Rating: 
Summary: Epic poetry one-upped
Review: Yes you heard me...this is what reading A song of Ice and Fire is like...reading a medieval epic poem. This is beyond high fantasy, this series( or saga) is told like a quasi-historical drama that reads like an epic poem ala the norse and germanic tales of Egil's Saga, Beowulf, Niebelunglied , Volsungs et all.
With that said...this is what sets this story apart from so many fantasy series...its not driven by the same old cliche of an all encompassing prophecy, with a central 'big baddie', nor is it soaked to the gils in magic..this story, like epic poetry, like history, is a HUMAN story...fate/providence/prophecy does not decide what happens so much as the characters themselve, their decisions, desires, wisdom and blunders.I mean there are moments in history or in an epic poem where you think to yourself'if only they would have done this instead...' thats what reading Matin does to the reader....make you truly hope the characters make the right decision..b/c in this series, blunders have fatal consequences, for the minor and major character alike. Also, like epic poetry..the characterization is more fleshed out in this series than in any other I have read. Now granted, I have not read many authors( only Goodkind and Jordan) but still, I have seen Martin avoid simple two dimensional characters- the ultra pious and honorable good guy and the unredeemably bad, bad guy. Martin's characters, like many in epic poems, and certainly thru medieval history, are more flavored than that..some are honorable, yet can be ruthless...some are ruthless and cruel, yet have a scrap of honor on some points. Again...this is a HUMAN story(saga) and no human is one sided.On the other side, lets not forget that Martin bases his story on our medieval world..a time that was NOT pc by any means. So, in the story we have graphic violence, sex, mention of whoring, foul language, and adult themes...many reviewers have complained about this, all I can say is....have any of you read your history?? or your medieval lit? Need I remind you that the most vaulted medieval/renaisance writer in history(Shakespeare) had more scenes of butchery and bawdiness in his whole cannon than in this book? I mean..come on people..this is not sanitized disneyized fantasy here...its realistic. and if you examine the period this is 'set' in or the literature of that period...u will see that sex and violence was very much a part of that time period( as it is now) . If you just dont like that sort of thing in your fantasy, fine, but dont complain of excessiveness..If you think this is excessive, read Titus, or Song of Roland, of the Niebelunglied( a queen slew her own child to try and kill her brothers) and tell me which is more gory. Now, to the book itself, lol..Martin, simply put ,is a genius at narrative. The reason why he eclipses epic poetry in my book is b/c he gives every chapter thru a pov of a character, which, simply put, manipulates the reader. Never have I ever had my loyalties to characters questioned as much as with this book...he simply does not let the reader polarize anyone in the book, or at least, not very many. Also, like Jordan, Martin is THE master of political machinations..and if you think the schemeing is excessive, read some medieval british history...that stuff is better than any cheasy soap, more so b/c it truly happened. The plots are so masterfully interwoven, its like watching a tapestry be spun right in front of you. Also on that note, b/c the narration is episodic( like epic poetry and history) rather than linear, Martin avoids the traps that befall other authors( Jordan); that being repetative narrative prose. An economy of well phrased words keeps the story moving and the pace very brisk. I moved thru Martin's 900 pagees in what seemed like no time at all..I cant say the same for 600 pages of Jordan. So basically it comes down to this..If you like and I mean like the medieval time period- read this book. If you like political fantasy-read this book If you like realism, and dont mind adult themes- read this book If you are tired of the same cliches..i.e'boy is plucked from obscurity, discovers latent magic, gets magic sword, falls in love with queen/princess..fights the evil dark lord and saves the day'- read this IF you like minimal magic with maximum impact, by all means read this book otherwise...im afraid you wont have much to look forward to.-A.N.
Rating:
Summary: Very good, but not as good as the first
Review: This is a very good book, but not as good as the first volume. The plot grows more and more complicated, with turns and twists absolutely impredictable (and this is great!) but it seems to me that the characters act too little: in a thousand pages you would expect a lot of things to happen, instead at the end some of the characters are almost in the same situation as at the beginning of the story. So you wonder if you had to go through so many chapters and find out that nothing had changed (see Bran and Jon most of all). Anyhow, I enjoyed all the chapters because, even if you FEEL as if something SHOULD happen (but it doesn't), they are so well written and the characters so rich, that you go on restlessly.
Rating:
Summary: great
Review: I don't like fantasy. The few I've read in my pasta was boring and, most of all: I hate elves :))
In this great Saga there are not elves, but there are people. REal people who fight for life, who live, have pain, all that real people do.
There are also draghons and magician, but they are sets in such a marvelous way that you believe they are real too.
I love this saga!
Rating: 
Summary: A Clash Of Kings
Review: I loved this this book. It was even better than the first which I thought was impossible.
Rating: 
Summary: Disappointing distractions
Review: Though I was transfixed by the previous book in the series, I did not make it through this one. Call me a prude, but the constant self-satisfying and obligatory sex in this book really distracted me and put me off. It seemed to me that the author had some kind of sex fetish and had to put as much of it in the book as he could. Simply put, his previous book in the series was tight. Though thick, nearly every scene and chapter moved the story. Not so with this book. Slowed by "extra" chapters detailing characters having sex, this book was not written for fantasy lovers, but for porn lovers. If you like to read such distraction, then buy the book, for the author's prose is both rich and lyrical. Too bad.
Rating:
Summary: A rare sequel
Review: It is rare that I find a sequel as compelling as the first book. _A Clash Of Kings_ is a happy exception. The character development continued with astonishing skill, the plot build naturally from the first book and kept me guessing. I ripped through this book, and am waiting not-so-patiently for the paperback version of the next in the series.
Rating:
Summary: Continuing on in a true instant classic
Review: George R. R. Martin, A Clash of Kings (Bantam Spectra,
1999) Martin continues on in his fictional depiction of the
Hundred Years' War. The throne has changed hands, the
exiled priness of the Targaryen line is marshalling
her forces, the Yorks-- excuse me, the Starks-- have
been declared the Kings in the North, and the
Baratheon brothers are squabbling amongst themselves
in the rural eastern bits of the kingdom. It all
sounds rather boring when put that way, but it isn't.
Martin has given us a worthy second installment in the
Song of Ice and Fire series. Perhaps the most interesting feature of Martin's
writing is that he's capable of juggling so many
different stories while enabling us to keep enough of
the details straight in our heads so we can pick them
up again easily. Most notable is the story of Daenarys
Targaryen, who gets very little screen time here, but
whose story is fleshed out immensely in book two.
Martin gives us quite a bit to work with in very few,
and very readable, words. Winter is coming, and I'm quite looking forward to the
next book in the series. ****
Rating:
Summary: Martin delivers the goods!
Review: George R.R. Martin is not content to just cruise thorugh the second part of his series like many other authors who deliver nothing but a running-in-place plot that only serve to lengthen their novels needlessly. No, Martin delivers and surpasses A Game of Thrones with much more warfare, treason, intrige, plot twists and an ever increasing magical element that adds spice to the proceedings. In this installment, everybody and his brother (literally) fights and schemes for the Iron Throne and any one of them could be King. The thing is, like in real life, we're never quite sure who we should be rooting for as there are no clear cut villians or heroes, only people behaving like people do, and that's what sets this series apart from the rest- its almost historical realism. Yes, there is magic, but it is subdued, which makes it more mysterious and deadly.
Tyrion Lannister, Robb Stark, The Kingslayer, Cersei, Jon Snow, these and a multitude of other characters jump off the page with their own distinctive voices. Speaking of which, the book indeed has a LOT of characters, fortunately there's a listing of all of them at the end of the book to use a scorecard. All in all, not to be missed, very exciting stuff.
Rating:
Summary: at last, fantasy for adults
Review: Yes i just gave this book five stars. I never thought I would ever give a book five stars but it has happend with A clash of Kings. Here's why. I grew up reading fantasy all through my teen years. Tolkien, Feist, and Goodkind used to take me to another world and take me away from everything. Now that im older none of these authors (well except Tolkein of course!) can give me that same feeling. That was until I encountered Geroge R R Martin. Here is fantasy for grown ups.
What really appeals to me about George R R Martin's books is that it doesn't do what most modern fantasy writing seems to do. There are no black or white characters, there are no immortal-all-powerful characters who never seem to be in any sort of danger (and therefore, in my opinion, are not worth caring about). There is no done-to-death plot about an ordinary person who against his wishes suddenyl is thrust in to a hero role. No huge magic, bad writing (which most fantasy writers these days seem to be guilty of)
What this series has is realistic characters who are guilty of displaying emotions, making bad decisions and acting and reacting as you would expect people in the situations that these characters are in to act. This is what appeals to me about Mr. Martin's writing. It is real and substantial, the characters seem alive and multi-dimensional. This is what fascinates me about this series, it is character driven.
This is fantasy for adults. There is no holding back with anything. Sex, violence, language. Some people (and some of the reviews) named these as the bad points of the book but I think the opposite. After all, if you dont like certain parts of the book simply skip through them. This is not Jordan or Feist after all.
Finally a fantasy series that resembles reality more than a cartoon series! This series has me absolutely hooked! Long live George R R Martin and A Song of Ice and Fire! After reading this series I can't go back to any other author (well maybe David Gemmel but that's an entire different ball game....)
Rating:
Summary: No Comparison
Review: Shall I compare “A Clash of Kings” to Tolkien or Jordan? Nope. Let’s try “A Game Of Thrones.” Having read more of George R.R. Martin’s work than this series, I must apologize for inferring he has no love of language. That’s not true. The man can write; he’s written more novels than this one, and he is versatile. Therefore, I’m taking “A Clash of Kings” on its own merits. (Word of support: Martin is no Jordan/Tolkien clone.) “Clash” introduces the Usurper Robert Baratheon’s brother Stannis, a contender for the Iron Throne, his brother Renly, and a priestess named Melisandre, who is perhaps the most frightening of any character Martin’s created so far. Martin does a good job of setting up opposing characters whose differences aren’t obnoxiously obvious; Stannis is grim for solid reasons, whereas Renly exudes the confidence of someone who has been loved all his life. (And by whom should be obvious to the reader—but I won’t give anything away). The Lannisters are digging in, with Tyrion the Imp taking the reins at King’s Landing; Robb Stark has seized the North; Daenerys continues her quest for ships and armies with which to retake her kingdom; and Jon Snow finds a threat beyond the Wall that could make the war for the Iron Throne look like child’s play. The battle scenes are done well—the Battle of the Blackwater is a fine one—and the characters are beginning to evolve from the original sketchiness of “Thrones”. Tyrion is so clearly the smartest—and the best—member of the Lannisters, it’s hard not to root for the whole family to be washed out to sea and leave him in charge. Cersei is revealed as a woman of drive, ambition and energy smothered in her forced role of docile mother and wife—albeit it’s hard to sympathize, as this woman condoned the attempted murder of a child who witnessed her in an incestuous embrace—while Sansa simply becomes more hopeless and pitiful. A possible reason why the Stark children found the direwolves is made clear near the end of the book. And if anyone wanted someone else to despise besides Joffrey, Theon Greyjoy steps up with his ambition to earn glory for himself by destroying the Starks. I have complaints, but it’s nothing that probably won’t be taken care of in the following sequels. Arya becomes more repellent and aimless with every chapter. Bran’s fate in “Clash” is the most exciting thing to happen to him in the series so far. I wish someone would club Joffrey and drop him down the sewers, and I really wish Catelyn Stark would either go home or get ambushed. Yes, she’s Ned Stark’s widow, a grieving mother, etc. She’s also the woman who told her husband’s illegitimate son that she wished he’d been crippled just because he was another woman’s child—she is as hateful in her way as Cersei[...]
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