Rating: 
Summary: Realistic Portrayal of Fantastic Elements
Review: George R.R.Martin has succeeded in creating a fantasy world that reads like real-world medieval history - with a few magic extras thrown in. The fact that not everyone in the story runs around throwing flaming fireballs from their hands lends a more urgent and "fantastic" air to the magic that does occur.What amuses me, in a sad sort of way, by other readers' comments about the violence toward the women in the book is this: do you not care about the violence toward the men? Is it for some reason acceptable that men are hacked to bits, beheaded, dismembered, etc.? There are characters in the book that are entirely selfish and willing to do *anything* to get what they want . . . men and women both. Martin has created fully realized characters that live. To assume that these characters reflect his personal attitudes is shortsighted and naive. Read the book with no preconceived biases and you will be amazed at the sheer depth of the tale.
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Summary: Martin refuses to wade in shallow fantasy pool.
Review: This is not a fantasy novel for kids. Martin opts for a fantasy world rife with three dimensional, dangerous, and very human characters. He doesn't bother making new races and then talking inanely about how these mythical creatures "see" the world. Instead, he proves that human beings can be far more interesting than any elf or hobbit. His plots are involved and intriguing, with sadistic twists that ensure you never know whose time is up--he's not afraid to off a character. Speaking of characters, Martin also is extremely impressive writing in voice for his female figures, especially Arya, who is the best character in the book. The book borders on historical fiction, at times, and you feel as if the Houses could be new takes on feudal English lords, but this is not a bad thing. His book is one you'll probably either love or hate, but...mature readers will agree with me.
Rating: 
Summary: A good story but tarnished...
Review: The plot to this story is immense, with many different facets. However, at every turn in the book the author would perform extreme violence or debase women in such a way that seemed to go beyond the context of the story. Perhaps the author wished to show the violent nature of people or portray a character as evil, but the nature of acts committed to women, from graphic rape to extreme violence instead brought me out of the book and made me angry at the author, not at the character committing the acts. Other talented authors have conveyed character motives and attributes in different ways, unfortunately this author did not. I will not be purchasing any future works from this author.
Rating:
Summary: Poor character development - boring!!!
Review: It's really hard to relate to his characters. You only get about 8 - 10 pages at a clip, and wait over 100 pages until you get back to them. Really crowded!!! Too many characters, and most are under the age of 13. G. R. R. shows his lack of connection to this age group (and female characters especially) by making most of them wooden - you really start hoping that they die soon just to get them out of the way of the more interesting figures - like the dwarf. I won't be reading the next installment...
Rating:
Summary: Incredible -- well written, compelling, and fresh!
Review: I have long been a fan of George R. R. Martin's novels, but nothing he has done before has been so well realized as this series. Unlike some of the reviewers here, I found it very easy to pick up (after two years) and drop right in where I left off -- I found myself so familiar with his wonderful cast of characters that -- unlike the first volume -- I almost never found myself flipping to the character list at the end ... These people are real, familiar, fully fleshed, and complicated, and he makes it easy to feel I know them all. A wonderful, and in my view, breathtaking, accomplishment. I do agree with the others on one point. George, don't make us wait so long for Volume 3 (or 4, 5 & 6 if my information is correct)
Rating:
Summary: 2 1/2 years between books--is the fault the publisher's?
Review: I guess no. Most publishers would not want more than a year to lapse between hardcover publication of a [potential] best-selling series. After reading this book, my guess is that George went through a difficult period in his life that delayed his writing this book AND changed its "ambience": this book is nasty, brutish, and crude--I will probably not finish this series. Accomplished craftsman that he is, the book works, but not with the 'feel' of Volume 1. I have no worries about George as a writer, but if my guess is correct, (I) hope he works through his personal problems.
Rating:
Summary: EXCELLENT,INCREDIBLE,FANTASTIC!!!!
Review: get the feeling I liked this book?After wading through that abomination "Path of Daggers" this is like a breath of fresh air.Great characters ,unexpected twists and turns,and it moves,unlike Jordans last effort.If there is a downside it is that this series looks like it will be a long one,especially if we're going to have to wait until those dragons grow up.That being said if Martin keeps up this level of excellence I won't mind a bit. This is a gritty,realistic depiction of medieval life complete with all the nasty details of that era.Combine that with the betrayal and intrigue of court politics and the ever so subtle use of magic and you have one of the best epic fantasy novels of all time.
Rating:
Summary: Leave this author for 10 years
Review: I can't give Martin an A or F for his effort- I grade him incomplete. This is another grand epic, well written, but released by the cup full when only the bucket is compelling. I am making the same pledge after Clash of Thrones as I did after reading Jordan's Path of Daggers. There are so many primary characters and they all have separate story threads, so that now instead of one story you have nine stories, which means that none of characters get resolution over the course of a 400 page book, because they are only in it for 40 or 50 pages. This wouldn't be a problem if the whole story was there on the shelf, then- I would only need to decide whether to invest all my liesure time for the next 6 months reading it- but when you get it in dribbles, it is hard to remember who any of the characters are, what trouble they are in and what they planned to do about it. I am putting this author away until his story is no longer a work in process.
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Summary: A new King is throned
Review: With A Clash of Kings, George RR Martin has shown himself to be one of the very best writers of Fantasy. He especially excels in creating characters with so much depth and complexity that you really take an interest in them. Rarely have I found Fantasy writers capable of creating such three dimensional characters. More often you get supermen w/ little personality besides being perfect in every way. Very few of the people in this story are completely evil or completely good, which makes them all the more intriguing and real. One of Mr. Martin's most refreshing tactics is to provide us with "good guys" that are not too likable and villains, such as the Imp, that you may actually find yourself rooting for. These sympathetic villians are his very best creations. Even the Hound, a disfigured muderer, makes you feel pity for this unfortunate man so full of self hate. Another great tactic is to rarely give us a good view of the major evil threat, "the others". Just as in Jaws, the knowledge that this evil is lurking unseen just beyond our sight creates great suspense. The less we see of the creatures, the more scary and mysterious they are. If the quality of the future books are as good as this, I'll be happy to buy the next four books. Martin does not seem to be the type of writer to fall prey to the out of control spiral that has made Robert Jordan's books a rambling boring mess w/ no conclusion in sight. I personally look forward to finding out whether the next book confirms who Jon Snow's real parents are(as per Martin's subtle hints) and seeing how this leads to the story's conclusion.
Rating: 
Summary: Skimmable
Review: I read "A Game of Thrones" and loved it, but I spent a couple of hours skimming "A Clash of Kings" in my local bookstore and, though I'm caught up with all the characters, I'm not sure I'd buy it even when it's in paperback. True, there are some amazing set-pieces, such as the battle in Blackwater Rush, but I think Martin has sacrificed character development (think Catelyn sitting aimlessly at Riverrun) in favor of narrative flourishes drawn from his vivid imagination. The multiple viewpoint style is an excellent idea, but I think here, in comparison to "A Game of Thrones," the disjointure is too extreme. By the way, anyone else think we're eventually going to find out Jon Snow is Robert's son by Eddard's sister?
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