[Book] What do you think of them? (Spoilers marked)

[Jinx]

I actually started re-reading the series yesterday, and I'm realizing the GRRM's writing style is actually not good at all. It reads like shitty fan-fiction.

Obviously I enjoy the series, and I think he's spun a great tale that keeps us on the edge of our seats. I think his world building is AMAZING. But he's just not that good of a writer.

Thoughts?

[Psychotic]

The man bloody loves to describe food.

[Jinx]

I haven't actually gotten to a point yet where there's been much food description.

[Ayen]

I think his writing style is fine. His books does read like a history textbooks at times. I remember getting confused at one point and then I just blanked out.

[The Summoner of Leviathan]

I actually started re-reading the series yesterday, and I'm realizing the GRRM's writing style is actually not good at all. It reads like shitty fan-fiction.

Obviously I enjoy the series, and I think he's spun a great tale that keeps us on the edge of our seats. I think his world building is AMAZING. But he's just not that good of a writer.

Thoughts?

I think you haven't read enough bad fanfic. :p

I agree that he is an excellent worldbuilder, but an average writer. I have always described my feelings while reading the books as a lot happens yet at the same time nothing really happens. It is akin to reading Lord of the Rings for me: amazing world but standard writing that can sometimes make you lose interest because the build up is too slow. And there is nothing wrong with that at all, every writer has their strengths and they can't be good at everything.

The writing itself isn't horrible by any means. Then again after reading fanfics with no capitalizations and little grammar. Also, the anus described as "the wound that never heals". x-x;;;;

[fire_of_avalon]

I actually started re-reading the series yesterday, and I'm realizing the GRRM's writing style is actually not good at all. It reads like troutty fan-fiction.

Obviously I enjoy the series, and I think he's spun a great tale that keeps us on the edge of our seats. I think his world building is AMAZING. But he's just not that good of a writer.

Thoughts?

Either here or on FB, Rye once told me that his political, conspiracy writing is great but his emotional, sexytime writing is cheesy and I tend to agree with that. I also notice that each book is really hard to get into initially but that around the 25-30% mark each character of focus has something crazy or amazing happen and I get hooked again, so I definitely agree they're hard to get into and the build up is slow. For example, I'm in book five right now on my first read through and I do not give one shit what is happening to Tyrion on this god forsaken river barge for three of his chapters BUT THEN HOLY SHIT RHAEGAR'S SON IS ALIVE WHAT ARE YOU EVEN TALKING ABOUT

And Bran stuff. Still just hate all the Bran stuff. Looking forward to when all the Bran stuff becomes important.

[theundeadhero]

Reading about Bran was boring, but by the end I fucking dreaded every chapter titled Daenerys. Other than that, I have no complaints.

[Psychotic]

Reading about Bran was boring, but by the end I fucking dreaded every chapter titled Daenerys. Other than that, I have no complaints.I used to hate the Dany sections in Meereen until I read this series of posts: https://meereeneseblot.wordpress.com/2013/09/27/untangling-the-meereenese-knot-part-i-who-poisoned-the-locusts/

Little long but worth a read if you want to stop hating those sections of the book!

[Shauna]

I do think the books overall are written in quite a simplistic manner. But, I think that's part of the reason I like them - I know they are massive, and the fact that they are so easy to read makes it less of a huge undertaking in my mind.

That being said, I just started Book 5 the other day, and I got to a Bran chapter and I think it was the first time I have felt that "Ugh I cannot be bothered with this". I am just reading so I can get back to Cersei, Jaime or Sansa.

[Shorty]

His writing is nothing special. I do not feel for any of the characters, not do I have emotional attachments to any of them. I simply find the events and happenings in their lives to be interesting. In all of five books I read, at no point was there anything that made me feel especially emotional or connected to the characters at any time.

His writing style is ordinary and uninteresting. He excels at weaving the intricacy of a plot and sucker punching his readers, that is all.

Also, he is an especially poor writer of female characters, imho.

[Freya]

His world building and the way he builds up suspense and conflicts is great. His actual writing isn't the best but i'm one of those people okay with food description. As long as it's good description, I'm okay. It's no twilight description, paraphrasing of course, "his eyes were cold as ice. His hands were cold as Ice. His touch was freezing, like ice." For the most part, I don't find his too unnecessary. It sets the world up.

[CimminyCricket]

His writing is good enough that I cannot go back to some of the other fantasy writer's I was reading before.

[Jess]

I like the books, but I could only ever read 1-2 chapters at a time without needing a break. I like the food descriptions because I love food.

[Bolivar]

He was an award-winning writer before he started the series and many of today's top fantasists credit him with reintroducing quality prose and dialogue back into the genre. To me, this is a lot like when people on this forum say Tolkien wasn't a great writer - maybe it doesn't gel with your reading sensibilities but calling him objectively subpar wouldn't get you very far in literary circles.

As far as the books, I think they're amazing. His pacing and cohesion have both really suffered in the last two entries, though, and I'm worried how much of that comes down to him not being the same person or writer he was 20 years ago.

[Shauna]

I finished reading all the books!

They're a wee bit of alright.

[Ergroilnin]

Well so far I am still on the first book just before the Eddard dies and I enjoy GRRM's writing style. I cannot objectively say if it is good or bad since honestly I didn't read that many books in my life. At least not in this genre.

But the again, I started the books long after watching the series and so for me it's more like expansion of character's depth and the world. Which is good enough to me.

Also I really enjoy the chapters being centered around one character and the jumps between the chapters. I usually cannot read more than like 40-60 pages of any book at one time anyways so it's nice that I can just read three-four chapters whole and start on fresh chapter the next day. It fits my reading style perfectly.

[Psychotic]

That night, after the plates had been cleared, Robb carried Bran up to bed himself. Grey Wind led the way, and Summer came close behind. His brother was strong for his age, and Bran was as light as a bundle of rags, but the stairs were steep and dark, and Robb was breathing hard by the time they reached the top.

He put Bran into bed, covered him with blankets, and blew out the candle. For a time Robb sat beside him in the dark. Bran wanted to talk to him, but he did not know what to say. “We’ll find a horse for you, I promise,” Robb whispered at last.

“Are they ever coming back?” Bran asked him.

“Yes,” Robb said with such hope in his voice that Bran knew he was hearing his brother and not just Robb the Lord. “Mother will be home soon. Maybe we can ride out to meet her when she comes. Wouldn’t that surprise her, to see you ahorse?”

Even in the dark room, Bran could feel his brother’s smile. “And afterward, we’ll ride north to see the Wall. We won’t even tell Jon we’re coming, we’ll just be there one day, you and me. It will be an adventure.”

“An adventure,” Bran repeated wistfully. He heard his brother sob. The room was so dark he could not see the tears on Robb’s face, so he reached out and found his hand. Their fingers twined together.

Anyone who says he can't write emotion has a heart of stone.

[Forsaken Lover]

By all accounts Book Jaime and Brienne are vastly superior which is why I might never watch the show, seeing as they ended up being two of my favorite characters.

Also
“Lord Tywin Lannister did not, in the end, shit gold.”

Best. Book. Ever.

[Night Fury]

I think he has created a very good, intricate story that keeps people hanging. A lot of what I have read was good and accessible - what more could you want?

Also, I just kind of hate the whole 'they're not a good writer' thing. Writing a novel is hard. Writing a series of novels is probably really smurfing difficult. Like, I don't really think Stephanie Meyer's books are that great, nor do I find 50 Shades of Grey fantastic - but somebody sat down and smurfing wrote a book - it's amazing. Not everyone can do it, so, and now more than ever, anyone who has a book on a shelf deserves my respect, no matter how it is.

[Ergroilnin]

Now I got actually curious. What is supposed to be a "good writer"? How is it decided that someone is legitimately a good writer?

I mean no offense and I am not defending GRRM's writing style, but I would really like to know what book should I read to have a fair competition.

There are things like Shakespear's work which became classic and while I enjoyed some of his work, I wouldn't be able to get through the books if I didn't "know" he is supposedly one of the best writers ever though.

Then there are more recent writers like Stephen King. I really enjoyed his books through and through but I am still unable to objectively say that he is awesome writer.

How does one decide on that? Are there any criteria that decide that objectively?

Sorry for such a post but I am a simple man, I enjoy the book, I think the writer is good.

[Lonely Paper Star]

His writing style is a bit dry at times, but I really enjoyed the narratives themselves and I got attached to many of the characters. The books are fast and simpler reads compared to the other fantasy I've read. I think I read all five of them in a span of 4 months?

Despite whatever is said of his writing style, as long as he can convey emotions, well-rounded characters, and good plot, I'm satisfied.

[theundeadhero]

Five of them in four months is fast?
While currently rereading the wheel of time, I've finished books 10-13 in the last few weeks and will finish book 14 before that whole time covers a month :p

[Del Murder]

I read the first three in parallel with the show and that was pretty cool but I think the timelines have diverted enough by now that it would just confuse me to read further. I'll probably pick it back up once the show ends.

I can see the complaints about his overly descriptive writing style that seems to be an affliction for most fantasy writers. But the books are entertaining and there is enough cool stuff that happens to keep me interested.

[Freya]

Well we're starting to get to unknown territory. You'd probably be okay finishing what is out because next season will mostly be new to everyone.