Post originally by Enlightenmenthk at 2005-02-13 17:33:18
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(On the Game of Thrones book review)

Some reviews focus on the prose, the strengths or weaknesses of the characters, the settings, believability of the plot, etc...and than some dumb down every character, misunderstand every plot element, and spew their idiocy forth in a dreadful stream of consciousness rant on everything that happens from page 1 to 1000.

Seriously, thats gotta be the worst book review I've ever read. Even if I didn't personally enjoy these novels (hell, even if I hated them or had never read them), I'd still find that to be a pointless review.

And its amazing that you missed one of the larger points of the entire series, that much like real life, very few characters are clear cut good or evil. That GRRM doesn't have traditional heros and villains. The bad guys don't dress in black and drink human blood, hellbent for unexplainable reasons on the destruction of humanity. Its not your everyday, cookie cutter Tolkien ripoff fantasy series.

But I guess that less than subtle point was lost on our reviewer. But while good and evil is a grey area in these novels, Cersei (the queen) is one of the more clear cut evil characters. Aborted her child, despised her husband, (even before he became a drunk, abusive lout), slept with her brother (and maintained the relationship even during her marriage), tried to pass off her incestuous spawn as the rightful heirs, participated in the attempted murder of a little kid, and is quite bitter, vain, and stupid. (not outright stupid, but more 'thinks she's alot more brilliant than she really is' stupid.) So yeah, she's pretty bad.

But all the characters, whether they lean good or bad, have flaws. And realistic ones at that. These are perhaps the most believable characterizations in modern fantasy. These could very well be real people, each with plausable reactions and emotions, something rare in the genre.

I suggest anyone marginally interested in a great fantasy novel not listen to this person. Anyone who thinks that Jordan is 'good company' when it comes to writing is simply not to be trusted.