Fire & Blood
Finished 2025
Review:
The Good:
The book is written in a weird narration. It shows you the events through the lenses of the maesters(historians/priests) of the time. At first its a bit of a put off but the book uses this style to its advantage. Omissions and Ambiguities are more natural. Inconsistencies from ASOIAF and plot holes are better hidden.
In the usual GRRM fashion, the characters are done well and the world is intriguing. We get to visit old Valeria and get a look at Westeros through different lenses in a different time. The lore is expanded.
The politics is what builds the book. I expected the Dance of the Dragons to be the most interesting part but the mid parts of the war is where the most boring the book ever gets.
The succession, the family feud, etc are the best parts of the book. The dragons and the war make for better television.
The books is a page turner and very funny at times. A fun book if you are already interested in the world.
The Bad:
The book is part 1 of a 2 part book and there is no way to know if and when the second book will be released.