Critics' Opinion:
Readers' rating:
Published in USA
Jul 2011
1040 pages
Genre: Fantasy, Sci-Fi, Speculative, Alt. History
Publication Information
Dubbed the American Tolkien by Time magazine, George R. R. Martin has earned international acclaim for his monumental cycle of epic fantasy. Now the #1 New York Times bestselling author delivers the fifth book in his spellbinding landmark series--as both familiar faces and surprising new forces vie for a foothold in a fragmented empire.
In the aftermath of a colossal battle, the future of the Seven Kingdoms hangs in the balance once again--beset by newly emerging threats from every direction. In the east, Daenerys Targaryen, the last scion of House Targaryen, rules with her three dragons as queen of a city built on dust and death. But Daenerys has three times three thousand enemies, and many have set out to find her. Yet, as they gather, one young man embarks upon his own quest for the queen, with an entirely different goal in mind.
To the north lies the mammoth Wall of ice and stone--a structure only as strong as those guarding it. There, Jon Snow, 998th Lord Commander of the Nights Watch, will face his greatest challenge yet. For he has powerful foes not only within the Watch but also beyond, in the land of the creatures of ice.
And from all corners, bitter conflicts soon reignite, intimate betrayals are perpetrated, and a grand cast of outlaws and priests, soldiers and skinchangers, nobles and slaves, will face seemingly insurmountable obstacles. Some will fail, others will grow in the strength of darkness. But in a time of rising restlessness, the tides of destiny and politics will lead inevitably to the greatest dance of all....
"Was A Dance With Dragons worth the six-year wait? Absolutely. Indeed, Martin's decision to release a sizable chunk of his story-in-progress as the fourth installment the underrated A Feast for Crows (2005) now seems wise and actually generous to readers." - The Los Angeles Times
"Martin's love for sophisticated, deeply strange fantasy permeates Dance like a phantasmagorical fever dream." - Los Angeles Times, Jeff VanderMeer
"Martin has produced is producing, since the series isn't over the great fantasy epic of our era. It's an epic for a more profane, more jaded, more ambivalent age than the one Tolkien lived in." - Lev Grossman
"Even for those who have read the entire cycle and watched the HBO series, too much has gone before, over too many years, to keep it all straight...For all that, A Dance With Dragons meets the high standards set by its four siblings. And like all proper serials it gives the reader no emotional respite, ending with several razor-sharp question marks as the heavy wheels of fate groan into motion, and the murders and assassinations mount." - New York Times, Dana Jennings
This information about A Dance with Dragons shown above was first featured
in "The BookBrowse Review" - BookBrowse's membership magazine, and in our weekly "Publishing This Week" newsletter. In most cases, the reviews are necessarily limited to those that were available to us ahead of publication. If you are the publisher or author and feel that the reviews shown do not properly reflect the range of media opinion now available, please send us a message with the mainstream media reviews that you would like to see added.
Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.
George R. R. Martin is the award-winning novelist, whose works include including Fevre Dream, The Armageddon Rag., and books from the A Song of Ice and Fire series.
Born in 1948, he spent much of his early career writing short stories, and he received multiple awards, building a loyal following with science-fiction and fantasy fans. In the 1980s he turned to television and editing, and was a screenwriter for feature films and television and was the producer of the TV series Beauty and the Beast as well as a story editor for The Twilight Zone.
After a ten-year hiatus he returned to writing novels
full-time, notably on his lengthy cycle A Song of Ice and Fire, which includes the books A Game of Thrones, A Clash of Kings, A Storm of Swords, A Feast for Crows, and A Dance with Dragons....
Become a Member and discover books that entertain, engage & enlighten.
The Dutch House is my introduction to Ann Patchett, which, after reading it, surprises me. I had ...
The Fortunate Ones
by Ed Tarkington
An engrossing story of class, love, and loyalty for fans of Kevin Wilson's Nothing to See Here.
Reader ReviewsThe Mystery of Mrs. Christie
by Marie Benedict
The real-life disappearance of Agatha Christie is perhaps her greatest mystery of all.
Reader ReviewsThe House on Vesper Sands by Paraic O'Donnell
Introducing a detective duo for the ages who unlock the secrets of a startling Victorian mystery.
Visitors can view some of BookBrowse for free. Full access is for members only.
Your guide toexceptional books
BookBrowse seeks out and recommends the best in contemporary fiction and nonfiction—books that not only engage and entertain but also deepen our understanding of ourselves and the world around us.