Review: A Dance with Dragons

A Dance with Dragons by George R.R. Martin
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This last book (so far) has been the toughest to read. As long as it took me to read the first four books, is about the length of time it has taken me to read this last one alone. A Dance with Dragons is the "other half" of book four of the Song of Ice and Fire (aka A Game of Thrones) series. Book four, A Feast for Crows, tells the continuing story of the fight for the Iron Thrones of Westeros, concentrating on major characters such as Cersei, Jaime, Tommen, Arya, and Sansa, while book five concentrates on major characters Bran, Jon, and Tyrion, along with many secondary characters like Theon and Asha Greyjoy. The timeline for these two books are in parallel. Martin states that the overall story at this point was simply too big for one book, so he simply divided the story into the two books.

In both of these books, there is little to no action. The story at this point is mostly background for what we hope will be major action in the forthcoming novel(s). If you've ever been told to read a book and to not give up after the first hundred pages because "they are background that's needed for the rest of the book", consider books four and five that hundred pages of background tied up in roughly two thousand pages total.

I don't dislike this book or any of the Game of Thrones books, but book five felt like a long slog through a lot of needless information. Many chapters were highlights of what seem to be minor characters and many of those character's stories are just left hanging. This book is full of loose ends. I would certainly suggest that anyone invested in the series to read this one, but with a warning that it drags out and is far from riveting. Take your time with this one, it's not like you need to be in a hurry to finish since book six doesn't seem to be on the near horizon.

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Review: The Pioneers: The Heroic Story of the Settlers Who Brought the American Ideal West

The Pioneers: The Heroic Story of the Settlers Who Brought the American Ideal West by David McCullough
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

In 1788 a group of pioneers left the New England area set to explore the Northwest Territory. This was an area of land ceded to the United States in the Treaty of Paris, land that was larger than the whole of the United States. McCullough chronicles the exploration and establishment of the Northwest Territory by a Massachusetts minister named Manasseh Cutler, along with his son Ephraim, and Revolutionary War veteran General Rufus Putnam and two other men. The story centers on Marietta, a settlement established on the banks of the Ohio River. They had to clear timber by hand, build homes, forts, and businesses. They braved the elements and wild animals while fighting a war with Native Peoples whose land they overtook. They survived disease and hunger when food supplies diminished. They persevered to fulfill the three goals that were named in the Northwest Ordinance, the agreement by which they began their journey. They agreed to build a place that was free from slavery, supported the freedom of religion, and offered education through the establishment of Ohio University and Marietta College, both institutions that are around today.

David McCullough is quite a historian who wove this story together through letters, diaries, and manuscripts of the men who settled the area. McCullough was inspired to research the area after delivering a commencement address at Ohio University in 2004. He already knew a bit about Ohio from his research for The Wright Brothers. McCullough is quite a storyteller who brings the story of these men to life. This is an area of the U.S. that I was not familiar with but am glad I was able to read about these early settlers and the pioneering spirit that our country was founded on.

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