Rating: 
Summary: Hardcore Action, Hardcore Fantasy. No One Does it Better
Review: During one of those endless nights when I just couldn't put Clash of Kings down, I wondered: "Why aren't there more books like this?" George Martin has created one of those most deeply involving and satisfying series out there. In only two books, he has crafted real characters involved in the horrors of war. Many of the reviews below accurately describe the way that Martin creates characters of grey, rather than comic book black and whites. Many of the scenes in the book fit well with dark and somber lighting. This is not your daddy's fantasy novel.Martin's characters bring a more realistic spin on knighthood and war. Cersei describes it best to young Sansa when she destroys the young girl's romantic view of knights by remarking that knights are for killing, nothing more or less. And kill they do. The battle scenes are raw and unglamorous, like the opening scene from Saving Private Ryan. Its all very realistic and gritty and heck, it makes sense: what do you really think happens when a not-so-sharp sword is swung haphazardly at another person: I've never seen it firsthand, but I'm sure its not pretty. It may be an oxymoron to claim that a fantasy book can be realistic, but this series is: after seeing the battle scenes in Braveheart or Gladiator, I have a deeper understanding of the horrors of sword fighting in, say, the medieval times in English history. Martin's story is realistic in the sense that it doesn't gloss over the horror and pain and terror of battles and the rage of the people who fight them. Martin's series is a hardcore fantasy adventure for adults. While other authors cater predominately to a younger fantasy audience, Martin seems to write for the "college and beyond" crowd (at 31, I'm well beyond). Sex scenes, like the battles, are not glamorous in the least. Whereas characters in Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series constantly blush and stumble at the very thought of even kissing a girl, Martin's characters think lewd thoughts, perform graphic sex scenes, etc. Yes, its not for all ages, or for every taste, but for those of us who are tired of the same old antiseptic stuff, Martin is a mature breathe of fresh air. Meanwhile, he continues to awe me with his story telling. The different kings are now in open conflict with each other. Whereas Game of Thrones focused on the Starks v. the Lannisters, in this installment, it seems as if the entire land is in termoil, with no less than six kings fighting each other and attacking each other. The battles are terrific, including the climactic battle. (no spoilers here) One other note I feel compelled to make is that Martin has created strong and independant female characters in his series. People might assume, based on the reviews, that this is a male-dominated story. Nothing could be further from the truth. Martin spends as much time writing about the female characters (Sansa, Arya, Catelyn Stark) as the male characters, and the female characters rule (i.e. Cersei) and fight battles (I won't reveal any specifics on this point except to say that Martin introduces two female warriors.) Martin has created a real world, with all the vices of our own, and given all his characters life. Here's hoping that other writers take note.
Rating: 
Summary: Lots of Flash..Less Substance....
Review: I chose this book from among those available at an airport newsstand. It made for an entertaining read and helped to while away the hours I had to spend in the concourse and aboard my flights. However, when I say entertaining I do not mean that it was a great book or a fantastic story...merely entertaining. Mr Martin can write a fine character when he's of a mind to do so. Tyrion Lannister, Arya Stark, Jon Snow and Catelyn Stark are complex and intriguing. But, in his rush to include everyone of import in Westeros, his characters suffer. Major characters like Stannis, Renly, and Joff Lannister become two dimensional shades...capable of only one response to any given situation. "A Clash of Kings" does distinguish itself when these characters are involved in the story lines. They manage to exhibit a wide range of human emotions and elicit an equally wide range of emotional reactions. But when he strays from Tyrion, Arya, Jon and Catelyn the story begins to drag. It's almost as if Martin seeks to give depth to his world by trotting the names of places and people before the reader. Most disturbing of all, is the cursory treatment given to the battles. It is obvious that the Machiavellian workings of the principles is the centerpiece of this work, but it would have been nice to see one of them get better treatment than the "X fought a battle and won/was vanquished" that is resorted to time and time again. Fantasy writers, as a rule, seem to be ignorant of war and it's sciences and tend to adopt a "less said the better" position. On the whole, I think Mr Martin has written a good book filled with good characters. It's nice to read a fantasy novel that's not filled with arcane magics and energies. But he fails to replace the magical with the mundane and his characters suffer for it. He'd have been better advised to write a shorter, more focused book. Then we might have been treated to a great book peopled with great characters.
Rating:
Summary: I cannot praise it enough.
Review: A monster creation of gritty realistic proportions, building on the previous volume with almost majestic qualities. Fantasy styles and novels come and go, but I believe that "The Song of Ice and Fire" will stand the test of time and become a classic very soon. Fantasy elements are kept in restraint at all times, this could almost be a historical novel set in the times of the English Wars of the Roses, but this makes it all the more better, as the whizz-bang of wizards, magic swords and the like are refreshingly missing. I haven't read a Fantasy novel for a long time that gets the sense of large countries and populations across realistically. Normally with an army of a few thousand and a handful of characters, the lead protagonist makes his move. Here armies' number in the hundreds of thousands and Martin has hundreds of well-placed, well thought out characters (with suitable family histories) in more than one location to back this up. Action takes place simultaneously with far distances separating places and people effectively. With literally hundreds of sub-plots, histories and motivations to go with it. Action is often brutal, bloody, dirty and realistic. Again I am reminded of the War of the Roses. The detail and description is heavy and rich without being dense and boring. Events keep you turning the pages and I am looking forward to the next volume. I cannot praise it enough.
Rating:
Summary: 4.75 stars, but still a great book
Review: This book is truly in a class of its own. Martin has successfully written a literary masterpiece in both "A Game Of Thrones" and " A Clash Of Kings". The reason that this book did not recieve the five stars fully is because it does have its flaws. For one, Martin has created such a large amount of characters that it is inevitable that he must evenntually kill some of them off. Second, the skipping around between characters can be very annoying and it often breaks the flow of the story, but other than these two things, Martin has the workings of one of the most promising high fantasy epics going for him in the Song of Ice and Fire series. This story is even more complex than the Wheel of Time and it has even greater character developement.
Rating:
Summary: Martin is a master of fantasy
Review: I discovered George R.R. Martin when I was delayed at an airport and went to browse through the books to see if there was anything interesting there. "A Game of Thrones" looked interesting, so I coughed up the money and settled down to read and wait for my plane. I almost missed the boarding call! I think that this series (at least, so far) is the best epic fantasy that I have ever read (possible exception being Tad Williams' "Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn" - if you liked that you'll *definitely* like this). "A Clash of Kings" returns us to the world of Westeros, a land that is now torn apart by the struggles of 5 different self-proclaimed monarchs, as well as a queen across the sea who is plotting to return and claim what she believes to be her rightful throne. At the center of the struggle are the two families Stark and Lannister. It is an extremely complex plot, and is sometimes difficult to keep track of the huge cast of characters, but the way that the various subplots interweave to form a coherent story is absolutely fantastic. Not only is the world interesting, not only is the plot complex, dark, and unpredictable, but the characters are distinct, fascinating individuals, every one. Although the series started off with a pretty clear distinction between the protagonists and the antagonists (Stark - good; Lannister - bad), by the time "A Clash of Kings" ends, there are no "good guys" and no "bad guys". I found myself sympathizing with Tyrion Lannister, rooting for Daenerys Targaryen, and getting irritated with Sansa Stark. Sure, you still have the sneaky, scheming characters like Cersei and Joffrey Lannister, and the pure of heart heroes like Robb and Catelyn Stark, but there are so many "in-between" characters. The ones you can't trust, like Varys the eunuch and Petyr Baelish. Those who simply are loyal to whomever they are sworn to serve, like Sandor Clegane, Ser Rodrik Cassel, and Ser Davos the Onion Knight. The knights, soldiers, and sellswords who change sides at the drop of a hat with an offer of gold or a better chance at victory. The innocent children who don't know any better and end up as pawns in a giant game that they have no control over, like Marcella and Tommen Lannister and Bran and Rickon Stark. And far to the north, the brothers of the Night's Watch who don't concern themselves with the struggles of the kingdom, but instead devote their lives to protecting the land from the wild beyond the Wall. If you like epic fantasy, you *must* read this series. Don't try to jump in with "A Clash of Kings", it's way too complicated to skip the first book; go read "A Game of Thrones", then come back to this one. You won't regret it.
Rating:
Summary: The battle is joined
Review: Martin scores another direct hit in the epic fantasy genre. _A Clash of Kings_ furthers the adventures of the Starks, Lannisters, and various others as everyone tries to lay a hand on the crown. Joffrey rules in King's Landing under the watchful eyes of his mother and Tyrion; Robb wages war in the North while the two remaining brothers of the deceased King Robert, Stannis and Renly, gather their forces in the South. But worse news is yet to come when more players enter the game and castles change hands quicker than Cersei changes lovers. The Starks are scattered across the seven kingdoms, though perhaps more connected than even they realize. Alliance is the name of the game in _A Clash of Kings_. Who can one trust in a succession war, when the throne belongs to whichever claimant can hold it through force of will? Martin delivers another gripping installment in his Song of Ice and Fire saga while not falling prey to the main problem the second book in long series usually has: how to stretch things out without resolving anything in order to draw the reader to book three. He has more than enough to deal with here, with six armies in the field and the promise of another soon to come. Although cliche, it's true that I simply couldn't put it down, and finished the book in a two-day reading frenzy. The excerpt from book three, _A Storm of Swords_, included at the end, makes me wonder what new bids for power it will bring. If you aren't reading this series, you should be; it's every bit as complex as Jordan's Wheel of Time, and the characters show more development and flair.
Rating:
Summary: Too great for the humankind....
Review: George R.R. Martin is one of the most best writer I know. He must be gifted by God to write like that!!! A Clash of Kings his a fantasy storie that you can't forgot. The way he write ( instead of puting chapters, he's putting character name..) is so complex and God be Good we have the appendix of kings and their courts at the end of the book. It's not a déjà vu book. Many tales come from him and no other author have put this in books. It is PURE... A story of corruption and power. Every people who like fantasy will fall in love with this series... I can't wait for the next: A Storm of Swords. If I could put 10 stars on it, I would put it on!!!
Rating:
Summary: Martin delivers again in A Clash of Kings
Review: A Clash of Kings is a great book, and a fitting sequel to his original work, A Game of Thrones. Martin continues his story line about the fight to gain the Iron Throne and in so doing gives the reader insight into the power and politics of medieval life. Martin tells his tale through parallel story lines that develop a variety of characters. Some of these you will love, and others you will hate, but each gives a different perspective on the events of the time. My favorite is Tyrion Lannister. Though he is carnal and self-serving, his wit and cunning won me over. While the events in the story line are not always uplifting, and the narratives are at times graphic, both these lend the story a sense of reality. There was no shortage of death and deprivation in medieval life. I hope we don't have to wait long for the third installment, I am anxious to see how this story ends.
Rating:
Summary: Great
Review: This was my favorite book of last year. It truly deserved the Locus Poll's top pick for fantasy. 10 times as good as Robert Jordan's Path of Daggers. The only novel to come out that was close wasRobin Hobb's Liveship Trader. A great sequel to a great first book, A game of Thrones. Fans of the series will love it and those wanting to start the series, here it is in paperback, nice and cheap for you. $9 is a very good investment. Enjoy!
Rating:
Summary: Winter is coming...
Review: This continuation of the Fire and Ice series brings us even deeper into the coming cold. The frozen wastes beyond the wall are less of a rumor, and more of a harsh reality for John Snow, as he and his companions venture beyond the fading safety of their stronghold. As in the first novel, political intrigue shakes the kingdom and allies are fast forming sides in the battle for the relm. Long dead tales are taking living form in the North, and the race is on to bolster the fading defenses that hold the dark cold away. One of the best things about this series is that the characters are real to the reader. It is easy to connect with their personalities, and envision what they would be like in other situations. However, the characters aren't the story. The story itself drives what happens to the characters, and it may be that your favorite character is fated to, well, just remember John Stark. Who would have guessed. This is one book that will keep the reader guessing and is sure to make waiting for the next book in the series a real trial.
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