The best chapter from each book in George R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire series

From A Dance of Dragons: Jon XIII (Chapter 69)

This chapter begins with Stannis Baratheon's wife Queen Selyse saying the words “let them die” to the Lord Commander of the Night’s Watch, Jon Snow. True to form, he has absolutely no intention of listening. Having found out at the end of his previous POV chapter that the Night’s Watch fleet he sent to Hardhome has come under attack from the Others and requires assistance, Jon Snow is rallying support from anyone he can in preparation to go rescue them. Tormund Giantsbane has agreed to help, but before they can leave on their mission, a letter arrives, from the infamous Ramsay Bolton. Ramsey declares that Stannis, who previously marched south to fight the Boltons at Winterfell, is dead after “seven days of battle,” Mance Rayder is a captive, and that he will kill Jon and destroy the Nights Watch unless Jon hands over Ramsay’s wife Jeyne Poole (who everything thinks is Arya Stark), Queen Selyse, Princess Shireen, Theon Greyjoy, Melisandre, and the wildling princess Val.

Enraged at the letter and determined to aid his sister and not surrender the listed individuals, Jon makes a plan with Tormund that he announces to the Free Folk and Night’s Watch assembled at Castle Black; while Tormund will lead a force north to aid the wildlings at Hardhome, Jon Snow will take a different path. Finally taking the step he has been avoiding for years, Jon breaks with Night’s Watch tradition and declares he will ride south to confront Ramsay Bolton, getting directly involved with the affairs of the Seven Kingdoms. When he asks if anyone present will go with him, the Free Folk roar their approval. Jon thinks his plan is going well until a scream is heard. Rushing outside, Jon and the assembled men find the giant Wun Wun wounded and in pain, smashing the dead body of Ser Patrek of King’s Mountain to pieces. While trying to maintain order and calm the giant, Jon Snow is stabbed repeatedly by brothers of the Night’s Watch and left to die in the snow.

This chapter is a true cliffhanger that has made us all desperate to read The Winds of Winter, the long-in-coming sixth novel in the series. It leaves in doubt the fates of Jon Snow, the wildlings at Castle Black we have come to love, the Night’s Watch, Mance Rayder, and Stannis Baratheon’s entire army. Originally a battle between Stannis and Ramsey was supposed to be in A Dance of Dragons, but it was moved to the next book because Dance was getting too long. And so we are left with a mysterious letter, an absent King, a bleeding Lord Commander, and a wounded giant… until the next book.

And those are all the Song of Ice and Fire books currently released. However, Martin periodically shares advance chapters from The Winds of Winter, so we can take a look in there as well: