Who expects an equally thrilling sequel to the furious first three parts of the cycle, will be of "A Feast for Crows" a little disappointed. After a lot of the protagonists have now passed away and most battles are beaten, Martin builds in the fourth volume of his series on some new factions and some characters such as Cersei Lannister and Brienne of Tarth further elaborates. Unfortunately, he loses, in its quest to both the history of Westeros to develop, as well as represent the personal points of view some of the characters, sometimes the drama out of sight. Goods connected the experiences of the characters looked too a thrilling overall narrative in the previous volumes of the song of Ice and Fire, the story unravels now more and more on the individual plotlines are hardly connected, they only look at the respective protagonists. Martin lays some groundwork for (probably) important events in the volumes 6 and 7 and clarifies some minor mysteries, but enigmatic enough to generate more than dark premonitions, what the voltage is also not really do well. His most important stylistic device, the dramatic turn of history, he uses no more so skillfully, as one would expect from him. Some of the turning points appear clearly as grandstanding, it should be built up tension without the story benefits from another one longs almost brought to make sometimes quite lengthy developments to an end. In the end, the impression arises that Martin would have delivered a much gestraffteren action and by waiving some of the protagonists and groups a much better story, language and characters remain colorful and exciting as ever, the reader misses but partly great suspense of his earlier works. It is hoped the "A Feast for Crows" only the calm before the storm is.
