I find it amusing that people dislike the characters getting killed, the huge cast and plot, the often outrageous story lines told from many points of view. All of these things are what I love about the series, I love reading on the edge of my seat wondering if my favourites will last the chapter, I love trying to remember who is related to who and what their banners are, I love that I can get so deeply lost that I forget the real world exists - it's overrated anyway. I love the blood, the fighting, the harsh injustice that reigns throughout the books. I don't care to analyse the subliminal messaging of violence against women or lament the fact that most of the strong characters are men, why do people expect every book to be politically correct? I think people need to take this series as it is, a bloody good story.