I thought that there was a slight dropping off in the quality of this one - to an extent, Martin seems to be going through the motions - but this fourth book in the series is still a high quality example of its type and definitely kept my interest all the way through, leaving me wanting the next book asap. Here, the scope of the series widens, with Dorne becoming more significant; in fact, several important strands of the story are wholly or completely left out of A Feast For Crows. Not sure if I can manage to tick them all off, but the most notable of these are, I think, to do with events on and around the Wall (involving Jon Snow, King Stannis and Melisandre, not to mention those seeking to work their intrigues around them, and Bran's voyage north of the Wall) and Dany's rule across the sea. Also no word of Tyrion (except through Cersei's attempts to find him), Theon Greyjoy (I can't remember what had become of him by the end of the previous book - held by Roose Bolton at the Dreadfort, or still in Winterfell, or something else?), Davos Seaworth (barring a report that he has been killed, which I do not believe and expect to learn in later books was a false report), Rickon, or any of the direwolves.
As to those who do appear in this book, I feel that I should briefly set down how things stand, to aid me in picking up the next book, whenever it should come out.
- Cersei has succeeded in having Margaery imprisoned on charges of infidelity, only to herself be thrown into jail at the behest of the new High Septon; the boy King Tommen still sits the throne.
- Jaime, who has succeeded in taking Riverrun bloodlessly from Brynden Tully (only for the Blackfish to escape during the handover), has refused Cersei's desperate plea for help.
- Ser Lancel has left Darry to join the newly constituted militant religious order.
- Loras Tyrell is on the verge of death after leading a successful assault on Dragonstone, previously held by Stannis.
- Sandor Clegane really is dead of his wounds, it seems (though I'm not entirely convinced of this, either).
- Petyr Baelish continues to manoeuver from the Eyrie, where Sansa stays under the name 'Alayne', posing as his natural daughter and young Richard Arryn also remains.
- Arya, in training in a Braavosi temple, has just been blinded by a man of the temple after committing murder.
- Brienne, still seeking Sansa, has fallen into the hands of a group of outlaws - splinters from Beric Dondarrion's raiders (there are hints that Beric himself may finally be dead, but maybe not) - led by Catelyn, who is horribly disfigured but alive, and made to choose between killing Jaime and hanging herself.
- Samwell has made his way to Oldtown, where he has told his tale to an archmaester, Marwyn, who has then set off to counsel Dany.
- Euron Crow's Eye has succeeded to the title of King of the Iron Islands and is raiding in force up the Mander; Victarion remains loyal to him, but Aeron and Asha have both fled.
- And the old Prince of Dorne, Doran Martell, seems to be playing a deeper game than even his own family had suspected; Princess Myrcella Baratheon, his ward, has been seriously wounded.
I'm not even going to try to set out who currently holds which castle or title, or who's where, or what's happening with all of the minor characters who seem likely to still have large roles to play in what's to come - the Freys, the Corbrays, the Kettleblacks, Mace Tyrell, Lord Nestor, Yohn Royce, Lady Merryweather, Edmure Tully, Kevan Lannister, Walder Rivers, Randyll Tarly, Aurane Waters, Bronn, Qyburn, Pycelle, Gendry...this series is massive. But one of its great virtues is Martin's ability to characterise all these figures, and keep them turning over so that now one rises to prominence, now another - and while we may guess, we never know quite what's coming.
