Rating: 
Summary: The War Continues, the Intrique Increases.
Review: This book is the second in this series. If you have not read the first book, don't read this one yet. Go back, read the first book, "A Game of Thrones", and then read "A Clash of Kings". You will enjoy both books more. You will also avoid spoiling many surprises and plot twists which are the hallmark of this series. You have been warned! If you did read and enjoy "A Game of Thrones", you will love this book too. The quality is as good or better. If you didn't enjoy the first book, are you crazy or something? Seriously, you might still want to consider this book as the pace and action are more intense then the prior one. In "A Clash of Kings", the war continues. Tyrion is sent south to save Kingslanding, King Joffery, and Cersei- in that order. With its forces stripped to fight King Robb, Kingslanding is weak and open to attack from either Baratheon brothers. Renly Baratheon and Stannis Baratheon are preparing for battle. But, they are getting ready to kill each other! Stannis has a better claim to the throne, but almost nobody likes him. Still, he would rather fight and die, then give up what he believes belongs to him. Renly, proud and popular, is also headstrong and vain, in that way he is the dead King Robert's true heir. King Robb, in the North, is attacked by a "friend." Daenarys is still collecting an army overseas. Jon and the Nightwatch are in an expedition past the wall. Bran has discovered that he may have great powers, once more common but now almost forget. A witch is beginning to influence King Stannis. More strange creatures are coming in from the north. And this is all in the first 100 pages! "A Clash of Kings" was worth the wait, worth the read, and is highly recommended.
Rating:
Summary: The Mastery Continues
Review: Everything I said in my review of Book One is true for this one as well, only more so. This has to be the most unpredictable fantasy series ever written. When a Major Character [to put it mildly] got killed off in Book One, I knew it was hopeless to try to figure out what was going to happen next, and I was right. A villain turns out to be a [sort of, at least] good guy in disguise. A nice guy turns out to be nasty. A weak-kneed girl isn't really. The all-powerful witch isn't all-powerful. The Two Boys in the Tower are, as expected, killed. Or are they? Clearly based on The War of the Roses era in English History, this series nevertheless manages to be universal. It's about ALL politics and ALL politicians, not just Richard the Third and his cousins. It's about every family who ever feuded. I am trying to force myself to wait for the paperback edition of book three, but may not make it!
Rating:
Summary: Great Fantasy
Review: This is the second book in this series, it is a good one for those who enjoy authors like Terry Goodkind and Robert Jordan. It's really long, but very readable, unpredictable, and exciting.
Rating: 
Summary: So Many Characters
Review: So many characters - so little action - find a better way to spend your book dollars. This trilogy uses many pages to say nothing and what is said is so confusing that it is more a puzzle than a novel.
Rating:
Summary: The R.R.'s Don't Make it a Good Story
Review: This seems to be a never ending story. After suffering through 807 pages told from NINE different perspectives in the first book, I think we deserve some resolution to the story and have some questions answered...but NOooo. You have to buy This book, suffer through 969 pages told from 11 different perspectives and still end up with more questions than answers...and no ending. If you can't tell a story in 1776 pages then you're not much of a writer in my opinion. I don't appreciate closing a "book" that doesn't have an ending. This is the epitome of flagrant commercialism: "Let's keep the audience in suspense so we can sell more books." Well, it's not going to work on me. The characters are unlikable, the manner the story is written is monotonous, and if I want to read about disloyalty, betrayal, and suffering--then I'll read the newspaper. (And, by the way, I don't CARE what every person in the room is wearing and eating in every scene.) Give it up George...the R.R.'s do not make you a good writer or your never ending story worth reading.
Rating:
Summary: Great Continuation But Not As Good As The First
Review: Well, first I'll start with the praises. Mr. Martin can definitely write a story. Period. This characters are three dimensional, his plots are surprising, and best of all, his narrative is much better than any other author in the fantasy genre. In other words, he can actually write. But I do have some complaints to this book. The book takes a while to get going. If you are not completely fixated on the series, it would be easy to give up before the real fun begins, around page 500. Relative to the length of the book, not much happens and a lot of dragging goes on, especially with Jon Snow and Bran. But all in all, it is still a fantastic book in the genre. Unlike authors like Robert Jordan and Terry Goodkind, Mr. Martin can actually write good prose (I gave up on Jordan at book 7 and Goodkind at book 4 for this very reason, and also for the lack of real suspense, wonder who will win, a wild guess, maybe Rand?, by the 25th book in the series if we're lucky?). Highly recommended, and also the only author I would recommend in the high fantasy genre other than J.R.R. Tolkien and Guy Gavriel Kay.
Rating:
Summary: Amazing
Review: I won't talk about specifics of this book, because I think you need to get this book and spend a weekend doing nothing else but reading it. As a longtime fan of fantasy, I have to say that this is one of the most exciting series to come along in years. I needed something to hold me over while waiting for the next Robert Jordan ("Wheel of Time") book. I found George R R Martin's "A Game of Thrones" and was hooked. Now, those two authors are vying for the top spot of my all time favorite fantasy writers. Tolkien was good and started (for the most part) the genre, Jordan and Martin have taken that genre and "ripped it a new one"!! Jordan just published his 9th "Wheel of Time" book, while Martin is on his 3rd "A Song of Ice and Fire" book. No two authors have ever made me this hungry for their next installments. If you are into MMORPGs or just great writing, read these series. These are two of the best authors you will ever have the privilege of reading As a longtime fan of fantasy, I have to say that this is one of the most exciting series to come along in years.
Rating:
Summary: relentless, gutwrenching, engrossing........
Review: 200+ pages into this series, I stopped reading the morning paper. 400 pages in, I started to go to bed a little earlier. And now 1600+ pages later, I'm trying to reconcile breaking my no hardcover rule and buying book three. For as much as I can't wait to see what happens, I also fear forgetting half of what and who has happened waiting for part 3 in paperback. GRR Martin belongs in very elite company, critically, for me. He is the Frank Herbert of fantasy. His talent for characterizations is unmatched....gifting us with characters that are varying shades of good and evil. His plot twists are brutal. His use of suspense dizzying. There is no clear cut hero, all are flawed. Don't get too attached to anyone. Expect anything (usually the worst) to happen. And know that who makes it all 900 pages-in tact or no-is as much a crap shoot as the first installment.
Rating:
Summary: Stand out effort
Review: I used to buy novels like this based on # of pages -- find the biggest one in the store & figure the author must have some character depth to continue on for 800+ pages. The old rule of thumb doesn't apply anymore, does it? Martin manages to take a bit of a contrarian point of view in this series. In the second book, he deftly shows his characters through their own lens on reality. His characters are not simple, and I found myself looking forward to each vignette -- regardless of the focal character (You know how you're normally pining away until the 'interesting' character's plot line comes back around? You won't feel that here) This book exceeded both my expectations and (to me) the accomplishments of book 1. Highly recommended.
Rating:
Summary: A Stunning Return (Again Better Than 5 Stars)
Review: I know that it has been said, but George R. R. Martin is the best author in the business. No one can match him in character development,attention to detail, complexity of background, plot twists, or plain old fashion surprise. I must keep harping on the character because they are what make this series great. Robb's development as a leader is completely believable, as is his foil to Jeoffery. Theon was not all that you thought he was. In Stannis, Martin has created a character of complete moral rectitude, endowed with strength, courage, and conviction, who is utterly without likeability. He is the hero that you want to hate, while Tyrion is the villian you want to love. This host of characters delievers the real emotion of human life that is so seldom found in literature. Compared to almost any other score in fantasy, these protaganists and their foils come out on top. The story is just as diverse as the characters in it. The plot unfolds with more surprises than even A Game of Thrones. Yet unlike most fiction, this story rings true. Somehow the world could be like this. This story should however come with a warning: A Song of Ice and Fire is not for the faint of heart. Unlike with Jordan, there is no reassurance that good will triumph, and that is painfully apparent. This is a world of stark brutality, and anything can happen (most of it bad). War is not glamourous, knights are not chivalrous, and maidens are not modest. THIS IS NOT A HAPPY STORY, AND BAD THINGS HAPPEN TO GOOD PEOPLE. Perhaps this very characteristic is what makes this series so great. A Song of Ice and Fire is not a children's fairy tale, nor should it ever be presented as one. Yet neither is life often the stuff of stories.
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