Our edition of A Storm of Swords will be published as two volumes housed in a single slipcase, lavishly illustrated by Charles Vess, who is contributing several full-color plates, more than 70 black and white interiors, as well as a separate full-color wraparound dust jacket to each volume. The limited edition is signed by George R. R. Martin and Charles Vess, and is limited to only 448 numbered sets.Is George R.R. Martin for real? Can a fantasy epic actually get better with each new installment? Fans of the genre have glumly come to expect go-nowhere sequels from other authors, so we’re entitled to pinch ourselves over Martin’s tightly crafted Song of Ice and Fire series. The reports are all true: this series is the real deal, and Martin deserves his crown as the rightful king of the epic. A Game of Thrones got things off to a rock-solid start, A Clash of Kings only exceeded expectations, but it’s the Storm of Swords hat trick that cements Martin’s rep as the most praiseworthy fantasy author to come along since that other R.R.
Like the first two books, A Storm of Swords could coast on the fundamentals: deftly detailed characters, convincing voices and dialogue, a robust back-story, and a satisfyingly unpredictable plot. But it’s Martin’s consistently bold choices that set the series apart. Every character is fair game for the headman’s axe (sometimes literally), and not only do the good guys regularly lose out to the bad guys, you’re never exactly sure who you should be cheering for in the first place.
Storm is full of admirable intricacies. Events that you thought Martin was setting up solidly for the first two books are exposed as complex feints; the field quickly narrows after the Battle of the Blackwater and once again, anything goes. Robb tries desperately to hold the North together, Jon returns from the wildling lands with a torn heart, Bran continues his quest for the three-eyed crow beyond the Wall, Catelyn struggles to save her fragile family, Arya becomes ever more wolflike in her wanderings, Daenerys comes into her own, and Joffrey’s cruel rule from King’s Landing continues, making even his fellow Lannisters uneasy. Martin tests all the major characters in A Storm of Swords: some fail the trial, while others–like Martin himself–seem to only get stronger. –Paul Hughes
Martin Keeps the Suspense in High Gear I thought we’d see some down time I the third book, but not so. Martin gives this story more intrigue, creates more questions, and every single word in every single conversation is important. Characters evolve and change in this book. There are more surprises and twists. I’ve begun to love some characters I use to hate, and there is some sweet justice. There is also disappointment, and small triumphs. Great book.
The Dwarf and The Cripple A wonderful 3rd edition of a great fantasy series. The saga of the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros continues. Sam Tarley and Jon Snow continue to work beyond the wall with the Wildlings. Jamie has been set free by Catelyn Stark to be given back to the Lannisters in exchange for Sansa and Arya. Brienne of Tarth, the woman knight pledged to Catelyn is taken him back in chains in order to rescue the girls. Jeoffrey, the teen king is now to wed Margery Tyrell, the former wife of Renly Baratheon in…
All the loose ends from the first two novels get tied… Before they get dispersed again in the next two novels. I fell in love with George RR Martin’s epic A Song of Ice and Fire when I read Game of Thrones. The characters are explored with attention to moral choices and to emotional reactions to memories. Martin moves the story along at a slow pace (so it is amazing that only two years or so pass in the span of the first three books) but it really feels like you are living the action of the story along with the characters.Â