The Bookshelf Review: Review: Clash of Kings by George R.R. Martin

A Clash of Kings (A Song of Ice and Fire, #2)

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group

Publication date: 9/5/2000

Format: Mass Market Paperback

Synopsis:

George R. R. Martin, a writer of unsurpassed vision, power, and imagination, has created a landmark of fantasy fiction. In his widely acclaimed A Game of Thrones, he introduced us to an extraordinary world of wonder, intrigue, and adventure. Now, in the eagerly awaited second volume in this epic saga, he once again proves himself a master myth-maker, setting a standard against which all other fantasy novels will be measured for years to come.

Time is out of joint. The summer of peace and plenty, ten years long, is drawing to a close, and the harsh, chill winter approaches like an angry beast. Two great leaders--Lord Eddard Stark and Robert Baratheon—who held sway over an age of enforced peace are dead...victims of royal treachery. Now, from the ancient citadel of Dragonstone to the forbidding shores of Winterfell, chaos reigns, as pretenders to the Iron Throne of the Seven Kingdoms prepare to stake their claims through tempest, turmoil, and war.

As a prophecy of doom cuts across the sky—a comet the color of blood and flame—six factions struggle for control of a divided land. Eddard's son Robb has declared himself King in the North. In the south, Joffrey, the heir apparent, rules in name only, victim of the scheming courtiers who teem over King's Landing. Robert's two brothers each seek their own dominion, while a disfavored house turns once more to conquest. And a continent away, an exiled queen, the Mother of Dragons, risks everything to lead her precious brood across a hard hot desert to win back the crown that is rightfully hers.

A Clash of Kings transports us into a magnificent, forgotten land of revelry and revenge, wizardry and warfare. It is a tale in which maidens cavort with madmen, brother plots against brother, and the dead rise to walk in the night. Here a princess masquerades as an orphan boy; a knight of the mind prepares a poison for a treacherous sorceress; and wild men descend from the Mountains of the Moon to ravage the countryside.

Against a backdrop of incest and fratricide, alchemy and murder, the price of glory may be measured in blood. And the spoils of victory may just go to the men and women possessed of the coldest steel...and the coldest hearts. For when rulers clash, all of the land feels the tremors.

Audacious, inventive, brilliantly imagined, A Clash of Kings is a novel of dazzling beauty and boundless enchantment—a tale of pure excitement you will never forget.

My Thoughts/Review:

Another awesome installment to the Song of Ice and Fire Series that George R.R. Martin has put out. This book was so different from the first but still just as amazing in its own way. The story continues with the same great characters from the first book. The plots thickens and there are twists and turns at pratically every page turn in every single chapter. Five Kings have their claim to the Iron Throne and they all start a war to try and capture it or at least have the realm be peaceful.

I was shocked a bunch of times in this book. It also had me confused a lot of the time. But like a really good kind of confused, where you wanted to figure out what the truth was behind what the book was telling you was happening. I really can not believe some of the things that transpired in this second book. My favorite parts were the shocking scenes that I didn't see coming. Many unexpected deaths happen, which I wasn't expecting at all. The big war battle scene was also played out so brillantly, I felt like I was in the thick of it.

Martin's writing is so beyond brillant that it is so hard to describe. These books bring so much detail and character, that you can't help to furiously read them. These books really come down to the character and feelings of human beings, not really if you are good or evil. This whole book was definitley action packed filled with so many different peoples stories all told from their own perspectives. I am so excited to continue reading this series.

I will probably continue it back up when the third season of the HBO series comes out. By the way, so far, this second HBO series is really good and for the most part sticks to the book. It just ended a few weeks ago with a spectacular ending. If you haven't seen the HBO series I definitley suggest you buy the first one and watch it. They have been absolutely fantastic with awesome special effects.

I really can't wait to see how the rest of the series will be portrayed after just finishing the second book. If you think you might like these books or you want to read them, then I definitely suggest you pick up the books right now. They are so amazing, fantasy filled, and human that anyone that picks these books up will feel that the characters are really relatable and the story is so fanatastic. So far this series is a 5 out of 5 stars story.

Overall, I give this book: