A moreish taste after all.

A Dance with Dragons if the fifth book in The Song of Ice and Fire series (after A Game of Thrones, A Clash of Kings, A Storm of Crows and a Feast for Crows and before, The Winds of Winter (forthcoming) and A Dream of Spring (forthcoming)).

The beginning of this volume is chronologically parallel to A Feast for Crows and focuses on the other half of characters, on events in the North of Westeros and beyond the Narrow Sea.

Tyrion's part starts in Pentos, where he will be embarked on an unusual adventure to Volantis and Mereen.

In the East, both Quentyn Martell, Victarion Greyjoy are on their way to Mereen to ask Dænerys's hand in marriage, while she tries to conciliate dragons, husband, lover and peace for her people.

At the Wall, Jon is trying to cozy up to Stannis and the Red Priestess Melisandre, to ensure their help in the defense against the Others.

Beyond it, Bran is searching the three-eyed crow with Hodor, Meera and Jojen Reed, and Summer.

In the last quarter of the book, characters from A Feast for Crows rejoin the cast as timeframes are once again synchronized.

It took me over six months to finish this heavy volume! And even though I'm very glad to finally be done with it, one particular event in the last chapters came as a great shock and now I can't wait to read The Winds of Winter (whenever it comes out).

8/10