A Dance with Dragons
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| Author | George R. R. Martin |
|---|---|
| Audio read by | Roy Dotrice |
| Cover artist | Larry Rostant |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Series | A Song of Ice and Fire |
| Genre | Fantasy |
| Published | July 12, 2011 |
| Publisher |
Voyager Books (UK) Bantam Spectra (US) |
| Media type | Print (hardback & paperback) |
| Pages | 1040 (US Hardcover) |
| Award | Locus Award for Best Fantasy Novel (2012) |
| ISBN |
9780007456376 (UK hardback) |
| OCLC | 191922936 |
| 813/.54 | |
| LC Class | PS3563.A7239 D36 2011 |
| Preceded by | A Feast for Crows |
| Followed by | The Winds of Winter (forthcoming) |
A Dance with Dragons is the fifth of seven planned novels in the epic fantasy series A Song of Ice and Fire by American author George R. R. Martin. In some areas the paperback edition was published in two parts titled Dreams and Dust and After the Feast. It was the first novel in the series to be published following the commencement of the HBO series adaptation, Game of Thrones, and runs to 1,040 pages.
On March 3, 2011, publishing imprint Bantam Spectra announced that the novel would be released on July 12, 2011. Martin delivered the manuscript to his editor on April 27, 2011; however, as early as 2006, Martin made sample chapters available on his website and at Amazon.co.uk. Additionally, the German branch of Amazon.com (Amazon.de) released a reported 180 copies two weeks early by mistake. The US hardcover was officially published on July 12, 2011, having gone back to press for six printings (totaling more than 650,000 copies) prior to the 1,000+ page novel being available; 298,000 copies in print, digital, and audio formats were sold that first day alone, becoming publishing giant Random House's biggest book of 2011 and a runaway bestseller. The book was the second in the series to debut at the #1 position on the New York Times Best Seller list. A few weeks after publication, A Dance with Dragons went on to be #1 on both Publishers Weekly and USA Today Bestsellers lists.
The novel, along with A Feast for Crows, has been adapted for television as the fifth season of Game of Thrones, although elements of the book have also appeared in the series' third, fourth and sixth seasons.
King Stannis Baratheon and his forces occupy the Wall as Jon Snow, the newly elected 998th Lord Commander of the Night's Watch, sends Samwell Tarly to the Citadel in Oldtown to be trained as a Maester. Sam is accompanied by the ancient Maester Aemon, the wildling girl Gilly, and the newborn son of the wildling leader Mance Rayder, whom Jon has switched with Gilly's baby to save the wildling "prince" from sacrifice by Stannis' red priestess Melisandre. Janos Slynt refuses to acknowledge Jon's authority, and after three public warnings, Jon personally beheads Slynt for disobedience. Though intended to solidify Jon's new position as Lord Commander, it only sows more discord with Slynt's faction. Stannis executes Mance for refusing to submit to him. Jon brokers a truce with Tormund Giantsbane, the leader of the surviving wildlings, allowing them through the Wall and into Westeros in exchange for wildling assistance in defending the Wall against the Others. This creates further unrest among the brothers of the Night's Watch, who have considered the wildlings their enemies for centuries.
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