Rating: 
Summary: Conflict and Mystery -- without Beauty or Hope
Review: THE GOOD:Martin is a writer par excellence. I know many people are annoyed with his multiple-POV device, but it is a very difficult device to pull off convincingly, and Martin does it brilliantly. I know Martin has expressed frustration over writing from so many kid POVs, but that doesn't mean he doesn't do it well. Arya and Bran (about 10 and 8, respectively) have thoughts that are so completely TRUE to little kids who want to be strong in the face of danger, it boggles the mind. All in all, Martin weaves the POVs together so well the ultimate effect is similar to a mosaic. Even Faulkner did not do it this well. Martin's description is the perfect balance between vivid and efficient. His description of a rain-soaked godswood, an isolated salt-encrusted rock in the ocean, and a dreary little keep on the Fingers was so perfect I could smell the air, yet so sparse the story kept right on flowing without missing a beat. This contrasts nicely with Robert Jordan, who is too wordy, and David Eddings, whose landscapes seem like cardboard. Martin knows how to write a chapter. They are like movements of a Brahms symphony -- they start simply, but are quite meaty, and best of all, end with a spicy coda that caps the action and makes you rabid for more. He knows how to end well. For example, in one scene, a character with incomparable loyalty has been a castaway at sea for some time, and is practically delirious, but is rescued by someone who asks which side of the conflict he is on -- he's not sure what to say -- and then what a payoff of a last line -- "Stannis! Gods be good, I serve Stannis." What's remarkable most of the chapters in this book end more pungently than this one, often with a great cliffhanger. Martin is a true artist when it comes to characters, both major and minor. Dialogue, both spoken and internal, is so unfailingly true to a wide variety of humanity, yet so particular that you could pick out characters' remarks even if he didn't name them, that you know Martin is a Grade A student of human nature. Readers connect with his characters because they are so human, and so you can find yourself on an emotional roller coaster ride when Martin takes you inside someone's head! For example: Catelyn is a GREAT character but also one that VEXES the reader, and for the SAME reason: She thinks she's a good judge of character, and she mostly is, but she can also be dead WRONG too and cause some trouble. Here's where Martin gets you with something else he does well, irony. When the host passes through the Whispering Wood, Catelyn thinks, "And Theon Greyjoy fought at Robb's side, and boasted of how he had almost crossed swords with the Kingslayer. Would that he had. If Theon had died in place of Lord Karstark's sons, how much ill would have been undone?" True, she has an excellent point! But also.... one has to think .... HAH! If you never had captured Tyrion or let Jaime go, how much ill would have been undone! At one point in the book, Tyrion talks to Ser Kevan, and Ser Kevan gives a very robust account of Tywin Lannister and his hard work through the years -- that was kind of neat. Got to love Martin's characters -- there's something about them, even minor ones like Ser Kevan Lannister, that make them feel real. THE BAD: I stopped reading about 80% of the way through, and then just skimmed the rest. Why? Because Martin's content is both too explicit and too harsh. Granted, the first book in the series had explicit content. The first one made me uncomfortable, and the second even more so, but enough is enough. I believe that it could be demonstrated that this content has only increased with each volume. I took markers that wouldn't seep through and marked my copies, and eventually gave or threw them away. There are subtle ways to write about sex in books. There are also direct ways of conveying relevant information that avoids titillating detail -- read the Books of Genesis or Judges or Samuel in the Bible and you will soon see what I'm talking about. Martin is neither subtle nor 'just the facts'. Instead, he conjurs detailed, sensate pictures that make the reader feel immodest and embarrassed, and/or titillated. Some, though, are violent or otherwise deeply disturbing. Incest is wrong -- I don't want to see it. Don't get me wrong, he has a right to publish whatever he wants, but it is not helpful to read and dwell on brutal things. I wish I could scour some scenes from my mind. Many will defend Martin's world at this point in one of two ways: (1) as a dark vision, and/or (2) true to what the 'Dark Ages' were really like. This is realistic fantasy, they say. I would ask this, then: where are the saints? OK, Davos and Eddard yearn to act justly and truly. But where is the longing for the transcendent? Where is the deeply spiritual soul in these books? Where is the love for fellow man, and compassion, that is often associated with this? There is familial love, true. But we know in real life that there is more than just love for family. There were hypocrites in the Dark Ages, but there were altruistic souls, too. But no one in Martin's series experiences or does what Saint Teresa talked about or felt or did. Fantasy as a genre touches upon our sense of wonder, and beauty. But I believe Martin has "painted himself into a corner" so to speak, because how can he now inspire us with wonderful pictures of hope, beauty, joy, and altruism that Tolkien did?
Rating: 
Summary: Martin shows how it is done!
Review: Martin and his Song of Ice and Fire are so awesome that one runs out of superlatives to use. A Storm of Swords, #3 in the series, starts off deceptively slow and then accelerates to leave the reader clinging on for dear life. The writing is taut and the progression gripping. There are so many things to praise - where does one start? First of all, the size of Martin's canvas (geographic and emotional) is gigantic. Yet, despite the degrees of complexity, Martin has such a sure grip on the story that he never ever lands up in an inconsistency. Given the sheer size of the project and the number of side-plots, this is a terrific achievement. Apart from the 7 kingdoms of Westeros, we have the old Valyrian region, Braavos & Pentos, the Dothraki Sea and scores of different cultures, religions and beliefs. Martin brings each of them to life, describing key aspects that define them, to a depth that demonstrates how much thought and planning has gone into the saga. Yet, despite the width of the story, Martin's prose is good enough for the reader to actually picture the characters and their surroundings. As a reader, you feel as if you are right there in the scene, be it a scene of battle, realpolitik or sentiment. His story too is high on credibility. Unlike traditional fantasy, Martin's characters are neither sickeningly good nor irredeemably bad. All his "heroes" have their Achilles heel of honor or character somewhere, succumbing to greed or pride, making them attractively human. So also, all his villains (except perhaps Gregor Clegane, Hoat & the Mummers?) display a stray streak of human decency every once in a while. No stereotyped black and white characters here, just many fine shades of gray. The effect is to make the saga infinitely more real in the reader's mind than traditional fantasy. Not only does Martin bring his characters to life, the reader can perceive the characters growing emotionally as the story progresses. It is fascinating to see how war and unfeeling injustice temper characters who in the beginning were almost childlike in their innocence, to the point where they seem to have grown up while we were watching. Be warned though, it is very dangerous to develop an attachment or preference for any character considering Martin's amazing track record of killing off his cast. Just as you settle on a figure as being central to the saga, boom, he or she is dead. Never have I seen an author so willing to kill off his best creations as this! Bear in mind too that this is not a series for the faint of heart. This is a brutal and wrenching saga, draining the reader and leaving him or her shaken to the core at man's inhumanity. Last but not least, Martin's capacity to surprise the reader is unmatched. Just as you feel the story is settling into a pattern, Martin breaks the mould with an unexpected twist. But he is totally in control of the story. For instance, I wondered earlier in Book #1 where the dragons fitted in, thinking they were just a token bow to traditional fantasy. My respect for Martin increased many fold in Book #3 where one now sees the looming Armageddon ahead that will pit the dragons against the Others. This is just one instance of how the many diverse pieces in Martin's giant jigsaw, fit seamlessly into a great picture. A Song of Ice and Fire has all the makings of a classic. Buy it and hold, this one's a keeper.
Rating:
Summary: Hold on to your seat!
Review: How refreshing, a fantasy series that actually moves! Perhaps what makes Martin's work so compelling is the heavy dose of reality he injects. Characters change. They surprise and disappoint you. They frustrate you and reward you. Best of all, you NEVER know which it will be! The plot takes some surprising twists in this one, and Martin unfolds some startling revelations in the last chapter. As far as the magic goes, you'll get more glimpses, but it's still restrained, which is also refreshing. You need never worry that Martin will cop out and come up with some magical solution to an impossible predicament. Characters are left to think things through, take risks, and make sacrifices to solve their problems/save their lives. Great addition to a wonderful series!
Rating:
Summary: FYI: The Reissue Of Martin's "Fevre Dream"
Review: I have already extolled the virtues of George R.R. Martin's "A Storm of Swords" in an earlier review. For those of you who are fans of this series---for reasons that should be obvious to anyone reading these reviews---Martin's first foray into fantasy, "Fevre Dream," has been recently reissued in England, and is available through amazon.co.uk. Certainly one of the "classics" of contemporary vampire literature, written with much greater skill than Ms. Rice's novels, this work, first published in 1982, is similarly set in New Orleans and along the Mississippi River and its tributaries during the mid 1800's, as much an ode to the former glory of the steamboat trade as a reworking of the legend of vampirism. Recreating a brief yet important period of our history with an obviously loving and detailed historical and nautical accuracy, George R.R. Martin, while borrowing much from the traditions of vampirical lore, at the same time reinvests those traditions in ways that are fresh and original, eliciting both horror and sympathy with his characters. As is evident in his more recent and popular "Song of Ice and Fire" cycle, Martin's characterizations are complicated and motivated by desires often in conflict with one another, creating tensions and undercurrents that go beyond the confines of the plot, and, along with his skilled prose and attention to detail, bring both his story and his characters to life. Despite the misfortune of being out of print in the United States, we are fortunate enough to have had the book recently reissued in England as part of the Gollancz/Orion Masterworks of Fantasy series, and I would highly recommend that anyone interested in horror/fantasy, George R.R. Martin or vampire fiction spend the money to obtain it there. If you are enjoying "A Song of Ice and Fire," you will certainly enjoy this! Hopefully, with all the deserving interest that the author's new series is generating, some publisher in the States will wake up and republish it here. Considering that all of Anne Rice's novels are still in print, this work is certainly and arguably more deserving. I hope this information has proven helpful.
Rating: 
Summary: Ungushingly critical....
Review: George R.R. Martin is certainly one of the most skilled writers in the genre today, and "A Storm of Swords" unfailingly continues to uphold the rigorous standard he set for himself in "A Game of Thrones". The enormous cast of complex characters, combined with complicated intrigue and a riveting plot make the book almost impossible to put down. The world of the Seven Kingdoms is richly detailed, but more impressive is Martin's facility to create an atmosphere through detail. From the way he writes, it would seem that he knows what every tankard in every inn looks like, and what every one of the thousands of warriors, knights, and aristocrats is wearing down to the last buckle, even if these details are not always included. In short, Martin clearly knows his world inside-out, and thus is able to convey even more than is usual an atmosphere of reality in a fantasy world. He also excels in scene-painting, and every sensual nuance comes alive--sometimes, in violent scenes, more than one might like. Another feature that sets Martin apart is his unpredictability. Even the most jaded reader will be surprised by something in the plot, which hurtles along in a speeding fury, killing nearly everyone in its path. There are no indestructible characters, which is rare for any genre. Martin is also unique in that there is very little good and evil; even the Lannisters, who were pure evil in the beginning, are starting to morph into more complex characters. The reverse is also true, and most of the sympathetic or neutral characters reveal traits that are downright nasty. Nice people don't last long in Martin's world, as Eddard was first to learn; and sometimes the cruelty of even the most sympathetic characters can be jarring. As for the characters themselves, Tyrion is just amazing. 'Nuff said. However, I am disturbed by all the comparisons to Tolkien, as well as the widespread assertion that there is no fantasy out there better or on a level with this. Martin's approach, which is to develop multiple threads and follow each (for the most part) separately, has the upside in that it contributes to the overall complexity of the story. However, this approach also has a very distinctive downside, which is that character development and the reader's emotional involvement with the characters must take a permanent back seat. This plot is so immense, so sprawling, that ultimately it leaves no opportunity for the reader to become deeply absorbed in it--there are too many things which require the reader's attention for this to be possible. Each plotline skims the surface of an idea and a character's development, but because of the limited time slot is not able to explore them in greater depth. For example, Jon's plotline in "A Game of Thrones", when he was making friends and enemies in Castle Black, was vaguely reminiscent of "Ender's Game" in the challenges that were presented to the character. Unfortunately, because Martin had so many other threads to take care of, most of the development in this thread went on behind the scenes: in one chapter Jon would be on bad terms with most of the boys. Then the plot switches away from him, and by the time it returns, Jon has managed to adjust and make some friends. The transition occurred while we were following Dany and Eddard--and while we certainly wanted to know about them, the fact that this major transition happened without us automatically means that Jon has become more distant from the reader than he otherwise might have been. There is nothing wrong with this approach to the genre; it is a certain style that appeals more to some and less to others. Its main advantage is that it gives Martin a huge canvas upon which to use the many colors in his palette, an opportunity to create an endless array of dramatic events and atmospheric settings. But the disadvantage cannot be ignored, which is that although the broad and complex storyline is "a mile wide", it is also "an inch deep". Another thing which makes this different from most fantasies is the absence of a sense of the magical, of quests and the inevitable destiny of some few great ones. This is a tale that is mainly of political intrigue and war. As such, it bears almost no resemblance to epic fantasy, and shares closer ties with military fantasy. Thus there is very little sense in comparing this work to Tolkien's, for there is very little resemblance beyond the fact that they share the same bookshelf. It is also ridiculous to say that it is better than various epic fantasies, because the strengths of Martin's work are the weaknesses in most epic fantasy--and vice versa. Both have valuable elements to impart to the reader, and both should be considered separately.
Rating:
Summary: Non Pareil
Review: Something is very wrong. I just compared the sales figures for "Storm of Swords" and "Winter's Heart" and it looks like the latter is outselling the former. Yipes, say it isn't so, Joe. "Storm of Swords" and the series of which it is a part do not need more encomia, but I can't resist if it isn't being purchased by everyone who loves the genre and good writing. It is the best fantasy series written since Tolkien, and on some levels it is better--more modern, more accessible, more 'human,' and I don't mean because the hobbits are missing. Martin combines wonder and the down and dirty reality of life without modern medicine, transportation or communication. Yet it is a fascinating existence, more compelling on many levels than the magical 21st century. Please don't let anything happen to that wonderful man, George R.R. Martin! And, lordy, please don't let him catch that awful Robert Jordan disease, where Arya and Sansa will wander endlessly for five or six books (at least), pulling their hair, smoothing and gripping their skirts, and sniffing when people speak to them.
Rating:
Summary: An Epic of Epics
Review: George R. R. Martin continues to outdo himself. There is no one living writing Epic Fantasy that can top this saga. Just when I thought it was safe to dive back into this book (it is so good and so long, that I had to put it down for a couple of months just to have the satisfaction of finishing my two books a week quota), Mr. Martin drew me into his trap again. I first thought this series would just be a military fantasy with a War of the Roses backdrop, boy was I wrong. This is a "realistic" fantasy (characters die here that you would not expect), the plot is so intricate and rewarding, and the characters are so richly laid out that you can not fail to visualize them (even if they are just a name in a list of lords and ladies at the feast). I've finished number three and can't wait for the next one (is there medical term a for Ice and Fire withdrawal?).
Rating:
Summary: The Best Epic Out There Today
Review: My oh my. Just when I thought Martin could not get any better I see how much punch he has left. This is a grand epic of intrigue and backstabbing and everything-but-the-kitchen-sink. Compared to other, great modern fantasy series, there is an overall lack of magic in Martin's book. Yes, it is there, but not as pervasive as it is in, say, Jordan's books. All the heroes here have no special magical gifts. In my opinion, Martin's strength is his excellent characterizations. He is not afraid to remove major figures from the playing field. One moment they are poised to take over the story, and the next moment they're gone. You never really know what will happen next. The story itself is absolutely enormous in scope, spanning several continents and plotlines. And the characters shift constantly: just when you think you have someone pegged, you are suprised to see how a powerful experience makes them grow, change and do unpredictable things. In A Storm Of Swords, Jaime and Tyrion undergo some stunning metamorphoses almost out of the blue. Others like Catelyn are as guilt-ridden as ever. Martin's strength is that he constantly keeps you guessing, nothing is taboo or set in stone. Every book provides new insights and revelations.
Rating:
Summary: Fascinating, but repetitive.
Review: "Storm of Swords", the third book in the series, is clearly not the last. While I enjoyed the book and was drawn back into the fantasy world that Martin quite expertly created....I kept wondering, did he lose a family member while writing this book? Characters, both good and evil, seemed to die at an increasingly rapid rate compared to the first two books. (So many of the characters he came to make us care for died that I actually breathed a sigh of relief when he finally killed the cardboard cutout villian, Joffrey.) The rate even increased as the book went on. However, this was the only part of the book that gave me pause. Most of the characters are well fleshed out and real, though he seems to have so many that some suffer with rather flimsy characterization. It is a large world, though, and one cannot know everyone intimately. I will continue to buy the series, however, if only to find out what happens to Danaerys and Arya!
Rating:
Summary: Great Book!
Review: It took me about a week to get half-way through this book, and one day to finish the rest. I'd put this novel up there with first two volumes of the Wheel of Time series. Martin is putting the breaks on modern fantasy and steering it into a new direction. His world is cruel, unpredictable, and unforgiving- much like ours, and it's high time someone broke the mold. A couple of minor complaints about the book: The quality of writing seemed sporadic at the beginning of a couple of chapters, and some of the repetitive whining got on my nerves. I've been "tainted" by Jordan's books so stop reading my petty bickering and buy this book!
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