I read the first three in the series over 10 years ago, but since there was such a lull before the 4th book came out, like many, I quickly lost interest in reading it. Since the TV series has come out, I've decided to go back and re-read the series. Now that I have a visual in my head of who the main characters are, I'm less confused as to who is who, and as a result, I'm enjoying them a lot more than I did the first time around. Even though I already know what happens, the books are still way better than any TV or movie could do...although I am impressed by how closely they've stayed with what was in the novel version. I guess it's easier to do so with a 10-hour TV series than with a 2-3 hour movie.

I really like the Game of Thrones, but then I enjoy long series with multiple plots that slowly weave together. I particularly like the politics and intrigue in the series.

I suppose I can see how his style might not be for everyone but I really have to squint to do so.

If this you mean Farenheit 451 I am with you. I have read it several times and I love it. Great book.

I haven't read any other Bradbury but I've read this at least twice

My interest is peaked. I haven't read this series yet but shall be looking for it now. Will put it on my to read list. So many books and so little time. It's frustrating. There is one book tstarnes, that I have never been able to get through. Farenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury. I have tried that book about 5 different times and just cannot seem to get through it. I love Bradbury but not this book.

I can't bring myself to read them until the entire series is done. Which is at least two, perhaps three, more. (Yes, there is a possibility for an 8th book). However, the good news is that Martin has stated he will not let the HBO series outrun him. Which means we have at most 5 or 6 years for the whole series to be completed. Also, thanks to the HBO series, Martin did lay out the key plot points, like Jordan. Even though Martin has stated in the past that if he died he would not let anyone finish his work, at least the story would be complete with the TV series.

@green_flame_616:

You have some points here. But I think there are different perceptions of a 'good writer' in this discussion. And I'm not saying that one is wrong and the other true - it's more a question of how does a book affect you. I give R. R. Martin that he has founded a complex world with a huge cast of characters interacting and stuff. Couldn't work something out like that in a 100 years. But for me, a really good read isn't something that unfolds with the progression of the story or the conclusion or the general idea behind it. It's more the use of words, creating atmosphere and stuff (I'm out of words, lol, but I'm no writer and not a native English speaker ).

Same problem I have with Stephen King. Like the ideas behind it, but can't read several pages without scratching my head about why this person is so popular. And this guy stands behind of some of my favorite films (Shawshank Redemption, The Mist).

I still feel he is a bad writer. The biggest offense for me is the plethora of secondary and tertiary characters that never go anywhere, and yet he spends way to much time on. I can see how that might not bother some people, Harry Turtledove, who I enjoy reading immensely, I also call a bad writer because of this. He comes of less of a writer and more of a guy in love with this world he created.

His books feel meandering and frankly, pretty boring. And his dialogue is weak (Bob is right about the "shrugged thing"). His pacing is way off with little sense of building towards a climax or goal. And at times the narrative thread seems either missing or just really hard to follow.

I know there are a lot of people who love his books, but man, I just can't stand his books. I have tried to read them several times because I hear how great they are, and ever time I am just bored to tears.

EDIT: I am going to amend this...I took out the word objectively. When talking about art, which writing is, I am not sure there is an objectively. Its pretty subjective.

He's not a bad writer, that's how he did it. I've been quiet on this for a while but I'm going to throw my hat in the ring. I get that his style might not be for everyone and a A Song of Ice and Fire has has an unusual format, but to call it bad writing is way off point, IMO. Having read all the books in the series, I'm thoroughly impressed with how authentically he is able to give voice to anyone from a dirty old man to the most innocent little girl. He deliberately set out to write a fantasy novel about the kind of things that get left out of fantasy novels. That's why you will hear about a battle second hand from a character that wasn't even there and then have 10 pages of people discussing strategy and intrigue. I'm at a point now where many of the plot threads are starting to weave back together and some of the twists and turns have been truly brilliant. If that's not for you, that's perfectly okay, but speaking both objectively and subjectively, he's a good writer.

That is what amazes me so much. How did he become such a big deal being such a bad writer?