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Summary: George does it again
Review: He has up to this point kept the reader on edge due to the fact that being a main character grants you no immunity to death. As he returns to the world of A Song of Ice and Fire, he once again takes the reader upon a brutal and exciting adventure.
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Summary: raw
Review: Lets see what happens with ol RR. The bloody originality is what I am about. I always hated it when GI Joe destroyed all of Cobra Commander's planes and the ground was littered with parachutes.Lord bless this man's work and guard him from the Banal Ending.
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Summary: A Storm of Swords
Review: Martin is able to breathe life into everyone of his characters. He masters all of them. They each have a distinct voice and personality. They respond realistically to their situations. Because Martin has such depth to all of the forward characters, your favourite character isn't assured a continued life. Martin's writing enthralls me. His plot is so rich that these books honestly suck the reader in. When the reader finishes reading a Storm of Swords they feel like a fish out of water, having to come back to this world. That is how well Martin builds his universe. I encourage you to read the sample page. It will help you get a feel for his style of writing and how wonderfully thick the plot is. It kills me that I have to wait for the rest of the books to be published. This is without a doubt my favourite series.
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Summary: They Keep Coming!
Review: Martin did it again! In this third installment of what has turned out to be the greatest fantasy work of our times, he continues the dynamic and captivating tale of the wars in the Seven Kingdoms, and in doing so creates yet another masterpiece to the pleasant surprise to his audience. I will be honest: it was hard to believe in the beginning that such a voluminous work as The Song of Ice and Fire can keep fascinating its readers at all times: it was only natural that it will have its peaks and downfalls. Martin, however, has exceeded all expectations in creating his saga: from the tiniest details and the most intricate twists to the greatest plot sets, he keeps creating this wonderfully believable world with the precise calculation of a genius. The depth and scope of his imagination and literary mind seem unfathomable. But then, maybe this is the reason why each installment takes so long to produce-to ensure that each detail is well placed and all actions are perfectly timed. In this third part of the beloved saga, the number of contenders for power has actually dwindled, but the war and bloodshed go on as alliances are made and broken. In the mix of loyalty and betrayal, love and hatred, cruelty and mercy, too many good characters die-in this respect A Storm of Swords surpasses the first and second parts. Martin kills off good and bad guys with an equally steady hand as serves the purpose of his grand plot, and thus creates more complications and seemingly no-way-out situations, just to offer the most unexpected solution a couple of chapters or a few hundred pages later. More than once have I put the book down in dismay, not quite used to having some of my favorite characters killed in impossibly graphic scenes or, in other cases, with as much as line to describe their demise, and then seeing how the author continues his narrative as if nothing has happened and throws you back in the whirlpool of action. Winter is coming, and you can almost feel the chill coming from the pages. Strange and inexplicable things happen, unexpected and sudden twists of plot make you gape with surprise, and the intense narrative makes you hold your breath as suspense builds up. Magic has now returned to the Seven Kingdoms-magic believed to be long dead-and the prospect of it is more dire than positive. It's not necessarily a conventional type of magic with wizards and spells, but more of a mystical magic out of legends, with dragons and black sorcery, living dead, and clashes between powerful gods (a little spoiler: as some of you may have already guessed, the power of old gods does gradually return). The political element is stronger than ever, and the moral dilemmas and questionable actions of some of the characters further complicate the plot. The inter-personal relations and feelings of the characters are just as important as in the previous parts, which brings about a marvelously realistic reading, despite its fantasy setting. Sex scenes, on the other hand, are even more abundant and graphic than before. In addition, the book offers some great action and battle scenes, which, if filmed, will surely challenge those in The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers. This is indeed an awesome book, and if you haven't yet read it, then most likely you haven't started the series at all: otherwise, you would be desperately hooked. My advice is hurry up to the nearest bookstore and pick all three published books of the saga right now. For those like me who are now anxiously awaiting the next installment-it will be a lo-o-ong wait until June 2004 to finally get A Feast for Crows. Rarely have I read a series so addictive and so utterly irresistible, and at the same time so unpredictable and inexorably real. Martin is the literary genius of modern fantasy; of this I have no doubt.
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Summary: The Storm takes you by surprise
Review: For those of you into the series, and have just finished Clash of Kings, you're all in for it. This book is full of shock and some of the most tragic moments await you. No one is safe. I remember I read the three books in the series before ever looking at a review for them. And no doubt you will too. But just in case you'd like to know what's coming.... The war continues, Stannis was defeated, and Renly....well you know what happened to him. Robb Stark, Balon Greyjoy and King Joffrey still have not settled their vendetta. Robb lost the north, which is now in chaos. Even further north the wildlings are rising. There are a lot of chapters with Jon and Tyrion, with a lot of action. Daenerys is learning to rule, while she continues to raise her dragons. There are some great things in store for her. The end will leave you begging for the fourth book. By the way, beware of the Red Wedding... If you haven't read the series, you are missing out on the best fantasy novels since the Tolkien. Martin is probably better. He understands people better than the Jordan's wreck of a series, "Wheel of Time" and its terrible contemporary, Goodkind's "Sword of Truth." They have dragged their series into huge epics of meaningless words. With Martin there is action. Never has there been a series of such brilliance, perspective, tragedy, intrigue, realism and compulsion. He writes characters like Shakespeare, politics like Machiavelli and history like Tolkien. The dialogue is absolutely clever. Characters are witty, humorous, cunning and so realistic. Magic is very subtle. In the world of a Song of Ice and Fire, sorcery is a myth. No one believes it, but it is there. It occurs like a trick of the eye- not as wizards casting fireballs and lightning bolts. There are no main characters or heroes- everyone plots against each other, and magic cannot save them. There are no dark lords or true evils lurking on a dreary mountain. Not you average fantasy. But way above average. In my experience, this is as good as it gets. Modern writers could learn a thing or two from George R.R. Martin, a master storyteller. He's been a 6-time Locus Award winner for his short-stories, 4 Hugo Awards, 2 Nebula Awards, A Bram Stoker and a World Fantasy Award. A Game of Thrones, A Clash of Kings and A Storm of Swords have been New York Times Bestsellers. A Clash of Kings had a Nebula nomination and was #1 on the Locus Poll. A Storm of Swords was in first place in the SF Site Readers' Choice Best SF and Fantasy Books, and was in 2nd place for the Locus Award, under Harry Potter. But it was much better than Harry Potter, mind you. If your tired of Jordan, Goodkind and Brooks, read Song of Ice and Fire. "A Game of Thrones" is the first book, "A Clash of Kings" is the second, "A Storm of Swords" is the third and latest. I'm dying for the next book, "A Feast for Crows." Its been over 3 years now...god, within all that time, I think a lot of people have read up. That'll make the 4th book one of the top bestselling books, when it comes, I hope. Oh yes, I've read a BUNCH of spoiler chapters from Martin's readings at several appearances. Amazing things are waiting for us. Read "Arms of the Kraken" in Dragon Magazine Issue #305, a novella length chapter from A Feast for Crows. There is a VERY VERY VERY unexpected twist at the end of that chapter. It blew me away.
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Summary: And I Don't Read Fantasy Books!
Review: I don't read fantasy books, never had, never planned to... until now. Last summer my friend begged me to read just one chapter of "A Game of Thrones." Five days later, there was no turning back. My life is forever changed... sound crazy? Ask anyone who has ever read the books. I have entered a world I never knew existed, never could have imagined. As I read on, I kept expecting at some point to be disappointed. Needless to say, it never happened. By the third book, I felt as if I had come to know the characters in their own right. Each chapter had me crying my eyes out at least one, and a couple moments later, giggling quietly to myself. Sometimes, I would call the friend who lent the first one to me and yell that I was going to throw the book out the window because I couldn't take the pain anymore. Other times I'd call her and thank her for making life worth living. I read for five hours at a time without getting up from my seat. During the night, I'd wake up crying about something that had happened in "A Storm of Swords" that day. Every character is developed. No matter how much I hate them, I can't say that I don't understand them because it would be a lie. Picking a favorite character is hard, I'd have to say Tyrion Lannister is without a doubt my favorite here. First book... ahhh, he was ok, second, awww... he is so sweet, third... OMG, I want to marry the man! *coughs* Anyway... I guess through all my rambling I'm trying to explain something that is completely inexplicable. My friend tried to do the same for me, but couldn't. I never realized I could get so much enjoyment from a book. Reading anything else seems extremely trivial now. So, the truth is, I can't explain the journey you're about to embark on; all I can say is, "It's gone be one heck of a ride!"
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Summary: More, gimmie more!!!
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. I've read all three books in the series and can find no faults with any of them!
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Summary: I think people are missing the point...
Review: I was reading some other reviews on here and it seems as though people are missing the very broad picture that these books are painting. Martin is telling the story of the end of an age. The Seven Kingdoms is up for grabs and everyone wants not just a piece of the pie, but the whole thing, pie tin and all. But while we have the mostly mundane power struggle between the mightiest lords of the Seven Kingdoms, we begin to realize that something far, far more sinister is afoot. Magic is on the rise and no one quite knows how to deal with it, the threat of winter looms over everyone's heads, and creepy murmurings from the North begin to percolate downward through the kingdoms. It seems to me almost like a "Final Fantasy" video game, in which the whole world coalesces into one final, huge, magical boom before shattering itself into a million pieces. The era of the Iron Throne's undisputed rule is over, even if its contenders don't realize it yet. The world is about to change in a significant way, altering its course from its current path. Martin's characters are believable. Each one is a complicated riot of different feelings, ambitions, and choices. There is no main character, but there doesn't need to be. The story is bigger than that.
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Summary: A Storm of Characters
Review: Well, I finally get around to reviewing one of Martin's books! My fiance and I have been reading them rabidly ever since he picked up the first book in the series, A Game of Thrones, earlier in the summer. We've both agreed that although he isn't deep as far as insightful material into humanity, Martin is fast-paced, fun, and reads like a medieval tale at times, with a healthy dose of good descriptions, fierce battles, and lots of politics. The characters are likeable, although at times his love of the loner bites through them, every one. I don't want to spoil the story, as surprises are what Martin is good at. Just know that he often subscribes to the idea that nice guys finish last. For those who know Martin only as a sci-fi writer, be prepared! Although he approaches this tale with the same kind of blunt humanity and technical preparation that goes into such novels, there is also some of the fantastic about the realm, as is proper in this genre. For those who are used to the typical fantasy novel, beware! There is far more sex and language and less magic than in the kinds of books you're used to. For those who have asked, my favourite characters (thus far) are Tyrion Lannister and Jon Snow. I look forward to the Sansa chapters, too. She isn't my favourite, but she's always in the middle of things. Arya annoys the hell out of me.
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Summary: A STORM OF WORDS
Review: George R. R. Martin continues to treat the reader with fascinating characters, political intrigue and a shocking death or two. I won't go into detail about the plot and characters of this book but instead I'll focus on why Martin is the greatest fantasy author of our time. As many have already noted, Martin doesn't follow typical epic fantasy conventions. Instead, Martin gives us a fantasy setting very much based on medieval Britain--a medieval Britain where magic is scarce and the jostling and scheming among the great houses of Westeros is the rule. Martin is unpredictable and it is difficult to guess where he's going with the story. He doesn't pull plot twists out of his hat, though, as a second reading of any of his "A Song of Ice and Fire" novels will reveal the groundwork laid down by Martin that led up to the surprising plot turns (the second time I read the novels I kept hitting my head every time I came upon a clue that led to one of the big surprises). Another quality Martin has is his ability to paint realistic characters: Not every good guy is that good nor is every bad guy all bad. In fact, some guys who you thought were good end up making some terrible choices--either out of greed, love or pride--that cost them honor, family and even their very lives. And some of the most unredeemable bad guys in the novel slowly change to become better, if not good, as they mature and try to shed their evil ways (not always sucessfully). The depth of characterization in A Storm of Swords is astounding as characters slowly grow--sometimes for the better, often for the worse. Martin doesn't let his love for his characters interfere with the gritty realism of A Storm of Swords. Some of the most interesting characters--hated and beloved--in the series die here. A few readers have complained about this but to me it is a refreshing change of pace from other epic fantasy novels where the good guys never die and always overcome the bad guys in the end. That's not the way it works in A Storm of Swords. A Storm of Swords is broken up into ten different characters' points of view (each chapter is titled with the names of one of those ten characters--some of the ten get more chapters than others do). Often we get to read about the same events twice only told from two (or more) differing perspectives. But don't think that because a character has his own chapters/point of view that he's immune from Martin's axe. A Storm of Swords is a realistic, gritty, epic fantasy novel inspired by historical events in medieval Britain. A must read.
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