Rating: 
Summary: best of the best
Review: In this book, Martin continues the saga he started in _A Game of Thrones_. Caution: If you have not read _A Game of Thrones_, start there. This series is contiguous, and you will spoil things for yourself if you don't read the books in order.That said, if there are ever textbooks written for fantasy literature, George R.R. Martin's _Song of Fire and Ice_ series (or some part of it) will be included. The writing is brilliant. Each word counts. Phrases that are supposed to be witty actually ARE. Events that promise to surprise you DO. Characters who are supposed to be clever do genuinely clever things. In addition, Martin produces countless unique turns of phrase with the casual ease of a master. As for plot, these books represent the very best of a budding genre. To call the series high fantasy and compare it to Tolkien is not quite fair. Tolkien based his work on myth. Martin bases his primarily on history, and his work should properly be called a fantihistorical. Although the series has elements of myth, the most astonishing facts are nearly always historical. The Targarian habit of marrying brother to sister to preserve the bloodlines, for instance, was practiced by the Egyptian pharaohs. You will actually learn real things about history if you pay attention in this series. Martin's meticulous details are dazzling-types of cloth and food, details of trade and political agreements, a proper proportion of elderly, mentally ill, and sickly people in society, and realistic process of infection from wounds. His medicines are also well-researched, many of them used in some society at some time. _A Storm of Swords_ is every bit as good as the other two books. The tension just builds and builds. Any hint of the contents would spoil something for you, but I think I can say without giving away any secrets that the addition of Jamie Lanister's viewpoint gives a very interesting tange to the story (believe it or not, he's now one of my favorite characters), and that several well-known characters die in this one. Martin has an absolute genius for making nearly all of his characters round and sympathetic. Even the ones we want dead are sympathetic, though that doesn't stop us from wanting them dead. Martin shows clearly that all of his characters, both good and bad, have suffered and have excuses for being cruel and bitter. His good characters, however, choose to remain honorable and ethical, while his bad characters allow themselves to become corrupt. Choice is the key. However, we see clearly that all of them have reasons (if not excuses) for what they have become. Now... Read, read, read!
Rating:
Summary: Fantastic Series!
Review: I could not put down all three books in this series! I am looking forward to book 4, A feast for Crows!
Rating:
Summary: Breathtaking
Review: This book is as good as the first two. The characters continue to develop, the war continues, everyone is in peril... By now I have an emotional stake in the characters and, as with the previous ones, I was turning the pages as fast as I could to learn the outcome of each new situation. The plot twists had me holding my breath, and I nearly cried in several places. As with book two, the book ends in a maddeningly frustrating cliff hanger, and book four isn't due out until the fall. ARRGG!!!! This series is truly epic, and it's extremely well written. I can't stand it that the next book isn't out yet.
Rating:
Summary: Simply the best fantasy book and series, ever.
Review: It's all been said in other reviews here, but I'll just repeat from my own experience: No fantasy has gripped me by the gut, surprised me, left me crying or shouting aloud in triumph like this series, and especially this book. The best characters ever created live in Martin's mind, and come to life on his pages. Could Tyrion's story possibly be better? Tired of reading about the details of carpet patterns, silk blouse descriptions which take 2 pages, and hearing about whose eyes are more fierce looking for the 2185984th time from RJ? Grab a game of thrones and get ready to be immersed by a REAL writer who gives a damn about his work. This series is so obviously a labor of love, enjoy what he has created!
Rating:
Summary: The Most Amazing Fantasy Book You'll Ever Read!
Review: That's absolutely correct...I have no idea how he does it, but honest to goodness this series just keeps getting better! I have read hundreds and hundreds of novels in my life, but I can not begin to tell you just how amazing this book is. George R.R. Martin is simply the absolute master. Recently I've read a tremendous number of fantasy novels (e.g. Game of Thrones, Clash of Kings, War of the Flowers, Dark Elf Trilogy, Riftwar Saga, Icewind Dale Trilogy, etc). Nothing else I've read compares to this book. The characterizations are fascinating. Just when you think you know what's going to happen, Martin sends one of your favorite characters on a spiral. I must say I sat there with my mouth wide open and jaw dropped in awe during the Red Wedding scene....amazing...applause, applause, applause...If you haven't read either this book or this entire series by Martin you are truly missing out. This is the series not to be missed. I never thought I'd say I wished a 1200 page book was longer, but I'm really upset that the books done and I have to wait several more months (April 2004) until the next in the series arrives (A Feast for Crows). Go buy this book and read it. You won't be disappointed.
Rating:
Summary: Books for grown-ups
Review: Comparing Mr. Martin to terry goodkind, robert jordan and even Tolkien is like comparing filet mignon to hot dogs(without any condiments). This is fantasy for grownups! The negative reviews are probably from all the jordanites and goodkinds. Not enough trolls or orks or other such silly things I guess.
Rating:
Summary: Wow
Review: As a long-time reader of epic fantasy, I was pleased by the first book in this series and eagerly awaited the next installment. Now, five years and two books later, I'm practically salivating for the fourth. The aspects of these novels which thrill me most are the changing perspective and Mr. Martin's fearlessness. I've read all three novels twice, and I still don't know who to root for. I know who I WAS backing in the battle for the throne of the Seven Kingdoms, but Mr. Martin blindsided me on that one. I like being surprised in a genre that I love, but which seems to have become terribly formulaic.
Rating:
Summary: A barn burner
Review: I was impressed with the first two books in the series, but this is a whole new level. While Martin succeeded in developing an imaginative world set with conflict and anticipation, I have found that many authors fail when it comes time to go from set up to action (see Robert Jordan). Martin not only succeeds but improves. Jon Snow's character is engrossing.
Rating:
Summary: Martin is the undisputed King of Fantasy
Review: Everything you've ever heard about Martin is true. He's crafted, hands down, the best modern fantasy series ever. There's really no one even close. He is the heir apparent to Tolkien, and surpassing him in my opinion. There are not words enough to describe how much Martin has completely redefined everything that exists about Fantasy and in fact Fiction, period. Read the rave reviews, read all the critical acclaim from critics who are as blown away as the fans are. There are reviews here that can explain things better than I, I simply needed to add another rave for this incredible work of art know as A Song of Ice and Fire. What's great about the series? Wow, what's not. Martin has by far the best characters, best plot, best dialogue. Above all, his ablilty to be incredibly unpredicable and original is his greatest strength. You will NEVER know where he's going. He NEVER does what you expect. He follows no rules. The good guys don't win, the bad guys usually do. Your favorite characters, and I'm talking MAIN characters will die, with their murderers never being brought to justice. He portrays a frustrating, yet realistic brilliance that will drive you mad, yet at the same time totally consume you. This series is very adult, and very dark... and I mean dark. The suffering and violence and injustice and sadness that takes place in this book is truely heart wrenching. The pure emotional intensity pushes your very threshold of what you can possibly endure as a reader. No other fanasy book will envoke the emotions you will feel during the course of this masterwork of a series. As a word of caution, this series is also extremely graphic sexually and language wise, but not to the point of being gratuitous. It's just a realistic portrayal, and it's not always pretty or fair. More often than not it isn't. This book, A Storm of Swords is the darkest book yet. Depressing, painful, and absolutly as engaging as the others. Still, very very dark. You will feel emotionally drained after this one... but still craving much more. Let me descibe one thing about Martin's writing style that makes it interesting. Every chapter is told through the point of view of one his chosen "point of view characters". For instance in this book there are something like 15. Each chapter will say "Jon" at the beginning, or "Daenarys", or "Tyrion". What this does is allow you to see an event through one person's eyes, form your opinions and judgements, then see things through the other person's eyes in the next chapter and totally crush the opionins and judgments you just formed. Really brilliant stuff. You'll never know who is the good guy and who is the bad.. because they don't really exist. Everyone is flawed. One of the hooks is Martin adds and subtracts POV (point of view) characters each book. It's always exiciting to know who you're going to have the opportunity to look into their core being and see their actual feelings and motivations. This book isn't just reccommended, it's required reading. Don't even think, just buy it. I can only congratulate you at the same time as apologize. You will feel the joy, laughter, and horric agony of the 7 Kingdoms. You'll want to write a raving review just like everyone else. I apologize because you will have to wait in agony like other readers as we wait for Martin to write the next installment. He's almost done with book 4 of this 6 book series. It has taken him over 3 years to write book 4. Waiting 3 years+ for the next installment really is torture, which is why I can only offer my apologies in that regard. The time it takes to write his books gives you an idea of the depth and complexity.
Rating: 
Summary: Very, Very Good, but he's no tolkien
Review: I'm thoroughly enjoying this series more than any fantasy novels released in a long time. It keeps my attention with great plot hooks and Martin has no fear of resolution to keep things moving. I have nothing bad to say about the novels - if you want adult themed fantasy, this series should be first on your list. However, I do want to say that much of his world is derivative of other works, ideas, mythologies, relgions, and cultures from our own world. There is defintely a euro-centric feel to the Seven kingdoms with respect to the 'barbarian' (mongol) cultures of the east, and the 'mysterious' far east/south (chinese). Religiously, you have older, more pagan gods transitioning into a more "cultured" less natural set of gods, like in Arthurian legend. In essense, I'm saying that Tolkien invented a whole genre while Martin has baked that genre to near perfection.
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