A Dança dos Dragões

A Dance with Dragons é o quinto volume de sete romances planejados para As Crônicas de Gelo e Fogo, uma série de fantasia épica pelo autor americano George R. R. Martin. Apesar de ser previsto, originalmente, para ser finalizado no final de 2006, o romance foi publicado em 12 de Julho de 2011. Martin oficialmente terminou o livro em 27 de Abril de 2011, ao entregar o manuscrito de mais de 1500 páginas nas mãos da editora Anne Groell.

"A Dança dos Dragões" é o nome dado a uma guerra civil na antiga história de Westeros, o que levou a muitas especulações de que o romance apresentaria a tão esperada invasão de Westeros pelo exército de Daenerys Targaryen. Porém, na ComiCon 2006, George R. R. Martin disse que não era necessariamente sobre isso que o título se refere.

A Dance of Dragons seria o título do segundo volume da série, quando Martin ainda planejava que a série fosse uma trilogia. Algumas antigas edições americanas de A Game of Thrones listam A Dance of Dragons como a futura sequência da série. Também era o título original para o quarto romance.

No Brasil, a obra foi publicada pela editora LeYa em junho de 2012 com o título A Dança dos Dragões. Por sua extensão, em Portugal ela foi dividida em dois volumes, lançados em 2012 pela editora Saída de Emergência sob os títulos A Dança dos Dragões e Os Reinos do Caos.

Resumo do enredo

A Dance with Dragons retoma a história onde A Storm of Swords terminou, e corre simultaneamente com os eventos de A Feast for Crows. A Guerra dos Cinco Reis parece estar acabando. No Norte, Rei Stannis Baratheon se instalara na Muralha e prometeu ganhar o apoio dos nortenhos, para continuar sua luta para obter o Trono de Ferro, embora isso se complique pelo fato de que uma grande parte da costa oeste está sob controle dos nascidos do ferro. Na Muralha, Jon Snow foi eleito como o nongentésimo nonagésimo oitavo Lorde Comandante da Patrulha da Noite, mas possui inimigos na própria Patrulha, e Para Lá da Muralha. Tyrion Lannister atravessou o Mar Estreito até Pentos, mas seus futuros objetivos são desconhecidos até mesmo para ele. Na Baía dos Escravos, Daenerys Targaryen conquistara a cidade de Meereen, e decidiu ficar e governar a cidade, aprimorando suas habilidades de liderança, que serão necessárias quando ela viajar para Westeros. Mas a presença de Daenerys é conhecida agora por muitos, e das Ilhas de Ferro, Dorne, Vilavelha e das Cidades Livres, emissários partiram para encontrá-la e usarem sua causa para seus próprios fins...

Enredo

No Norte

Jon Snow, Senhor Comandante da Patrulha da Noite, é assediado por todos os lagos com ameaças e perigos. Rei Stannis Baratheon quer terras e castelos que pertencem à Patrulha, que ele pretende dar como honorários para seus mais leais apoiadores. Os Outros continuam a se aglomerar Para Lá da Muralha. O exército selvagem de Mance Rayder, sem liderança e esmagado por Stannis durante os eventos de A Tormenta de Espadadas, ainda somam milhares, e Jon vê cada selvagem como outra criatura que os Outros podem mandar contra a Muralha. Por isto, ele corteja os selvagens, e os traz para seu lado, para uni-los com a Patrulha contra seus inimigos em comum; mas ao fazer isto, ele perde o apoio de muitos dos seus irmãos juramentados. Logo após pastorear uma enorme tropa selvagem através da Muralha, ele é esfaqueado por vários membros da Patrulha da Noite, e seu último capítulo termina com ele caindo no chão, inconsciente. Melisandre, enquanto isso, queima Camisa de Chocalho, disfarçado de Mance Rayder por feitiçaria, enquanto Rayder secretamente vive sob o disfarce de Camisa de Chocalho. Ela revela para Jon Snow que uma garota de cinza, em um cavalo moribundo, a qual ela interpreta como sendo Arya Stark, está vindo pela Estrada do Rei para buscar asilo, e com a permissão de Snow, despacha Rayder e várias esposas de lança para resgatá-la. A mulher se revela como sendo, na verdade, Alys Karstark, fugindo das manipulações de seus parentes após a morte de seu pai. Após ouvir o conselho de Jon, Stannis consegue tomar Bosque Profundo, com a aliança dos clãs da montanha nortenhos, os Karstarks, Glovers, Mormonts, e metade dos Umbers. Ele, então, se move contra Ramsay Bolton, que tomou como sede as ruínas de Winterfell, e possui a outra metade dos vassalos nortenhos. Em um último relato, — uma carta com a escrita de Ramsay enviada para Jon Snow — as forças de Stannis foram esmagadas, e o rei, morto.

Lord Davos Seaworth has been sent to treat with Lord Wyman Manderly of White Harbor in the hopes of bringing him to Stannis's cause. He finds Manderly's court infested with Freys, who claims that Manderly's older son Wylis was slain by Robb Stark at the Red Wedding, and Manderly yields to their insistence that Davos be imprisoned. However, Davos continues to narrate long after the chronological moment when the queen received word of his death; he is being kept in genteel imprisonment and is eventually freed by Robett Glover, who has joined Lord Manderly in presenting a friendly face to the Freys whilst secretly plotting their downfall, especially now that Cersei has released Wendel. Manderly introduces Davos to an ironborn squire, Wex Pyke, formerly in service to Theon Greyjoy, who survived the Sack of Winterfell by hiding up a tree and observed six survivors — Bran Stark, Jojen and Meera Reed, Rickon Stark, Osha and Hodor - fleeing the ruins. Davos is commissioned to retrieve Rickon Stark from the island of Skagos; should he succeed, House Manderly and its vassals will join Stannis's cause.

Asha Greyjoy, lately fled the Iron Islands after her unsuccessful bid at the kingsmoot, that saw her uncle Euron crowned, is captured after Stannis' assault on Deepwood Motte and taken with Stannis' host as he marches on Winterfell. Meanwhile, a creature now known as "Reek" — once Theon Greyjoy, before Ramsay tortured and psychologically abused him into adopting his new identity — is released by Ramsay to convince the ironborn-held Moat Cailin to surrender, thus allowing Roose Bolton, a contingent of Freys, and those northerners who escaped the Red Wedding to return home. With them comes Ramsay's new bride, a girl calling herself "Arya Stark." Recognizing her as Jeyne Poole, daughter of Winterfell's former steward, Theon/Reek warns her to adopt her new identity lest Ramsay be displeased with her. The bard Abel and his washerwomen take some interest in Theon/Reek: unknown to him, these are Mance Rayder and his spearwives in disguise. Together they smuggle Jeyne out of the castle and eventually reach Stannis' host, where the narrative leaves them; Ramsay's letter mentions that he wants his wife and Reek back, suggesting that they at least were able to escape the slaughter.

Across The Narrow Sea

Daenerys Targaryen, Queen of Meereen, finds the crown lying uneasy on her head. Though she rules Meereen, a guerilla resistance called the Sons of the Harpy pick off her men when they can. Many Meereenese citizens resent the new order of things, and a number of other cities eventually take up arms against her, as the slave trade she abolished is one of the cornerstones of the economy of the region. She has no idea how to tame her dragons, which are ranging far and wide and eating whatever they feel like... including children. And she is visited by Quaithe of the Shadow, who warns her of the others descending on her: "Soon comes the pale mare, and after her the others. Kraken and dark flame, lion and griffin, the sun's son and the mummer's dragon."

The lion, Tyrion Lannister, lately fled the Seven Kingdoms and accusations of regicide and kinslaying, is smuggled to Pentos with the help of Varys the Spider and left in the care of Illyrio Mopatis, supporter of Daenerys Targaryen. Tyrion decides to offer his services to her, and makes the journey in the company of a tall taciturn knight, "Griff," and his son "Young Griff." Tyrion takes note of the care with which Young Griff is tutored, as well as his coloring, and deduces that the boy is actually Aegon Targaryen, long-believed-dead son of Prince Rhaegar Targaryen and Elia of Dorne; his "father" is actually Lord Jon Connington of Griffin's Roost. Whilst at the town of Selhorys, Tyrion is waylaid by Penny, a dwarf woman who was hired to be entertainment at King Joffrey's wedding and whose brother and performing partner was killed in Cersei's purge, and then by Ser Jorah Mormont, who kidnaps him as a prize to win his way back into Daenerys's graces. Unfortunately the ship Mormont hires to take them to Volantis is waylaid by slavers, and he, Tyrion and Penny are sold at markets in the shadow of Meereen, claiming to be an entertainment act. From there, Tyrion sneaks his way to the camp of the Second Sons, led by Brown Ben Plumm, and pledges his sword to them as another step in getting closer to Daenerys.

The kraken, Victarion Greyjoy, Captain of the Iron Fleet, sails his forces east towards Meereen. Though Victarion has few chapters in this novel, they reveal that he has been given possession of Euron's dragon-binding horn. He also comes across a red priest, Moqorro (who was last seen on Tyrion's ship, being washed overboard not long before the slavers attacked). Moqorro brings Victarion to believe in R'hllor, the Lord of Light, by demonstrating his power, and claims to know how to use the dragon horn safely. Victarion's men call the priest the "Black Flame" after "Moqorro" proves too difficult for them to pronounce.

Prince Quentyn Martell, eldest son of Prince Doran Martell of Sunspear, is traveling east as well. He has a parchment signed by Ser Willem Darry many years ago, establishing that his elder sister Arianne Martell is to wed Prince Viserys Targaryen when he comes of age; it is Prince Doran's wish that Quentyn and Daenerys stand in place of their deceased elder siblings in this matter. Alas, he arrives too late, finding Dany about to enter into a political marriage (see below), and is then left in a bad position when her new husband tries to have her poisoned—a tactic notorious to Quentyn's uncle Oberyn Martell. In a last-ditch effort to prove his worth, Quentyn visits Dany's two dragons, Viserion and Rhaegal, and attempts to tame them. He dies of his burns three days later.

Connington and Prince Aegon never actually arrive at Meereen. They have hired the Golden Company, a group of sellswords made exclusively of Westerosi exiles. Once in their company, Aegon shows that he has listened to Tyrion's counsel during their time together (despite Tyrion admonishing him to trust no one, "especially me"): he suggests attacking Westeros now, establishing a beachhead which Daenerys can later reinforce. He too seeks Daenerys' hand, and too is keenly aware that he must have something worthwhile to offer her besides his own bloodline as her nephew. The first conquest is of Griffin's Roost, Connington's former seat, which is a relief to the exiled lord as he has contracted a terminal disease in his travels. Their main target is Storm's End, the siege of which Aegon proposes to lead himself.

Unlike the symbolism of Quaithe's other references, the "pale mare" is a literal horse, carrying a refugee from Astapor. He too brings a gift: plague; by coincidence or not, those who contract it are said to be "riding the pale mare." It ravages not only the Meereenese but the armies of Yunkish slaves and sellsword companies drawn up to attack them (its advent allows Tyrion, Penny and Ser Jorah to escape their captivity, amongst other things). On the advice of her councilors, Daenerys marries Hizdahr zo Loraq, a leading noble who is able to pacify the Sons of the Harpy and broker a cease-fire between Meereen and her aggressors, which include Volantis, Qarth and Yunkai; however, she gives in to her attraction to Daario Naharis before the ceremony. She also locks Viserion and Rhaegal away to keep them from eating anyone, but is unable to capture Drogon, who escapes into the wild. As part of her wedding feast, Daenerys goes against her own wishes and allows the fighting pits of Meereen to reopen, and is present for the first slave-gladiator games... as is Drogon, drawn by the noise and chaos. Daenerys leaps into Drogon's back and the two fly away, leaving Meereen largely in the hands of Ser Barristan Selmy, who takes over not only the rulership but narration. Selmy, as viewpoint character, becomes convinced that Hizdahr was trying to poison Daenerys—a sweetmeat he offered her turned out to almost kill Strong Belwas when he ate them instead--and is able to organize a coup, but his attempts to re-broker a peace fail, and the war begins in earnest. The final chapter (aside from the epilogue) is Daenerys's, as she attempts to return on foot to Meereen from the southern reaches of the Dothraki Sea, which Drogon has taken for his haunt, only to be encountered by the khalasar of Khal Jhaqo as the novel ends.

Assorted Others

A few chapters deal with the fate of a trainee in the halls of the God of Black and White, a girl formerly known as Arya Stark, currently blind. It is revealed that her blindness is yet another step in her training and is maintained by a potion she is given every night; she refuses an antidote, knowing that to yield is to be released from her training. After passing the blind portion of her regimen and successfully orchestrating the assassination of a hated insurance agent, she is officially advanced in her training.

Jaime Lannister, the Kingslayer, travels to Raventree Hall, seat of Tytos Blackwood, where Jonos Bracken commands the siege. Blackwood is the final bannerman of Robb Stark's still under arms, but yields once presented with someone to surrender to with whom he has not had a lifelong feud. That night, the maid Brienne of Tarth arrives at Jaime's campsite, claiming to have found one of the Stark girls: "I can take you to her, ser... but you will need to come alone. Elsewise, the Hound will kill her." This is a falsehood, as it was revealed in A Feast for Crows that Brienne knows Arya was last seen alone at Saltpans, and that "the Hound" is dead and was buried by a source she trusts. Her motivation in this lie has yet to be explained. Presumably, however, given her actions at the end of A Feast for Crows, she is leading him to Lady Stoneheart.

Areo Hotah, chief bodyguard of Prince Doran Martell, observes the goings-on at Sunspear. Doran reveals to his late brother Oberyn's mistress, Ellaria Sand, and his daughters Nymeria, Tyene and Obara, that he has convinced Princess Myrcella to lie about the events of Princess Ariannel's botched queenmaking attempt, in which the Kingsguard knight Ser Arys Oakheart was slain and Myrcella herself injured by Ser Gerold Dayne, the Darkstar. Since Myrcella lost an ear to him to begin with, she has agreed to claim that the Darkstar slew Oakheart as well. Doran has also decided to deny Cersei's request that his own son Trystane return to King's Landing with Myrcella, as an ambush has been planned in Tyrion Lannister's name that would result in Trystane's death. He dispatches Nym and Tyene instead, one to take up his small council seat and the other to join the Great Sept, thus giving him eyes and ears in the capitol.

Cersei Lannister, the Queen Regent, continues her captivity at the Great Sept of Baelor. After a period of enforced sleeplessness, she confesses to the High Septon on the charges of fornication and incest with Lancel, though not to adultery nor the slaying of King Robert. This gains her the right to receive visitors, particularly Ser Kevan Lannister, who reveals the news of Myrcella's injury and Ser Arys Oakheart's death in Dorne. Cersei is relieved: this allows her to name Qyburn's silent champion Ser Robert Strong to the Kingsguard in Oakheart's place, giving her a chance to win a trial by combat. Eventually she is released to the Red Keep to spend time with her son before her trial... but must walk the entire way naked and suffering the humiliation of the common folk.Finally, the epilogue closes the novel with the viewpoint of Ser Kevan Lannister, the late Tywin's staunchest supporter, and current regent in light of Cersei's judicial troubles. After supping with Cersei and King Tommen, and noting his niece's now-broken spirit, he is called to Grand Maester Pycelle's quarters to receive a white raven from the Citadel at Oldtown, a traditional sign that winter has come. There he finds Pycelle dead, and is then himself assassinated by Varys for "threatening to undo all the queen's good work, to reconcile Highgarden and Casterly Rock, bind the Faith to your little king, unite the Seven Kingdoms under Tommen's rule." With Kevan dead, Varys claims, the way will be opened for Aegon to assume the throne.

Personagens

A história é contada através dos olhos de dezesseis personagens PDV e, assim como os volumes anteriores, um PDV de prólogo e outro de epílogo.

• Prólogo: Varamyr Seis-Peles, um selvagem troca-peles.
• Tyrion Lannister, um fugitivo procurado por fratricídio e regicídio, foragido dos Sete Reinos.
• Rainha Daenerys Targaryen, única herdeira da dinastia Targaryen, que governou Westeros durante quase trezentos anos até sua deposição, quinze anos antes dos eventos da série. Chamada Nascida na Tormenta, a Não Queimada, Mãe de Dragões, e autoproclamada Rainha de Westeros, agora governando a cidade de Meereen.
• Jon Snow, o nongentésimo nonagésimo oitavo Senhor Comandante da Patrulha da Noite.
• Bran Stark, herdeiro do falecido Rei no Norte, Robb Stark, se escondendo Para Lá da Muralha, e dado como morto pela sua própria família.
• O Homem do Mercador, O Soprado Pelo Vento, O Pretendente Rejeitado, O Domador de Dragões: Quentyn Martell, o filho mais velho do Príncipe Doran Martell de Dorne, viajando para o leste em uma missão para seu pai.
• Lorde Davos Seaworth, antigo contrabandeador e agora Mão do Rei de Stannis Baratheon.
• Fedor, O Príncipe de Winterfell, O Vira-Casaca, Um Fantasma em Winterfell: Theon Greyjoy, sob sua nova identidade Reek, um cativo do Forte do Pavor.
• O Senhor Perdido, O Grifo Renascido: Griff, um viajante acompanhado pela Companhia Dourada, que é secretamente a antiga Mão do Rei, Lorde Jon Connington.
• A Noiva Rebelde, O Prêmio do Rei, O Sacrifício: Asha Greyjoy, a sobrinha do Rei Euron III das Ilhas de Ferro, foragida das ilhas.
• Melisandre, uma sacerdotisa vermelha de R'hllor.
• O Sentinela: Areo Hotah, Capitão da Guarda da Casa Martell.
• A Garota Cega, A Garotinha Feia: Arya Stark, se escondendo na Cidade Livre de Bravos, onde ela é também chamada de "Gata dos Canais", e continuando seu treinamento pelos Homens Sem Rosto.
• Sor Jaime Lannister, Senhor Comandante da Guarda Real.
• Cersei Lannister, Rainha Regente dos Sete Reinos, mantida prisioneira pela Fé dos Sete no Grande Septo de Baelor.
• O Guarda da Rainha, O Cavaleiro Descartado, O Derrubador de Reis, A Mão da Rainha: Barristan Selmy, antigo Senhor Comandante da Guarda Real; agora Senhor Comandante da Guarda da Rainha de Daenerys Targaryen.
• O Pretendente de Ferro: Victarion Greyjoy, Senhor Capitão da Frota de Ferro.
• Epílogo: Sor Kevan Lannister, o atual Senhor Regente do Trono de Ferro.

Split in publication

Pre-publication split from A Feast for Crows

When the fourth novel in the series, A Feast for Crows, was published it was missing many of its key characters. This was because the book had gotten far too large to publish as one volume. Rather than simply split it in half and publish it as 'Part 1' and 'Part 2', Martin decided to split the book by character and location. This decision was apparently inspired by a conversation with Martin's friend and fellow writer Daniel Abraham. Thus, characters in the South of the Seven Kingdoms and in the new locations of the Iron Islands and Dorne appeared in A Feast for Crows. Characters in the North and across the sea were held back for A Dance with Dragons. Arya Stark and Asha Greyjoy will appear in both volumes.

Approximately one-third of the published A Dance with Dragons will consist of material that had been written for the pre-split A Feast for Crows, although much of this has been rewritten by Martin. Martin has also promised to try and include some 'catch-up' chapters at the end of the novel to reveal what happened to some of that novel's characters after the cliffhanger endings of A Feast for Crows, such as Sansa Stark, Brienne of Tarth, Jaime and Cersei Lannister.

Post-publication split into Dreams and Dust and After the Feast

A second form of split occurred involving A Dance with Dragons; while the book has been originally published as a single volume in the middle of 2011, starting around March of 2012 many English language editions were designed as two volumes (a similar decision to that taken in A Storm of Swords. The first half of these split editions are subtitled "Dreams and Dust", while the second half received the subtitle "After the Feast", supposedly because they include chapters that happen chronologically after the end of A Feast for Crows.

Referências e notas

Nota: Esta página utiliza conteúdo da A Wiki Of Ice And Fire. O conteúdo original está aqui em A Dance with Dragons. A lista de autores pode ser vista no histórico da página.