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A SONG OF ICE AND FIRE: BOOK TWO
In this thrilling sequel to A Game of Thrones, George R. R. Martin has created a work of unsurpassed vision, power, and imagination. A Clash of Kings transports us to a world of revelry and revenge, wizardry and warfare unlike any we have ever experienced.
A comet the color of blood and flame cuts across the sky. And 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.
How does he do it? George R.R. Martin’s high fantasy weaves a spell sufficient to seduce even those who vowed never to start a doorstopper fantasy series again (the first book–A Game of Thrones–runs over 700 pages). A Clash of Kings is longer and even more grim, but Martin continues to provide compelling characters in a vividly real world.
The Seven Kingdoms have come apart. Joffrey, Queen Cersei’s sadistic son, ascends the Iron Throne following the death of Robert Baratheon, the Usurper, who won it in battle. Queen Cersei’s family, the Lannisters, fight to hold it for him. Both the dour Stannis and the charismatic Renly Baratheon, Robert’s brothers, also seek the throne. Robb Stark, declared King in the North, battles to avenge his father’s execution and retrieve his sister from Joffrey’s court. Daenerys, the exiled last heir of the former ruling family, nurtures three dragons and seeks a way home. Meanwhile the Night’s Watch, sworn to protect the realm from dangers north of the Wall, dwindle in numbers, even as barbarian forces gather and beings out of legend stalk the Haunted Forest.
Sound complicated? It is, but fine writing makes this a thoroughly satisfying stew of dark magic, complex political intrigue, and horrific bloodshed. –Nona Vero
Proofreading? Is anyone else bothered by the proofreading errors in this book? Here are two examples. On page 388 is the following sentence: “He followed, angry, holding the torch out low so he could see the rocks that threatened to trip him with every step, the thick roots that seemed to grab as his feet, the holes where a man could twist an ankle.” Shouldn’t that read “to grab at his feet”? Pages 414-415 contain this sentence: “Halfway to the brewhouse, as she passing under the stone bridge that…
A Clash of Kings What can I say about “A Clash of Kings” that can allow you to know how good it is? I’ve read many series (Sci Fi, Fantasy, Detective to name a few) over the years, and George R.R. Martin’s series “A Song of Fire and Ice” is definitely up there with all the greats.
Highly recommend Great book, couldn’t recommend it enough. Probably driving my friends crazy, its just such a great book and i feel every one should be reading them. It definitely didn’t disappoint, after how wonderful the first book was, and how much i loved it, i wasnt sure if it could complete. But its just as amazing, if not better.