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Summary: Best book ever...I can't wait for the sequel!!!
Review: What can I say about this series except.... Please Write Faster Mr. Martin!!!
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Summary: The never-ending load of crap series!
Review: Marin is a good writer as far as the first book went and then I get to the third book praying for a final and it doesn't even end. I get to the part where he slaughters all the good characters and I just threw the book away. What a waste of time and he doesn't even finish. I agree with other reviewers in go back to reading the series when he is on his 8th or 10th book when ever he bloody stops or all the characters are dead. If you want to read a a great author or great books then try David Gemmell.
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Summary: A Passionate Writer
Review: From Mr. Martins web page and from emails I have exchanged with him, I can tell he is serious about his writing and wants a quality product, unlike some other authors who churn them out for the dough.His unique style of writing, wrapping his characters in realistic personalities as well as setting the scene with political intrigue has this reader spell bound page after page. The trials and hardships of the people in his stories are not glossed over with sugar, he paints a true picture of how things most likely were in the era in which his tale takes place. There is no guessing what is going to happen next, no cookie cutter formulas, no genre stereotypes. If anyone has broken the writing mold and come up with something unique, it would be George R.R. Martin. I wait as patiently as I can for the fourth in the series, not minding the time it takes. I know the wait will be well worth it. As another reviewer said, I have read the first three a second time to keep me fresh in the story, and will read them a third time if need be. And I NEVER, ever read a book twice!! Another redeeming quality in Mr. Martin is his goodwill genuine like for his fans. Unlike some other writers in the genre who have made fools of themselves in interviews and at signings. Mr. Martin has class, a lot of it.
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Summary: George does it again
Review: He has up to this point kept the reader on edge due to the fact that being a main character grants you no immunity to death. As he returns to the world of A Song of Ice and Fire, he once again takes the reader upon a brutal and exciting adventure.
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Summary: raw
Review: Lets see what happens with ol RR. The bloody originality is what I am about. I always hated it when GI Joe destroyed all of Cobra Commander's planes and the ground was littered with parachutes. Lord bless this man's work and guard him from the Banal Ending.
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Summary: A Storm of Swords
Review: Martin is able to breathe life into everyone of his characters. He masters all of them. They each have a distinct voice and personality. They respond realistically to their situations. Because Martin has such depth to all of the forward characters, your favourite character isn't assured a continued life. Martin's writing enthralls me. His plot is so rich that these books honestly suck the reader in. When the reader finishes reading a Storm of Swords they feel like a fish out of water, having to come back to this world. That is how well Martin builds his universe. I encourage you to read the sample page. It will help you get a feel for his style of writing and how wonderfully thick the plot is. It kills me that I have to wait for the rest of the books to be published. This is without a doubt my favourite series.
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Summary: They Keep Coming!
Review: Martin did it again! In this third installment of what has turned out to be the greatest fantasy work of our times, he continues the dynamic and captivating tale of the wars in the Seven Kingdoms, and in doing so creates yet another masterpiece to the pleasant surprise to his audience. I will be honest: it was hard to believe in the beginning that such a voluminous work as The Song of Ice and Fire can keep fascinating its readers at all times: it was only natural that it will have its peaks and downfalls. Martin, however, has exceeded all expectations in creating his saga: from the tiniest details and the most intricate twists to the greatest plot sets, he keeps creating this wonderfully believable world with the precise calculation of a genius. The depth and scope of his imagination and literary mind seem unfathomable. But then, maybe this is the reason why each installment takes so long to produce-to ensure that each detail is well placed and all actions are perfectly timed. In this third part of the beloved saga, the number of contenders for power has actually dwindled, but the war and bloodshed go on as alliances are made and broken. In the mix of loyalty and betrayal, love and hatred, cruelty and mercy, too many good characters die-in this respect A Storm of Swords surpasses the first and second parts. Martin kills off good and bad guys with an equally steady hand as serves the purpose of his grand plot, and thus creates more complications and seemingly no-way-out situations, just to offer the most unexpected solution a couple of chapters or a few hundred pages later. More than once have I put the book down in dismay, not quite used to having some of my favorite characters killed in impossibly graphic scenes or, in other cases, with as much as line to describe their demise, and then seeing how the author continues his narrative as if nothing has happened and throws you back in the whirlpool of action. Winter is coming, and you can almost feel the chill coming from the pages. Strange and inexplicable things happen, unexpected and sudden twists of plot make you gape with surprise, and the intense narrative makes you hold your breath as suspense builds up. Magic has now returned to the Seven Kingdoms-magic believed to be long dead-and the prospect of it is more dire than positive. It's not necessarily a conventional type of magic with wizards and spells, but more of a mystical magic out of legends, with dragons and black sorcery, living dead, and clashes between powerful gods (a little spoiler: as some of you may have already guessed, the power of old gods does gradually return). The political element is stronger than ever, and the moral dilemmas and questionable actions of some of the characters further complicate the plot. The inter-personal relations and feelings of the characters are just as important as in the previous parts, which brings about a marvelously realistic reading, despite its fantasy setting. Sex scenes, on the other hand, are even more abundant and graphic than before. In addition, the book offers some great action and battle scenes, which, if filmed, will surely challenge those in The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers. This is indeed an awesome book, and if you haven't yet read it, then most likely you haven't started the series at all: otherwise, you would be desperately hooked. My advice is hurry up to the nearest bookstore and pick all three published books of the saga right now. For those like me who are now anxiously awaiting the next installment-it will be a lo-o-ong wait until June 2004 to finally get A Feast for Crows. Rarely have I read a series so addictive and so utterly irresistible, and at the same time so unpredictable and inexorably real. Martin is the literary genius of modern fantasy; of this I have no doubt.
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Summary: The Storm takes you by surprise
Review: For those of you into the series, and have just finished Clash of Kings, you're all in for it. This book is full of shock and some of the most tragic moments await you. No one is safe. I remember I read the three books in the series before ever looking at a review for them. And no doubt you will too. But just in case you'd like to know what's coming.... The war continues, Stannis was defeated, and Renly....well you know what happened to him. Robb Stark, Balon Greyjoy and King Joffrey still have not settled their vendetta. Robb lost the north, which is now in chaos. Even further north the wildlings are rising. There are a lot of chapters with Jon and Tyrion, with a lot of action. Daenerys is learning to rule, while she continues to raise her dragons. There are some great things in store for her. The end will leave you begging for the fourth book. By the way, beware of the Red Wedding... If you haven't read the series, you are missing out on the best fantasy novels since the Tolkien. Martin is probably better. He understands people better than the Jordan's wreck of a series, "Wheel of Time" and its terrible contemporary, Goodkind's "Sword of Truth." They have dragged their series into huge epics of meaningless words. With Martin there is action. Never has there been a series of such brilliance, perspective, tragedy, intrigue, realism and compulsion. He writes characters like Shakespeare, politics like Machiavelli and history like Tolkien. The dialogue is absolutely clever. Characters are witty, humorous, cunning and so realistic. Magic is very subtle. In the world of a Song of Ice and Fire, sorcery is a myth. No one believes it, but it is there. It occurs like a trick of the eye- not as wizards casting fireballs and lightning bolts. There are no main characters or heroes- everyone plots against each other, and magic cannot save them. There are no dark lords or true evils lurking on a dreary mountain. Not you average fantasy. But way above average. In my experience, this is as good as it gets. Modern writers could learn a thing or two from George R.R. Martin, a master storyteller. He's been a 6-time Locus Award winner for his short-stories, 4 Hugo Awards, 2 Nebula Awards, A Bram Stoker and a World Fantasy Award. A Game of Thrones, A Clash of Kings and A Storm of Swords have been New York Times Bestsellers. A Clash of Kings had a Nebula nomination and was #1 on the Locus Poll. A Storm of Swords was in first place in the SF Site Readers' Choice Best SF and Fantasy Books, and was in 2nd place for the Locus Award, under Harry Potter. But it was much better than Harry Potter, mind you. If your tired of Jordan, Goodkind and Brooks, read Song of Ice and Fire. "A Game of Thrones" is the first book, "A Clash of Kings" is the second, "A Storm of Swords" is the third and latest. I'm dying for the next book, "A Feast for Crows." Its been over 3 years now...god, within all that time, I think a lot of people have read up. That'll make the 4th book one of the top bestselling books, when it comes, I hope. Oh yes, I've read a BUNCH of spoiler chapters from Martin's readings at several appearances. Amazing things are waiting for us. Read "Arms of the Kraken" in Dragon Magazine Issue #305, a novella length chapter from A Feast for Crows. There is a VERY VERY VERY unexpected twist at the end of that chapter. It blew me away.
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Summary: And I Don't Read Fantasy Books!
Review: I don't read fantasy books, never had, never planned to... until now. Last summer my friend begged me to read just one chapter of "A Game of Thrones." Five days later, there was no turning back. My life is forever changed... sound crazy? Ask anyone who has ever read the books. I have entered a world I never knew existed, never could have imagined. As I read on, I kept expecting at some point to be disappointed. Needless to say, it never happened. By the third book, I felt as if I had come to know the characters in their own right. Each chapter had me crying my eyes out at least one, and a couple moments later, giggling quietly to myself. Sometimes, I would call the friend who lent the first one to me and yell that I was going to throw the book out the window because I couldn't take the pain anymore. Other times I'd call her and thank her for making life worth living. I read for five hours at a time without getting up from my seat. During the night, I'd wake up crying about something that had happened in "A Storm of Swords" that day. Every character is developed. No matter how much I hate them, I can't say that I don't understand them because it would be a lie. Picking a favorite character is hard, I'd have to say Tyrion Lannister is without a doubt my favorite here. First book... ahhh, he was ok, second, awww... he is so sweet, third... OMG, I want to marry the man! *coughs* Anyway... I guess through all my rambling I'm trying to explain something that is completely inexplicable. My friend tried to do the same for me, but couldn't. I never realized I could get so much enjoyment from a book. Reading anything else seems extremely trivial now. So, the truth is, I can't explain the journey you're about to embark on; all I can say is, "It's gone be one heck of a ride!"
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Summary: More, gimmie more!!!
Review: I LOVE this series! This is high fantasy at its best; full of intrigue, rich detials, realism and a plot that keeps you hooked. As one who never went in for "high" fantasy (the thought of Tolkein makes me shudder - ugh), I was suprised how quickly the first pages of this book grabbed me - I've been eagerly awaiting each installment ever since. I've read all three books in the series and can find no faults with any of them!
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