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a song of ice and fire: how long to read?

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  • 06-04-2012 5:48pm
    #1
    insanity50
    Closed Accounts Posts: 211 ✭✭


    got all 5 (7) books on the internet for circa 25 euros.

    how long did it take you to read them all, looks like it's going to be a serious commitment on my part judging by the size of these tomes!!!!!!!


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    #2
    Long Time Reader
    Closed Accounts Posts: 98 ✭✭Long Time Reader


    insanity50 wrote: »
    got all 5 (7) books on the internet for circa 25 euros.

    how long did it take you to read them all, looks like it's going to be a serious commitment on my part judging by the size of these tomes!!!!!!!

    hey,

    there great reads, and the tv show is a very representation of them. But to answer your question. I flew through the first 3 books. (2months in total) but i lost steam then. so i read a few books inbetween and during the 'tomes'. once you get into the story. its easy to pick it back up.

    but at the end of the day.. just enjoy them....


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    #3
    The Mad Hatter
    Registered Users Posts: 4,718 ✭✭✭The Mad Hatter


    I'd say stick with the tv series, tbh, unless you're desperate to know what happens next. I picked them up after watching series one and, while the plot is good, the writing is pretty bad. Each chapter is written from the point of view of a diffeerent character, and for every fun Arya or Tyrion chapter, there's s dreary Catelyn or Sansa chapter to wade through.


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    #4
    tHE vAGGABOND
    Registered Users Posts: 6,687 ✭✭✭tHE vAGGABOND


    The chapters jumping between characters is one of the strong points of the books IMHO actually..

    Im on book 5 - Part 1 atm - and its the first one Im not enjoying, all a bit "bla, bla, bla" which is a shame :(

    Hard to put a time on how long its taken, as I have read other things inbetween. But they are all pretty big books to say the least, so it will take a while


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    #5
    Son0vagun
    Registered Users Posts: 1,297 ✭✭✭Son0vagun


    I read the five books from June to august last year. Well worth the investment in time.

    As far as the structure of chapters, I loved them. Maybe a little time before getting use to them. But they are in no way badly written. GRRM has not gotten where he is today by being a bad writer.

    But I would however wait till season two is over, that's if you are watching it. Best invest your time in one or the other I think.


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    #6
    insanity50
    Closed Accounts Posts: 211 ✭✭insanity50


    yeah i said i'd read the books before watching series two. i much prefer reading something over waatching the film/movie version


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    #7
    JennaJameson
    Closed Accounts Posts: 64 ✭✭JennaJameson


    The books don't actually take that long to read. I think it helps that they're so brilliant you just have to keep reading them.

    I have them all, and began reading them after watching the first season of the TV series. My other half reads very slowly, and started reading Game of Thrones, and gave up so he could read A Clash of Kings before season two began. His reasoning was that because he had seen the television series, he didn't need to read the book, as the TV series is so true to the books.

    The chapter structure did take a little getting used to, and it can be annoying to read chapters from characters you aren't particularly fond of *cough* Sansa *cough* (though at least she does get interesting eventually), while desperately seeking chapters from the great characters like Tyrion!


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    #8
    r3nu4l
    Registered Users Posts: 17,399 ✭✭✭✭r3nu4l


    insanity50 wrote: »
    got all 5 (7) books on the internet for circa 25 euros.

    how long did it take you to read them all, looks like it's going to be a serious commitment on my part judging by the size of these tomes!!!!!!!

    Quick question. Where did you get all the books for that price? Also I haven't finished reading them but for me these are the type of book that I try to spend every spare moment reading. That said, I've had to put this series to one side right now due to work commitments.


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    #9
    insanity50
    Closed Accounts Posts: 211 ✭✭insanity50


    shopireland.ie had the whole lot of them for about 4.50 each and then when I went to pay I got a few euro discount because I bought them all


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    #10
    Irene818
    Registered Users Posts: 19 ✭Irene818


    I bought the books last month and I’m about to finish book 2. I got like 40 pages left. It seems that these book series are one of the best I've ever read and so far. I like the way the author describes the scenes so vividly.


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    #11
    Mahna Mahna
    Closed Accounts Posts: 10 ✭Mahna Mahna


    I'm on A Storm of Swords part 2. I read Game of Thrones when I was sick for a few days over Halloween, I read other books after that until Christmas when I read A Clash of Kings over a month and I just finished A Storm of Swords part 1 there a few weeks ago after two weeks. I cannot read them all at once. It is not possible for me, it would feel like reading one book that is crazy long, I ahve to take breaks.


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    #12
    eskimocat
    Registered Users Posts: 1,204 ✭✭✭eskimocat


    I bought the books after watching the first series on the telly. I flew through the first 3 books and then the fourth I found a bit of a grind.... then the fifth one was back on form.. It took me a few of months (3?) but I had to take breaks between books as I felt a bit over dosed at times with them. Loved the series and am enjoying the series on the telly too. I found that if I left too long between volumns that I would forget some of the more complicated relationships between the characters. However GRRM did usually give indicators before too long as to relevant past relationships, which stopped me loosing patience. :D


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    #13
    Andy!!
    Site Banned Posts: 1,678 ✭✭✭Andy!!


    insanity50 wrote: »
    got all 5 (7) books on the internet for circa 25 euros.

    Where?


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    #14
    emeraldstar
    Registered Users Posts: 5,383 ✭✭✭emeraldstar


    Andy!! wrote: »
    Where?
    Four posts up!


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    #15
    Dades
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 25,558 Mod ✭✭✭✭Dades


    How long it takes you to read the books depends on how much you enjoy them. Personally, I wish I was you and had never read books so that I could enjoy them again for the first time.

    There are very few books I've ever read that while reading I wished they would never end, but this series is one of them.

    Don't read them with a view to finishing them, but savour the experience. If you get sucked in, they may be the best read you'll ever have.

    Also, don't think about the TV series, the books are so much more, and the TV series can be enjoyed separately.


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    #16
    insanity50
    Closed Accounts Posts: 211 ✭✭insanity50


    Just thought I'd give an update.

    Was busy with academics until June.

    By June 8th I had read to page 200 of Clash of Kings.

    Around the 23rd of June I started the third book part one.

    Started the third book part 2 on 30th of june. 50 pages left in it now (which I'll finish tonight) and I might have to take a rest from the series. This third book has been immense, there's almost too much happening to take it all in. Might need to let it settle for a few days before starting the fourth.

    The third book was easily way better than the first two. Maybe because you know the characters better and have more emotional attachments with them. I just found it much more of a page turner than the first two. Found the second one slow enough at times.


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    #17
    Quatermain
    Closed Accounts Posts: 243 ✭✭Quatermain


    Now there's your first mistake. Making emotional attachments with absolutely anyone in these books.


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    #18
    Tin Foil Hat
    Registered Users Posts: 1,663 ✭✭✭Tin Foil Hat


    Quatermain wrote: »
    Now there's your first mistake. Making emotional attachments with absolutely anyone in these books.

    Ah FFS. You're mean. I'm planning on starting on these books soon.


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    #19
    Quatermain
    Closed Accounts Posts: 243 ✭✭Quatermain


    All I'm saying is that a lot of people in the books are absolute scoundrels, to put it quite lightly. I sincerely apologise for warding you away from a very, very good series.


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    #20
    Tin Foil Hat
    Registered Users Posts: 1,663 ✭✭✭Tin Foil Hat


    Quatermain wrote: »
    All I'm saying is that a lot of people in the books are absolute scoundrels, to put it quite lightly. I sincerely apologise for warding you away from a very, very good series.

    'Are' :rolleyes:

    I'm gonna read them anyway. Don't feel too bad.


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    #21
    tHE vAGGABOND
    Registered Users Posts: 6,687 ✭✭✭tHE vAGGABOND


    Im doing book 5 via audio books, and listening to them while running - easier :)

    Onto part 2 now, and almost getting used to the annoying narrator...


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    #22
    gogo
    Registered Users Posts: 1,452 ✭✭✭gogo


    How did people get on with 'A Dance with Dragons? I flew through the first five books and have now lost all interest in this one. Does Danareys story get any better, finding it hard to comprend who she with at the best of times, and now that I've put it down for a while I find myslef completly lost with her chapters when i went back to it. Is it worth going back to?


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    #23
    Denerick
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 6,488 ✭✭✭Denerick


    I read them last year over the space of six weeks (I think)

    I honestly think they transformed my life.

    Should you have an appreciation for storytelling in the grand tradition, with all of the associated drama, backbiting, plotting, and wonderfully crafted characters (In the Shakespearean tradition), you'll love them. Its a pity that they are wrote off as genre fiction as I honestly believe that AsOiF is among the titans of late 20th century/early 21st century literature.


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    #24
    Mr.Prodston
    Registered Users Posts: 16,305 ✭✭✭✭Mr.Prodston


    I started in mid June and was finished near the end of September. So about 3 and a half months. The 4th one was a bit of a struggle until about half way through but then again anything would have been after the shenanigan a minute of "A Storm of Swords".

    I wish I took my time with them now as a conservative guess of 2014 is a long way away yet. My friend spent 2 years trying to convince me to read them and then I after the second season on TV I made the leap. Absolutely love the series.


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    #25
    Barna77
    Registered Users Posts: 3,272 ✭✭✭Barna77


    I began around mid August and I'm on book 4 by now. Started it a couple of weeks ago and I'm 200 pages on.

    I suppose it depends on the book or how fast you read. Book 2 was a bit slow, while book 3 (both parts on the paperback edition) was a page turner... Book 4 is turning out to be slowish again.


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