Review: A Storm of Swords by George R.R. Martin

Summary (Goodreads):

Here is the third volume in George R.R. Martin’s magnificent cycle of novels that includes A Game of Thrones and A Clash of Kings. Together, this series comprises a genuine masterpiece of modern fantasy, destined to stand as one of the great achievements of imaginative fiction.

Of the five contenders for power, one is dead, another in disfavor, and still the wars rage as alliances are made and broken. Joffrey sits on the Iron Throne, the uneasy ruler of of the Seven Kingdoms. His most bitter rival, Lord Stannis, stands defeated and disgraced, victim of the sorceress who holds him in her thrall. Young Robb still rules the North from the fortress of Riverrun. Meanwhile, making her way across a blood-drenched continent is the exiled queen, Daenerys, mistress of the only three dragons still left in the world. And as opposing forces maneuver for the final showdown, an army of barbaric wildlings arrives from the outermost limits of civilization, accompanied by a horde of mythical Others—a supernatural army of the living dead whose animated corpses are unstoppable. As the future of the land hangs in the balance, no one will rest until the Seven Kingdoms have exploded in a veritable storm of swords.

Review:

This instalment of A Song of Fire and Ice took much longer to read than initially anticipated. For the most part it had nothing to with the novel itself – I was distracted by work and other novels –  and could not give this the time and concentration it deserved. However, I have finally completed it and … wow!

While the first few sections (about four of them) were a little slow going, the action picks up right afterwards. So much happens to all the characters in this instalment, it took a couple of days afterwards for me to come to terms with what I had just read. The action, needless to say, is intense, gruesome and bloody (as wars are), but the outcomes are astonishing! Characters I adored (and some that I despised) either died (should have learned my lesson from book 1!) or made decisions that took my breath away, while one character that I had long despised (I get way too emotionally involved) gave me pause, and made me reconsider his behaviour and my feelings towards them (I still don’t particularly care for them, but the feeling is not an intense loathing, either). And then there were those characters that got their just rewards – both good and bad (will not say more or will give too much away). Every character undergoes a change due to their own actions or because of the actions of others, which is one of the reasons I find this series so addictive. The setting, Westeros, and the cities beyond it are astonishing in scale and detail, while the plot (at some points meandering and tiresome), for the most part is exciting and full of suspense.

Much is revealed, but even more questions are raised about the conspiracies and political intrigues that lead to the battles, in all its forms, in Westeros.

I very much enjoyed this one and and am looking forward to season three of the HBO series, as well. Recommended. On to book four – A Feast for Crows!

Review: The Eyes of the Dragon by Stephen King

Summary (Goodreads):

A tale of archetypal heroes and sweeping adventures, of dragons and princes and evil wizards, here is epic fantasy as only Stephen King could envision it.

The number-one New York Times best seller – the prelude to the classic Dark Tower series.

 

Review:

I had never read anything other than horror or suspense by Stephen King, so I was pleasantly surprised when my mom had this waiting for me (she had found it in a book sale) when I came for the holidays.

The plot is the classic story of one brother – handsome, kind, wise, and loved by all – is destined for greatness, while the younger brother is left in the shadows of resentment, fear, and anger. The evil wizard, advisor to the king and one who has been alive for thousands upon thousands of years, plots to undermine and imprison the true heir to the throne with the help of the younger brother. It’s classic political intrigue, but more evil.

The story is full of suspense, mystery, heart-breaking moments of violence, and greed. The characters are well rounded and complex, so much so that I couldn’t help but sympathize with the antagonist … sometimes. It is thoroughly enjoyable and easy to read. Recommended.

Review: A Clash of Kings (Song of Ice and Fire #2) by George R.R. Martin

Summary (from Goodreads):

A comet the color of blood and flame cuts across the sky. Two great leaders—Lord Eddard Stark and Robert Baratheon—who hold 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. Six factions struggle for control of a divided land and the Iron Throne of the Seven Kingdoms, preparing to stake their claims through tempest, turmoil, and war. It is a tale in which 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, victory may go to the men and women possessed of the coldest steel…and the coldest hearts. For when kings clash, the whole land trembles.

Review:

The second book in the Song of Fire and Ice sees battle after battle after battle between would be kings – just about everyone in the Seven Kingdoms claims the Iron Throne after the murder of King Robert Baratheon (victim to royal treachery). The battles are bloody, the body count high, and loyalties sway as often as the winds change direction. The wars aside, the political intrigues, especially between Tyrion and Cersei Lannister, are complex and downright confusing, but fascinating, as well. There’s more magic and mysticism in this installment, and more importantly, we see the growth of power in the dragons, as well as their mother, Daenerys (who is destined for great things).

While I did enjoy this installment, I didn’t care too much for the battle scenes (not a fan of war) – there are so many. What I absolutely loved was learning more about Arya Stark, John Snow, and Tyrion Lannister (my favorite characters in the series). Each play a much larger part in the story, and if I’m reading correctly, each will have a more prominent and quite significant role to play in the future novels. Regardless of the blood and death and gore, I could not put this one down, either – highly addictive.

As I write this, I’ve already begun the third in the series, A Storm of Swords – so good! I highly recommend the novels, and the HBO series.

Review: A Game of Thrones (Song of Ice and Fire #1) by George R.R. Martin

Summary (from Goodreads):

Long ago, in a time forgotten, a preternatural event threw the seasons out of balance. In a land where summers can last decades and winters a lifetime, trouble is brewing. The cold is returning, and in the frozen wastes to the north of Winterfell, sinister and supernatural forces are massing beyond the kingdom’s protective Wall. At the center of the conflict lie the Starks of Winterfell, a family as harsh and unyielding as the land they were born to. Sweeping from a land of brutal cold to a distant summertime kingdom of epicurean plenty, here is a tale of lords and ladies, soldiers and sorcerers, assassins and bastards, who come together in a time of grim omens.
Here an enigmatic band of warriors bear swords of no human metal; a tribe of fierce wildlings carry men off into madness; a cruel young dragon prince barters his sister to win back his throne; and a determined woman undertakes the most treacherous of journeys. Amid plots and counterplots, tragedy and betrayal, victory and terror, the fate of the Starks, their allies, and their enemies hangs perilously in the balance, as each endeavors to win that deadliest of conflicts: the game of thrones.

Review:

I watched the first three episodes of the TV series before I began the book, and I have to say that I was not disappointed by either. The TV series is faithful to the book, but as always, the book is so much better. The insights into characters – their perceptions, their vices, their loves, their passions, their treachery, their faith, and their will – are so much better expressed in the novel, that I felt like I was old friends with many of the characters. I found myself as entrenched in the battles, terror, betrayal, victory, plots (and there are so many of them!), and counter-plots along with the characters that I found myself holding my breath through large chunks of the narrative. The setting is also spectacular in it’s breath and depth, and the seamless merging of magical elements (there are dragons!) into an otherwise stark and inhospitable world, for the most part, makes it impossible to believe that this world is not our own. George R.R. Martin gives Tolkein’s Middle Earth quite a lot of competition – it’s mind-boggling.

As much as I enjoyed the novel, it took me three tries reading the first two pages before I grasped what was happening, and was able to continue reading past page two. The other aspect I was not prepared for was how emotionally attached I would become to characters – big mistake! Characters die quite regularly throughout the novel, which was emotionally taxing for me. So, if you are like me, dear readers, you have been warned.

All in all, I highly recommend this as a MUST read. Be prepared for blood, battles, love, passion, but most of all deception of every variety. It’s brilliant!