Bumping this as I just finished the 4th book in the A Song of Ice and Fire series, A Feast for Crows.
It wasn't the best of the books, but when you take into account that the partner book is still be written it kinda makes up for it.
For those who dont know, George R R Martin wrote a huge book, but it was too big so he split it in two. Instead of doing it the conventional way (publishing the first half first and the second half well, second) he split it in half geographically. Both books are set at the same time and the events in both happen simultaneously but A Feast for Crows concentrates on the characters in the lower half of the continent, whilst A Dance with Dragons will (one day, maybe) feature the upper half. Obviously there are cross overs.. but it's made it more exciting. You keep seeing references to characters from the North having done something but you have to wait until the next book to read about it!
In any case, my official review:
A Song of Ice and Fire
An epic series, difficult at first but once you have a grip on the vast quantity of characters and their huge, filled and thorough characters and personalities it's a hugely compelling story.
Not for the faint hearted; Characters you like will die. Characters you hate will endure. The combat is downright brutal, vividly gruesome but hugely exciting. Rape, Pillage, Murder, Scheming, Skullduggery, Unimagined Alliances and Surprising Backstabbing.
Martin has truly mastered the ability to make you hate a written character, or love one. An absolute must read for people who love immersive worlds, huge characters and a lot of twists and turns.
Next up (if i can get them here), either the Malazan Book of the Fallen, or The Wheel of Time. Unsure.
I hate reading a series that is unfinished (especially as there seems to be some doubt as to whether this will ever be finished, I hear the latest books been delayed multiple times?)