A Clash of Kings by George R R Martin

A Clash of Kings (A Song of Ice and Fire, #2)

by George R.R. Martin

THE BOOK BEHIND THE SECOND SEASON OF GAME OF THRONES, AN ORIGINAL SERIES NOW ON HBO.

George R. R. Martin, a writer of unsurpassed vision, power, and imagination, has created a landmark of fantasy fiction. In his widely acclaimed A Game of Thrones, he introduced us to an extraordinary world of wonder, intrigue, and adventure. Now, in the eagerly awaited second volume in this epic saga, he once again proves himself a master myth-maker, setting a standard against which all other fantasy novels will be measured for years to come.

Time is out of joint. The summer of peace and plenty, ten years long, is drawing to a close, and the harsh, chill winter approaches like an angry beast. Two great leaders—Lord Eddard Stark and Robert Baratheon—who held sway over an age of enforced peace are dead . . . victims of royal treachery. Now, from the ancient citadel of Dragonstone to the forbidding shores of Winterfell, chaos reigns, as pretenders to the Iron Throne of the Seven Kingdoms prepare to stake their claims through tempest, turmoil, and war.

As a prophecy of doom cuts across the sky—a comet the color of blood and flame—six factions struggle for control of a divided land. Eddard’s son Robb has declared himself King in the North. In the south, Joffrey, the heir apparent, rules in name only, victim of the scheming courtiers who teem over King’s Landing. Robert’s two brothers each seek their own dominion, while a disfavored house turns once more to conquest. And a continent away, an exiled queen, the Mother of Dragons, risks everything to lead her precious brood across a hard hot desert to win back the crown that is rightfully hers.

A Clash of Kings transports us into a magnificent, forgotten land of revelry and revenge, wizardry and warfare. It is a tale in which maidens cavort with madmen, brother plots against brother, and the dead rise to walk in the night. Here a princess masquerades as an orphan boy; a knight of the mind prepares a poison for a treacherous sorceress; and wild men descend from the Mountains of the Moon to ravage the countryside.

Against a backdrop of incest and fratricide, alchemy and murder, the price of glory may be measured in blood. And the spoils of victory may just go to the men and women possessed of the coldest steel . . . and the coldest hearts. For when rulers clash, all of the land feels the tremors.

Audacious, inventive, brilliantly imagined, A Clash of Kings is a novel of dazzling beauty and boundless enchantment—a tale of pure excitement you will never forget.

Reviewed by Chelsea on

5 of 5 stars

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Initial Thoughts

My expectations were pretty high going into this book. I loved the first one plus I had already watched season two for the tv show. I know, I know, that's terrible. But I really didn't know if I was going to like this series. It's not something I usually read but it is amazing. It was a slow paced book. That's why it took me so long to finish it. It's very interesting but there's just not a lot of action. The exciting things happen behind the scenes but it was still really interesting.

My New Best Friend

I love Tyrion. I'm sad he's a Lannister but I just love him. I love that instead of being a fighter like just about every character, he fights with his mind. He's just so smart! I hate that everyone kind of just writes him off because he's a dwarf. I don't care. I'd marry him.

My Crush

Robb Stark. We didn't see a lot of him in this book because he was away fighting wars. I still love him though. He's awesome and so young and naive. It makes him kind of cute. Also I really like John Snow minus how stupid he can be sometimes. He is a smart man.

Writing Style

The writing style in this book was intense. It's not Lord of the Rings English but it can still be tough to understand sometimes. Martin is a fantastic writer though, easily. The plot was slow building and not very action packed but it still worked in this book. I love it! He's a clever writer too because you don't know who is going to die and you don't even know who you're rooting for until you get closer to the end of the book. It's confusing but in a good way.

Closing Thoughts

This definitely isn't a happy book. If you want a happily ever after go find something else because this isn't it. It's a sad book filled with war and death. The plot expands a lot in this book too. There's a lot of things happening now and it can be hard to keep up. Just a warning! I still enjoyed it though. Once you start to remember who all the characters are, you're good to go. This is definitely an epic fantasy because it is in fact epic. It's quite beautiful actually. George R.R. Martin should be given lots of credit for having such a huge vision and actually being able to pull it off. It's great! I loved this book and can't wait to move onto the next one.

Bonus

The dragons are getting bigger! I'm excited to see what happens with them!

Quote

“People often claim to hunger for truth, but seldom like the taste when it's served up.”

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Reading updates

  • Started reading
  • 16 April, 2014: Finished reading
  • 16 April, 2014: Reviewed