Ranking Every Chapter in A Feast for Crows

Added: 2026-05-17

[00:00:00]A Feast for Crows might be the most divisive book in George RR Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire series. On first read, it's very common for individuals to go through and find themselves questioning why exactly this book is happening. All of their favorite characters aren't present, where with a bunch of new viewpoint characters and plot lines we've never heard of before, and it seems like it's kind of very different from A Storm of Swords that preceded it. But typically other fans if you reread and reread it come to appreciate the devast for crows is the thematic core of a song of ice and fire.

[00:00:32]It is one of my favorite books in the series and I do think it is perhaps the richest text that George R. Martin has put out in a song of ice and fire so far. So today I am examining that text as a whole and I am ranking every single chapter in A Feast for Crows against each other from my least favorite to my favorite in the entire book as I did with A Dance with Dragons just about a year ago. As mentioned, the criteria here is just how much I enjoyed each chapter, and I will explain why I liked or disliked each one as I go on. In A Dance with Dragons, the chapters had a wide range from some of the worst in the series to some of the best. And the main reason I wanted to rank them against each other is I thought it was a book with a lot of high variance. In this book, chapters tend to be a lot closer together in terms of quality.

[00:01:20]Differences between them might be more kind of nitpicky on my end, and that's because there are just so many more chapters that are closer to each other in terms of quality. It's a very consistent book, but there are very clear high points and low points. And just like last time, I'll kick off every entry in this list with a haiku recapping the chapter because you are probably not as familiar with them as I am having not only reread them but read this book probably too many times. So with that being said, let's dive into the list. Before diving in, I want to ask what your favorite chapter either in Feast or the series is overall. Let me know in the comments down below. While you're down there, leave a like and subscribe. This video, as I'm sure you could tell, took a ton of work, and I am very happy to be sharing it with you. At present, I'm actually on stage gradu graduating law school. That is when I've scheduled this video to come out. So, any and all support is appreciated because I will be, you know, away while it's coming out. Number 47, The Captain of the Guards. Blood Oranges Past ripe, raining down on Dornish Sands, War, Vengeance, and War. Feast is a really strange book and it is strange in that it needs a number of introductory chapters to broach entirely new settings and characters to the reader. And I think our introduction to Dorne is the worst of those in the worst chapter in this book. While seeing new characters like Giron and the three eldest sand snakes is pretty neat, they're all introduced well, the viewpoint here is really, really lacking. This is the chapter that results in all of the hate for Arya Hot and him being the camera that rides. It's really hard to argue that he doesn't earn that title here.

[00:02:56]Well, we do get a bit bit of his backstory from Norvos, which is an interesting local from a viewpoint to hail from that's not really focused on much. And beyond that, it's effectively a chapter about Don Martell, but it can't be in Duron's head for sake of spoilers. Having our viewpoint as his bodyguard is a cool idea, but I think it works better in theory than it does in practice. In fairness, Hot's second chapter, which doesn't appear until Dance with Dragons, is a lot stronger.

[00:03:20]It's one of my favorites in that books.

[00:03:21]In terms of other positive here, uh, I really enjoy the Sand Snakes's varying plans for war. I think Tyen's beta queen maker plot is the best on offer. And overall, it's not my favorite chapter.

[00:03:31]In fact, it's my least favorite chapter in this book. Though, there are a lot fewer chapters in this one than Dance, which was in the mid70s.

[00:03:38]46. Samuel 4. Back on the high seas, laying old maester to rest. Vows tested, broken. I was looking through secondary sources on a Feast for Crows chapter rankings before I went to record this, and this was rated third in one of them, which is insane to me. It's one of my least favorite chapters in the series.

[00:04:01]The most famous part of this chapter, of course, is the Fat Pink Mast. And as I'm going back through this chapter, I don't really hate the chapter itself. I just feel like it's a waste of space, and I think it is indicative of Sam's journey in this book being kind of poorly constructed. I think that this is a series that is already stuffed to the brim and we need room for certain things to happen. We're going into the next book with 20 viewpoint characters and having filler like this in a book that should have probably contained other things does make me a little bit angry.

[00:04:31]There are some good elements here though. Aean's final monologue told in flashback is great and he does get an appropriately sad sendoff. I also think that Sam's vows being tested with Gilly is framed in an interesting way as opposed to it just kind of happening on the show. I think that overall the substantive events from the chapter could have very easily been folded into either the next one or the last one and it is overall just quite weak. 45.

[00:04:55]Samuel 2. Setting sail southward tide of storm and memory wash over us all.

[00:05:04]I feel a little bad having 40% of Sam's chapters in this book in the bottom three, but overall this is just so average in pretty much every regard.

[00:05:14]Again, the standout character is Mr. Aean with his insight into the baby swap and Jon's mindset. And overall, the stories uh of him going to the wall with Duncan Blood Raven are also quite cool.

[00:05:24]And also, the best line of the chapter is, of course, the iconic egg, I dreamt I was old. Beyond that, the other thing I like about this chapter is how well it messes with the chapter coming immediately before it. Hyle Hunt and Randall Tarly are big players in Brienne 3, which we'll get to. I like it a lot more than this chapter. And they recur in Sam's memory here as well, which is kind of a cool symmetry and continuity between the different perspectives.

[00:05:46]Aside from those positives, this chapter reminds me that I am not a huge fan of Sam's internal monologue. It is very annoying and whiny at point and especially being trapped on a boat for so long. It's just driven home time and again and again and again. It just gets really annoying and I don't like it. 44.

[00:06:04]Appendix characters houses just so much information. What a fun read, guys. I felt obligated to rank this because I did so in the dance ranking as a joke.

[00:06:14]On the plus side, there are a lot fewer chapters ranked below it than in that book. I wish that number was zero. Maybe it will be for one of these three remaining books, but even without rereading, I know for a fact Storm has at least one chapter that is going a mile below the appendex for me. Number 43, Brienne 2. On to Duskindale, a fair maid of auburn hair sought by a noble knight. Brienne story has been panned by some. I go to bat for it a lot later on in this video, but I do have to admit that this was one of its slower chapters. My opinion on them has changed drastically on my first read. I did think they were a little bit wheel spinny, but overall there just isn't a ton happening here. It's Brienne exploring Duskondale, getting her shield painted, very Duncan the tall and gaining Podrick as her squire. None of that is bad. It's just sort of eh, you know, there's definitely some interesting history throughout this region and chapter, and it is cool getting to hear a more detailed account of both Donto's origin and the defiance of Duskondale. But all of that said, it's not enough to bring the chapter any higher on this list. Additionally, I forgot that Brienne puts together that Santa might be in the veil this early.

[00:07:21]It's some pretty impressive deductive reasoning for someone who's has this reputation for never really finding her queries. And also, I like that it leads directly into a Sansa chapter. It's good in terms of the ordering of the book, but that's about all the praise I can say for it. 42. Cat of the Canals. No one's newest face. three pieces of her knowledge given then blinded. Arya's story in Braavos is one of my least favorite arcs in the entire series, and I just don't find it to be a compelling direction for the character for such an extended period of time. If the 5-year gap were executed as Martin intended, I think it would have been really cool to find Arya as a faceless assassin, but as it stands in the published series, I don't think it's super compelling to see her get to that point. As for the chapter itself, it's okay. This is the first time Arya loses her name and takes on another identity, but it's just gathering information that isn't particularly interesting. The most interesting parts of this chapter come when the mask slips and we get glimpses of Arya's true thoughts, such as her killing Darien, learning about Lysa's death, and seeking out further information on Jon Snow. Her being blinded at the end of the chapter is an interesting twist, but I don't super love where the arc goes for here. Hence, it's fairly low ranking. Number 41, Arya 2. A girl is no one but remains Arya Stark until gifts given. I remember liking this chapter on initial read a lot more than I do now as a couple of complaints are really dominating my thinking. First and foremost, the Faceless Man as an organization are shrouded in almost too much mystery. It strikes me as odd given the cyclical nature of magic in this world that this cult of magical assassins has been around for thousands of years with pretty much no change. And I don't think that's a fault of this particular chapter, but it does serve as our first real introduction to all of this lore.

[00:09:07]Beyond the faults with this particular corner of Martin's world building, I do think the chapter itself runs a bit too long. Though there are definitely some bright spots throughout. Being in Arya's head is fun as always, at least while it is Arya's head. And it is interesting to be inside the mind of a child who's actively being indoctrinated into a cult. There are also a few cool character moments. Most notably her throwing away her possessions and later deciding to hide Needle away, which is undoubtedly a Czechov's gun for later in the story. Not terrible, but limited by strength of world building. 40. Elaine 2. Down the mountainside, Little Lord, the Winged Knights. Plots set for winter. You know when you're in school and you're writing an essay and you run out of things to say but still need to fill a bunch of space so you just start writing at random? That's this chapter.

[00:09:55]In my mass market paperback edition of A Feast of Crows, Elaine's second chapter is 32 pages long. It's genuinely insane, especially for a chapter where not that much happens. It's on at the very bottom because I do like Santa growing into this image of Elaine and her interactions with Randa Royce and especially Littlefinger laying out some of his plans, including a fun wink to the scrapped 5-year gap. But overall, this chapter could be cut in half and we will be better for it. I think this chapter made it in because Feast is a shorter book to begin with, and Martin and his editor were grateful to fill an extra bit of time given the fact that other stories were being saved for later in A Dance with Dragons. 39 Brienne One.

[00:10:34]The search for Santa to keep their mother's old oath. Four nights on the road. Brian's story in A Feast for Crows is one of the most thematically rich in the entire series, and I would argue they contain Martin's core message. With that said, this chapter is an admittedly slow start. There are a lot of new viewpoints to introduce in this novel.

[00:10:52]And while I love Brienne as a viewpoint, I can't help but feel her characterization in exclusively this first chapter is still a bit lacking when compared to the introductions of Cersei, Aron, or Aon. I do still enjoy quite a lot of what goes on here. I love a lot of the setup. We're introduced to the rising religious tides and the high sparrow. I always forget we meet him in Brienne's perspective first. Her quest for Sansa and Sir Shadrick the mad mouse who actually ends up finding the Stark girl before Brienne does. This is also the only chapter currently featuring the greatest character of all time, Sirraton Longaw, of whom the singers sing. And I really hope we see him again in wins. I think it's an okay chapter, but Brian definitely has better later on in the text. Samuel 3: Singer's Desertion, Tales of Dragons on the Dock, Fuel Dying Man's Dreams.

[00:11:39]I remember not really caring for this chapter on prior reads, but I really didn't dislike it here. There's some really good stuff going on, and I do like Sam's development throughout the chapter. Though, it does feel like a bit of a reversion to the man he was prior to the previous book. The payoff of him attacking Darion for breaking his vows does work really well here. The star player again is Aean, who has an excellent monologue about his life, his brothers, and the dragons he longs to hear word of prior to his death. We also get a direct reference to Duncan Egg, which I always enjoy seeing anytime it's brought up in the main series. Beyond that, this chapter is another great example of Martin unexpectedly intersecting storylines as Sam taking a pit stop in Braavos allows him to run into Arya, now living by the name Cat, and getting a feel for the city. It's really fun to see the two viewpoints who are Jon's closest companions unknowingly interact. And I find it funny that this is Sam's second instance of accidentally stumbling into one of Jon's siblings.

[00:12:32]It's a better chapter than I remembered, but it does have some strong competition in this book. 37. The Kraken's daughter.

[00:12:40]A claimment for queen rallies troops and makes her case on isles of iron.

[00:12:46]Asha was one of the viewpoints who surprised me the most upon my first read of a feast for crows. at that point assumed that Aon was going to be our only Ironborn viewpoint for this book.

[00:12:55]Oh, how wrong I was. This is a pretty politically interesting chapter. As word spreads and the ground is prepared for the first king's mood in either 4,000 or 2,000 years, depending on who you believe, I think Asha becomes more compelling as a viewpoint as her story progresses. And I don't find being in her head super interesting for this chapter. Though, I do really enjoy her interactions throughout it. It's balanced between one secondary character I really like and one that I really dislike. Those being respectively Rodri the reader and Tris Botley respectively.

[00:13:25]The chapter about the the quote this chapter that the reader gives about dead history being written in ink the live sort in blood is just so cool and really wish that I, you know, had caused to use it back when I was a history teacher.

[00:13:36]But on the other hand, Tris just really sucks. He's really annoying and brings down this chapter a decent bit uh overall in my eyes. and he's just he's kind of like the typical nice guy. I hate him so much. It's all build up to one of the best chapters in the series in which the Kraken's daughter plays a key role, but as a chapter in and of itself, it's fairly mixed. 36. Prologue.

[00:13:57]Alkalytes mingle beneath the old high tower. Faceless infiltration.

[00:14:03]While I think this is on the weaker side of ice and fire prologue's writ large, I still think it's an incredibly solid chapter that stands on its own quite well. I always like that the first thing discussed here is Daenerys and her dragons as the news of this magical event is finally reaching Westeros's center of information. I love that the chapter then progresses to our viewpoint Pate's focus on another dragon, a gold coin that can buy a knight with the girl he supposedly loves and is just kind of fixated on. It's this motivation that drives Pate to steal from his order and ultimately causes him to be slain and as we learn later, replaced by a faceless man. This prologue might be the most setup heavy in the series. Oldtown is an entirely new and vital setting, and a lot of leg work needs to happen prior to Samuel's arrival at the end of this book. Also, I love the Easter eggs throughout this chapter, most notably and heartbreakingly being that W Master Walgrave keeps calling Pate Crescent, which is a fun kind of prologue symmetry moment. 35. Arya 1. The lone wolf survives and sails across Eastern Sea into Faceless Halls. The only viewpoint in every Ice and Fire book makes her first appearance, though not her first appearance on this list. It's a pretty neat chapter, acting as her introduction to Braavos and to the House of Black and White. I really enjoy Arya's characterization in this chapter. It acts as a really natural refresher on her arc over the past three books.

[00:15:22]There's also a great deal of focus on the gods here, and it sets up the many faced god and the cult's appeal to Arya very organically throughout. I also really enjoy the vivid descriptions in this chapter, particularly that of the Titan of Braavos. This is our first introduction to the Faceless and it is suitably spooky and mysterious. I remember reading this in 2016 and really wanting to know more about these people.

[00:15:43]Honestly, it's a great introductory outing for Weasel. I mean Ahri, I mean Arya. I should also note this is the point in the list where I have started to like the chapters. They are all good or better. And I do think it is worth noting that that is the case because you know things are improving pretty rapidly here. Of course, starting with the one, the only 34, the soiled knight.

[00:16:07]Forbidden romance. Love is the death of duty and follows the night. This is one of the chapters I've warmed the most to since my initial read of these books.

[00:16:18]Yes, Aerosart is an entirely unnecessary viewpoint character. Yes, nothing significant would change if this chapter was instead from Arion Martell's perspective. And yet, I can't help but enjoy this chapter. I find this to be one of the purest distillations of that quote that Martin is always talking about referencing the human heart in conflict with itself as the only thing worth writing about. Aris's inner turmoil and vacasillation between his love or miraculously lust for Arion and his duty to the crown is incredibly well written despite some rather cringy intimate descriptions. I think this chapter is telling as to Martin's overall writing style and that's why I truly enjoy it. Everyone in this world is a character who makes realistic decisions in line with traits that define them. They might not be our protagonists or antagonists, but they are living in their own story. This chapter is proof that we could be dropped into anyone's head in the world of ice and fire and find a fascinating tale and compelling conflicts with an unknown character. Final note, I also like that this chapter adds a lot more lore about the dance of the dragons, going in-depth on the roots of the conflict for the first time in the series. Without the soiled knight, we might not have had House of the Dragon, but overall it is getting docked a bit by, you know, being a fairly unnecessary viewpoint. 33. Cersei 8. News of lifted siege. Queen Cersei dreamt an old dream haunted by Maggie. Cersei's eighth outing is well written, but I do have a few minor issues with it. Starting with what I like, there are some interesting political developments surrounding Dragonstone and Loris's potential injuries. I also really like that Cersei's conversations with Pycel and Kyburn are kind of mirrored following her nightmare and the atmosphere of this chapter is top-notch. It's a rainy day and Cersei's plagued by dreams. As getting on to what I don't like, Maggie the Frog and her prophecy are kind of interesting and I get what Martin is going for here, but I think it weakens Cersei's story overall. The Valancar prophecy being part of why she hates and is paranoid about Tyrion just feels unnecessary. her hating him for killing their mother and being paranoid because she thinks he killed Joffrey and Tywin would be more than enough on their own.

[00:18:20]It's interesting as a parallel to Danyy's story in dance and the role prophecy plays there, but overall I think it weakens the story more than it adds to it. 32. Sansa 1. High at top the mount fall out from a falling death.

[00:18:34]Little birds singing. Sansa having so few chapters in Feast and Dance should be a federal crime. She's one of my favorite viewpoint characters, and it feels like she's been on the bench for my entire lifetime. For reference, I was born a week after a storm of swords came out. This chapter is an excellent reintroduction, and it sees the young Stark sliding deeper into Littlefinger's web of lies. There's some really interesting politics going on here with Peter giving Nester Royce the gate to the moon to bind this rock of support to his cause. And while Littlefinger is an awful person, I love seeing him at work, and I hope to get a good deal more of it in the winds of winter. But we shall see. The through line of Merillian's singing and eventual testimony does a great job tying the chapter together.

[00:19:13]And I love the contrast between Sansa's love for singers when she was a kid, if I could speak, as compared to her being haunted by the voice of the man her lies will soon doom.

[00:19:23]31 Samuel one slayer sent southward to forge a chain despite the warnings of father. Sam, glad to have you back in his head. I've heard some pretty negative opinions on this chapter, largely stemming from its overlap with Jon Chu and Ants with Dragons. While we do get overlap in one key scene, I actually find it really fascinating to be in both of these characters' heads and fill in the gaps of conversation with what each person is thinking. I also love the dynamics at the wall, which is sad given this our only look at the far north in A Feast for Crows.

[00:19:54]There's also a fair bit of interesting lore discussed with Sam researching the Night's Watch records for information on the others. He finds reference to the long knight into Valyrian steel potentially being the bane of the white walkers, but he's sent south before making any massive discoveries. Jon's plan here does make a lot of sense given the watch desperately needs a backup maester. Plus, this way he gets to spare the not lives of Aean and Mance's son from Melisandre's flames. I also really like the conclusion of the chapter mirroring the departure of Rob and Jon from a Game of Thrones, and it really solidifies Jon and Sam that being true brothers at this point in the story. I can only imagine what their reunion might look like someday.

[00:20:30]30. Cersei 6. Blood bone in the streets.

[00:20:35]Dealing with the sparrow king. Faith militant dawns. This chapter is an interesting one. I really like the introduction to the high sparrow and the religious movement and Cersei's conversation here, but the chapter is a little bit expositionheavy for my taste.

[00:20:50]Additionally, I also forget how late in the story the rearming of the faith militant occurs. Considering Cersei gets torn down thanks to them in just three chapters time, I really wish this arc had been given a bit more time in the oven to develop in an already short book. I might switch the events of this chapter and Cersei 5 if I were the one writing it, as there might be better flow that way, and it would give the faith more time to develop as antagonists for her side of the story.

[00:21:13]With that said, there's no such thing as a bad Cersei chapter. 29. Brienne 6.

[00:21:20]Six, that's the Roman numeral. Isle of silence path of faith stretches ahead.

[00:21:25]Journey continues.

[00:21:27]This chapter is mostly good, though not as good as the preceding or following Brienne chapters. The standout feature here is the foreshadowing. Not only is this the root of the gravedigger Sandor Clegane theory, we also get a direct call out on a cave with a door, which is pretty clearly Martin setting up hold the door two books ahead of time, which I find pretty neat. This chapter doesn't quite hit the high watermark of the broken man speech, but it's interesting to see this little outpost of faith. It kind of exemplify the best of this religion in a book filled with a variety of depictions of faith. It's also nice to get a bit more clarity on what exactly is going on in the salt pans as we've heard about the supposed hound attack for the entire book while knowing that he wouldn't physically be capable of carrying something like that out at this point in the story. The reason this chapter isn't higher is that Brienne's arcin feels fairly generic to her overall journey throughout the book. 28.

[00:22:15]Cersei 1. CSI KL, Great Lion of the West, shot by Valancar.

[00:22:23]I'm legally obligated to talk about the first line of this chapter and of Cersei's viewpoint because it's such a banger. She dreamt she sat the Iron Throne high above them all. Might be my favorite opening line for a character.

[00:22:35]Full stop. And this chapter carries the momentum of the excellent introduction its whole way through. This is the first chapter of Feast, featuring any characters we've met for a significant amount of time, and it is a welcome change by this point. I really love the vibe of this chapter. It's the we small hours. It is complete with vivid descriptions of the early light breaking over the city, and we get to experience the world through the eyes of a character who's been the antagonist for the past three books, which I loved with Jaime and Storm and love even more here.

[00:23:01]I also really enjoy the crime scene investigation vibes the chapter has. And while we know exactly what happened in Tywin, the characters don't, and it's cool to see them piece it together. It's great dramatic irony and does a great job of setting the stage and establishing dynamics at court for Cersei's journey and downward spiral for the entire book. 27. Brienne 3. Her new companions in each a flaw, a bond to rise up the road. I was honestly surprised how much I liked this individual chapter. Brienne's journey to and into Maiden Pool is really fun. I enjoy the way it begins by establishing her relationship with Pod and his journey of training, which I think is handled way better than in the show version where she's just kind of mean to him for no reason all the time. That relationship with Pod then forms this organic throughine of his questions, prompting these flashbacks to her initial interactions with the likes of Sir Hy Hunt and Lord Randall Tarley, both of whom are fascinating characters.

[00:23:55]Hyle is a very fun president's presence despite his shitty, you know, actions towards Brienne in the past. and Randall's presence fully explains the horrifying image he cuts in Samuel's head that we've seen glimpses of throughout the last book. Overall, it's a very solid outing and does a great job not only introducing these new presences of progressing Brienne's journey and quest for Sansa given this new information that Lysa is dead and she should tragically and incorrectly search elsewhere for her objective. 26. Jamie 3. King Slayer departs venturing into Riverlands into a dark castle. Hi, Jamie. Good to see you. This chapter is quite good. My only critique is it does kind of feel like two chapters smooshed into one and it spends a bit too long with the flashback uh you know recruiting Illen Payne into Jaime's group, but other than that it's quite good. Some good progress in Jaime's journey with Cersei discharging him to retake the Riverlands causing complications with his vow to Cat. It's the last Cersei Jaime scene we have as of published events. So that's something at least. We also get to see the aftermath of everything that's gone down in Harrenhal. Jaime has some fun interactions with everybody who's present there. Particular standouts are him calling Bonifer hasty, Bor butthole, and of course getting to hear John Connisonson's backstory for the first time when Jaime interacts with Ron, which I almost put this chapter at number one for. For that alone, I'm probably placing it a bit higher than I should. 25. Jaime 2. Funeral progress.

[00:25:20]Three lions leave, three remain. White book reflections.

[00:25:25]I'd say this is the most standard baseline Jaime chapter one can get. And I think based on this placement, you can say it's pretty high praise for Jaime's chapters on average. We see Tyoon's funeral procession back to Castly Rock, marking the end to mourning that has defined the capital throughout Feast thus far. I like that Jaime has plenty of good political thoughts throughout this chapter, yet he doesn't really know how to execute them given his inexperience in governance, most notably his failed interactions with Uncle Kevin that turn sour quite quickly. This chapter also contains one of the last Cersei Jaime scenes in the series so far, and the dialogue there is excellent as ever. I really like the realistic breakdown of this toxic relationship and the way it influences both of their arcs. The chapter ends with a discussion between Loris and Jaime about the white book and the role of the King's Guard generally, which I am a sucker for in any Jaime chapter. The ending reference to Kristen Cole is particularly resonant and interesting, and I like the way Martin subtly sets it up by feeding us lore about him and the dance via Aerys Oakart's perspective.

[00:26:23]24. The prophet. The squid king is dead.

[00:26:27]A new driftwood king shall rise. No godless man may. On my first read this chapter, the first chapter that isn't a prologue in a feast for crows hit me like I was being submerged into icy seawater. Who is this guy? Where are Jon and Daenerys and Tyrion? Why am I with the Ironborn? But this plot line and chapter works surprisingly well. I can only imagine how strange it would be to read this chapter in 2005 when it came out. Being in Aaron's head gives us a great deal of backstory we've only had glimpses into in the past and sets up a lot of horrifying reveals that we've learned the full picture of via this forsaken sample chapter from the winds of winter. I always forget how much he repeats nine sons were born from the loins of Quellin Greyjoy. I also forgot that people initially wanted to make Aon himself king before the drown man decides to instead call a king's mooch.

[00:27:14]It launches a really fascinating political situation in the Iron Islands and Aon definitely lives to regret it. I kind of like that we start a storm of sword or sorry, we end a storm of swords with the election of the nights watch and we start a feast proposed that election be the king's moon with very positive and negative reactions and results uh respectively. Overall, it's a very good chapter, but it's not the highest the Ironborn have to offer. 23.

[00:27:37]Cersei 9 plots for one queen's doom may yet spell another's too on stars. Seven points. This is the final dash to the finish for Cersei story. And while I do really enjoy this chapter, it does feel a little oversted. We get Rosby's death, news about the moon tea from Pycel, the torture of the blue bard, and the finishing touches on Cersei's plans to frame Marjorie for adultery. There's a lot going on here, and especially with Cersei having so many chapters in this book, I feel like we could have, you know, spread these events out a little bit more. There also a few visuals I always forget about here, like Cersei being a total rock star and smashing a guitar, or more specifically loot in the bluebard's fist. But all in all, it's not a high point for the Cersei story.

[00:28:18]It is a good chapter though, and it is a crucial piece of her downfall as the chapter where she overplays the most out of this entire book that has been very focused on her rule. 22. Jaime 5. The pride reconvenes outside the walls of a siege. Tywin's legacy.

[00:28:36]This is a book focused on House Lannister, and this is one of the more Lannister chapters in the Lannister book. Jaime advances on Riverrun and gets an update on its status from Davin and Jenna, both of whom are introduced here and both of whom I truly enjoy. I hope we see more of them in the future and they aren't massacred by the Brotherhood without banners. Tywin casts a long shadow over this chapter. An obvious highlight here is the famous Jenna quote at its end about Tyrion being the true inheritor of Tywin's legacy. We're getting into what I view as the most interesting part of Jaime's conflict and arc throughout the book.

[00:29:08]This struggle between his house and his newly beginning to mend honor. I think this chapter serves as a good reintroduction to some of the more, you know, safe and less toxic elements of House Lannister. Generally, it's a good chapter. 21. The Queen Maker. A golden crowning. Princess's hopes and white knight are slain each in turn. More like the Quinn Maker, am I right? I'm in several minds about this chapter. Yes, it's a fun scheme to see unfold, and it's a great way to further flesh out the sands of Dorne. And at the same time, I find it a really strange point to pick up the Arion viewpoint. I think we either should have had more or fewer chapters with her as our perspective character in this book with this context, as the plan itself is fairly strange, and it points poorly explained in this chapter. And with that said, there is still a lot to like here. It's the only onpage appearance of the one and only great other, the dark star, Sir Gerald Dayne. And this chapter also spawned a million theories about Marcella being swapped with her handmaidaiden, which I don't fully get, but I do think it's fully, you know, fun to examine who might have betrayed Aron's little band. I also love the burst of action at the end with the language surrounding Sir Arisokart's death always sticking with me, particularly the green blood swallowing the red with a soft splash. It's a good chapter, not quite great. 20. Cersei 3.

[00:30:31]The rose and lion wed once again free from the looming spectre death. Tolman's wedding is a pale imitation of Joffrey's. And while this chapter is great, I would still definitely put it below the purple wedding. This is the first chapter where Cersei really feels like she's starting to slip a little bit. She's drinking heavily and burning massive structures to ensure that her brother isn't hiding in the walls. This is also the last outing for a few characters so far in the series, most notably Elena Tyrell. While she does have a bigger role in the show, I do truly enjoy her in the text and in this chapter as well. Weddings are always a fun political occasion in the series and Tommens is no different. Honestly, I feel this chapter is just solid through and through. 19. The Iron Captain Prelude to King's Moot. Kraken's arms wrapound ission definitely has stronger chapters in dance. This one is carried by a great deal of politicking that leads up to the king's moot. Or to be specific, this chapter is carried hard by the godless man speech by Euron, which is one of the most chilling passages in any of the books. It is among my favorites of all time. Victarion establishes himself as a truly miserable person throughout this chapter, as well as being dumb as a stump. The king, Mimood, is truly his to lose, and he is trying his best to lose it. He could have very easily claimed the crown with Asha as his hand, but his pride prevents him from doing so. This is obviously weaker than the chapter that comes directly after it, the king's mood itself, but I don't think that chapter would be nearly as strong without this excellent one establishing the political stakes and circumstances for this incredibly auspicious election.

[00:32:06]18. Brienne 5. The trail of a dog stretches into riverlands, broken men, outlaws.

[00:32:15]This chapter is very similar to the previous entry, the Iron Captain, in a number of ways. It's an average chapter that is carried by one of the best passages of dialogue in the entirety of the series. While I think the Iron Captain is better for me on a general level, the broken man speech as delivered by Septan Marbald and Brienne 5 is, I would say, the purest distillation of the ideals and philosophies Martin is trying to communicate through this series. It's incredibly poignant and focuses on the horrors inflicted on individuals who are often unwillingly forced to partake in war. And I think it's my favorite analysis of that concept in any work of fiction. Full stop. The rest of the chapter isn't much to write home about.

[00:32:52]Brienne has a few annoying interactions with Rand Tarly and departs seeking the Hound and Salt Pans alongside Pod Dog and Captain Marabald and Hyle Hunt. The adventure continues.

[00:33:03]17. Cersei 2. Lion's funeral. Pruning a bed of roses, queen gathers power. What a behemoth of a chapter. This feels like the true introduction to Cersei's perspective and story and feast centering on Tywin's funeral in the state of the realm going forward. We get a lot of introductions basically setting up not just the dynamics of court, but the politics of the realm that are going to dominate this chapter and area of the story. At this point, we're still new to being in Cersei's head, despite knowing her quite well as a character, which makes watching her navigate this political situation all the more fascinating. She definitely has her ups and downs in this chapter. I think she's pretty politically sound in her conversations at the funeral, but short-sighted during her conversation with Kevin. She's absolutely right that Kevin is likely only daring to defy her due to her station in gender. I think sending him back to Catholic Rock isn't a terrible move in and of itself, but his advice about naming either Mat Matthysse Rowan or Randall Tarly as Hand of the King is overall quite sound. I think either of them, especially Rowan, would have been a great choice that she could fairly easily manipulate. Overall, I think this is an even better introduction to Sergi's perspective than her first chapter, and it holds up incredibly well on reread. 16. Jaime 7.

[00:34:17]Riverrun Reclaimed. Stamping out embers of war. put this in the fire. This isn't the most flashy Jaime chapter, but it serves as a fitting end to his story in A Feast for Crows. Starting with the end of the chapter, I like that snow and winter coming coincides with his rejection of Cersei's plea for help.

[00:34:35]It's something the show never really got right as fully separating Lannisters at this point in their stories is crucial to both of their arcs, especially Jaimes. I also really enjoyed the final interactions with the remnants of Rob's supporters here. Jane Westerling and Edmir are of course the highlights and will almost certainly feature in the prologue chapter to the winds of winter.

[00:34:53]Putting Cersei's letter in the fire does feel like a definitive end to Jaime's arc here, but his lone chapter in the next book does make this story feel a bit incomplete as it's pretty much just a continuation thereof. It doesn't quite reach the high highs of Jaimes story earlier on in this book, but it is a satisfying end for a man on a path to redemption. 15. Cersei 5. Little lion king. He surrounded by schemers, none worse than his mom. There's a lot of ground to cover in this one, and it goes about that task in an excellent way.

[00:35:25]Cersei's relationship with Tommen is given center stage as she continually intimidates him away from things like hanging out with the Tyrells, jousting, and asserting any independent authority as king. I think this chapter is structured really well, as we essentially just follow Cersei for exactly one day in the life of the queen region as she grows progressively drunker. This entry follows up on many of the decrees from her previous chapter, which we'll get to later, such as defaulting on the loan from the Iron Bank and building a Rainwaters ships.

[00:35:51]Cersei's interactions with Cersei are also with Cersei's interaction with Jaime. I called him Cersei. They're the same person. That's what they think anyway. It's cool in demonstrating how far these two siblings have grown apart.

[00:36:02]And King's Landing always feels like the heart of the realm. That's absolutely true here as well. My only criticism being that it seems a bit oversted at the moment. It also contains one of the funniest passage in the series to me with a buzzed Cersei accidentally discussing Tommen's father as a great jouster meeting Jaime but then needing to cover uh for Robert's disinterest in the practice at best. It's an excellent outing from the chaos queen. 14. Elaine one the lord's declarant marching up the mountain high into trap. This is the peak no pun intended of Elaine's story in the veil so far for me. And that does sadden me a little bit cuz there is just so little of it. While I really haven't discussed it much, Littlefinger is my favorite archetype of character, the schemer. And Peter is one of the best to ever do it. This chapter shows him in peak form, baiting his enemies in the region into an open confrontation. And by controlling the opposition in Lin Colorre, he's able to ratchet up the tension and secure a year grace period to rule the veil and advance his schemes. It's a really masterful display of his ability to manipulate an unfavorable situation. and I'm a huge fan of it. The Veil is underdeveloped as a region in general, so getting further development in the form of the Lord's Declarant and their interactions is quite great. I only wish we got more of this throughout the series. My biggest issue with the Lane story at this point is simply we haven't gotten enough of it and I wish we had about six more chapters in this vein, but alas, space concerns. We need to do more Sam, I guess. 13. Cersei 10 falling into place.

[00:37:32]Schemes unravel quickly. the lioness caged.

[00:37:37]The climax to Cersei's story is phenomenal with all of her short-sighted thinking falling apart in an instant before the High Sparrow. I do have a few small gripes with this chapter. Namely, that as I mentioned earlier, I wish the Faith got a bit more focus in Cersei's story. They're pretty much just in this chapter, in the chapter where she allows the faith militant to rearm and nothing else. Beyond that, it's really fun to see Cersei's plans bear actual fruit.

[00:38:00]Everything seems to be working out for her right up until the moment that it's revealed that Osnney has told the High Sparrow everything about her plans. Her subsequent imprisonment is a drastic shift in circumstance. It's fun to read the way her perspective shifts, going from having all of the power in the realm to having pretty much no power at all. I also like the way this chapter leads directly into Jaime's last outing for the book and the rece. And it's an appropriately climactic final chapter for our main player in A Feast for Crows.

[00:38:27]12. Jaime 4. Arrival at Derry. Can the lions atone deeds treasons days long past? I didn't remember much of this chapter before I reread it, but I fully love it on this reread. It's the first time we see Jaime and Lancel interact in the books, and it serves as a fascinating parallel and examination of both of these characters. It's very much a chapter where Jaime is dealing with the past and reckoning with whether he can truly improve as a person despite all he's already done which is interesting as contrasted with Lancel who is kind of on a similar arc of seeking redemption though is going about it through the faith that rather than you know taking other affirmative deeds.

[00:39:06]There's one continuity error in here as Jaime calls the mad king anus I and I also find gate house Amy hitting on Jaime quite funny. So two notes there.

[00:39:15]Uh Jaime's feelings on the faith are really interesting in general, especially in reference to feeling like he's past forgiveness from the gods.

[00:39:22]Despite effectively being on a path where he's actively trying to improve, it makes me wish we had more interactions between Jaime and the Sparrows, as I think these elements of the stories and their arcs could play off of one another in a very interesting way, as they do here. 11. The Reaver shields drawn and captured, the Iron Captain dealing death, sails off to the east. I always forget how much I like this one. The opening is one of my favorite passages of action in the entire series, and it does a great job justifying Victarion as a viewpoint.

[00:39:53]Sure, he's dumb and bad at most things and not sympathetic, but in battle, he's an otherworldly force. His duel against Talbert Siri is excellent and well written, and I love the way it echoes through this chapter and his later ones via this hand wound he retains. Euron's plan to give Victarion's men the shields, knowing it would buy their loyalty and be an unholdable position is excellent, and I enjoy the reaction to the Ironborn to Euron's full plans to sail east, as they're not on board. This chapter ends with a Euron Victarian conversation that I love thoroughly.

[00:40:23]Euron is waxing philosophical about flying and Victarion just tells him to jump off a cliff before the iron captain is finally sent on his mission to see Daenerys for his brother, which leads into some chapters and dance that I really, really like. This chapter does a great job establishing Victarian's arc in the forthcoming books, as well as establishing a viewpoint who at this point was still quite new to the series.

[00:40:43]It's incredible work. Time for the top 10. 10. Brienne 8. Justice beneath Earth. Mother Merciless abides. Oaths bound, lost, and dead. Rie with imagery.

[00:40:57]I've always felt that Martin does feverdream chapters incredibly well, and this is no exception. Brienne is injured from her fight in the previous chapter and she's taken before the Brotherhood of Banners and is made to answer for her supposed crime. And I love the way that everything in this chapter is some dark inversion of her previous interactions with the Brotherhood. Brienne's chat with Thoros is excellent and Stoneheart is appropriately terrifying. For Brienne to be oathbound to such a monster is a really cool inversion and mirror to her ideals and a play on Jaime being similarly bound to the Mad King. And I'm so excited to see it develop further in their story in the future. The ending is also so iconic and dramatic with Brienne and her companions being hanged until she shouts for her sword, giving Jaime's life for her own hiles and pods. The only real downside of this chapter is the fact that it is still Brienne's most recent to date, and I really wish she had about 50 more. What an arc in this book. Nine. Cersei 7. Night of flowers sails plans off to bear poisonous fruit.

[00:41:56]The vines entwine her. I have a real soft spot for this chapter. The midnight audience before the Iron Throne just feels so dramatic. And it's a rare instance of Cersei actually thinking of a great scheme. That being sending Loris to Dragonstone being a true win-win for the Lannisters. And it ends up going pretty much as well as it could, assuming Loris is injured, which maybe he's not. I also think this is Marjgery's best chapter, largely due to her being a bit less veiled in her objectives given the dire circumstance for her homeland. We also get a bit more Robert Strong foreshadowing, and the results of the attempt to kill Braun are downright hilarious. the wouldbe assassin challenged him to a duel and died almost instantly. There's also some dark insight into the nature of Cersei's relationship with Robert here, and it adds a great deal of depth to both her and their relationship. It really hasn't gotten much focus since the first book.

[00:42:42]All in all, it's fantastic, and I never have a bad time rereading this chapter.

[00:42:46]Cersei's kind of at her peak performance here. This is before everything starts falling away soon thereafter. The only point against this chapter is of course the mirish swamp, though even that incident is great at solidifying Cersei's transformation into her hated deceased husband. Eight. Samuel 5. An old town at last. Glass candles conspiracies under Conclave's eye. When I started writing this list, I did not expect to have a Sam chapter in the top 10, but alas, this chapter is so good that it makes me actively angry about the rest of Samuel's story in A Feast for Crows. Oldtown is such an interesting location with such an interesting supporting cast that I really wish we got to spend more time than just the opening and closing chapters of this book here. I really enjoyed the dynamics we see here and it is a good setup not just for the story of the Citadel but for Marwin the mage's journey to Daenerys and potential role there in the winds of winter. He's an interesting guy and I'm sure us ice and fire fans have a soft spot for this conspiracy theorist. It's also nice to see the aftermath of Euron's raiding as Sam is sailing into town. And this chapter does feel like a bit more buildup for his story in and around the Reach. Overall, this chapter reminded me that Samuel can be a truly great viewpoint when he's not trapped on a ship andor incredibly self-deprecating.

[00:43:57]And I hope we get more of this Sam in future books. Seven. Jaime 6. Lion treats with trout plans to lift a stagnant siege. Catapulting air. The star of this chapter is Jaime's interactions with the two remaining men of House Tully. We know from the outlines that Blackfish was intended as a part of Jaimes story in this book for a very, very long time, and it's clear why. Their interaction is a great example of why you should not meet your heroes, especially if you are currently at war with your heroes. Their conversation, of course, yields the honor as a horseline, and overall, it serves as a great challenge to Jaime's supposed redemption, as he's clearly not as far along as he thinks he is. The council regarding strategies to lift the siege afterwards is also excellent. It really feels like you're amidst the villains and seeing the ways they plot interact is really fascinating. I'm also surprised I haven't seen theories that Carl Vance is Blood Raven given his having, you know, a similar raven birthmark. But I digress. This conversation with Edmure later on is also excellent. And Jaime does a great job towing the line of his oath while still threatening to catapult or trebuche a baby. This chapter also serves as the point where Jaime unknowingly begins interacting with the brotherhood as Tom07s witnesses the latter chat and is likely acting as an agent on their behalf. Banger chapter all things considered. Six. Don't shoot me. The drowned man. Clayman submit bones squabbbling over a crown. Crow king washes away. Yeah, this uh this kingmouth thing is pretty good. Uh, not only does this chapter contain some really interesting political action with these vying visions of Ironborn society, but it's incredibly well written. It almost has an East of Eden effect where I keep needing to stop and admire how incredible a given passage or quote is.

[00:45:38]One detail that I love just then I have to shout out is Eric Iron Maker being described as a great ruin of a man. I don't know why, but that really stuck with me. Both Asha and Vctarian are viewpoint characters, but I really appreciate the choice to view this event through Aon's eyes. He called the king's mood. And this chapter is a Frankenstein's monster that springs to life from the deepest nightmares he has had of Euron, the man who tortured Aon throughout his entire childhood, claiming the Driftwood crown. I could write an essay about the billion ways I love this chapter, including how politically preion it was in a number of regards to our own world. But to quote Jon Snow, we don't have time for all that. My only criticism here is that Euron's speech is good, but not great.

[00:46:17]Honestly, his godless man speech from the previous chapter was way better. And I think that should have been folded into his kingsmoot speech to make for the best moment possible. But I should add that is the most pedantic criticism I've ever made. And this chapter thoroughly rules no matter what I say.

[00:46:32]Hence its placement very high on this list. Five. Brienne 4. To crackclaw point, the trail of a mad jester whispers from the sea. This chapter blew me away. While it's not my favorite in the entire book, I would make an argument that this is the most A Song of Ice and Fire chapter in the series. It's so steeped in the history of the land and Brienne's memory, filled with dreams and ideals and actions. Every core element of the series is distilled into Brienne's story generally and even more so into this one particular chapter. It in itself is a journey. Bran sets off with a goal, reaches her destination, and continues on to the next quest, having changed. is literally everything anyone could ever want in a chapter.

[00:47:15]This is Nimble Dick Crab's chapter to shine and he absolutely does. His death is a gut punch every time I read it and Brienne following the wrong fool and ending up with a legitimate clue is a great way to both extend her journey while not making it feel completely pointless. The fight against three brave companions is an obvious highlight and cathartic for her journey in Storm, especially in such an action-free book, and it really shows that Brienne has incredible training and instincts for battle. Pod also greatly aids in the combat, adding Brienne's name to the list of lives he saved alongside Tyrion.

[00:47:44]What an incredible chapter. Four, Jaime 1, A warrior's vigil, the deep haze of memory, air shades, a night's path. This being Jaime's first chapter in feast is frankly insane. He comes out the gate insanely strong, and I love the framing device of this chapter. Sir Jaime is standing for a 7-day vigil over his father's corpse. All the while fighting back the slowly encroaching flood of guilt and memory that is welling up within him. We get to explore Tyrion's escape through the king slayer's eyes as well as many reflections on elements of the past and the present, including Jaime's final conversation with Rhaegar, which acts as an interesting contrast to the present funeral. Jaime's greatest strength as a viewpoint comes from his rich and conflicted inner life, and this chapter puts that element as a character in center stage by forcing him to stand at a silent vigil above the corpse of the man he feels as though he killed himself. It not only builds on Jaime's arc of redeeming himself that took shape throughout Storm, it acts as a brilliant reintroduction to one of my favorite viewpoints while launching him in a new direction for this portion of the story.

[00:48:46]Where he once journeyed towards King's Landing, he's now being pulled away from it as he improves himself. Genuinely a fantastic chapter that felt like getting hit in the face with a shovel when I read it so early on in this ranking.

[00:48:57]Number three, The Princess in the Tower.

[00:49:00]Trapped alone a top tower of father's making justice, fire, and blood. This might be my most controversial pick of the list, but Arion's second outing is one of the best and most underrated chapters in the entire series. On reread, it strikingly reminds me a bit of the forsaken, a sample chapter for the winds of winter with a fairly new viewpoint being introduced as part of the failed mega prologue, being imprisoned by a family member, and we are trapped in their perspective as they're forced to reflect on their lives and what brought them to this point.

[00:49:32]It's just a fantastic way to characterize new points of view with which the reader is not yet truly familiar. And I wish Martin did it even more. This is the chapter that really sells me on Arion's potential going into the Winds of Winter, as it does such an incredible job of characterizing her at every turn as she's just locked away with her thoughts that we, the Raider, get to experience. Additionally, it's great to finally hear what Don's plans are. And the reveal that Arielon was betrod to Viseris is done in a way that is very subtle and well written. And Don's final plea for vengeance, justice, fire, and blood is haunting to me even to this day. It's such a fantastic chapter. Number two, Cersei 4. Best meeting ever. The realm descends into chaos. Masterful gambits. This might be the funniest chapter in the entire series. Small council chapters have been a staple of A Song of Ice and Fire since the very first novel. And I would say the greatest weakness in my favorite book in the series, A Dance with Dragons, is the absence of this genre of scene. But oh my god, Cersei's Council is insane. Not only is it hilarious, I love the way Martin constructs it.

[00:50:34]There's so many characters interjecting, many of whom we're meeting for the first time. We can tell who's an idiot, who's a sickopant, and who's generally trying their best in a terrible situation.

[00:50:43]Before the meeting itself, I like that we get to see some of the consequences of Cersei's bounty on Tyrion, and that comes into play in the next book quite a bit. The meeting itself is an incredible update on the realm as a whole, and I think the structure of Feast and Dance honestly enhances an already great format even more. As we're currently reading only half the story, we've got a half-blind perspective on all of the events in the realm, which is awesome for making the reader wonder what's actually happening in all of these places we're receiving news from. I think this chapter is an incredible character study in where and who Cersei is at this point in the story. It's the height of her power, her paranoia, her scheming, and at times her delusion, and it's truly glorious to behold. Never did I think I would be taking Maester Pycel's side in ruling the realm, but here we are. genuinely my favorite small council meeting in the series which is really saying something and it's such an incredible chapter. Number one, Brienne 7 seven Brienne thought no chance and no choice remain stepping into the rain. I mean all I need to write in this section is no chance no choice. What a masterclass this chapter is. It brings us back to an iconic location, the in at the crossroads that's been warped by the central theme of this book, the damage inflicted by war. Every member of Brienne's Marray band gets a chance to shine and show off their personality in this chapter. And I really love Brienne's reaction to Gendry. I never considered how similar he would look to Renley. And Brienne responds appropriately given her bygone love for a climate king reappearing before her as a ghost. This inn being run by orphans whose parents were killed in the fighting is a stroke of thematic genius as as is Brienne stepping out into the rain to defend them from a band of seven outlaws. This is one of my favorite fight sequences in the series, and it really captures how messy and painful fights actually can be. And Brian makes an incredible showing of it, killing the vast majority of the uh combatants before getting grievously wounded and bailed out by Gendry at the last second with a really well-ritten and haunting save. This is in my top 10 chapters in the series, and it serves as an incredible climax to Brienne's story in a Feast for Crows. She is a true knight and in this chapter she puts herself in harm's way and gets partially eaten to protect the innocent. Brienne is one of Martin's best characters and this is by far her best chapter.

[00:52:54]And there you have it. This has been my ranking of every chapter in A Feast for Crows. I hope you enjoyed it. If you did, leave a like and subscribe and be sure to stay tuned because next year I'm going to be doing the same thing for every chapter in A Storm of Swords. So, wish me luck as I get started on that as soon as I finish editing this behemoth of a video. Thank you all so much for watching. If you enjoyed this video, be sure to leave a like and subscribe. I really appreciate it. This was a lot of work. Oh my god. I'm going to do this again, I'm sure, for the remaining books in the series. But if you want to, you know, stick around. I'll have many more videos before then on A Song of Ice and Fire, Game of Thrones, House of the Dragon, and A Night of the Seven Kingdoms. And I appreciate any and all support as, you know, it means a lot and it helps the channel and it's free.