After completely failing with book one, I got hooked on the show and decided to give the second book a shot. Managed to finish the book and season finale in the same evening.

The book was terrific, but I just couldn't get in to everyone's backstory. I loathed Stannis (maybe that's the point?), got so bored with Catelyn Stark weeping over her totally unimportant father (glad they cut that out or the show). Arya's chapters were far and away my favorite, Tyrion as well. I need to read short books for a while after finishing the behemoth, but I'm definitely roped in for book 3.