Purchased:

A Dance With Dragons, George R.R. Martin

I only have one book this past week, one that I've been excited about for years and is finally here and hopefully one that I will be able to finish by tomorrow now that I'm off for the next couple days. Is anyone else reading this book right now? Fabulous so far, isn't it?

On Thursday I went to a signing and here are some photos from that amazing event - and it was an event! Apparently we peaked at 1,800 people and everyone was just so happy to be in a room with other people who love this series that it was just a good time all around

    

The next book up is my copy! Hurrah! And GRRM is such a funny guy, great storyteller. I'd love to have a pint with him.

 My signed copy! I'm so, so thrilled. Thanks so much for being an amazing sport for so many people! King in the North indeed!  

IT'S HERE!! : )

I almost had a heart attack just seeing the POV character list when I downloaded the free sample from iBooks last night (One of my favorites is back!). To finally have this book in my hands after years of waiting is indescribable. I'm going into reading hibernation and probably will be behind on everything until I finish this book. I have to admit, I was a bit weepy when I read the foreword. I'm so bloody happy!

And if anyone is going to be at the Union Square signing, well, I'll be there too! Maybe we can be line buddies. :)

I will be posting a discussion post when I finish, so feel free to go crazy on that when it's up. I know I'll have ADwD on my mind for quite some time! 

"Waiting on" Wednesday is a weekly event courtesy of Breaking the Spine that showcases much anticipated upcoming releases.

A Dance With Dragons (A Song of Ice and Fire #5)

Author: George R.R. Martin

Publishing date: 07/12/2011

from goodreads:

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 Night’s 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...

I don't think I can stress how excited I am for this book. Setting aside the fact that this is very much not a YA release it's the book I am most looking forward to this year. If you've heard of a little show called A Game of Thrones then you may or may not know that this is the fifth book in that series. The books are long and seem imposing but once you begin the story I assure you they will pull you in and you'll probably have a hard time pulling yourself away from the story. There are times when I feel that fantasy writers are some of the best writers out there and GRRM is no exception - the worlds he creates provide the landscape for such a broad breadth of such fully developed characters that it's all too easy to become emotionally involved with them for good or bad.

I am very much ready for more Tyrion and Jon and, well, the rest I'll have to find out. I'll stop before I can't - I just want to let you guys know that if you pre-order A Dance with Dragons via Barnes & Noble you are eligible to purchase earlier books in the series at 50% off. I warn you, though, the books are big and reading them in mass market paperback is cumbersome. It really is worth it to spend the extra few bucks to get a trade copy.

Whew. That was a lot. What are you waiting for?

My brain's a little frazzled by blogger having been down (and still being down in some respects as posts and comments are missing - I apologise! I did reply!), so here's a nice and easy post as a part of Parajunkee's Follow Friday.

This week's question is: 

Q. The Blogger Apocalypse made me a little emotional. What is the most emotional scene in a book that you have read lately?

I just finished Deb Caletti's Stay last night and I'd probably have to say that the entire book was one big emotional ride. By the end I was sort of peering over my shoulder and hugging whatever cat hopped onto my bed.

Last month I also was reading again A Storm of Swords by George R.R. Martin in anticipation of the upcoming release of A Dance With Dragons and, again, that book was...intense. I know it's not YA, but I'm still wholly in love with that series.

Also, unrelated, there was a post of Entwined that got eaten by Blogger but should be restored at some point. I scheduled it for yesterday afternoon - at least it worked this time! I missed you guys, hope everyone is well.

One of the things that I've been very much looking forward to is the HBO adaptation of Game of Thrones. This book had everything going for it the first time I read it: it was engaging, had developed and interesting interpersonal relationships, intrigue, and a tinge of sadness and regret. All in all it was a realistic portrayal of how people might act within the given circumstances. The story isn't for the faint of heart but if you give it a chance it will probably weasel its way into yours.

Game of Thrones is a book, above all else, about people. People are a many layered thing and so it's in this that I really take my hat off to GRRM.

Not to give so much away, but I'm currently reading A Storm of Swords and from the first book until here I was most taken by his ability to so fully develop the characters that in a blink of chapters someone you thought you knew could make you look again. It's because of this (and the size of the books!) that I thought it would be a difficult translation to the screen, but the first 15 minutes read perfectly: I'm in love with the Starks all over again.

If you'd like to get a glimpse at what the series will look like you can go here to watch. It's certainly worth it.

Winter is coming!