Dubbed “the American Tolkien” byTime Magazine,George R. R. Martinhas earned international acclaim for his monumental cycle of epic fantasy. Now the author delivers the fifth book in hisspellbinding landmark series- as both familiar faces and surprising new forces vie for a foothold in a fragmented empire.“Filled with vividly rendered set pieces, unexpected turnings, assorted cliffhangers and moments of appalling cruelty, A Dance With Dragons is epic fantasy as it should be written: passionate, compelling, convincingly detailed and thoroughly imagined."-Bill Sheehan, The Washington PostIn the aftermath of a colossal battle, the future of the Seven Kingdoms hangs in the balance — beset by newly emerging threats from every direction. In the east, Daenerys Targaryen, the last scion of House Targaryen, rules with her three dragons as queen of a city built on dust and death. But Daenerys has thousands of enemies, and many have set out to find her. As they gather, one young man embarks upon his own quest for the queen, with an entirely different goal in mind."Mr Martin writes fantasy for grown-ups, with a blunt and bawdy earthiness... The elements of fantasy exist here but are deftly muted, as Mr Martin defies genre conventions... like all proper serials it gives the reader no emotional respite, ending with several razor-sharp question marks as the heavy wheels of fate groan into motion, and the murders and assassinations mount ..."-Dana Jennings, The New York TimesFrom all corners, bitter conflicts reignite, intimate betrayals are perpetrated, and a grand cast of outlaws and priests, soldiers and skinchangers, nobles and slaves, will face seemingly insurmountable obstacles. Some will fail, and others will grow in the strength of darkness. But in a time of rising restlessness, the tides of destiny and politics will lead inevitably to the greatest dance of all.