A Clash of Kings - George R.R. Martin

The second book of A Song of Ice and Fire.

Throughout Westeros, the cold winds are rising.

From the ancient citadel of Dragonstone to the forbidding lands of Winterfell, chaos reigns as pretenders to the Iron Throne of the Seven Kingdoms stake their claims through tempest, turmoil and war.

As a prophecy of doom cuts across the sky - a comet the colour of blood and flame - five factions struggle for control of a divided land. Brother plots against brother and the dead rise to walk in the night.

Against a backdrop of incest and fratricide, alchemy and murder, the price of glory is measured in blood.

A book of war.

With such chaos and fighting, the story was very intense.

I really enjoyed all the different perspectives. It's great seeing a tale from several different angles, and it really allows you to better understand the characters and their motives.

However, at times the story did lag a bit and some of the fighting ran a bit long.

I am very thankful for the appendix at the back, with the lists of characters and who's related to whom. Very helpful. Things got rather confusing at times and my brain is still a little muddled about some of events that occurred.

Overall, not my cup of tea. Although I am still anxious to read the next in the series.

Currently Reading...

I'm about a third of the way through Dark Tidings by Ken Magee. After struggling to get through Contra-ODESSA, this book is such a relief. I'm thoroughly enjoying it.

After this book, I have to make a big decision: what to read next. I've recently been flooded with books to review and it is a bit overwhelming.

I'm really leaning towards starting A Clash of Kings by George R.R. Martin; it's been calling to me for over a month now, and since the second season has finished the desire to read the book has only become more insistent.

However, I might start either Pedophilia: A Cause and A Cure by Steve A. Mizera or The Watch by Joydeep Roy-Bhattacharya instead. We shall see.

Currently Reading...

At the moment I am about half way through Bill Bryson's A Short History of Nearly Everything. It's so packed full of knowledge that I literally feel my brain expanding. But incredibly readable, unlike the science textbooks we had to read in school.

George R.R. Martin's A Clash of Kings just arrived, so it will likely be the next one I read. Well, either that or Gone Girl (Gillian Flynn) or Brighton Belle (Sara Sheridan). Oh the choices! I can't wait!

A Game of Thrones - George R.R. Martin

The first book of A Song of Ice and Fire.

Summers span decades. Winters can last a lifetime. And the struggle for the Iron Throne has begun.

As Warden of the north, Lord Eddard Stark counts it a curse when King Robert bestows on him the office of the Hand. His honour weighs him down at court where a true man does what he will, not what he must...and a dead enemy is a thing of beauty.

The old gods have no power in the south, Stark's family is split and there is treachery at court. Worse, the vengeance-mad heir of the deposed Dragon King has grown to maturity in exile in the Free Cities. He claims the Iron Throne.

This book was incredible! I couldn't put it down.

I'll admit, I first discovered this series as a direct result of the TV show, which I also love. I decided to check out the book to see just how far the show strayed from the original story. Conclusion: not far at all.

I definitely recommend this book to anyone who enjoys fantasy, royal intrigue, and, of course, dragons. Even if you have seen the show, I'd still recommend reading the book. You will not be disappointed.

The characters were so diverse and evolving. Refreshing, considering many authors have only a handful of developing characters, the rest just remain static. Tyrion, Arya, and Jon are my favourites.

The moral dilemmas were wonderful. At times it was hard to say who was in the right because Martin shows so many perspectives. It makes you stop and really think about what is going on and put yourself in their shoes.

My only issue with this novel was that it ended. I just wanted to keep reading! However, I'll be getting my hands on the next installment very shortly. Can't wait!