What I've been reading lately...Game of Thrones.

I never intend to take these long breaks away from my blog - but somehow this happens??...  I have spent the better part of this year reading George R. R. Martin's Game of Thrones series - and really I don't think it needs any introduction.  I have also finished my Graduate Diploma in Teaching (yay) so now you know the reason why it's taken me so long to write once again.

Earlier this year a good friend of mine knocked on my front door, wordlessly handed me the first book in the series accompanied by a glint in her eye.  I didn't read it straight away - of course I had heard about the books and the TV Series, which I've never watched, but intend to.  When I finally began reading the first book I literally couldn't put it down.  Something that's not too good when you have assignments due!  Towards the end of the first book I began to have that fluttery feeling of panic, knowing it was coming to and end, knowing there was more to be had and knowing that I had to speedily find my way to a bookshop.  Luckily the one down the road has proved to be more than accommodating, as this became a familiar feeling each time I was getting toward the end of each book.  Never have I read a series of novels, fantasy or otherwise, back to back.  I usually need some sort of break.  At present I am now toward the end of A Dance with Dragons, and as this is the last released book I know that intense feeling of getting the next book won't be quenched.  Apparently we need to wait until 2015 (?) for that.

When I began reading the series, I couldn't believe how blase Martin was in killing off his characters.  Just when I was getting to know and warming to a character, suddenly it was off with their head - or something to that effect.  I'm not going to give anything away if you haven't read it, and if you haven't, you have a treat in store for you.  

I now plan to spend my summer watching what we have so far in the TV series - this is my reward for my hard year's work during my course.  I've been told it's been worth the wait.