A Clash of Kings

Rating:
Summary: A World Beyond Imagination
Review: The second part of George R. R. Martin's saga, _A Clash of Kings_ is an astounding continuation of _A Game of Thrones_ but also a breath-taking literary masterpiece of its own. Before approaching it, though, you would do well to read the first book: although I have to give Martin credit for giving brief explanations in the beginning that would account for some of the characters and action in the second part, it's impossible to grasp _A Clash of Kings_ in all its magnitude without having read the first part of the saga beforehand.

A boy kings sits in the Iron Throne surrounded by a cohort of Lannisters trying to preserve his feeble reign over a kingdom thorn by wars and bloodshed. With two Baratheon brothers questioning his right, the Stark heir ruling the North in the name of its people and a turn-cloak prince fighting for yet another king's claim, the Seven Kingdoms are bleeding worse than ever: death and plunder, atrocities and suffering, and approaching winter threatening to last a generation, coming with its own dangers and unspoken horrors. Black sorcery and out-of-legend cold creatures emerge to devour the realm of men, while a young girl, the mistress of the last living dragons in the world, makes her way through blood and fire to reclaim her father's throne. The blood-red comet that shone in the sky and drew ominous predictions was left unheeded; the terrors it warned of are free to loom over the realm of men.

The book starts with a riveting prologue that throws the reader in a new dimension, more mystic than one would have suspected. The rest of the book lives up to the promise of the first pages. Graphic, realistic, convincing in more ways than one, it reaches out of the pages, grabs your brains and squeezes tightly...and you're hooked. Page after page, you will most likely complete the entire thing (which, be warned, approximates 1000 pages) in a heartbeat. It presents a series of betrayals and unexpected friendships, and a world where the closest of allies could turn against you, and the seemingly vilest become your friends. More kings and more violence than a kingdom can bear, and way more dynamism than you've ever seen in a fantasy book. Martin is a master of details-compelling, overpowering details-when he needs to, but he also shrewdly changes the speed of narration to build up suspense. He also continues the successful practice to tell his narrative from the points of view of those characters that survived in _A Game of Thrones_, and adds a few new ones, that come as a pleasant and refreshing surprise, and come to play essential roles in the plot. True to his promise in the first part, Martin continues to build understandable and very human characters that you can feel with and relate to.

The complexity of the book is sometimes impossible to grasp, and I cannot begin to think what sort of suprahumanly imagination Martin must have to create it. Magic, one of the most important elements of the fantasy genre that seemed to lack in the first part, is now returning to the Seven Kingdoms, with dragons coming back to life and also mystic sorcery that accounts for a few of the numerous shockingly unanticipated twists in the plot. This renders _A Clash of Kings_ more than a mere tale of medieval tradition. Although, to be sure, the political element is overwhelmingly present, and shrewd and unexpected moves give the reader further delight at this wonderful work. An absolutely thrilling masterpiece and a great continuation to what promises to be the greatest phenomenon in the genre after The Lord of the Rings. Five stars to this one without the slightest hesitation!!!

Rating:
Summary: The hits keep coming!
Review: I LOVE this series! This is high fantasy at its best; full of intrigue, rich detials, realism and a plot that keeps you hooked. As one who never went in for "high" fantasy (the thought of Tolkein makes me shudder - ugh), I was suprised how quickly the first pages of this book grabbed me - I've been eagerly awaiting each installment ever since.

Its a rare thing for someone to create such complex characters; you really feel for each and every one of them, whether it be love, hate or something in between. Simply fantastic.

I've read all three books in the series and can find no faults with any of them!

Rating:
Summary: best fantasy series ever
Review: no dis to Tolken, but in time everything will lead to something better, and Tolken has been bested here.

Rating:
Summary: George R.R. Martin does it again
Review: The first book, "A Game if Thrones," is absoulutely stunning and masterfully imagined. It concluded with a grand finale, but nothing resolved, and only more chaos to come.

Lots of events take place and it ends with a real "clash," so I won't spoil anything here.

Now, unlike most fantasy novels, this series lacks magic the way we think of it: wizards, dark lords, heroes etc. Sorcery is demonstrated subtly and mysteriously. In one interview, Martin said: "Gandalf is a wizard, but what does he actually do that's magical? He makes fireworks that may or may not be magical, his staff glows, but you don't see him, as in some of the bad fantasies, with magic treated almost as a superpower from a comic book, where the characters are going around throwing fireballs and they have a lot of spells. Tolkien was much more mysterious. Sauron never comes on stage, you never know what his actual powers are except that they're vast and malignant. The whole handling of magic is very subtle. When I realized what Tolkien had done there, it seemed to me that he had made a great choice. The whole point about magic is that it has to be magical."
Where other series, namely "Wheel of Time," use magic like some cheap theatrics in a video game. In "A Clash of Kings," however, you can pick up on some really mysterious magic, like dragons, wildfire, assasins, etc.

Now political intrigue comes onto the stage here. Very Machiavellian and trust is only an illusion. This is protrayed very well by Tyrion's chapters.

There are two new and very interesting characters introduced in this book. So you must certainly read this book. But by all means, read "A Game of Thrones" first, if your new to the series. Its the best 1st-book in any series. Ever. And the second just gets better.

Rating:
Summary: A Clash of Kings
Review: "A Clash of Kings" is the second volume of a planned six-part series, "The Song of Ice and Fire". It is a book about treason, love, friendship, death, war, power, incest, knowledge, magic and spirituality. Set in a cunningly and all-too realistic world which reminds the reader of Medieval times, "A Clash of Kings" follows the story told in "A Game of Thrones", where we meet the heraldry of the Seven Kingdoms, some of which is now fighting for the iron throne. You will find characters you will love, you will find characters you will most assuredly hate, and you will certainly find characters you will not know what to think of.

George R. R. Martin weaves a tale of an incredible, bloody world, which bears more resemblance to authentic historical times than one might be ready to admit. The characters are not black-and-white. In the beginning you might think you know who the bad guys and who the good guys are, but as you continue reading, you won't be so sure. Moreover, you will not see happy endings for many of the characters. You will suffer, you will cry, you will hate and you will love. In this series, no one is safe from fate's cruel hand. You will not find yourself reading about the typical battle between good and evil. Instead, you will read the most refreshing series to come in modern times, with the most incredible and three-dimensional characters you might encounter in fantasy novels and the most imaginative storyline you might wish to find.

I especially liked the different point of views (POV's) used in the book, each a new chapter. It allows the reader to know a few different characters, seeing and feeling things through their eyes and hearts, while being in the dark about some things, which is exactly why the author uses these limited POV's. He does not wish us to know more than we should.

The plot is amazing. I thought the author could not top "A Game of Thrones", but this second volume is as good, if not better, than the previous. This series will go far, for it is masterfully written, poignantly told, and incredibly real. Not your run-of-the-mill fantasy setting either. That's why I loved it.

When I finished this book I wanted to cry, scream, curse, laugh, shoot the author, read the next one immediately... this book provoked so many reactions in me while I read it that I ended up an emotional wreck. This story will do this to you. This book will make you wish you had picked it up a long time ago, because you can't think why, in the name of all that's sacred, you hadn't read it before.

In the end, this book made me feel a complete emotional wreck. I found myself feeling more emotions reading a single chapter of this book than many others I have read in the past. Hope, anxiety, fear, loathing, laughter, horror, revulsion, pain... these are some of the feelings that you will experience while reading this book.

This is a book I recommend heartily. Start with "A Game of Thrones" and then read this one. When you're over, jump towards the next one, and then the next, and then... you get the point. You won't be disappointed.

Rating:
Summary: Still Engrossing
Review: In this book, the plot really begins to heat up. The reader is left with the knowledge that he has no idea where this story will end up. This book has more action than the first and more sex, as well, so be warned.

Rating:
Summary: Wonderful writing.
Review: I enjoy the way the series is unfolding. The lack of excruciating details is most appreciated. The action is swift and direct. The intrigue fascinating and building.

Rating:
Summary: Better and better.
Review: The best fantasy novel I have ever read. This book brings the characters to life and makes them a real as any one I know. I have read the first three books and have hooked most of my family and half my friends on the series. We are all eagerly awaiting the publishing of A Feast for Crows. Whenever I talk with my family we can't help to have a discussion about these books or speculate on what Mr. Martin has in store for us all.

Rating:
Summary: A Clash of Literary Genius!!!
Review: For anyone to understand and appreciate this literary masterpiece you first have to read A Game of Thrones, Book one of the Song of Ice and Fire series. In his second installment, A Clash of Kings, Martin sets the stage for an epic struggle of a land in utter chaos. Five people vie to become king of the Seven Lands. Death, deceit, and betrayal are all major characters in this epic novel which will have you up all night and into the dawn reading until you are finished. Every sentence is carefully crafted painting a vivid picture of a place both real and surreal. One of the most intriguing aspects about the book is that the chapters are told from character point of views, so one learns to sympathize with all the characters regardless if they are villians or not. There are so many characters you'll love to hate and many more you'll hate to love. Martin has created an epic story which transcends the likes of Tolkien and pushes the envelope in fantasy literature.

Rating:
Summary: simply the best
Review: In this book, Martin continues the saga he started in _A Clash of Kings_. 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 Clash of Kings_ is every bit as good as the first book. The tension just builds and builds. Any hit of the contents would spoil something for you, but I think I can say without giving away any secrets that a few viewpoint characters are added, and at least one viewpoint character killed.

Now... Read, read, read!