Rating: 
Summary: I have to WAIT for the next book? Arrrrghh!
Review: ...Simply incredible. I finished it yesterday and rather bummed out that it's over. It amazes me how well Martin is able to engage the reader and keep a 1000+ page book (if only it were 2000+) entertaining throughout. There has been nary a dull moment throughout the entire series, including the beginning of Game of Thrones. This book admittedly has perhaps a few more slow bits than the other books and Martin continues to evince a bit of TMI (too much information) Syndrome (something a certain other author seems to suffer from mightily). For instance, he goes into great detail in describing various carnal acts, such as describing what sound a (fill in the blanks) ___ makes when it comes out of a ___. Amazingly, however, this doesn't detract from the story. Martin is able to maintain the narrative flow despite his generously detailed prose. If anything, the author's descriptions, no matter how gratuitous some of them may seem, only enhance his story, they don't bog it down. Some are better than gratuitous, of course, and incredibly vivid; the details of the wilding hordes, for example. In short, Martin never bores the reader.As far as whether a Song of Ice and Fire is better than Lord of the Rings, however... well, I thought so myself for a while, but I'm not sure it's as simple as that. Certainly, Martin's work has more depth and is overall more entertaining, I think. But as far as strength of historical richness(via the Silmarillion), mystique and use of language, I'd say Tolkien is still king. But Martin isn't far behind in these categories either. And I wouldn't be surprised to see Martin further detail the history of the lands of Westeros and beyond in future (post Song of Ice and Fire) works. But right now, we have the unbelievable Song of Ice and Fire series. Put down that Wheel of Time Book and pick up Game of Thrones.
Rating:
Summary: The unparalleled saga continues
Review: With this third hit in a row, I think it's appropriate to call the Song of Fire and Ice series a phenomenon. Just when you think things can't get any better, Martin turns out another gem. Judging from the previews for the next book, A Feast for Crows, things are bound to get even more exciting. I can only hope that this series doesn't turn into a certain other series that started out promising then bogged down completely so that by the time the tenth book rolls around, readers are forced to stomp their feet in angry frustration. Every element that makes the first two book great are all here: tightly crafted narratives, convincing and memorable characters, realistic dialogues, exotic locales, and intriguing plots. Martin continues to make bold strokes which are completely unexpected. He introduces the point-of-view of Jaime Lannister for the first time. The Kingslayer turns out to be a far more complex character than his reputation thus far may indicate. More than ever before, readers will be completely unsure whom to root for. Martin goes on to eliminate a major character who had appeared certain to survive the series. This may come as a complete shock to many, even to those who have come to expect the unexpected. It would be wise not to become too attached to any character. Nonetheless, I must admit to having grown rather fond of little Arya and her nightly litany of the villains on her "hitlist" (Joffrey, the Tickler, the Hound, Ralf the Sweetling, etc.) In the aftermaths of the Battle of the Blackwater, the field of contenders for the throne is narrowed considerably. Stannis retreats to Dragonstone to lick his wounds, while the Lannisters form new alliances and are stronger than ever. Now firmly ensconced on the Iron Throne, Joffrey rules with unbridled cruelty, and only Tyrion dares to stand up to him. In the north, Robb is beset on all sides and the future looks even bleaker for the Starks. Bran is gradually gaining awareness of his shapeshifting ability in his journey to the north in search of the three-eyed crow. Arya faces many perils on her wanderings, but is getting closer to home. Sansa is more miserable than ever, but is becoming stronger and wiser. Jon makes a fateful decision that would ultimately gain him great esteem, but leave him with a broken heart. In the east, Daenerys is building a formidable army; when her dragons become fully grown, she would become invincible indeed. Samwell Tarly gets his fair share of space, though he's one of the few characters who don't appear to have much impact, yet. The story has grown more complex and the setting has become richer than ever. Martin has gotten a real mess on his hand, and whatever the outcome of the series, it would be phenomenal. The only complaint anyone could have against the series is the wait between installments. But if the first three books are any indication, it is well worth it.
Rating:
Summary: The Greatest Fantasy Epic Ever!
Review: Okay many people may consider that this series is overhyped but on a serrious note: Lord Of The Rings is overhyped. So it came out 'first' before a lot of other fantasy books came out and made fantasy popular but that doesn't meen I have to like Lord Of The Rings which was great until the third book. Martin's series seems to be only getting better and I can in good honesty say after reading some spoiler readings for his forth comming book, 'A Feast For Crows' that it will continue to get better. This series is going to be a total of six possably seven books but the seven is debatable. The fact that Martin actually kills characters off makes it entertaining but that isn't the whole reason why I like his books. First off Martin's world is more complicated than simple white and black, it is more based off of shades of grey. Every character is unique, has a unique style to himself. Whats more his series successfuly rises both negative and possitive emotions in me while I can't say this with Jordan: Sorry Jordan fans.
Rating: 
Summary: Better than Tolkien.
Review: Now doubt, a well written and thought out book, but better than Tolkien... no. Tolkien was, is, and always will be the master of the fantasy genre. Martin has writen a great series but like many of todays' authors, he has not learned when to end a good series. I am bored of folowing multiple story lines with too many sub sub plots. I am stretched to my limit of focus with having to turn back fifty pages to remember who is who and who did what to whom. The simple beauty of Tolkies was... is I never read the Hobbit of Books I & II of The Lord of The Rings, I could read Book III and not be lost. But as I said before... The Song of Fire and Ice is a enjoyable series... but no where near Tolkien.
Rating:
Summary: The Greatest
Review: All other fantasy is trash compared to this. Read George R.R. Martin, as no other books match. Plain and simple.
Rating:
Summary: Whoa!!!
Review: Martin is my current favorite author. His series "A Song of Ice and Fire" is becoming my favorite fantasy series, though there are many out there that I enjoy. I must say, however, this volume of the series is so intense, and Martin is so willing to shock the reader with surprise deaths, that I could barely stand certain chapters of the book. I don't mean that in a negative way, either. I was thoroughly impressed with his willingness to take sudden, unexpected and horrifying turns in the story. He's also an excellent writer of prose, meaning his sentences sound nice and flow well, unlike many popular fantasy authors of the day. Good stuff!
Rating:
Summary: Third book of the greatest fantasy series ever.
Review: This series just gets better and better. A storm of Swords is darker, grittier, and moves at a faster pace than the prior two novels, and for the most part, that is a good thing. Even with more characters, Martin never fails to make all of them interesting. Catelyn continued to support her son Robb while awaiting the return of her daughters. She grew stronger, and maybe weaker, but all the while makes us love her. Bran journeys north to search for the three-eyed crow while his sister Arya is becoming more and more dangerous and lovable. Sansa still suffers through at the hands of the Lannisters along with the ever funny Imp, Tyrion, who must face the malice of his sister Cersei. The writting in this book is fantastic. Rarely have fantasy novels offer such strong dialouges and realism. Martin effortlessly weave characters together into one incredible tapastry of murder, incest, magic, love, and the cold abyss of human nature. Clearly he understands that the most effective way to grasp his readers into a imaginative world is to refer to our own. Years after A Game of Thrones came out, there are great debates whether this series is better than Lord of the Rings. Debate no longer. Martin, through three books not only surpasses the trilogy, but all other fantasy series ever written so far.
Rating:
Summary: Absolutly riveting!
Review: I was shocked how fast I read this book. The story flows effortlessly and the intrigue is masterfully written!
Rating:
Summary: The series keeps getting better
Review: With his brilliant "A Game of Thrones," George R. R. Martin established a tremendously high expectation for the rest of his series, and somehow, things just keep getting better. This, the third book in "A Song of Ice and Fire," is even more engrossing than its predecessors. As we've come to expect from Martin, the various plotlines in the story continue to move in completely realistic, yet not at all predictable directions. This series has a level of suspense to it that is unmatched by any of the other epic fantasies currently out there. We become closer still to many of the masterfully constructed characters, and of course, we have to let a few of them go. Some of the mysteries that have been with us since the first book are resolved in this volume, and some of the answers are not what you'd expect. This is particularly true of the very last chapter (not the epilogue); you'll be awed when you realize the enormity of what a certain character has accomplished... This book has two POV (point of view) characters that did not appear in the previous books: Samwell Tarly of the Night's Watch, and more interestingly, Jamie Lannister. Even though events on the Wall are quite interesting, I don't much care for Samwell as a character, so I don't think much is added there. The insight into Jamie's mind is wonderful, though. We certainly know something of the Kingslayer's infamy from the first two books, but here we get a better look into his motivations, and his thoughts on honor, and on the way other people see him. We find that Jamie is not at all black or white, but somewhere in the gray area in between, like his brother Tyrion, though not as much so. Martin has stated that book 4 will have Cersei as a POV character, which should be interesting as well. We also get to spend some time with Sandor Clegane (though not from his POV), who fled from King's Landing after the Battle of the Blackwater. This was something else I really enjoyed, since Sandor is one of my favorite characters. While he certainly seems more of a villain than a hero, he does have a curious sort of honor to him as well, and is a very well-drawn character. The only complaint I could level against the book is that for me, some of the plotlines have become less interesting than others, which can be a little frustrating since Martin jumps to a new POV with every chapter. I find myself going through Bran's chapters as quickly as possible so I can get onto someone else, likewise for Daenerys, and to a lesser extent, Davos. It's not that these elements of the story are not well done, but I find Bran irritating, Daenerys scarcely less so, and Davos is surrounded by characters whose deaths wouldn't displease me. The stories taking place in southern Westeros and on the Wall are just more interesting to me. That's my only complaint, though, and it's not a big one. The series just wouldn't be the same if it were done any other way. If you haven't read the first two books, make sure you do before reading this one. It's necessary to have a full appreciation for what is the finest of the epic fantasies. The only bad part is the wait between volumes; abandoning the Seven Kingdoms for reality is such a disappointment!
Rating:
Summary: Outstanding series
Review: I have to say that this is by far the best fantasy series that I have ever read! This book was the top of them all so far. The only dissapointing part was when it was over and I was left craving more! Even if you are not a fan of fantasy novels, pick up this series, it will blow you away.
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