If you are a fun of "A Song of Ice and Fire," waiting for the release of 'Winds of Winter' feels like eternity. I know the feeling. I am becoming impatient and I join forces with fans demanding that G.R.R. Martin drop everything that he is doing and finish the book! But then again, quoting Neil Gaiman, "George R. R. Martin is not your bitch!"
I was introduced to Martin's work just recently. It was only when Game of Thrones was picked up by HBO that I heard of him. Nevertheless, when I started reading 'A Song of Ice and Fire' I was hooked. I cannot stop - until I turned the last page of "A Dance with Dragons".
While waiting, I decided to learn more about this great author. I started by reading Dreamsongs Volumes I and II, a collection of his earlier works. Through the stories found in the book, I was introduced to the different worlds and characters that Martin created - and I loved and savored them all. In fact, I was greatly impressed by his works that when my daughter was born last month, I named her Sharra - after the protagonist in "The Lonely Songs of Laren Dorr"
If you love 'A Song of Ice and Fire' you may want to read the Tales of Egg and Dunk, a series of novellas which were also set in "A Song of Ice and Fire" universe albeit 89 years before the event of the main cycle (A Game of Thrones). The first novella, "The Hedge Knight" is contained in Volume II of Dreamsongs. The second novella, "The Sworn Sword" is contained in "Legends II". And the third novella, "The Mystery Knight" is contained in "Warriors".
Currently, I am reading "Fevre Dream" to quench my thirst for more stories. Yet, I know that I will never be satisfied - not until "A Dream of Spring" is my hands. By then, my daughter will be 6 years old