A gorgeous illustrated edition of the fourth book in the beloved A Song of Ice and Fire series, the inspiration for HBO’s Game of Thrones With a special foreword by Joe Abercrombie Here is the fourth book in the landmark series that has redefined imaginative fiction and become a modern masterpiece in the making. This special edition of A Feast for Crows features 24 original color illustrations from artist Jeffrey R. McDonald. A FEAST FOR CROWS After centuries of bitter strife, the seven powers dividing the land have beaten one another into an uneasy truce. But it’s not long before the survivors, outlaws, renegades, and carrion eaters of the Seven Kingdoms gather. Now, as the human crows assemble over a banquet of ashes, daring new plots and dangerous new alliances are formed while surprising faces—some familiar, others only just appearing—emerge from an ominous twilight of past struggles and chaos to take up the challenges of the terrible times ahead. Nobles and commoners, soldiers and sorcerers, assassins and sages, are coming together to stake their fortunes . . . and their lives. For at a feast for crows, many are the guests—but only a few are the survivors. A GAME OF THRONES • A CLASH OF KINGS • A STORM OF SWORDS • A FEAST FOR CROWS • A DANCE WITH DRAGONS “Of those who work in the grand epic-fantasy tradition, Martin is by far the best. . . . This is as good a time as any to proclaim him the American Tolkien.” — Time “A fantasy series for hip, smart people, even those who don’t read fantasy.” — Detroit Free Press “[A] once-in-a-generation work of fiction that manages to entertain readers while elevating an entire genre to fine literature.” — Milwaukee Journal Sentinel “These are the best heroic fantasies I’ve ever read—layered, complex, true to the characters, real as the bloodiest of real life is, and stunningly, fascinatingly page-turning. . . . Amazing stuff.” —Jeff VanderMeer, The New Your Review of Science Fiction   “George R. R. Martin has created the unlikely genre of the realpolitik fantasy novel. Complete with warring kings, noble heroes and backroom dealings, it’s addictive reading and reflects our current world a lot better than The Lord of the Rings .” — Rolling Stone “THE MOST impressive modern fantasy, both in terms of conception and execution, is George R. R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire. . . . A masterpiece that will be mentioned with the great works of fantasy.” — Contra Costa Times George R. R. Martin  is the #1  New York Times  bestselling author of many novels, including the acclaimed series A Song of Ice and Fire— A Game of Thrones, A Clash of Kings, A Storm of Swords, A Feast for Crows,  and  A Dance with Dragons —as well as  Tuf Voyaging, Fevre Dream, The Armageddon Rag, Dying of the Light, Windhaven  (with Lisa Tuttle),   and  Dreamsongs Volumes I  and  II . He is also the creator of  The Lands of Ice and Fire,  a collection of maps from A Song of Ice and Fire featuring original artwork from illustrator and cartographer Jonathan Roberts, and  The World of Ice & Fire  (with Elio M. García, Jr., and Linda Antonsson). As a writer-producer, Martin has worked on  The Twilight Zone, Beauty and the Beast,  and various feature films and pilots that were never made. He lives with the lovely Parris in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Cersei She dreamt she sat the Iron Throne, high above them all. The courtiers were brightly colored mice below. Great lords and proud ladies knelt before her. Bold young knights laid their swords at her feet and pleaded for her favors, and the queen smiled down at them. Until the dwarf appeared as if from nowhere, pointing at her and howling with laughter. The lords and ladies began to chuckle too, hiding their smiles behind their hands. Only then did the queen realize she was naked. Horrified, she tried to cover herself with her hands. The barbs and blades of the Iron Throne bit into her flesh as she crouched to hide her shame. Blood ran red down her legs, as steel teeth gnawed at her buttocks. When she tried to stand, her foot slipped through a gap in the twisted metal. The more she struggled the more the throne engulfed her, tearing chunks of flesh from her breasts and belly, slicing at her arms and legs until they were slick and red, glistening. And all the while her brother capered below, laughing. His merriment still echoed in her ears when she felt a light touch on her shoulder, and woke suddenly. For half a heartbeat the hand seemed part of the nightmare, and Cersei cried out, but it was only Senelle. The maid’s face was white and frightened. We are not alone, the queen realized. Shadows loomed around her bed, tall shapes with chainmail glimmering beneath their cloaks. Armed men had no business here. Where are my guards? Her bedchamber was dark, but for the lantern one of the intruders held on high. I must show no fear. Cersei pushed back sleep-tousled hair, and said, “What do you want of me?” A man stepped into