A Dance With Dragons is the fifth volume of George R. R. Martin’s epic fantasy saga, A Song of Ice and Fire. It was first published in July 2011 by Bantam Spectra in the U.S. and Harper Voyager in the U.K., arriving nearly six years after its predecessor, A Feast for Crows.
Firmly rooted in epic fantasy, the book blends medieval realism with political intrigue, war, and the supernatural. Martin, often hailed as the “American Tolkien,” is distinguished not only for his world-building but for his refusal to adhere to standard fantasy tropes. As Time Magazine noted, Martin’s series “brought a new level of moral ambiguity to modern fantasy.”
A Dance With Dragons stands as both a continuation and complication of the saga. While it expands the world geographically (the Wall, Meereen, Braavos, beyond the Narrow Sea), it also delves deeper into the psychology of its most conflicted characters—Jon Snow, Tyrion Lannister, and Daenerys Targaryen. My overall impression is that the novel, despite pacing criticisms, is indispensable for its rich character arcs, thematic weight, and setup for the saga’s climax.
Table of Contents
1. Background
The writing and release of A Dance With Dragons carry significant historical weight within fantasy publishing. Originally, Martin envisioned this material as part of A Feast for Crows. However, when the manuscript grew unmanageable, he split it into two volumes. This meant Feast focused on King’s Landing, the Riverlands, and Dorne, while Dance returned to the Wall, the North, Tyrion’s exile, and Daenerys in Meereen.
Publication delays—nearly six years—built anticipation to a fever pitch. When finally released, the book debuted at #1 on The New York Times Best Seller List, selling 650,000 copies in its first week in the U.S. alone (making it the fastest-selling book in Bantam’s history at the time).
This long gestation created two key contexts:
- Readers came with sky-high expectations, and
- The text bore the weight of re-weaving multiple storylines into a cohesive whole after years of absence.
2. Summary
After the tumult of war that tore Westeros apart, the realm staggers into a fragile and uneasy balance, yet peace is far from reach.
In the North, the Wall stands tall against the bitter winds of winter, guarded by men who no longer trust one another fully. Jon Snow, raised to Lord Commander of the Night’s Watch, carries the burden of leadership heavier than any sword he has wielded. Surrounded by foes and doubters, he seeks to guide his brothers through the perilous alliance with the wildlings, whom many still see as ancient enemies.
Yet Jon has vision beyond the narrow loyalty of the Watch; he sees the greater danger that stirs beyond the Wall, the threat of the Others and their dead armies.
To strengthen the Wall’s defenses, he allows thousands of free folk through the gates, a choice that sows seeds of discord. He dispatches men to hold abandoned castles, tries to bind the wildlings to his cause, and even permits Tormund Giantsbane to settle his people on southern soil. He understands that human quarrels matter little if the dead sweep south unchecked. Still, resentment festers, especially when he sends out ranging parties and grants leadership roles to wildling chieftains.
His pragmatism is mistaken for betrayal by those clinging to old hatreds. Meanwhile, the shadow of Stannis Baratheon looms at Castle Black, his claim to the Iron Throne fueling his determination to rally the North. Stannis seeks to win the loyalty of proud northern lords, many of whom bent the knee to House Bolton, now raised by the crown as Wardens of the North. To prove his strength, he marches south with his army and the men of the mountain clans, leaving his queen and her red priestess, Melisandre, behind at the Wall.
His war takes him toward Winterfell, where the Boltons prepare their hold on power by arranging the marriage of Ramsay Bolton to a girl passed off as Arya Stark.
The cruel bastard of Bolton secures legitimacy and the claim to Winterfell, yet his sadism brings terror rather than loyalty. Reek, once Theon Greyjoy, moves like a broken shadow through Winterfell, his body mutilated and his will shattered. Forced into obedience by Ramsay’s torments, he serves as the tool of his master’s ambitions. The true Arya is far away, but the deception fools many, tightening the Boltons’ grip even as enemies gather around them.
Far across the sea, the fortunes of Daenerys Targaryen unfold in Meereen, where she sits uneasy upon her throne. She has conquered the city but not its heart, and each day proves that ruling is harder than taking. She wishes to end slavery, yet her presence has only drawn war.
The Yunkish, joined by powerful allies, gather at the gates of her city, tightening their siege. Inside Meereen, masked insurgents known as the Sons of the Harpy stalk the streets, striking at her soldiers, her freedmen, and her peace.
Her dragons grow wild, dangerous even to her own people; Drogon vanishes into the skies, while Rhaegal and Viserion must be chained in dark pits. To keep power, Daenerys makes compromises she despises.
She agrees to wed Hizdahr zo Loraq, a noble of the city, in hope of peace, though her heart still beats for Daario Naharis, the flamboyant captain who serves her with sword and seduction. Her choice is bitter, but it stills the killings for a time. Yet enemies circle: the Yunkai host builds engines of war, fleets blockade her harbor, and plague spreads among the camps. In her court, tension sharpens as Ser Barristan Selmy and others distrust Hizdahr’s motives.
Still, Daenerys dreams of Westeros, of the home she lost, though she feels the pull of duty to those she freed. Her dragons call to her, fierce and untamed, symbols of her destiny but also reminders of the destruction they may bring.
To the west, Tyrion Lannister drifts far from the bloody court he fled. Murder accused and outlaw, he travels in disguise, bound for an uncertain fate. Spirited out of King’s Landing after killing his father, he sails across Essos under the guidance of Illyrio Mopatis, the same fat magister who once plotted Daenerys’s marriage to Khal Drogo. Tyrion, bitter and sharp-tongued, drowns himself in wine and mockery, masking his despair with wit.
Yet the game of thrones will not let him go. He is bound for Daenerys, though his road meanders through misfortune. Captured by slavers after being sold out by companions, he finds himself among a ragged company of mummers, sellswords, and broken men marching toward Meereen. His quick tongue and cunning mind keep him alive, and soon he weaves himself into the fabric of the company known as the Second Sons.
Tyrion sees in Daenerys not just salvation but the fire of vengeance he craves against those who wronged him. But he also fears her—another Targaryen with dragons, another unpredictable player in a game where trust is scarce.
In King’s Landing, Queen Regent Cersei Lannister struggles under the weight of her own schemes. Once secure in her dominance, she now finds herself ensnared by the Faith of the Seven, whose High Sparrow grows in influence. Her sins and indulgences are no longer secrets.
Arrested and humiliated, she endures the infamous walk of penance, barefoot and bare before the jeering crowds of the capital. Her pride bleeds, but her ambition burns on. Awaiting her trial, she plans revenge, even as her enemies close in. The Iron Throne itself sits uneasy beneath her young son, King Tommen, a child manipulated by forces beyond his grasp. The realm groans with unrest, and the Lannisters’ enemies smell weakness in every corner.
On the Iron Islands, Euron Crow’s Eye, returned from exile, holds sway after seizing the Seastone Chair. His brothers, Victarion and Aeron, chafe under his shadow. Victarion sails eastward with the Iron Fleet, bearing a dragon horn said to bind the great beasts to the will of whoever blows it.
He dreams of claiming Daenerys as his bride, though he knows he serves as Euron’s pawn. His voyage is perilous, filled with whispers of sorcery and doom, yet he sails on, chasing a destiny not his own.
In Dorne, Prince Doran Martell watches with patience as his children and bannermen cry for vengeance. The death of Oberyn Martell at King’s Landing left a wound unhealed, but Doran knows his realm is not ready for open war. He tempers the fiery passions of the Sand Snakes, yet plots quietly for the day Dorne may rise again.
Farther north, Bran Stark journeys beyond the Wall, guided by visions and the mysterious Coldhands. Through hardship and strange landscapes, he reaches the lair of the three-eyed crow, an ancient greenseer bound to roots and earth. There, Bran begins to learn the secrets of warging and the deep magic of the old gods. His body is broken, but his mind stretches into realms of trees, beasts, and memory. He takes his first steps into a destiny that transcends the struggles of kings and lords, touching the very heart of the world.
Back at the Wall, Jon Snow’s choices narrow around him. He tries to maintain balance between his brothers and the wildlings, between Stannis’s cause and the neutrality sworn by the Night’s Watch. He sends Samwell Tarly south with Gilly and the infant she carries, hoping to train Sam as a maester at Oldtown.
He dispatches others to hold strongholds along the Wall, for he knows the Others stir. Letters from the south bring grim tidings—Arya wed to Ramsay, Winterfell under Bolton hands. Jon wrestles with honor, family, and duty, his heart pulled in all directions. At last, he decides to march south himself, to relieve Arya and bring war to the Boltons. To his sworn brothers, this is treason; to Jon, it is justice. Yet before his plan takes shape, daggers find him in the cold night.
His brothers, chanting “For the Watch,” plunge their blades into him, leaving him bleeding in the snow, abandoned by those he thought he led. His fate hangs unresolved, his life suspended between loyalty and betrayal.
In Meereen, Daenerys finds herself caught between peace and fire. A great feast and games mark her wedding to Hizdahr, but as the blood of gladiators stains the sands of the pit, Drogon returns, vast and terrible. Drawn by the scent of death, the dragon descends.
Chaos erupts as men and beasts scatter. Spears and chains cannot bind him, and when Daenerys mounts his back, she flies into the skies for the first time, claimed by the very fire she sought to master. The city she leaves behind falls into turmoil.
Barristan Selmy seizes power, commanding the defense against the encroaching Yunkish. Within the walls, whispers of betrayal circle Hizdahr. Outside, fleets close in, including Victarion’s Ironborn, who seeks to claim the queen. Plague spreads through the besiegers’ camps, and war becomes inevitable.
Tyrion, among the sellswords, maneuvers for survival, his mind ever plotting, his tongue never silent. He edges closer to Daenerys, though whether as ally or threat none can be sure. Victarion sails with his great horn, seeking to bind dragons that may not be his to command. Across the sea, other claimants to the Iron Throne stir, including a youth revealed as Aegon Targaryen, said to be Rhaegar’s son, thought long dead. Backed by the Golden Company, he sets his course for Westeros, another piece upon the board.
Everywhere, the game twists tighter, shadows lengthen, and winter draws nearer. Lords plot, dragons rise, kings march, and the dead stir. In the North, betrayal leaves Jon Snow’s fate uncertain. In the east, Daenerys vanishes into grasslands upon a dragon’s back, torn between her people and her destiny. Tyrion sails through schemes toward fire and blood. And across all the world, whispers rise: winter is coming, and with it, the war for the dawn.
3. Analysis
3.1 Characters
George R. R. Martin’s A Dance With Dragons thrives on its sprawling cast, yet the novel pays particular attention to a handful of central figures whose arcs shape the direction of the saga.
- Jon Snow emerges as one of the most conflicted and layered characters. As Lord Commander of the Night’s Watch, his decisions—such as allying with the wildlings and showing leniency to Stannis—highlight his struggle between duty, compassion, and the political realities of leadership. Jon’s arc underscores the book’s emphasis on sacrifice and leadership under impossible pressures. His assassination at the end represents not only a shocking twist but also a culmination of the mistrust and resentment his bold choices inspired.
- Daenerys Targaryen provides a parallel tale across the Narrow Sea, caught between her vision of justice and the harsh realities of ruling Meereen. Her idealism falters under political unrest, betrayals, and the uncontrollable growth of her dragons. Through Daenerys, Martin explores themes of power, responsibility, and the limits of good intentions. Her ultimate disappearance on Drogon’s back signifies both liberation and uncertainty about her destiny.
- Tyrion Lannister shifts from the witty court jester of King’s Landing to a wandering exile whose bitterness deepens after patricide. His journey through Essos reveals a man grappling with self-loathing, cynicism, and survival instincts. Despite his wit and intelligence, he is portrayed as vulnerable and morally ambiguous. His interactions with companions such as Jorah Mormont offer moments of unexpected humanity.
- Theon Greyjoy (as “Reek”) provides some of the darkest and most gut-wrenching chapters. His degradation at the hands of Ramsay Bolton highlights Martin’s willingness to depict psychological torment as brutally as physical pain. Theon’s fragile attempts to reclaim his identity add poignancy to his otherwise disgraced past, offering redemption arcs amid the cruelty.
- Other significant figures like Stannis Baratheon, Davos Seaworth, Melisandre, Bran Stark, and Victarion Greyjoy each play crucial roles in advancing the multifaceted conflicts. Collectively, these characters embody the book’s central fascination: individuals trapped in webs of loyalty, ambition, betrayal, and fate.
Martin’s characters are complex because they are not archetypal heroes or villains; instead, they are driven by a mix of fear, desire, and flawed reasoning. This humanization makes their journeys deeply impactful.
3.2 Writing Style and Structure
Martin’s writing in A Dance With Dragons reflects both his strengths and his challenges as a storyteller.
- Narrative Techniques: The story is told through multiple point-of-view chapters, offering a kaleidoscopic view of events across Westeros and Essos. This structure creates depth, but it also fragments the narrative, demanding patience from readers. Each POV character provides not only story advancement but also thematic resonance. For instance, Jon’s political dilemmas mirror Daenerys’s struggles in Meereen.
- Language and Tone: Martin’s prose is vivid, often visceral, especially in depictions of violence and suffering. He employs foreshadowing through dreams, prophecies, and cryptic visions, keeping readers engaged in interpreting the future. The language balances courtly grandeur with gritty realism, sustaining both the fantasy genre’s appeal and its darker subversions.
- Pacing: While the novel contains gripping events—the Battle of Ice, the Sons of the Harpy uprising, Tyrion’s enslavement—the pacing is sometimes uneven. Extended political maneuverings in Meereen or Braavos slow the plot. Yet Martin uses this slower rhythm to build psychological depth and tension, rewarding readers with explosive payoffs.
- Literary Devices: Symbolism, irony, and parallels across storylines enrich the narrative. Dragons represent both rebirth and destruction; snow and ice forewarn doom and stagnation. Irony often emerges through character fates, such as Jon’s idealistic yet fatal attempts to unify enemies.
This stylistic balance between grandeur and brutality is central to Martin’s unique narrative voice.
3.3 Themes and Symbolism
1. Power, Survival, and the Illusion of Control
- Much like earlier books, A Dance With Dragons shows how power is fragile, shifting, and often illusory.
- Daenerys believes she has freed Meereen, but in reality, she is a prisoner of politics, rebellion, and her own inexperience in governance.
- Jon Snow, though made Lord Commander of the Night’s Watch, finds that power brings isolation. His reforms and alliances provoke hatred from his own men, highlighting the danger of leadership.
- Tyrion learns that wit alone cannot always keep him safe—exile shows him the limits of cleverness when surrounded by enemies.
- Symbolism: The Iron Throne is absent in this book for most of the narrative, yet its shadow dominates all decisions, symbolizing how power can haunt even from afar.
2. Freedom vs. Slavery
- Daenerys’ storyline is the most explicit example of this theme. Her decision to abolish slavery brings unintended consequences—rebellion, masked insurgents (the Sons of the Harpy), and instability.
- The paradox of freedom: those freed do not always desire it if it comes with chaos, hunger, and poverty.
- Symbolism: The chains Daenerys breaks are physical, but the “chains of tradition” and economic systems prove harder to shatter.
3. The Struggle Between Duty and Desire
- Jon Snow: Must choose between the duty to the Watch and his empathy for the wildlings. His efforts to save them undermine his position, showing the price of moral choices.
- Daenerys: Torn between her love for Daario and her duty as queen. Her final decision to marry Hizdahr zo Loraq for peace illustrates the sacrifice of desire for duty.
- Tyrion: Faces his own conflict—his desire for vengeance against his family versus his instinct for survival and a role in shaping the realm.
- Symbolism: Dragons themselves embody this theme—wild desire for freedom and destruction vs. Daenerys’ duty to control them.
4. Identity and Transformation
- Many characters undergo transformations that blur their old selves:
- Reek (Theon Greyjoy): Broken and reshaped by Ramsay Bolton, Theon struggles with memory, identity, and self-worth.
- Arya Stark (though not central here, her training continues): Her journey into becoming “No One” resonates with themes of shedding and reclaiming identity.
- Bran Stark: His greenseer training shows the mystical transformation of humanity into something beyond human.
- Symbolism: Names—Reek, Lord Commander, Khaleesi, Imp—show how identity is shaped externally as much as internally.
5. War and the Cost of Peace
- The War of the Five Kings has faded, but its scars remain everywhere—hunger in the Riverlands, burnt villages, power vacuums.
- Peace proves harder to achieve than war—Daenerys’ rule demonstrates how creating stability is a greater challenge than conquest.
- Symbolism: Dragons represent the power to wage war but also the impossibility of sustaining peace through brute force.
6. Religion and Prophecy
- Faith grows more powerful than ever:
- R’hllor (Lord of Light)—Melisandre’s visions and sorcery influence Stannis and Jon’s choices.
- The Old Gods—Bran’s mystical journey underlines the ancient magic still alive in the North.
- The Many-Faced God—Arya’s path toward becoming an assassin highlights religious devotion as identity erasure.
- Prophecy complicates lives: Daenerys struggles with her role as “the prince that was promised,” while Quaithe and other mystics keep adding cryptic warnings.
- Symbolism: The red comet and dragons—still symbols of divine destiny, but their meaning is debated by all factions, showing how prophecy is both a guiding light and a dangerous trap.
3.4 Genre-Specific Elements
As a fantasy epic, A Dance With Dragons demonstrates both fidelity to and reinvention of the genre.
- World-Building: Martin’s greatest strength lies in his immersive world. From the frozen expanses of the Wall to the exotic politics of Meereen, each location is textured with history, culture, and conflict. Readers encounter languages, religions, and customs that make the fictional universe feel real and lived-in.
- Dialogue: Dialogue often doubles as character development and political maneuvering. Tyrion’s wit, Davos’s humility, and Melisandre’s cryptic prophecies exemplify Martin’s ability to use speech as a storytelling tool.
- Adherence to Genre: While dragons, prophecies, and ancient magic firmly place the story in fantasy, Martin resists the genre’s traditional tropes. Heroes die, villains gain ground, and the narrative rarely rewards virtue with triumph. Instead, realism permeates the fantasy setting.
- Recommended Audience: A Dance With Dragons is best suited for readers who appreciate complex, morally ambiguous storytelling with an emphasis on political intrigue and layered character arcs. It is less ideal for those expecting straightforward fantasy adventures or rapid pacing. Fans of epic sagas like Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings or Erikson’s Malazan Book of the Fallen will find Martin’s work particularly compelling, albeit darker and more unpredictable.
4. Evaluation
1. Strengths
- Return of Fan-Favorite Characters
Martin brings back beloved arcs—Jon Snow, Daenerys Targaryen, and Tyrion Lannister—after their relative absence in A Feast for Crows. The renewed focus helped to re-engage readers and revitalize the narrative. - Rich World-Building & Intrigue
Readers and reviewers praised Martin’s vivid detail and political complexity. The Atlantic noted that A Dance with Dragons “remains entirely engrossing,” lauding its immersive world and sharp narrative transitions. - Narrative Momentum Resumed
Many felt that the pacing felt more dynamic compared to its predecessor. One review praised how major questions were answered—and the story “gobsmacks you with convincing feints and change-ups.” - Epic, Emotional Set Pieces
The Washington Post highlighted the sprawling, visceral scenes—filled with “unexpected turnings” and “moments of appalling cruelty”—calling it “epic fantasy as it should be written.” - Commercial & Cultural Triumph
- First-day sales: nearly 300,000 copies across print, digital, and audio, the highest of any book released that year.
- It remained on The New York Times Best Seller list for a staggering 88 weeks, indicating long-term appeal.
- One study showed that A Dance with Dragons stayed on bestseller lists longer than nearly any comparable release: a whopping 114 consecutive weeks.
- In multiple reading forums, it still holds a favorable—if not glowing—rating among fans, especially online communities dedicated to ASOIAF.
2. Weaknesses
- Overt Structural Complexity & Pacing Issues
Critics frequently cited the novel’s sprawling structure, a hangover from the geographical split with Feast. One reviewer remarked the initial 600 pages feel “much slower,” akin to a dangling prologue. - Uneven Momentum
Erik Kain described moments as “painfully slow,” contrasting with other chapters he deemed “excellent,” underscoring how the novel dips in pacing between high-octane sequences. - Repetitive Language Patterns
The Atlantic noted that Martin occasionally leaned into formulaic prose—characters across continents using the same idioms and dialogue patterns—pointing to missed editorial opportunities. - Self-Referential Quirkiness
Some readers took issue with Tyrion’s “I’m dancing as fast as I can,” a nod to Martin’s own blog title, interpreting it as a meta insertion that broke immersion. - Unresolved Endings
While Martin masterfully juggled many threads, some readers felt the novel ended “unfinished”—a necessary feature perhaps, but frustrating as a standalone entry. A spoiler review emphasized this: “he couldn’t pull off the usual satisfying big finish.”
3. Personal & Literary Impact
On a personal level, A Dance with Dragons felt like reuniting with an old, complicated friend—familiar faces, deeper shadows, and new temptations at every turn. The political machinations, the weight of leadership (Jon, Dany), and the exile’s quest (Tyrion) were emotionally potent.
Literarily, the novel signals Martin’s evolution toward multi-threaded, morally complex storytelling that doesn’t give easy answers, even as he sets the board for the saga’s endgame.
4. Comparison with Similar Works
In the landscape of epic fantasy:
- Compared to The Lord of the Rings, Martin’s narrative is grittier and more morally ambiguous.
- In storytelling ambition, the book rivals Robert Jordan’s Wheel of Time in scope, but Martin’s character focus remains uniquely humane.
- Like Tolkien, he constructs deep mythology—but unlike Tolkien’s optimism, Martin embraces the cost of power, the unpredictability of fate, and the scars of leadership.
5. Critical Reception & Awards
- Major Praise:
- Washington Post: “A complex summer blockbuster with brains and heart.”
- Christian Science Monitor: Called it “possibly one of the best books in the five-book series so far.”
- Mixed but Not Dismissing:
- Fan Forums:
Goodreads and niche blogs often average around 3/5, with hardcore fans voicing patience while acknowledging flaws. - Award Recognition:
- Nominated for the Hugo Award (Best Novel), World Fantasy Award, and Locus Award, winning the Locus Poll Award for Best Fantasy Novel in 2012.
6. Television Adaptation
A Dance with Dragons largely underpins the fifth season of HBO’s Game of Thrones, with elements drawn from earlier and later books as well.
- Faithful arcs: Jon’s command at the Wall, Dany’s rule in Meereen, and Tyrion’s escape all form critical season semantics.
- Creative liberties: Due to tightening the narrative for television, some plotlines were condensed or omitted. Nonetheless, key emotional beats—like Daenerys’ dragon flight—were adapted with high fidelity.
7. Cultural & Commercial Significance
- Record-breaking sales: Sold nearly 300,000 day-one copies—a milestone for fantasy publishing.
- Long-term bestseller status: Stayed on NYT bestseller list for 88 weeks, reflecting sustained demand.
- Series-restoring success: After a slower Feast, ADwD helped mend fan confidence, demonstrating Martin hadn’t lost narrative control.
- Academic note: A data approach to bestseller trends named it one of the longest-standing blockbusters, solidifying its standing in publishing lore.
In summary, A Dance with Dragons is a bold return to form—rich in stakes, rife with political nuance, and essential to completing the tapestry of A Song of Ice and Fire.
Its strengths in character, scale, and cultural resonance outweigh its pacing quirks and structural complexity. It remains a defining work of modern fantasy, both for its storytelling and its impact.
5. Personal Insight
Reading A Dance With Dragons is like walking a razor’s edge between anticipation and dread. The book embodies George R.R. Martin’s greatest strengths—his world-building, moral ambiguity, and narrative complexity—but it also reflects his indulgences, such as sprawling storylines and slower pacing. Yet, despite its length and occasional digressions, the novel grips the reader with a relentless atmosphere of impending catastrophe.
What struck me most was the way Martin manipulates hope. Characters like Jon Snow and Daenerys Targaryen offer glimpses of light—visions of leadership, compassion, and reform—but those glimmers are constantly threatened, reminding us that in Westeros, “goodness” is fragile currency. The brutal ending of Jon’s arc, with his stabbing at the hands of his brothers, epitomizes Martin’s thesis: no leader, no matter how idealistic, is safe in a world ruled by fear, power, and betrayal.
Equally compelling is Tyrion’s arc. Stripped of privilege and thrust into exile, he becomes the lens through which we explore the true cruelty of Essos and the illusions of power. Tyrion’s cynicism sharpens, but beneath it, Martin reveals a broken man still searching for meaning. The tragedy of A Dance With Dragons is not only in who dies, but in how characters’ souls erode under pressure.
Thematically, this book forces readers to reflect on ambition and its cost. Whether it’s Daenerys wrestling with the burdens of ruling, Jon facing betrayal, or Theon reclaiming fragments of his identity, Martin’s story is a meditation on survival in a morally gray universe.
From a reader’s standpoint, A Dance With Dragons can feel exhausting, but in the best way—it demands patience, rewards attention to detail, and leaves you haunted by its final images. Unlike standard fantasy epics that end with catharsis, Martin thrives on disquiet, ensuring his world feels alive, unpredictable, and painfully real.
6. Most Quotable Lines
- “Kill the boy, Jon Snow. Kill the boy and let the man be born.” — Maester Aemon.
- “I am the sword in the darkness.” — Jon Snow (reciting the Night’s Watch oath).
- “Dark wings, dark words.” — Jon Snow.
- “Books are dead men talking. Dead men should keep quiet.” — Dolorous Edd.
- “Where do whores go?” — Tyrion Lannister.
- “Power tastes best when sweetened by courtesy.” — Roose Bolton.
- “Lie to me, and I’ll take your tongue… count your fingers first and know the cost.” — Ramsay Bolton.
- “Reek, Reek, it rhymes with meek.” — Theon Greyjoy (as Reek).
- “I’m Reek, it rhymes with sneak.” — Theon Greyjoy (as Reek).
- “The north remembers… the mummer’s farce is almost done.” — Wyman Manderly.
- “Cut off his head and hands… but not before he tells me where he sent my lord.” — Wyman Manderly.
- “The man who eats the flesh of man is an abomination.” — Haggon (to Varamyr).
- “Only a beast consumes a man’s flesh.” — Haggon.
- “A man alone was a feeble thing.” — Varamyr Sixskins (narration).
- “Dragons plant no trees. Remember that.” — Jorah Mormont (as Dany recalls).
- “I am the blood of the dragon.” — Daenerys Targaryen.
- “Death comes out of the dragon’s mouth, but death does not go in that way.” — Septon Barth (quoted).
- “Sleep is a little death, and dreams the whisperings of the Other.” — Melisandre.
- “We walk beneath one of the hinges of the world.” — Melisandre.
- “Then you know nothing, Jon Snow.” — Melisandre.
- “It is not the foes who curse you to your face that you must fear, but those who smile… and sharpen their knives when you turn your back.” — Melisandre.
- “Laws should be made of iron, not of pudding.” — Stannis Baratheon.
- “You spend your words as if every one were a golden dragon.” — Stannis Baratheon (to Jon).
- “The gods are seldom good, Jon Snow.” — Tormund Giantsbane.
- “Fire is a fickle thing. No one knows which way a flame will go.” — Val.
- “Words are wind, and the wind is always blowing at the Wall.” — Jon Snow.
- “The Wall is no place for a woman.” — Jon Snow (to Melisandre).
- “The gate must close at nightfall. Any man not through the Wall by then had best pray the Others get to him afore I do.” — Tormund Giantsbane.
- “This is my lot… from now until the end of my days.” — Jon Snow.
- “Many good men have been bad kings… and some bad men have been good kings.” — Maester Aemon (as remembered by Jon).
7. Conclusion
A Dance With Dragons stands as both a triumph and a trial in modern fantasy literature. It gives readers unforgettable moments, iconic lines, and a complex expansion of Martin’s universe while also testing patience with its density.
Yet, despite criticisms, it cements itself as a cornerstone of A Song of Ice and Fire—a book that challenges, unsettles, and rewards readers with its brutal authenticity.
If A Storm of Swords was shock and devastation, A Dance With Dragons is reckoning and anticipation. It closes not with resolution but with uncertainty, ensuring that fans remain restless until the saga’s end.
