Item: A Storm of Swords
Rating: 5.00
Author: chelssik

by George R.R. Martin

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

Rarely has there been a tale as gripping, or one as likely to seize the minds and hearts of a generation, as George R. R. Martin's epic high fantasy series. In A Game of Thrones, an ancient kingdom was torn by the ambitions of ruthless men and women; in A Clash of Kings, war, sorcery, and madness swept over the kingdom like a voracious beast of prey. Now, as the brutal struggle for power nears its tumultuous climax, the battered and divided kingdom faces its most terrifying invasion—one that is being spearheaded from beyond the grave. . . .

A STORM OF SWORDS

Of the five contenders for power, one is dead, another in disfavor, and still the wars rage as violently as ever, as alliances are made and broken. Joffrey, of House Lannister, sits on the Iron Throne, the uneasy ruler of the land of the Seven Kingdoms. His most bitter rival, Lord Stannis, stands defeated and disgraced, the victim of the jealous sorceress who holds him in her evil thrall. But young Robb, of House Stark, still rules the North from the fortress of Riverrun. Robb plots against his despised Lannister enemies, even as they hold his sister hostage at King's Landing, the seat of the Iron Throne. Meanwhile, making her way across a blood-drenched continent is the exiled queen, Daenerys, mistress of the only three dragons still left in the world. Filled with the stench of death and decay from the destructive dynastic war, Daenerys is gathering allies and strength for an assault on King's Landing, hoping to win back the crown she believes is rightfully hers. But as opposing forces maneuver for the final titanic showdown, an army of barbaric wildlings bent on overwhelming the Seven Kingdoms arrives from the outermost line of civilization. In their vanguard is a horde of mythical Others—a supernatural army of the living dead whose animated corpses are unstoppable. And as the future of the land hangs in the balance, no one will rest in the quest for victory until the Seven Kingdoms have exploded in a veritable storm of swords. . . . Brilliantly conceived and grand in scope, A Storm of Swords is the incredible tale of a world of harsh beauty and powerful magic, torn by treachery, ravaged by brutality, and consumed by greed and ambition. It portrays a war-torn landscape in which nobles and commoners, heroes and villains, the freeborn and the enslaved, all struggle to survive and to find their destinies...along with the dazzling bounty and wondrous enchantment that was once their birthright in the Seven Kingdoms.

Cover

Still think these covers are boring. Why haven't they released a super awesome set?

Initial Thoughts

Starting this book, I had already gotten into the fourth season of the tv show. So I mostly knew what was going to happen already. I am happy to saw that I'm caught up in my reading now though! Season 4 is about to end and I've already finished book three!

My New BFF

Margaery. I love her to death! I'm really excited to see what happens with her situation too. She seems like such a sweetheart but she has to be tougher to have already lost two husbands. I just think she's much more clever than everyone thinks. She's only 16 but she can do so much!

My Crush

Tyrion. He's a lot stronger than we give him credit for. I love how he fights with words not swords. It makes him different than the other characters. Someone like him should be king. He has such a sad situation though. I hate that his father can't stand him, same with his sister. I love Jaime for being a good brother to him. I hate that everyone pretty much left him in this book. He doesn't have a whole lot anymore.

Writing Style

George R.R. Martin has a perfect writing style. He's clever and sneaky and makes the reader figure everything out. I like that though. I like not knowing where a book is going and then being surprised when something crazy happens. This book had a lot more action in it than the others. There were less boring parts and lots more action. He writes with just enough detail to make it seem as though you're right beside the characters.

Closing Thoughts

I'm loving this series so far. It's not something that I would have picked up on my own but I'm glad I did. There wasn't anything not exciting about this book. It seems like it's slow but then all of a sudden you're half way through. There was more of everything! Death, action, romance, mystery. Pretty much anything you can think of. This is easily my favourite book so far.

It make you feel all sorts of weird things. This is easily the high point in the series. You think, oh this character can't be so bad, I think I like him. NOPE. He's dead now. The characters you hate the most live though. Because that makes sense right? George Martin knows how to play with your emotions. The story is just so complex that there's no way you can catch everything the first time though. This will soon be a worn out book on my shelf.

A Storm of Swords (A Song of Ice and Fire, #3)

by George R.R. Martin

Reviewed by Chelsea on Jun 2, 2014

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