Rating: 
Summary: A return to the good 'ol days of page turning fantasy.
Review: If you are a fantasy reader, you probably find yourself browsing in your local book store looking for that new book, or the one you haven't seen before, that is going to return you to your younger days when you could spend the time wrapped up in another world. Whether it was the PAWN OF PROPHECY or even way back with THE BOOK OF THREE, certain (and very few) books have had the power to enrapture me. For a time, I thought that Jordan's or Goodwin's books could, but they somehow left me wanting. GRRM's latest two books, however, have caught me in their snare. This book was an excellent portrayal of an extremely realistic world. Though almost entirely devoid of magic, there is a sense of pending release that few books (in any genre) have captured. I will admit that there are many characters and that often you are left wanting more depth with some. However, unlike Jordan's latest book, I actually feel like these characters are progressing somewhere...growing, expanding, or falling deeper into their pit of doom. While there are no clear protaganists, it is clear that each reader will have their favorite (or most hated) characters to grab a hold of and not let go. One final note. Whether it is an epic fantasy series or an epic science fiction movie series (read: Star Wars), readers and viewers tend to take, for some unknown reason, a sense of ownership in the stories that they read. It is important to remember that this is Martin's story and he has been kind enough to let us in to share in his world. Thank you George!
Rating:
Summary: A slap in the face to epic fantasy
Review: Again Martin does a fantastic job of roughing up contemporary epic fantasy. Constant suprises and unavoidable suspense have made this a rightful heir to A Game of Thrones. I hope this dynasty plays out to a wonderful twilight.
Rating: 
Summary: A real good book but not as good as 1st!
Review: The second installment was very exciting but there were times that I was getting bored with this one. But there are parts that will really get you going with plots and twists that you will not expect. I like Jon Snow storyline the best, but this author is drawing you in slowly. You authors are so good it makes me sick!
Rating:
Summary: brilliant
Review: This book is wonderful, you gain and insight to every character's point of view and you realize that nobody is evil just because they killed someone or commited adultry or incest, just a bit warped in their thinking. It's full of intrigue although sometimes it might be a bit hard to get the characters straight (i.e. whatever house they belong to) but that might be just me because i started with book 2 and then went on to book 1. But George R.R. Martin builds up the characters wonderfully.
Rating:
Summary: Subtle magic, marvelous plots, Impressionable characters.
Review: I have spent more time looking for good fantasy, then I have actually spent reading. Books of nature in which we speak of make it worth while. If you should like this book try Assassins Apprentice, by robin hobb and also orson scott card's Seventh Son of the Seventh Son.
Rating:
Summary: Immpresive
Review: A Clash of Kings is the best book to come out of the epic fantasy genre in the past couple of years. However, I see a disturbing trend. It seems that Robert Jordanism is taking over the market. Martin's story, while captivating, was hampered by the elaborate plot system that has marred large epic fantasy in the past decade. Rather than concentrating on one incredibly complex character throughout the book, Martin concentrates on ten such. He spends his time skipping from one to the other. There are advantages to this system: it allows a constant flow of suspense filled scences without ever slowing down to let the hero take a whiz. But it lacks basic resolution. In a basic epic you trace one hero like this: problem-->resolution-->new problem-->resolution-->end of book. In A Clash of Kings Martin gives every character a different problem and tells us to wait for the next four books. (Can't fault his economic savvy.) In summary. Martin's A Clash of Kings is a page-turner and highly recomended. However, if Martin had picked one hero and gone with him or her--it could have been any one of his wonderful characters--the story would have been one of the few that could have kept me up all night reading.
Rating:
Summary: Great
Review: George R. R. Martin has created a detailed and brutal world with ACoK, but the best part of the series is how the characters play apon your emotions, while you sympithise with the "Imp" you also know that the things he is striving for are in direct opposition of the goals of Robb and the rest of the starks. It is amazing to be able to identify so well with a "bad guy". While reading customer reviews I found it hard to believe so many people downed the book entirely because of its language and realism. I hate to ruin everyone's fantasies, but in the middle ages people still killed, cussed, and womanized. Taking out the killing cussing and womanizing would do readers a disservice by glossing over what the author really thought the characters would say and do. This series is great and I recommend that anyone who can, keep track of a huge amount of characters and deal with the realism read this book.
Rating:
Summary: Another winner by Martin...
Review: A "A Clash of Kings" is the sequel to "A Game of Thrones" and a very worthy sequel it is. It serves more intrigue, politics, horrific bloodshed and superb writing. The book is packed with suspense and fantastic characters, and not all the likable characters are 'good' or 'bad'. Anyways, buy the book, read the book, love the book and wait for "A Dance with Dragons".
Rating:
Summary: The most realistic fantasy i've ever read!
Review: Now there is a contradiction in terms! Yet this book deserves it. Throughout this book you aren't sure whats going to happen simply because there's are no purely 'good' or 'bad' people or sides in the whole series and of course you suddenly aren't sure who is going win. Cersei , the typical evil queen right? No, because by the end of this book you have gained an insight on why she has done the things she has. That insight is what lifts this series above the rest . Most fantasy is comprised of the old 'strugggle against evil' plotline , and in deviated from that, by allowing you to understand the not so good charaters, George rr matin has created a fantasy series that ( finally) is worth reading.
Rating:
Summary: Characters and plot interwoven masterfully.
Review: In this sequel to A Game Of Thrones, Martin shows much skill and imagination - through the creation of incestuous child-killers and would-be kings contesting for dominance in a land where armies of wildlings mass to the north and the betrayed plot their vengeance across the sea.A tale of love, war and natural magic that any reader should enjoy thoroughly.
|
