if he's at a slight disadvantage for the time being.
I haven’t read ASOIAF yet, but I have to thank the TV show for making me want to read. I thought the show was so awesome, then I found out it was based on books. That hooked me into reading the fantasy genre.
It was the insane hype surrounding GOT that got me really curious about the series. Been seeing trailers and advertising for it everywhere a while back and gave the books a try. 15 pages into the first book, bought the rest of the series and fell in love with fantasy as an adult. GRRM is an incredible storyteller 😊 Thank you for reviewing this series Mike!
I'm halfway through the 2nd book at the moment and from what I've read so far these books are definitely worth reading. A Song of Ice and Fire is very addictive to read as well.
I love this series!!! Even Fire and Blood I find to be so captivating, every word makes me feel George is crafting something special with The Winds of Winter!
@desertrosereads my man George is just living life, even if he did take a break, I’m sure he couldn’t just turn off the ideas that pop in into a writers head from time to time, you’re right he didn’t spend 10 years, at this point he’s spent 11
I think he'll get 95% of it done and his family will finish it after he passes it and they'll publish it. We're definitely never** getting a dream of spring
Oh my god. That intro. You know, 10 mins ago I was like: idk is the Song of Ice and Fire worth reading? Maybe I'll read something else for now and come back to it a bit later. But no, this seems to be a m a z i n g
As I begin A Dance with Dragons I will admit to you Mike that after having read nothing but fantasy for the last 2 years I put off reading this series because it was unfinished! WOW, how arrogant and stupid of me. I can honestly say that this has become my favorite series to date. Of course I said that about RotE and Malazan but what makes ASOIAF different is how there have been things happen within the series that have affected me so profoundly it changed me!! Not trying to be melodramatic but it’s true. I can hope and pray that Martin can finish it but if not I can still appreciate and benefit from what we have. I haven’t watched the adaptation and still not sure if I will ( not sure I can take the red wedding). As others have commented already, great intro! On to watch your favorite characters video. Thanks Mike
I binge read this at the end of last year and this series is what lead me to the decision to read only fantasy and sci-fi books this year. So reading A Song of Ice and Fire was one of the best bookish decisions I've ever made. Thank you for your appreciation for these books. Love this video Mike. 🤓
Very glad you talked about why the series is not nihilistic or pointlessly bloodthirsty despite all the character deaths (some of them in horrific ways). Martin is an intensely humanizing writer and definitely gives you so much compassion for so many of these people, you rarely feel desensitized.
I tried reading AOIAF a while ago but got busy with life, but loved your review. But then I saw the cover of Dune in the background, and was like, "Oh crap, that's been on my reading list for over a decade!!!" So I just bought it and am going to finally start. Thanks for the inspiration!
I have them on my radar. And I do plan on getting to them at some point. But I still have so much on my TBR... But I will get to them one day soon. Thanks for the video, Mike!
Agree with everything you said on characters, world, history, religions. The guy has literally written history books, encyclopaedia and more. I hadn’t even heard of it before the show, started reading after the show ended and I have read 3 books as well as the dunk and egg stories and loved them all. I want to read so many things and the fact I don’t expect the next book anytime soon doesn’t have me rushing to read the other 2 but I will eventually
I have just finished the Intro & Reading Excerpt part and I want to start the series from the top again even though I am currently reading book 5. Keep up the great work man!
A Song of Ice & Fire is one of my all time favorite fantasy series. I have absolutely awesome memories of reading the series. I wonder if I should read again towards the end of the year.Awesome world, rich histories, characters and plot patterns. My favorite characters are Jon Snow and Ghost, Davos, Jaime and Tyrion, Sam, Brynden and Lord E Stark.The biggest downside, of course, is MR George R.R. Martin himself. I have to say it out loud once again that we will never see a finished book series.
I love asoiaf , even if it doesn't get finished., ignore the last 3 sesson the the show. Still so good and fun to read. The only series I've read 3 times , besides lotr
Got high expectations on this series, I can’t wait to read it. Picked up the first three in the series by folio Society and they look stunning on my book shelf
I'm so grateful this channel exists because Mike is the direct reason I read Wheel of TIme, Dune, Hyperion, The Martian, Kings of the Wyld, and now Red Rising. For the most part, the new stuff on this channel this year has fallen flat with me because I'm not reading Malazan, don't care much about Michael Crichton, and definitely don't care about manga. But that said, I'm way better off for watching this channel than not with all of the great recommends.
I'm currently re-reading this series right now (the illustrated editions from Bantam). I forgot just how good this series is. Martin's prose is exquisite, the characters are amazing, and the foreshadowing is so, so good!
I remember an interview that George did, he mentioned meeting a fan that asked him for a favor. The fan said "I'm 85 years old. Could you write a little bit faster?"
I absolutely love this series. If you only know the TV version of the story you haven’t even cracked the surface. Highly recommend to any fantasy genre fans.
Your video quality is always so good! ASoIaF was the first adult fantasy i read and it was a little tough to get through as i pretty much jumped into the deep end but i loved it. Desperately want to reread it but too many other books that need reading. Maybe The Winds of Winter will be out by the time i get to rereading it 😄 But even as an unfinished series, its so great!
Read them 2 years ago after I read the Stormlight books. Those series sparked back my interest in reading. As much as we want the story completed, I'm grateful for what we got
Thank you for this video, Mike. I’m close to finishing the first book, and I’m loving it. You said something that I hadn’t heard before and that makes me really glad. You mentioned that it is possible to read just the first three books (which also happen to be the best ones) and have some sort of closure. I think I’ll do just that. I’ll start book four only if and when the series is completed.
I think we also need to give some thanks to George for inspiring some other great new writers while also introducing many of us to great authors who inspired him, (Bernard Cornwell for one) I also respect him for following his passions and doing a lot of different things in his life in the creative fields of writing books, TV script, screenplays and short stories, editing, producing, directing, etc...
I was on an airplane for a business trip when I started the first book. I was immediately ensnared, and I didn't want to depart the plane, because that meant putting the book away until later.
It was meant to be a trilogy, Game of Thrones, Dance with Dragons, and Winds of Winter I believe were the three names. First book got expanded into 3, next one is 2 or 3, and final is 1 or 2.
This is a great, great series. I think the measure of just how good is that even with all the baggage that’s built up with the tv series ending, the book delays, the side projects, the ‘history’ books, the fan burnout and disillusionment- even with all that - if the 6th book did come out and it was as good as the first 5, it would be essential reading and would fly off the shelves by the million. It might never happen, and I think the odds are that he won’t finish the series now, but the quality of what we have on the page is undeniable.
Great video, Mike. I was late to the series so can't complain about the wait as much as most! Actually started a slow re-read for the first time recently, AGOT as brilliant as remembered.
I’m one of the few who have never watched a single show of this yet! I read the first book- and absolutely have to get into the rest soon. It’s on my summer/fall (perhaps more appropriate to winter) soon to be read. Looking forward to it!! Great video!
DAMM the Reading Excerpt game me chills all over my freekin body... such good quotes. Also i need something like a poster or metal poster for the print you have on your shirt, its so cool
I was introduced to the genre of fantasy by the Hobbit and the Lord of the Rings. Heard Sean Bean was in Malta during season one's filming, roughly the same time I finished reading the Lord of the Rings for the first time. I did my research about his new show and ended up buying the whole set. I fell in love with A Song of Ice and Fire. How time flies!
I got into this series right when the five book came out. I had fallen out with reading and a friend told me they were amazing. These books brought me back, love them
18:40 I disagree. As a first time reader, this series gave me more joy than any other series I tried since. I wouldn’t enjoy fantasy without this as an introduction. Fun video by the way :)
I'm thankful for the show, otherwise I would of never considered reading or heard of it. & I love the hell out of lore & if there is a crap ton of lore to this world Martin created makes me more intrigued to read this series
I started reading A Song of Fire and Ice when I was 12 in 1998 when A Clash of Kings was released. I saw it at my local bookstore and thought it sounded interesting from reading the blurb on the back of the book, so I had my Mom buy me Game of Thrones and Clash of Kings. I had already read Lord of the Rings, was into Terry Brooks Shannara series, and had read the first book in Harry Potter. Maybe 12 in a little too young but I enjoyed it. My parents aren't readers so they didn't realize what I was reading.
Other than the first book, I read each novel as it was published. I pretty much agree with everything you said about the series. It really is one of best fantasy series I've ever read, even incomplete. And while I don't hold out much hope of it ever happening, IF the next book ever gets published, I WILL read it.
...and the symbolism/imagery. The symbolism/imagery. The symbolism/imagery. I can't stress this enough, because I only caught a hint of it when reading. Other RUclips channels make some incredible, mind-blowing predictions of where this story will go in the final volumes. Things I never considered, even after having read the books about 4 times. And they reach these predictions through symbolism within symbolism ("plans within plans"). Not sure if I'm allowed to link to outside channels, but you can message me if you want to know what I'm referring to. Great channel by the way, Mike. Dune brought me here.
Do i love this series? Yes, it inspired me to become a writer i will forever cherish it until i die. Now for the wagging finger at GRRM. He said he wanted to write as big a story he possibly could and that was taken too far. The first 3 books are long but tight, they don't feel like filler at all which is why i breeze through them. The last two opened new plots and subplots with Dorne and a certain Young boy who is not just a young boy. GRRM needed to tighten the story back instead he started to open it up even more and now i feel this is why he has taken a decade to write Book 6.
I read this series while I waited for Brandon Sanderson to finish WoT. It was a good Segway into something different that was just as huge and intriguing.
Great video! I watched the show a few years ago without having read the books and just a few months ago I had a strong urge to get back to that world and those characters. I’ve only read the first two books so far but it is without a doubt some of the best fantasy I’ve read! I can’t wait to get to the other books. I wouldn’t be surprised if this ends up being one of my favorite series when I finish the other three books
That's George's live work. What would he do if it was already finished. I love your enthusiasm Mike :) I discovered the series because of the TV show. I have only read the first two books so far, but loved them so much and I'll read the rest no matter if it gets finished or not.
I have only reread 2 Book series Game of Thrones and Lord of The Ring nothing compares to them a cut above the rest. Wish George R. R. Martin would finish
This series was my real intro into modern fantasy. Prior to this, I'd read things like LotR and Narnia. I will never forget "Don't look", and then waiting SO LONG to find out it really happened in book 1. I also really like how there were certain characters I absolutely DREADED reading in book 1, but became interested in them as the series moved on. My only regret is that if the next book ever does come out, I'll need to find some serious clif notes to catch back up.
Looking at the full series, untouched. just collecting dust on my shelf right now. I will read them when Martin finishes writing them and not a minute earlier. He can have my $160 but not my time until he is finished.
Really great video. I agree that ASOIAF is one of the best fantasy series even though it is not finished. It's been five years since i first read the books and i really missed the whole world but i made promise myself to read it again when WoW will be published. The whole world is amazing and nothing comes close to it, except MiddleEarth of course.
This is the first fantasy series I ever read (well apart from Harry Potter way back in primary school), and the first series I read in English (it's not my native language lol) and I gotta say it was really challenging but oh so satisfying. I consider myself a really big fan of ASOIAF and I gotta say very few fantasy books come close to how these books make me feel, it's just something else, it may be the nostalgia but I feel like I'm IN THERE with the characters and everything that happens feels like it's important. So sad that I can't enjoy something else as much as this.
Top 1 book series for me since 2003. Never read anything as powerful and moving and interesting as ASOIAF. Live inside that world and in the minds of those amazing characters. TWOW pls come next year.
Fantastic review! I adore these books for so many reasons that you listed. I love the covers you showed in the beginning. Wish I could find them. I agree with the show ending. The book could be the same and I’m sure it would be well written. I want dany’s inner monologue before she lights up kings landing. It could be intense. Great video! Go house stark! 🐺
I’m new into reading I’m a manga comic reader but new to books book I read in school a bit but forcible and bareley paid attention I love your channel I never new books could be this epic your intros to a book that you do are just insane I had just finished this show and loved it a lot even s8 although apparently hated but I though was great I wanted to see more of this story will def be reading this I’ve got a lot of books on my list to all interesting and look epic hyped idk y but I only ever heard of books dialogue never knew like action could be in books that u could picture it like in movies and stuff
great review you hit the nail. the issues i have with recommending the books are the difficulty and to really apricate the story. is great on the base level still. the reasons why it is one of the best stories ever told is the depth of this stories ocean. theres channels devoted to this series in any other fantasy other than lotr i would say are huge lakes but ankle deep
Great intro as always. That was some fantastic artwork that was included. Then again, the overall discussion was great, too. This brings back some great memories of first reading the books. George RR Martin is a fantastic writer. The story is dark as hell, but the characters are unforgettable. It's one of my favorite fantasy series. It's just a shame that it is not yet finished (and I truly wonder whether it every will be).
ASOIAF feels like comfort read to me, a little bit like LOTR but it's MORE. I don't consider Martins writings to be as good as Tolkien's though, there are a few paragraphs that makes me cringe. Otherwise it sinks you in a medieval universe which I find relaxing, very immersive. I've always read them A to Z, but I've heard some people only read their favorite characters, then if they like it they read more.
Yeah, I do like ASOIAF and would recommend reading it. But with ASOIAF you definitely need to go in with the expectation that there likely will be no ending, and if you can't handle that you should wait. I've always been a journey before destination reader (it's also the reason I don't generally care about spoilers) so doesn't matter to me that much.
I believe I heard somewhere that the Targaryens are heavily based on the Melnibonians from the Elric Saga. Elric of Melnibone is another classic dark fantasy series that’s definitely worth checking out!
Hey bookworms! I'm really excited to get back to talking about the incredible Song of Ice & Fire books again. Thanks for voting and making this your choice for this video. May the Lord of Light, the Heart of Fire, the God of Flame and Shadow keep you warm.
While I respect your opinion, in all honesty I can not & do not recommend this book series to family or friends. Until I see the 6 & 7 books I refuse to put people in the same uncomfortable situation that I am in, almost 10 years bitching & complaining about George Martin not finishing the last two books.
And you also. 🤣
Well said sir.
Im optimistic, I truly believe we will get Winds of Winter soon. In the next year or two probably. Dream of Spring is still up in the air though.
*Has read ASOIAF many times*
Me : I’ll watch this to find out why
😂 same
I know I love this series regardless of whether or not it's finished
I'm in the same boat. I've read the series through 6 times so far and have binged too much content on youtube and still watch videos like this. It's fun to hear other people reasons for loving something I also love.
I wish I never read this shit
That intro just reminded me of why this is my favorite series. Great job Mike.
Glad you enjoyed it!
@@mikesbookreviews channel read along of A Song of ice in fire in 2035 when Winds of Winter comes out??
the first couple lines of the intro sure feels like WoT.
great video, thanks mike!
@@mikesbookreviews that intro is why I believe you should try publishing a book Mike!!!! Really great job as always brother.....
"When you play the game of thrones, you either live, OR YOU DIE."
Chills man. Chills.
I feel like I’m the only one that loves fire and blood. Binged through it in 3 days. It was so fast paced
it's great
I’ve read half, I’m so in love with it, but I know for now it’s the last original ASOIAF available at the moment
I did it in Two days! It was awesome.
I loved that one as well. And I have THE HEDGE KNIGHT graphic novel as well, that's a fun one.
I have had it since he came out and still didn't read it. I had started it but had trouble getting into it. It reminds me of The Silmarillon because it reads like a history book.
Oh boy, i guess i should thank ASOIAF for igniting my passion for sci-fi/fantasy. Well, i guess i should also thank the tv-show for being absolute masterpiece for four seasons and gripping my heart, and then terrible for 1.5 seasons to make me read the books to erase this sourness.
I adore the books. Great plot, great characters, fantastic execution of subversion of expectations and quite beefy lore.
I honestly don't care if the series won't get any proper finale, because what i already got out of it is worth a ton(including the ever growing black hole in my wallet). Of course i want to know how it ends, but the fact that i now have more books behind my back than in 10 years before I read ASOIAF, is more than enough.
This was my exact experience! I agree that getting an ending from Martin is not necessary for me because the books he has given us mean so much to me
Wow. When a book can give you so much, that's beautiful. I'm just starting book 1 🥺😁
Sci fi?
I'm actually glad the show ended so badly because it forced me to read the books which are amazing. I'm fairly certain we will get The Winds of Winter but A dream of spring is unlikely. Really interested to see how George will fit all of these plots and characters into one book. I wouldn't be surprised to see TWOW split up like a Dance with Dragons was.
ASOIAF is one of the reasons I have trouble with the larger fantasy genre. It's so damned good and well written other writers just can't compete.
Try the Farseer Trilogy and LOTR of course if you haven't already
@@brachialtick6539 Lotr is garbage
@@voluntarism335
Now I've heard everything. So you read through all LotR books and didn't like them?
@@babbisp1i definitely don’t think it’s anywhere when close to trash but it’s definitely not for me
@@dolanthoI prefer the movies personally
this video makes me want an Animated series of the story even more!! I think eventually someone will do it, hopefully with the actual ending..
Yeah and hopefully they'll actually adapt the books
I think the actual ending is going to be pretty similar than the show. The white walkers resolution is what I hope is different... Or, better said, better elaborated (makes sense they are stopped in winterfel tho)
For me the show's take was ok-ish... The problem for me was that it was quite rushed, it needed 4 full seasons to unveil and work on instead of just one and a half :S
The book World of Ice and Fire really brings a lot to the series with its lore and expansion of the world of asoiaf. If someone loves this series, they should definitely read that
one of the best series of all time, it really breaks my heart that it will likely never be finished
totally worth it even with the ending missing
I had a weird thought about that recently...that is it's oddly poetic in a sense? What if it never gets finished? Sure plot lines dangling and all that ,but it seem's to have a certain beauty too all the same.
Ps. After checking out the forsaken chapter from winds of winter....I am excited.
I love this series, discovered it when the first season of the show came out and it was so good I felt I had to read the series. And then the books were even better! Amazing characters, a deep and interesting world and so much scheming.
I hope it gets finished one day. I don't think Martin has stopped caring about the series, but he's struggling to reign it in because everything has sprawled so much. Combine that with the fact he hasn't outlined it and he can't get the characters where he wants to take them. He seems to be a slow writer and has so many other demands on his time that like a lot of us he's procrastinating with the difficult stuff to do the easier.
Personally I'd like to see him hire a ghost writer who he can work with to get the series finished. I can't see how it gets done otherwise.
That intro might be the best one yet! Wow the transitions between quotes was fantastic
I am my own toughest critic and I am quite satisfied with this intro. Glad others enjoyed it as well.
This is my favorite series of all time. It is definitely worth reading even with the frustration of when the next book will ever arrive. :D
Yes, even incomplete it's better than most. Martin has created some unforgettable characters that will live on beyond the books, as well as epic scenes and moments that television fails to capture.
I confess I didn't read the books until the first season of the show was coming out. When I started I read each book in a week. ASOIAF and Malazan are the only books that big I've been able to read that fast, probably because they don't let you stop. Martin was really clever when he titled each chapter with the POV character's name, because that made it sometimes impossible to not read just one more chapter.
Still rooting for Stannis, even if he's at a slight disadvantage for the time being.
I started when season 2 came out, binge read the books before season 3, also on the Stannermen train for good or for ill
Stannis the Manis!
ONE KINGDOM ONE GOD ONE STANNIS
I haven’t read ASOIAF yet, but I have to thank the TV show for making me want to read. I thought the show was so awesome, then I found out it was based on books. That hooked me into reading the fantasy genre.
It was the insane hype surrounding GOT that got me really curious about the series. Been seeing trailers and advertising for it everywhere a while back and gave the books a try. 15 pages into the first book, bought the rest of the series and fell in love with fantasy as an adult. GRRM is an incredible storyteller 😊 Thank you for reviewing this series Mike!
I'm halfway through the 2nd book at the moment and from what I've read so far these books are definitely worth reading. A Song of Ice and Fire is very addictive to read as well.
Oh wow, that intro gave me goosebumps on my arms! 👏
I love ASoIaF 💖
George is a magnificent writer, and I can't wait to see how he ties the series up.
I love this series!!! Even Fire and Blood I find to be so captivating, every word makes me feel George is crafting something special with The Winds of Winter!
@desertrosereads my man George is just living life, even if he did take a break, I’m sure he couldn’t just turn off the ideas that pop in into a writers head from time to time, you’re right he didn’t spend 10 years, at this point he’s spent 11
@@SpartnMarine823 the hack will never finish it
@@aguilarraliuga1777you're so butthurt lol
I think he'll get 95% of it done and his family will finish it after he passes it and they'll publish it. We're definitely never** getting a dream of spring
Goosebumps on the intro, amazing!
Oh my god. That intro. You know, 10 mins ago I was like: idk is the Song of Ice and Fire worth reading? Maybe I'll read something else for now and come back to it a bit later. But no, this seems to be a m a z i n g
Ha ha, thanks! Glad you enjoyed it.
As I begin A Dance with Dragons I will admit to you Mike that after having read nothing but fantasy for the last 2 years I put off reading this series because it was unfinished! WOW, how arrogant and stupid of me. I can honestly say that this has become my favorite series to date. Of course I said that about RotE and Malazan but what makes ASOIAF different is how there have been things happen within the series that have affected me so profoundly it changed me!! Not trying to be melodramatic but it’s true. I can hope and pray that Martin can finish it but if not I can still appreciate and benefit from what we have. I haven’t watched the adaptation and still not sure if I will ( not sure I can take the red wedding). As others have commented already, great intro! On to watch your favorite characters video. Thanks Mike
I binge read this at the end of last year and this series is what lead me to the decision to read only fantasy and sci-fi books this year.
So reading A Song of Ice and Fire was one of the best bookish decisions I've ever made.
Thank you for your appreciation for these books. Love this video Mike. 🤓
Very glad you talked about why the series is not nihilistic or pointlessly bloodthirsty despite all the character deaths (some of them in horrific ways). Martin is an intensely humanizing writer and definitely gives you so much compassion for so many of these people, you rarely feel desensitized.
The intro readings just get more and more bad ass every time!!!!!
I tried reading AOIAF a while ago but got busy with life, but loved your review. But then I saw the cover of Dune in the background, and was like, "Oh crap, that's been on my reading list for over a decade!!!" So I just bought it and am going to finally start. Thanks for the inspiration!
I have them on my radar. And I do plan on getting to them at some point. But I still have so much on my TBR... But I will get to them one day soon. Thanks for the video, Mike!
You can tell how excited you are to be talking about these books. Great video!
Agree with everything you said on characters, world, history, religions. The guy has literally written history books, encyclopaedia and more. I hadn’t even heard of it before the show, started reading after the show ended and I have read 3 books as well as the dunk and egg stories and loved them all. I want to read so many things and the fact I don’t expect the next book anytime soon doesn’t have me rushing to read the other 2 but I will eventually
I have just finished the Intro & Reading Excerpt part and I want to start the series from the top again even though I am currently reading book 5. Keep up the great work man!
A Song of Ice & Fire is one of my all time favorite fantasy series. I have absolutely awesome memories of reading the series. I wonder if I should read again towards the end of the year.Awesome world, rich histories, characters and plot patterns. My favorite characters are Jon Snow and Ghost, Davos, Jaime and Tyrion, Sam, Brynden and Lord E Stark.The biggest downside, of course, is MR George R.R. Martin himself. I have to say it out loud once again that we will never see a finished book series.
I love asoiaf , even if it doesn't get finished., ignore the last 3 sesson the the show. Still so good and fun to read. The only series I've read 3 times , besides lotr
I can't wait I'll be starting this series towards the end of the year!
Got high expectations on this series, I can’t wait to read it. Picked up the first three in the series by folio Society and they look stunning on my book shelf
I'm so grateful this channel exists because Mike is the direct reason I read Wheel of TIme, Dune, Hyperion, The Martian, Kings of the Wyld, and now Red Rising. For the most part, the new stuff on this channel this year has fallen flat with me because I'm not reading Malazan, don't care much about Michael Crichton, and definitely don't care about manga. But that said, I'm way better off for watching this channel than not with all of the great recommends.
I'm currently re-reading this series right now (the illustrated editions from Bantam). I forgot just how good this series is. Martin's prose is exquisite, the characters are amazing, and the foreshadowing is so, so good!
I remember an interview that George did, he mentioned meeting a fan that asked him for a favor. The fan said "I'm 85 years old. Could you write a little bit faster?"
I absolutely love this series. If you only know the TV version of the story you haven’t even cracked the surface. Highly recommend to any fantasy genre fans.
I agree 100%.
I love your intros so much!!
Your video quality is always so good!
ASoIaF was the first adult fantasy i read and it was a little tough to get through as i pretty much jumped into the deep end but i loved it. Desperately want to reread it but too many other books that need reading. Maybe The Winds of Winter will be out by the time i get to rereading it 😄
But even as an unfinished series, its so great!
Read them 2 years ago after I read the Stormlight books. Those series sparked back my interest in reading. As much as we want the story completed, I'm grateful for what we got
Thank you for this video, Mike. I’m close to finishing the first book, and I’m loving it. You said something that I hadn’t heard before and that makes me really glad. You mentioned that it is possible to read just the first three books (which also happen to be the best ones) and have some sort of closure. I think I’ll do just that. I’ll start book four only if and when the series is completed.
I think we also need to give some thanks to George for inspiring some other great new writers while also introducing many of us to great authors who inspired him, (Bernard Cornwell for one) I also respect him for following his passions and doing a lot of different things in his life in the creative fields of writing books, TV script, screenplays and short stories, editing, producing, directing, etc...
Can we all just admit that we have already read ASOIF and just voted it because we wanted content about it?
I was on an airplane for a business trip when I started the first book. I was immediately ensnared, and I didn't want to depart the plane, because that meant putting the book away until later.
It was meant to be a trilogy, Game of Thrones, Dance with Dragons, and Winds of Winter I believe were the three names. First book got expanded into 3, next one is 2 or 3, and final is 1 or 2.
This is a great, great series. I think the measure of just how good is that even with all the baggage that’s built up with the tv series ending, the book delays, the side projects, the ‘history’ books, the fan burnout and disillusionment- even with all that - if the 6th book did come out and it was as good as the first 5, it would be essential reading and would fly off the shelves by the million.
It might never happen, and I think the odds are that he won’t finish the series now, but the quality of what we have on the page is undeniable.
That intro... Wow!!!
Great video, Mike. I was late to the series so can't complain about the wait as much as most! Actually started a slow re-read for the first time recently, AGOT as brilliant as remembered.
I’m one of the few who have never watched a single show of this yet! I read the first book- and absolutely have to get into the rest soon. It’s on my summer/fall (perhaps more appropriate to winter) soon to be read. Looking forward to it!! Great video!
Same here. I loved the books so much that I felt I would be let down by show.
This world is so damn huge with so much history, a video game should be made about something that happened a few hundred years before the main series
DAMM the Reading Excerpt game me chills all over my freekin body... such good quotes.
Also i need something like a poster or metal poster for the print you have on your shirt, its so cool
I was introduced to the genre of fantasy by the Hobbit and the Lord of the Rings. Heard Sean Bean was in Malta during season one's filming, roughly the same time I finished reading the Lord of the Rings for the first time. I did my research about his new show and ended up buying the whole set. I fell in love with A Song of Ice and Fire. How time flies!
I got into this series right when the five book came out. I had fallen out with reading and a friend told me they were amazing. These books brought me back, love them
18:40 I disagree. As a first time reader, this series gave me more joy than any other series I tried since. I wouldn’t enjoy fantasy without this as an introduction.
Fun video by the way :)
I'm thankful for the show, otherwise I would of never considered reading or heard of it. & I love the hell out of lore & if there is a crap ton of lore to this world Martin created makes me more intrigued to read this series
I started reading A Song of Fire and Ice when I was 12 in 1998 when A Clash of Kings was released. I saw it at my local bookstore and thought it sounded interesting from reading the blurb on the back of the book, so I had my Mom buy me Game of Thrones and Clash of Kings. I had already read Lord of the Rings, was into Terry Brooks Shannara series, and had read the first book in Harry Potter. Maybe 12 in a little too young but I enjoyed it. My parents aren't readers so they didn't realize what I was reading.
Magnificent intro!!
Other than the first book, I read each novel as it was published. I pretty much agree with everything you said about the series. It really is one of best fantasy series I've ever read, even incomplete. And while I don't hold out much hope of it ever happening, IF the next book ever gets published, I WILL read it.
...and the symbolism/imagery. The symbolism/imagery. The symbolism/imagery. I can't stress this enough, because I only caught a hint of it when reading. Other RUclips channels make some incredible, mind-blowing predictions of where this story will go in the final volumes. Things I never considered, even after having read the books about 4 times. And they reach these predictions through symbolism within symbolism ("plans within plans"). Not sure if I'm allowed to link to outside channels, but you can message me if you want to know what I'm referring to. Great channel by the way, Mike. Dune brought me here.
This might have to be my next read after the first law
Your entrances man 👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏
That opening 🔥🔥
I'm going to start these soon, but I might finish the first law stand alones first
Do i love this series? Yes, it inspired me to become a writer i will forever cherish it until i die. Now for the wagging finger at GRRM. He said he wanted to write as big a story he possibly could and that was taken too far. The first 3 books are long but tight, they don't feel like filler at all which is why i breeze through them. The last two opened new plots and subplots with Dorne and a certain Young boy who is not just a young boy. GRRM needed to tighten the story back instead he started to open it up even more and now i feel this is why he has taken a decade to write Book 6.
I agree with you it’s top 3 for me as well, it’s the only fantasy series I’ve re-read twice already. And I’m planning another one soon.
I read this series while I waited for Brandon Sanderson to finish WoT. It was a good Segway into something different that was just as huge and intriguing.
By happenstance I did the same thing it was a great contrast
Great video! I watched the show a few years ago without having read the books and just a few months ago I had a strong urge to get back to that world and those characters. I’ve only read the first two books so far but it is without a doubt some of the best fantasy I’ve read! I can’t wait to get to the other books. I wouldn’t be surprised if this ends up being one of my favorite series when I finish the other three books
Thank you for an amazing review, I got exactly what I was looking for.
I've read the first book recently it was really really good but I'd figured zi'd watch the video because your content is always excellent
That's George's live work. What would he do if it was already finished.
I love your enthusiasm Mike :) I discovered the series because of the TV show. I have only read the first two books so far, but loved them so much and I'll read the rest no matter if it gets finished or not.
I have only reread 2 Book series Game of Thrones and Lord of The Ring nothing compares to them a cut above the rest. Wish George R. R. Martin would finish
This series was my real intro into modern fantasy. Prior to this, I'd read things like LotR and Narnia. I will never forget "Don't look", and then waiting SO LONG to find out it really happened in book 1. I also really like how there were certain characters I absolutely DREADED reading in book 1, but became interested in them as the series moved on. My only regret is that if the next book ever does come out, I'll need to find some serious clif notes to catch back up.
Great video, Mike. The series, even unfinished, is still my absolute favorite.
Hands down my favorite fantasy series. Not through WOT yet but asoiaf just stands above for me
Looking at the full series, untouched. just collecting dust on my shelf right now. I will read them when Martin finishes writing them and not a minute earlier. He can have my $160 but not my time until he is finished.
Really great video. I agree that ASOIAF is one of the best fantasy series even though it is not finished. It's been five years since i first read the books and i really missed the whole world but i made promise myself to read it again when WoW will be published. The whole world is amazing and nothing comes close to it, except MiddleEarth of course.
This is the first fantasy series I ever read (well apart from Harry Potter way back in primary school), and the first series I read in English (it's not my native language lol) and I gotta say it was really challenging but oh so satisfying. I consider myself a really big fan of ASOIAF and I gotta say very few fantasy books come close to how these books make me feel, it's just something else, it may be the nostalgia but I feel like I'm IN THERE with the characters and everything that happens feels like it's important. So sad that I can't enjoy something else as much as this.
I love that you call it ‘that Abercrombie way’. Joe really is the goat in my opinion.
Damn, you are goooooood at this, Mike!🙏🏼💕
Thanks!
Hi Mike. I finally started reading GoT and like it so far after a bit over 100 pages.
Excellent!
As a long time aSoIaF fan, I got to say, this intro gave me chills.
I've always wanted to make this one.
Top 1 book series for me since 2003. Never read anything as powerful and moving and interesting as ASOIAF. Live inside that world and in the minds of those amazing characters. TWOW pls come next year.
Fantastic review! I adore these books for so many reasons that you listed. I love the covers you showed in the beginning. Wish I could find them. I agree with the show ending. The book could be the same and I’m sure it would be well written. I want dany’s inner monologue before she lights up kings landing. It could be intense. Great video! Go house stark! 🐺
Spot on summary, Mike.
I’m new into reading I’m a manga comic reader but new to books book I read in school a bit but forcible and bareley paid attention I love your channel I never new books could be this epic your intros to a book that you do are just insane I had just finished this show and loved it a lot even s8 although apparently hated but I though was great I wanted to see more of this story will def be reading this I’ve got a lot of books on my list to all interesting and look epic hyped idk y but I only ever heard of books dialogue never knew like action could be in books that u could picture it like in movies and stuff
Mike, you’ve made me want to read it again 😂
I really miss this series 😢
I finished game of thrones and put away aCoK, now I got a boost thank u mike
Book 3, A Storm of Swords IMO is one of the greatest fantasy books of all time. That book is so good.
great review you hit the nail. the issues i have with recommending the books are the difficulty and to really apricate the story. is great on the base level still. the reasons why it is one of the best stories ever told is the depth of this stories ocean. theres channels devoted to this series in any other fantasy other than lotr i would say are huge lakes but ankle deep
Great intro as always. That was some fantastic artwork that was included. Then again, the overall discussion was great, too.
This brings back some great memories of first reading the books. George RR Martin is a fantastic writer. The story is dark as hell, but the characters are unforgettable. It's one of my favorite fantasy series. It's just a shame that it is not yet finished (and I truly wonder whether it every will be).
I am quite nostalgic for it. Feels like a million years ago where I had to beg people to read it ha ha
ASOIAF feels like comfort read to me, a little bit like LOTR but it's MORE.
I don't consider Martins writings to be as good as Tolkien's though, there are a few paragraphs that makes me cringe.
Otherwise it sinks you in a medieval universe which I find relaxing, very immersive.
I've always read them A to Z, but I've heard some people only read their favorite characters, then if they like it they read more.
Great video. Hopefully love for the books will see a resurgence when WoW is released.
Yeah, I do like ASOIAF and would recommend reading it. But with ASOIAF you definitely need to go in with the expectation that there likely will be no ending, and if you can't handle that you should wait. I've always been a journey before destination reader (it's also the reason I don't generally care about spoilers) so doesn't matter to me that much.
I believe I heard somewhere that the Targaryens are heavily based on the Melnibonians from the Elric Saga. Elric of Melnibone is another classic dark fantasy series that’s definitely worth checking out!
that intro was badass lol i loved it
I started reading it yesterday, I'm now on page 120...
Intro is 🔥🔥🔥