Anybody read a Dance with Dragons yet? I finished it a couple of weeks ago. More dead people that I didn't want dead yet.

I read it. An enjoyable read, but I really felt a lack of plot advancement. Perhaps due to its unusual history of being half a book extended.

But when I look at the synopsis on Wikipedia, quite a lot happened and quite a lot was set up to pay off in upcoming books.

Odd.

I read all 5 in the course of a month or two. In book 3 he hit the trough that all of these long-running fantasy series run into. He sort-of started climbing out of it in book 5, but he still has a ways to go.

The deus ex machina starts to really grind. I don't know how to develop this character, I'll kill them. I don't know how to get this character out of this situation because there's no reasonable course of action that isn't waiting, so I'll have that character act completely contrary to character.

Hopefully the next one gets out of this rut.

oh, fucking NICE!

Roy Dotrice is back as the narrator! I just got the audiobook... just now!

yay!!!!1!!!1...

gonna download it stat!

Library lending has come to Kindle. I am on the Library's waiting list for ADWD. Last time I checked I was fourth in line.

omg.

talk about culture clash.

You are waiting in line to borrow a copy of an e-book for your Kindle?


Just... kill me now.

I will send you my copy, wolf, if you don't mind a regular book. And it is a huge book.

pm me if you want it, okay?

Generally I don't mind a regular book ... but I am quite spoiled by the Kindle, especially when it comes to budgie-killing books. I may accept your offer if I can't finish the book during the check-out period, though.

Library ebook lending is kind of freaky. Each book is limited both to the number of copies the library can have, as well as the number of times the book can be checked out, supposedly to simulate the wear and tear on a physical book, at which point it is either discarded or replaced ... replaced means that the library has to pay for another license.

This is, of course, bullshit. The electrons don't wear out, and the real physical books last longer than the specified number of loans for an ebook ... but the publishers are all kinds of cranky over the new means of content provision and are trying to suck every penny out of it that they can.

I guess Roy didn't re-listen to his own work before recording the new book. He's using the Lord Varys' accent for Illirio the fat merchant, and Dany sounds like the Wildling that Bran and Rob captured.... forget her name.... but...still... He's the fucken best.

I am now third in line.

I have it, I have it! I got my email this morning saying ADWD was available for checkout.

So much for my doing anything productive today. Or tomorrow. Or probably for at least the next week.

My box set of the books should be here any day now.

I've been playing "A Game of Thrones: Genesis". It is definitely a unique take on real time strategy (RTS) gaming. It doesn't completely gel, but I give them points for trying something new.

It really plays up political intrique. The beginning of the game is all about sending out envoys, spies, and other diplomatic or underhanded units to build up as much support from the local lords as you can before war breaks out. At that point, you have to quickly raise armies, and it becomes a regular RTS.

Unfortunately, both phases are a bit slow, and not very polished. And the Westeros-history bookends around the missions can make it seem futile. You win a decisive victory, and then a blurb pops up saying that despite that victory your rebellion was quickly quashed.

Luddite.

It's here. Well, it's at home.