A Dance With Dragons

to Queen Daenerys,
—BROWN BEN PLUMM, captain and commander,
—KASPORIO, called KASPORIO THE CUNNING, a bravo, second-in-command,
—TYBERO ISTARION, called INKPOTS, company paymaster,
—HAMMER, a drunken blacksmith and armorer,
—his apprentice, called NAIL,
—SNATCH, a serjeant, one-handed,
—KEM, a young sellsword, from Flea Bottom,
—BOKKOKO, an axeman of formidable repute,
—UHLAN, a serjeant of the company,
     
    THE STORMCROWS, five hundred horse-riders, sworn to Queen Daenerys,
—DAAERIO NAHARIS, captain and commander,
—THE WIDOWER, his second-in-command,
—JOKIN, commander of the company archers.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
     
     
    The last one was a bitch. This one was three bitches and a bastard. Once again, my thanks to my long-suffering editors and publishers: to Jane Johnson and Joy Chamberlain at Voyager, and Scott Shannon, Nita Taublib, and Anne Groell from Bantam. Their understanding, good humor, and sage advice helped through the tough bits, and I will never cease to be grateful for their patience.
    Thanks as well to my equally patient and endlessly supportive agents, Chris Lotts, Vince Gerardis, the fabulous Kay McCauley, and the late Ralph Vicinanza. Ralph, I wish you were here to share this day.
    And thanks to Stephen Boucher, the wandering Aussie who helps keep my computer greased and humming whenever he drops by Santa Fe for a breakfast burrito (Xmas) and a side of jalapeño bacon.
    Back here on the home front, thanks are also due to my dear friends Melinda Snodgrass and Daniel Abraham for their encouragement and support, to my webmaster Pati Nagle for maintaining my corner of the Internet, and to the amazing Raya Golden for the meals, the art, the unfailing good cheer that helped to brighten even the darkest days around Terrapin Station. Even if she did try to steal my cat.
    As long as it has taken me to dance this dance, it would surely have taken twice as long without the assistance of my faithful (and acerbic) minion and sometime traveling companion Ty Franck, who tends to my computer when Stephen’s not around, keeps the ravening virtual mobs from my virtual doorstep, runs my errands, does my filing, makes the coffee, walks the walk, and charges ten thousand dollars to change a light bulb—all while writing his own kick-ass books on Wednesdays.
    Last, but far from my least, all my love and gratitude to my wife, Parris, who has danced every step of this beside me. Love ya, Phipps.
    George R. R. Martin
May 13, 2011

About the Author
     
     
    GEORGE R. R. MARTIN sold his first story in 1971 and has been writing professionally every since. He has written fantasy, horror, and science fiction, and for his sins spent ten years in Hollywood as a writer/producer, working on The Twilight Zone, Beauty and the Beast, and various feature films and television pilots that were never made. In the mid ’90s he returned to prose, his first love, and began work on his epic fantasy series A Song of Ice and Fire. He has been in the Seven Kingdoms ever since. Whenever he’s allowed to leave, he returns to Santa Fe, New Mexico, where he lives with his wife Parris and their four cats.
    www.georgerrmartin.com

About the Type
     
     
    This book was set in Electra, a typeface designed for Linotype by W. A. Dwiggins, the renowned type designer (1880–1956). Electra is a fluid typeface, avoiding the contrasts of thick and thin strokes that are prevalent in most modern typefaces.

By George R. R. Martin
     
    A SONG OF ICE AND FIRE
    Book One: A Game of Thrones
    Book Two: A Clash of Kings
    Book Three, part one: A Storm of Swords: Steel and Snow
    Book Three, part two: A Storm of Swords: Blood and Gold
    Book Four: A Feast for Crows
    Book Five: A Dance with Dragons
     
    Fevre Dream
    The Armageddon Rag
    Tuf Voyaging
    Dying of the Light
    Sandkings
    Portraits of His Children
    A Song for Lya
    Songs of Stars and Shadows
    Windhaven (with Lisa Tuttle)
    Nightflyers
     

Copyright
     
     
    1
    Copyright © George R.R. Martin 2011
    George R.R. Martin asserts the moral right to be identified as the author of this work
    A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
    ISBN: 978-0-00-224739-9
    EPub Edition © June 2011 ISBN: 9780007442454
    This novel is entirely a work of fiction. The names, characters and incidents portrayed in it are the work of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or localities is entirely coincidental.
    All rights reserved under