A Few Thoughts

To be honest, I'm kind of glad to be near the end of this series (what's come out so far) because despite a few good moments and ideas, it's all become unbearably self-indulgent. Martin's endless desire to be "edgy" was boring by two books in and his constant obsession with being "full of dark surprises" limits not only the ability to re-read the series, but even the ability to think about it. These are books you read and throw away. Fun while it lasts, but there's no substance here. Reading them is a like a diet of ice cream. It tastes good going in but it's not actually food.

I'll finish it because I've come this far and because there are some good characters and a few good plots still going, but any decent writer and his editor could have turned this book and the last into one fairly short book and done far more with far less.

I only hope I change my mind.

Update: I didn't. What a waste.