A week in Westeros

Gentle readers, I must apologize for my recent absence - I unexpectedly took a vacation.  My office was closed last week, and I just didn't know what I was going to do with myself as I couldn't afford to go away anywhere for a holiday, and Paris is a ghost town in August.  So, having thoroughly enjoyed the fabulous "Game of Thrones" on TV, I decided I would read the first book in the series just for all the extra details, and then I'd eventually read the next book after the next season of the show.  But it didn't quite happen like that.  I got to the end of the first book and promptly ran out to buy the next one...and then the one after that...and then the one after that.  I literally couldn't stop - I was so enthralled I was up until 4 or 5am every night reading.  My laundry didn't get done, my dishes stacked up in the sink, my emails piled up in my Inbox, I saw no one, I barely took the time to shower and get dressed.  So blame one Mr George R.R Martin for luring me away from you - six books, 5060 pages, 11 days of reading and now that I'm done, I feel like I've actually taken a vacation after all.  Because, trust me -  a world full of dragons and hot men in armour is waaaay more exciting than Paris in August...