My main issue is that it doesn't use the two main abilities of George: proper POVS and worldbuilding "in isolation" and instead focuses on something in which GRRM is less strong: description of events. Therefore a lot of stuff ends up coming out as nonsensical. The other thing is the vagueness of it all but that's more personal i admit it. I like misteries when there are answers to them and i don't care for theorycrafting just for the sake of it so most of them time i simply not care for what i read since it relies on unansewarble stuff so much. What's in the Dornish letter? Who knows. What was Visenya up to? Who knows. Why did Larys act the way he did? Who knows. Why did Sirax commit suicide? Who knows. What's up with the dead of Haleanea and Jaehera? Who knows. Why did Aegon III get horny for that 6 years old, etc etc.
the main issue i have with f&b is really how it is presented. It covers a bunch of interesting stuff but the way most of it is written makes reading it kind of boring.
Fire and blood is honestly in my top 5 favorite ASOIAF books in the franchise. Can't wait for part 2 since I don't know a lot about the Targaryen kings that come next outside of the mad king.
I simply can't wait for Vol.2 of this book, how Silverwing died? Also Aegon IV reign and the whole Blackfyre thing is super interesting also wonder how Dunk&Egg will be presented far in the story.
My main issue with it was how they the handled the dance and the ending of rhanerya. It all felt very unrealistic to me and rushed as if he's on a deadline to end all the dragons, as well as make rhanerya loose after she had a huge disadvantage. It might just be that it's not my taste but it was a bit too brutal and so many women died of childbirth or were raped. Rhaeneyra's character made such stupid mistakes near the end, which seemed very inconsistent with her character. Was really invested only because of the show and because I love Emma Darcy's version but the book itself is alright. The storming of the dragonpit, sunfyre surving and so many other things just felt convenient for George to quickly reach a conclusion as soon as possible. I didn't understand how all the dragons in the dragonpit died, including Syrax who was actually free and flying. How can an injured Sunfyre escape a huge mob trying to kill him but a way larger dragon who can perfectly fly and is healthy and in her prime DIE? ALSO why would Syrax not have any GAURDS around to guard it. Why did Syrax even fly when Joffrey clung to her? It all just seems very inconsistent to me.
Reading Fire and Blood actually made House Targaryen my favourite house, they are definitely the most fascinating without a doubt. I especially loved reading the reign of Jaehaerys and Alysanne... it actually does feel like your reading a real history book about a king and queen that everybody loved. can't wait for part 2.
I really like it as a fantasy-History book, which is exactly what is meant to be. I love Jaehaerys chapters and then Aegon III chapters the best. The conqueror chapters are also really good, especially when they're closely followed by Maegor and then Jaehaerys. I still love Dunk and Egg's books/tales the best, but yeah. Fire and blood is also really nice!
Alysanne is pronounced like your second alternative. At least that's how the narrator reads it in the audiobook! I would imagine they have notes on how to pronounce names, especially Targaryens.
The fact that you don't have answers for everything comes along with the fact that this is meant to be, again, an history book. The most fun you can have with this book is discovering the things that are given to you as facts but that are most likely propaganda; note, for example, that the fantasy-author of the book has alliances, and that's only one type of bias. I really really like this book, I think that most of the people that don't like it didn't know what they were getting into. They probably expected a narrative more similar to either ASOIAF or dunk and egg, which I get! But that's like buying a Mitsubishi product without reading the buying info/label, because you associate it with cars, only to find out you bought a really expensive A/C. Maybe that's a dumb analogy, but I hope it makes it so my point comes across.
A very poor writen book , the idea of presenting it like a history record was crap ,because a history record need exactly what GRRM was never good at : concrete numbers and timline , and it lacks what was he better at : dialogue I dont recomand the book to nobody , it has the narative of a wikipedia page , and his core message seems to be made for childrens : War baaad , peace goood , and of course some dick jokes told by Tyrion 2.0 who only childrens will laugh at This book represent the decline in health and talent Martin
I think most people who hate Fire and Blood hate it either because it’s not a story it’s a history book, or because they think it delayed the Winds of Winter
