Rating: 
Summary: This series is definitely growing on me....
Review: And the second book, A Clash of Kings, is a great, fast read. Like other readers, I appreciate the complexity Martin lends his characters, and I think Tyrion, the Imp, is the most interesting character in the book-- simply because he is the conduit through which we learn of much of the action in the book, which centers around the intrigues at King's Landing (where he seems to be the only figure with any moral tendencies at all). I also enjoy that some of the foreshadowed developments are finally beginning to take place, i.e., the rediscovery of elements of magic in the world, what with Daenerys with her dragons and the delving into what mysteries lie behind the Wall in the north (after a disappointingly long time without any information about the mysterious "Others", who, alas, aren't really that elaborated on in this installment either)However, I want to point out to all those interested in comparing this series to Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time, or to Tolkien's Lord of the Rings, that the comparisons of "realistic" or "fast-paced" versus "prosaic" or "stilted" do not necessarily sum things up. I am not, by the way, agreeing, as I adore Tolkien, and have enjoyed the Wheel of Time series. I would simply point out that the main point of difference here is that we are reading in the Song of Fire and Ice series what seems to be a story about essentially human conflict, which takes shape in a very convoluted, complex, unfailingly grey-shaded world. Tolkien and Jordan write, on the other hand, about very black and white, metaphysically important conflicts. In Wheel of Time or The Lord of the Rings, what is at stake is the universe itself and "life as we know it". Reality is under attack. In Martin's world, what is at stake? Well, the stewardship of the land. Yes, the conflict does mean life or death to many of its characters, but not to the whole of humanity or existence (at least yet, it's not been finished yet). So, there is a point to keep in mind. It is not in any way a failing of this series, it is rather a strength, as you can see from the many reviewers who would rather read about a gripping, human struggle than some striving that takes them away from the human plane and toys with metaphysical ideas of reality. I myself prefer the more idealized versions, but I will definitely give A Clash of Kings a solid 4-star rating as a very enjoyable read, and I look forward to picking up the next book in this series.
Rating: 
Summary: I'm addicted
Review: I highly recommend this book, but make sure you read "A Game of Thrones" first. It will be much more enjoyable, and the story and characters will make much more sense if you do. This is how a fantasy epic should be written. In comparison, J.R.R. Tolkien's "Lord of the Rings" is slow and stilted, Raymond Feist's "Magician" is a predictable bore and Robert Jordan's "The Eye of the World" is plodding. The only other fantasy I've enjoyed as much is Ursula Le Guin's Earthsea trilogy -- although George R.R. Martin's series is very different. Martin grabs you from the first page and doesn't let you go. His characters are believable and interesting, the dialogue true. Unlike other fantasy epics that feature the same old cast -- innocent protagonist, helpful wizard and bold warrior (not to mention knockoffs of elves, trolls, goblins, etc.) -- Martin's characters are all human and very real. "A Clash of Kings" has much more magic than the first book, and it is presented with originality. For example, instead of having dragons fly around and simply roast everyone to a crisp, he features them as immature pups that do very little in the novel except increase magic users' abilities (you'll understand what I'm talking about when you read the book). There's more of the intrigue, betrayal and gripping suspense that is featured in the first book, and one of my favorite characters of all time, Tyrion, plays a very prominent role. If you're rooting for this guy, you won't be disappointed. I can't say enough about this book and am eagerly starting on the third in the series.
Rating:
Summary: Wonderful!
Review: A Clash of Kings, the second book in A Song of Ice and Fire, is very well written. Akin to the previous installment, the reader is immediately transported into Martin's eerily realistic world and is captivated until the end (after which you purchase a Storm of Swords). This book is truly a masterpiece, as it extrapolates on what made A Game of Thrones so good. A must read for everyone.
Rating:
Summary: Nothing like Wheel of Time
Review: For those who fear George R. R. Martin may tread the same path as Robert Jordan, oh, perish the thought! Anyway, I strongly believe this won't happen. Here's why:
1) As Song of Ice and Fire is brilliant from the get-go. Two chapters (or less) into A Game of Thrones and you know you're in for some real meat-and-potatoes storytelling. WoT's Eye of the World merely shows flashes of brilliance and glints of (mostly-unrealized) potential and takes forever to get where it's going (wherever and whenever that may be), and this is just the FIRST book. 2) Besides basic talent and knowing exactly what story he's telling, Martin has simply, yet ingeniously solved the problem of preventing things (i.e. plot threads and number of characters) from becoming unmanageable by relating each chapter from a single character's POV. I.E. there aren't that many plot threads. That is, chapters aren't split between a slew of plot developments and different character POVs; one can follow the story quite easily. As I said, there aren't that many plot threads to speak of. There are a lot of characters, to be sure, but certainly not a galaxy of them, as in WoT, and I don't have as hard a time keeping track. I think WoT works better as a name generator for fantasy role-playing games than an actual series of novels. 3) Martin keeps away from the cheesy superpowers that the characters of WoT seem to exude from their very pores. Not to say there's no supernatural aspect to SoI&F because there most certainly is. But Martin wisely accords it the mystery and fear that keeps it appropriately ominous and non-mundane. After all, you can't be amazed by it if it's in your face every damned day. All the characters are basically human; that is, they have the same frailties and capablities as anybody in our dreary reality. Oh, a few may have some slight precognitive powers and such but there's nothing like "wind-weaving" or "earth-shifting" or any fantastical nonsense like that. And I appreciate it because it's that much easier to like (or hate, as the situation warrants) these characters, knowing they're really no different from us. We almost literally feel their injuries and triumphs. In WoT, every other character either seems to be able to either "Channel" or have some other useful supernormal ability or other. I think I remember such powers being used even for everyday, menial tasks. Reducing such fantastic happening to everyday ho-hummery strikes reduces it to hardly more than a super-hero comic. Not to say that there's anything wrong with super-hero comics, but I don't know, I feel the genre of FANTASY genre works better relating the stories of, say, your Frodo Bagginses and your Arya Starks (to take an example more pertinent to this review) to pass through insurmountable odds and terrible tragedy to accomplish their goals or at the very least survive. 4) The way political intrigue is handled is many heads and many shoulders above than what you'll find in WoT. Furthermore, there isn't any of "these three characters are in love with this character" or "this other character wants to boink the queen" sort of nonsense thrown into the mix to make things even more complicated to the point where you're left to wonder what is important and what is not. You'll find plenty of this sort of crap in WoT and if the abundance of super-powers makes WoT more like a superhero comic, then this aspect (for example, the love-quadrangle) makes WoT a soap opera about superheroes and supervillains. Meanwhile, everything in the SoI&F books is expertly streamlined and extremely easy to follow. Any relevant or relationships or emotional attachments, romantic or otherwise, are dealt with in relation to whichever character's POV is telling the story. Yes, there is sex, a lot of it, in SoI&F, but any situation dealing with sex is deftly woven into the plot and works to further character development. It doesn't just sit there, taking up space and beating up brain cells. 5) There's detail, but only enough to make the world real and give it a sense of depth. Martin's foremost goal is always to further the plot. No detailing every wooden table down to the last ornate whorl. In WoT, you will get this kind of overbaked and distracting description, as well as how much taller this second-string character is than this third-string character. Or how this nobody inn-keeper is fat and bald and has a flush in his cheeks and likes stories about butterflies. 6) George R.R. Martin is not afraid to treat his much beloved characters very, very, badly. There are things that happen in SoI&F that are very, very shocking and heartbreaking. But this only makes me appreciate the series more. You can't expect to live in such a wicked world, especially one set in a medieval-type setting, and expect to get off without a scratch. Yet that is exactly what WoT's main protagonists seem to do, despite living in the same general type of world. Through ten books, not one main character in WoT has seemed to suffer any major setback or life-altering injury. Not one (well, okay, Moiraine and even there, no one's seen the body). When WoT's characters are inconvenienced, their ordeals don't seem to last all that long and in the end, all seems to be made good. If anything, characters seem to acrue more power and good fortune. Maybe this has to do with all the nifty powers they have. In short, everything about SoI&F is just flat out better than Wot. It's more skillfully written and expertly paced. I don't think the two series should even be compared any longer I can't imagine this series every "jumping the shark," as it were, as WoT has seemed to do since Book 5; it's just too damned good. Of course, I don't think WoT was ever really that great in the first place.
Rating: 
Summary: Not as good as the first
Review: To preface, I absolutely loved the first book. This one dragged out too much. I would nuke about 300 pages off of it, which would make it flow like the first one did. There are a lot of characters to follow, and I found myself losing interest in some of the lesser important ones. Even the important ones had chapter after chapter written about them which did not advance the story noticeably. I will keep reading this series, I'd rate this book at 'worthwhile read'. I am hoping (likely in vain) that the author will get back to making every chapter count and getting me to really turn pages.
Rating:
Summary: A refreshing break from the "same old" fantasy stories
Review: I am not easily impressed, in fact, I am rather picky when it comes to books, and I must say that the SONG OF ICE AND FIRE series is one of my favourite fantasy series' ever. I read Tolkien long ago, and I of coarse liked it, but everything after has seemed like a poor copy. I was going through the drudgery of the seventh or eighth Robert Jordan book (A series which I strongly recommend you do NOT read), When I discovered A Game of Thrones (the first book in the series)I was getting tired of the same old plot, A dark lord, a farmboy who turned out to be a hero, the daring and predictable escapes from deathly danger under a hale of arrows, and female domination in a medieval setting...Then I read the first two books in this series, and I must say that they are great. Martin focuses on political conflict, as well as having battles. These books bring some realism to fantasy, not to mention surprise, some fantasy's are woefully predictable. I personally love how he shows that even main characters are not impervious to danger,(that's right, he actually kills characters off!)unlike Jordan, who is unable to kill even one of his 31 billion characters who has more than two lines.This book brings a breathe of fresh air into the fantasy genre, and I strongly recommend the series to anyone who is tired of the monotonous dribble that writer's such as Jordan, or Fiest put out.I also definetly recommend that you read them in order(never read books out of order) 1. A game of Thrones 2. A clash of Kings 3. A Storm of Swords ( there will eventually be six books in the whole series, not 70, like some authours feel it necessary to have)
Rating:
Summary: Amazingly good series - Book 2 is no let down.
Review: This is the second novel in the Song of Ice and Fire series and is every bit as good as the first. This is an excellent series - completely enjoyable and exciting. Do not attempt to read this book before reading book one "The Game of Thrones" as the author does not spend much time on existing character development or detailing in the second novel. Only new characters are fleshed out. Also, many plot points are carried over from the first book and hence, the novel will be very confusing if read alone and not in it's proper place in the series.
Rating:
Summary: Same excellent writing and settings, as war takes hold.
Review: "A Clash of Kings," George R.R. Martin's sequel to "A Game of Thrones," retains the strengths that made the first book uncommonly lifelike and multifaceted in the fantasy genre: round characters with complex motivations described through multiple viewpoints, facing real struggles against each other instead of stock heroics against an evil arch enemy. As with "Game," each chapter takes the viewpoint of one of several characters. Martin adds two new point-of-view characters, including one seen from other perspectives in "Game" and one entirely new. New settings, such as the Iron Islands, Dragonstone, and the wild forests north of the Wall are described with the same vivid detail and forethought featured in "Game," against the backdrop of a land split by warring factions. The seven parts of the religious system in the first book are further detailed, a theological counterpoint to the new religion of one faction. Unlike "Game," "Clash" includes sorcery, a device common in ordinary fantasy, but Martin only hints at it in one case, and combines it with religion in another. The major characters work through difficult struggles, particularly Arya, while Tyrion, possibly Martin's most interesting character, masterfully navigates the political intrigue at court. Caetlyn's point of view describes several important scenes in the first half of the book, but she constantly broods over her broken family and plays a less active role in events than in "Game." Bran receives two guests out of nowhere in the middle of the book and then embarks on a new plot tack. Some major characters from "Game" are displaced almost completely, such as Robb. The uneven pacing of certain character's narratives over the whole book, like those of Caetlyn and Bran, leaves "Clash" feeling slightly disjointed as an overall story. The plot flies along much faster than the length of the book suggests, and Martin keeps it moving by describing some key battles and scenes but relating the news of others instead. Martin doesn't shirk away from even more brutality than in "Game," but the vicious barbarisms do fit the wartime situation. As with "A Game of Thrones," the dizzying array of endless knights and soldiers mandates the character lists in the appendix, but all of these characters are uniquely and vividly drawn. Parts of the epic scope, such as the entire plot line of Daenerys, could be eliminated completely. Regardless, Martin's sequel retains the rare skill of narrative and the realistic feel of his previous novel, while turning a fast-paced yarn through the clashes of war between the various factions.
Rating:
Summary: Better and Better
Review: A Clash of Kings is maybe the best sequel in the fantasy genre since The Two Towers. I'm not just blowing wind here; I can't think of a sequel, in any series, that is near as good as the first. (The Great Hunt, Elfstones of Shannarra, Dune Messiah, Stone of Tears, Silverthorn, Stone of Farewell--not that I don't love all of these books/series) It is an unwritten rule that any sequel is not going to produce the same effect as the first. Truely, honestly, this book is just as good as the first. (Which you absolutely MUST read before you pick this one up) I loved A Game of Thrones, and was resigned to this book just sort of resting on the laurels of the first book. Not so. This story is different from the first, and while it moves with the same characters(no duh), it introduces some new characters that are not just thrown in on the spur of the moment. These (new) characters are there to add a new depth and darkness to the novel--they are not put in to just add pages to the book. Another thing, this sequel does what I didn't think would happen; it keeps you guessing. I was not sure how this book would end, good or bad. Maybe I was sort of blinded to it because I found myself rooting for the "bad guys" before the book was over. I found myself in a weird position; the battles are raging on two or three different fronts, and at one I was cheering for the Starks, and another I wanted the Lannisters to win. Just great. You are more drawn to a character for his/her charisma than for him/her being "good" or "bad." I've read a couple of reviewers who pan the book...I'm not sure what book they were reading, or maybe they didn't get it. Yes, Martin does use some oldish language at times. It's called poetic language, and you don't come across it very often. Maybe he does use three words where one could do the work...but if you don't like reading, I've got a simple answer for you. Either you can just read every third word, or you can just pick up the remote and watch WWF. To sum it up; this is a great book. I'm talking on a par with the Godfather II adding to the Godfather good. It is obvious that Martin has a goal in mind for these books, that he is not just writing from book to book, hoping to stretch the series interminably. BUY THIS!!
Rating:
Summary: GREAT plot.
Review: I consider A Clash of Kings the best novel so far in A song of Ice and Fire series. It has one of the best plots I've ever read. In the beggining, all the characters seem to be isolated and going through unrelated experiences, but Martin later brings them all together, in an explosive and compelling storyline. The battles in King's Landing and Winterfell are incredible. I could literally not put it down.
This book was almost a journey for me, I laughed, cried and was healed at the end. This is one of the BEST BOOKS I have ever read. When I was finished reading it, I was surprised that after 728 pages, I was sad to see it over. I bought the sequel the next day.
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