I've now read the first 5 books of this series and absolutely love them, can't wait for The Winds Of Winter to be released. George R.R. Martin is a great author ands leaves you craving more, the way he writes his characters can have you love them and then hate them. Awesome read so addicting!

I think this book was the best in series so far. I can't wait until the next book is released and I am hoping it isn't too far in the future.

I suppose I'll have to get my Game of Thrones fix through HBO for now :D

I have enjoyed reading the series of books. The last one was too confusing for me. It took a few chapters to begin making sense of the plot. The author tried to put too many characters in the story. After so many pages, the end is a disapointment; I feel we are no closer to understand where every little stories are going than at the beginning of the book. Too many references to legends the reader is unable to understand. Better luck with the next Mr Martin!

I jumped on the Song of Ice and Fire bandwagon about 5 years ago, just after Feast for Crows came out. I loved the series then, and I love it now, especially with that awesome new television adaptation which is fabulous and I hope continues to be so!

I have waited five years for this book, and many of my friends thought me crazy for hanging on so long to wait for the fifth of seven novels. Well I must say it was worth the wait.

I loved it! I was so glad to see these old friends after so long! Granted the first few chapters were a tad confusing as I was trying to play catch up after five years hiatus, but that's to be expected.

We're brought back to Westeros, Braavos, Pentos, the Dothraki Sea, along with some well remembered and loved characters. All the major player come back: Dany, Jon, Tyrion, Cersei, Jaimie and Bran, along with some supporting characters from previous books and interesting new ones. One of which has made me reconsider the highly speculated path of one much beloved Crow.

Some of the character chapters also made me reevaluate my opinion of the featured character, which is always a good thing as it depicts writing skill and character development. Not all characters though. Some are still jerks.

Something I thought was quite interesting that I think is a first for these books is the chapter names. Usually, the chapters are named after characters: Jon, Cersei. Sansa, Arya, Eddard, etc. And while that tradition continues in Dance with Dragons, I think a new tradition has been introduced alongside it.

I noticed that some chapters weren't the character's name, but rather that character's perception of them self. For example in one chapter someone goes briefly to Winterfell, and repeats this mantra to themselves: "There are ghosts in Winterfell and I am one of them". Then sure enough the next chapter for that character is entitled Ghosts in/of Winterfell. I thought that was really nifty.

Be warned however: The last character chapter is a cliffhanger. If you don't want a cliffhanger ending for anyone, hang on a bit before you read Dance with Dragons. It might make you angry. Made me angry, but in a total shock and "oh my God that did NOT just happen!" kind of way.

But no matter how you slice it, Dance with Dragons is a must must must must read for any SoIF fans. Enjoy.

It was 6 years ago, that I found A Song of Ice and Fire and have been waiting for this book. Perhaps that is why I never gave up, or despaired.

It is a book that leaves more questions than answers, but there is plenty of action unlike Feast, which in my opinion dragged on too much. It drastically sets up the last two novels in the series which will hopeful be coming quicker down the pipeline.

George R. R. Martin has done it again.

People, relax. It takes time for a master writer to create an epic work of fiction, which this obviously is. I finished the fourth book just recently, and cant wait for July 12. All those who are freaking out about how long its been between books, RELAX! All long series are like this. I've been reading another series since the beginning, and its 3 or 4 years between books! A Song of Ice and Fire is so detailed, with so much going on, of course its going to take a long time! Martin won't let us down!

Read the first four books, very quickly, and loved them.

That was YEARS ago.

I now am not sure if I really give a tinker's damn about this series anymore, and that is saying quite a bit.

And the very weird part is this past week, I was in Northern Ireland for a family member's funeral. I happened to be in one of the bookstores in Belfast International Airport. This book is in mass market paperback there. I almost had a heart attack.

Can someone explain this to me ?

I absolutely love Martin no matter how many more years I have to wait for this bloody book, but please keep in mind that he does more than sit and work on a single story all day. He edits a ridiculous amount of things, he writes other stories, he goes to conventions as a guest speaker, and he's working on the HBO series. The man has a lot on his plate, so it's understandable for the books to be taking a long time to be released.
That being said, Feast for Crows and Dance with Dragons were written as one book, which had to be split into two due to publishing constraints. Feast for Crows came out in 2005, and we're still waiting for essentially the second half that should have been out 6 years ago. Thus, the anger is definitely understandable, and the book should have come out either at the same time as Crows, or a few months after. But, he keeps going back and fixing/changing things in the plot. Arya, Cersei, Jaime, Sansa...none of these characters will be in Dance with Dragons, as Feast for Crows held one half of the characters' chapters, and Dragons will hold the second, so we won't be getting plot points cleared up from the end of Crows for another decade or so.
Suffice to say, the man is extremely busy outside of writing this series, and I'd be more understanding if the book wasn't supposed to be out around 2005/2006. Go check his blog if you want information straight from him on the progress of the novel, but in the meantime, start a new series. As someone above said, the Malazan series is excellent if at times confusing. Goodkind's Sword of Truth is also consistently excellent.
So be angry, but be constructive with the anger, and start another series. The book will come out eventually, and hopefully Martin won't die before the series is done.

It seems quite obvious to me that this book is either (a) not written at all at this point or (b) is such a mess that it needs to be re-written; either way, it's going to dissappoint. That is a ridiculous release date (Christmas 2012) and I am sure is "subject to change." Perhaps at one point there was a plan to this story but the threads have either unravelled, tangled or broken. IF it ever gets done, I'll read the mass market edition - maybe. This is quite a disservice to his loyal readers who deserve much better, so I am not sure I want to give any support to this sham. I've moved on to Steven Erikson and his 'Malazan Book of the Fallen' 10 volume series which I think are better written and have been published at regular intervals with a consistent level of excellent quality. For those of you who have given up or have say two years to kill, maybe give "Gardens of the Moon" a try.

I was...and I repeat WAS a very big fan of George...but sadly I must say that I am done with him and have told many others of his lack of true devotion to his fans. Lies and excuses are no way to keep your fans. I will not be supporting George by purchasing any more of his books. I have enjoyed them...but I am now actually angry. It is not even a matter of patience any more. It has gone totally beyond the realm of ridiculous. Bye bye George!! Maybe someday when the series is completed I will consider reading it again...IF I LIVE THAT LONG!!!

I think everyone just needs to sit and relax. The book will get here when it gets here and there's nothing that we say right now that will make it come any faster! Being a writer has to be a tough job, I can't imagine thinking of all the things he has, with all the varying plot lines, and still know where I'm wanting everything to head. I will gladly wait out the time for the book to be released, and last I saw that would be 2012; however, many books can be bumped up in their release date, so everyone please relax and keep your eyes peeled for it! I know I will.

I, like the others commenting, am waiting for the fifth book in this series. Thankfully, I have only come to this series recently, so the wait for me should (according to the current release date) be manageable.

My dilemma is this. I don't know that I care what happens next.

Most books, in my extensive experience, have a point. Have a purpose. Make you yearn for a specific ending. Conflict is generated to make that specific outcome uncertain.

But this series has gone in so many different directions with so many different characters that cohesion of any kind has been lost. Even if, in book 5, we find out that Bran has turned into an ice giant and started communing with the Gods of Old directly, it will in no way affect whether Daenerys makes it across the sea to retake the Seven Kingdoms. And I speak of two of the only three characters that I am at all interested in. The other being Jon Snow.

When I first picked up these books, I assumed (wrongly) that these were going to be about the Starks and about Daenerys. I understood that the Baratheon/Lannister storyline was important back/co-story but I had no idea it was to become THE story. I am disappointed. Very disappointed. To start with a complex family relationship and a clear threat to it (ie. Dany) and fracture it is frustrating. As the Starks have been killed off, MORE focus should have been put on the remaining members. Not less.

My last point of complaint is about the introduction of characters that "seem" to have some importance in late book three and book four. Was it necessary to introduce us to the knight that is protecting Myrcella, give him a back story and then kill him off rather pathetically within the same HALF of a novel? Where is the fun in that?

I will end my commentary here. I have written more than enough. And sadly, could write more. Will I read this book? Yes. Will it give me any kind of satisfaction? That remains to be seen but I'm not confident of a positive answer.

Sadly done Mr. Martin. Poorly done. Perhaps, as another commentatory mentioned, you should have stuck with one thing at a time.

When I started this series a few years ago, I read all 4 books back to back, I couldn't put them down. I read them not realizing that it would take YEARS to get the next installment. I wish someone would have warned me before I even picked up the first book. I will be warning anyone I know that wants to read them to wait until a definitive, realistic release date is set. They are amazing books, but seriously, this is getting ridiculous. Why does it have to be delayed yet again? I really would like to know what the problem is.

I am a very big fan of Mr. Martin's work. And despite the delays in publication of this book i will continue to remain a fan until series end.

I am frustrated that this book has taken so long to come out, I cannot wait to read it as many other fans of Mr. Martin. However I am willing to wait. It may be a long and frustrating wait, but I am willing to do so as I have realized a few things.

1. Mr. Martin has a life. He does not need to be nor does he deserve to be chained to a desk to fulfill our demands. He began writing this series because he has a passion and interest for it, but as we all know if we spend months on one thing we lose that sed passion and interest. As much as I want him to hurry, I wont push it because I do not want him to be fed up with the series and crank out big steamy piles of nothing.

2. Mr. Martin has never once said that it would be ready by the times that most publishers do. Until the book is done, he refuses to make any promises, which I am glad for. These dates are therefore NOT Mr. Martin's fault.

3. There are other books in this world. My literary interest is not limited to A Song of Ice and Fire. As a result I will read other books until this one comes available, where I will re read the series to reacquaint myself with the characters and such.

4. Mr. Martin is not Robert Jordan. He will not 'pull a Jordan' and I think he's getting pretty angry at everyone saying that.

5. Harassing him like this will not make him want to finish the book, or finish it just to mess over all the fans who hounded him. All i keep hearing is that Mr. Martin needs to hurry up, sit down, stop writing other books yada yada yada. I've worked with toddlers with more patience and better manners than some of these Song of Ice and Fire fans.

6. I see that fans have 2 choices. Force the book or wait. If you force the book, you'll get a big steamy runny pile of nothing. If you wait you'll get gold.

I've made my choice. What about you?

I really love this series. But this is getting rediculous. Plus how do you get the audio version at the end of this year, and not the hardcover book? Very confused on that one. Hurry up, we're all waiting!!!!

Mr Martin really needs to concentrate on one book/series at a time. To me that is why it's taking forever to get this book done. He has too many fingers in too many pies (Hunter's Run, Wild Card books, etc). Then he's out travelling here and there at book conventions, signings, etc. Mr Martin, please park your butt and finish this series. I'd really be upset to have wasted my time and money if you went and did what Robert Jordan did, which is what I've always feared when getting into a series I really like. Sorry Mr Jordan but I'm glad you told Mrs Jordan how the book was to end so Brandon Sanderson (who I've also read) can finish your work.

After months and months of waiting the publication date of A Dance with Dragons is finally announced. But there must be some mistake with it, December 2035 for the hardcover edition!? At that time will the author still be around to finish the series? As a consolation though publishers will let us purchase an AudioBook version as earlier as September of this year!
Personally i think the author should stop going to so many conventions etc and do some serious writing and give his fans what they really want, more books!

Are you kidding? There must be some mistake - the book will be published in 2035? Some of his current readers will no longer be of this world by then. What is the problem?

I truly, thoroughly enjoy Martin's Ice and Fire series - I read the first four books one immediately following the other, as I simply couldn't put them down! As much as I hate to admit it, however, I am beginning to lose interest as I become increasingly frustrated with the wait for the fifth book... Since a fall 2008 publication date was first announced months ago, the date has already been pushed back more than a year, and I feel like it'll be another decade at least before I might finally be able to enjoy the denouement of this epic saga (IF Martin manages to tie everything up within seven books, as I believe has been intended to date)... I'm trying to be patient, but I just hope the story winds up being worth such a wait!!!!