Probably the fifth since GRRM has not yet published book six (TWoW) or 7 (ADoS), unless you count the spinoff books and/or the history book (A World of Ice and Fire).
I agree that the books fizzled out, but that’s kinda the only interpretation possible since we haven’t gotten 6 & 7. Theoretically the whole story has been building to those books (7 most of all based on how the show presented their likely events), but 5 (A Dance w Dragons) was definitely a chore to get through. That whole book felt like filler imo
Probably the fifth since GRRM has not yet published book six (TWoW) or 7 (ADoS), unless you count the spinoff books and/or the history book (A World of Ice and Fire).
I agree that the books fizzled out, but that’s kinda the only interpretation possible since we haven’t gotten 6 & 7. Theoretically the whole story has been building to those books (7 most of all based on how the show presented their likely events), but 5 (A Dance w Dragons) was definitely a chore to get through. That whole book felt like filler imo