A Dance with Dragons, by Gearge R.R. Martin

This is volume 5 in the Game of Thrones series, and features the stories of Jon Snow, Tyrion, Daenarys and others, in a parallel timeframe with the events of vol. 4 in the series.  Daenarys faces the challenges of attempting to rule one of the cities she has conquered, often without success.  Word is getting about that there are dragons in the world again, and several 'heroes' set out to find them and persuade Daenarys to her side.  Much of the rest of the world is getting more and more bleak.  Some new characters come in to the saga, and some familiar characters meet untimely ends, leaving me to wonder where the story will go next.  1051 pages.