false http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1211414486m/10572.jpg 10572 22 How does he do it? <I>George R.R. Martin</I>'s high fantasy weaves a spell sufficient to seduce even those who vowed never to start a doorstopper fantasy series again (the first book--<I>A Game of Thrones</I>--runs over 700 pages). <I>A Clash of Kings</I> is longer and even more grim, but Martin continues to provide compelling characters in a vividly real world.<p> 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.<p> Sound complicated? It is, but fine writing makes this a thoroughly satisfying stew of dark magic, complex political intrigue, and horrific bloodshed. <I>--Nona Vero</I> 3272005 book 1998 A Clash of Kings (A Song of Ice and Fire, #2) total:10541|5:5933|4:3484|3:937|2:158|1:29| 10541 46757 12720 493 10572 0553381695 9780553381696 9175 390 4.44 http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1211414486m/10572.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10572.A_Clash_of_Kings 4 5 false Sat Sep 01 00:00:00 -0700 2007 Mon Nov 19 11:19:52 -0800 2007 Mon Nov 19 11:20:41 -0800 2007
Many MANY people, not the least of which is the guy I'm married to...more...]]> 10572 0553381695 9780553381696 9175 390 4.44 http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1211414486m/10572.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10572.A_Clash_of_Kings 4 2 false Sat Feb 09 19:00:51 -0800 2008 Mon Mar 03 04:56:44 -0800 2008 more...]]> 91973 0553108034 9780553108033 221 19 4.44 http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1171239689m/91973.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/91973.A_Clash_of_Kings 4 2 false Tue Aug 12 00:00:00 -0700 2008 Sat Nov 08 08:18:34 -0800 2008 Sat Nov 08 08:18:55 -0800 2008
Pros:
1. The writing is excellent, Martin is able to ...more...]]> 10572 0553381695 9780553381696 9175 390 4.44 http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1211414486m/10572.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10572.A_Clash_of_Kings 1 3 false Thu Jan 29 00:00:00 -0800 2009 Wed Jun 04 23:10:31 -0700 2008 Thu Jan 29 10:52:19 -0800 2009 more...]]> 91973 0553108034 9780553108033 221 19 4.44 http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1171239689m/91973.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/91973.A_Clash_of_Kings 4 2 false Mon Mar 17 00:00:00 -0700 2008 Mon Mar 31 20:12:18 -0700 2008 Sat May 10 21:40:11 -0700 2008 A Clash of Kings, the second book in his A Song of Fire and Ice series, that I admitted to myself that I wanted to quit my job and everything else in my life so I could stay home and read all day. I resisted the urge. I’m still not q...more...]]> 10572 0553381695 9780553381696 9175 390 4.44 http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1211414486m/10572.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10572.A_Clash_of_Kings 5 2 false Wed Jul 11 18:03:53 -0700 2007 Fri Jul 13 10:26:50 -0700 2007
In my mind, it's the best epic fantasy since Tolkein. Like Tolkein, M...more...]]> 10572 0553381695 9780553381696 9175 390 4.44 http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1211414486m/10572.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10572.A_Clash_of_Kings 3 2 false Sun Jan 01 00:00:00 -0800 2006 Thu Jul 05 04:51:17 -0700 2007 Thu Jul 05 04:51:36 -0700 2007
George R.R. Martin's "Song of Ice and Fire" series is still a work in progress after eleven years and four installments; I came to it late, so I read the first four back-to-back, and now I have to play the waiting game. Part of what's frustr...more...]]> 10572 0553381695 9780553381696 9175 390 4.44 http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1211414486m/10572.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10572.A_Clash_of_Kings 4 1 false Sun Apr 01 00:00:00 -0700 2007 Sun Jun 10 09:58:56 -0700 2007 Mon Jun 11 07:34:41 -0700 2007 A Clash of Kings is still full of the sorts of things that made you love its predecessor: swords (and sorcery), politics (mostly sword-driven), pageantry (shiny swords! and capes and stuff!), and tragedy (who would...more...]]> 10572 0553381695 9780553381696 9175 390 4.44 http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1211414486m/10572.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10572.A_Clash_of_Kings 4 1 false Wed May 07 00:00:00 -0700 2008 Sun Apr 13 13:03:20 -0700 2008 Wed May 07 20:55:36 -0700 2008 more...]]> 10572 0553381695 9780553381696 9175 390 4.44 http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1211414486m/10572.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10572.A_Clash_of_Kings 4 0 false Sun Feb 15 00:00:00 -0800 2009 Sun Feb 15 16:02:39 -0800 2009 Sun Feb 15 16:10:36 -0800 2009 more...]]> 10572 0553381695 9780553381696 9175 390 4.44 http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1211414486m/10572.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10572.A_Clash_of_Kings 5 1 false Thu Jan 15 00:00:00 -0800 2009 Thu Jan 15 18:31:02 -0800 2009 Thu Jan 15 18:39:40 -0800 2009 more...]]> 822995 0006479898 9780006479895 131 12 4.44 http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1238586505m/822995.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/822995.A_Clash_of_Kings 5 0 false Tue Sep 01 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Tue Dec 01 02:43:42 -0800 2009 Tue Dec 01 03:54:59 -0800 2009 more...]]> 10572 0553381695 9780553381696 9175 390 4.44 http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1211414486m/10572.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10572.A_Clash_of_Kings 4 0 true Wed Oct 29 00:00:00 -0700 2008 Mon Jul 06 16:30:35 -0700 2009 Mon Jul 06 16:37:20 -0700 2009
One of the best fantasy book series out there today is the epic Song of Ice and Fire by George R.R. Martin. As of this writing, there have been four books ...more...]]> 10572 0553381695 9780553381696 9175 390 4.44 http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1211414486m/10572.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10572.A_Clash_of_Kings 5 0 false Tue Jun 10 00:00:00 -0700 2008 Fri Apr 17 06:40:16 -0700 2009 Fri Apr 17 06:42:12 -0700 2009 more...]]> 6041689 14 3 4.44 http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1230313674m/6041689.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6041689.A_Clash_of_Kings 4 0 false Sat Jun 06 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Mon Jun 01 18:09:46 -0700 2009 Fri Jun 05 22:56:16 -0700 2009 A Clash of Kings is a worthy successor to A Game of Thrones. Just as with the first novel in the A Song of Ice and Fire cycle, Martin doesn't pull any punches. This book is brutal and rarely uplifting. It is littered with twists, some of which the reader will cheer, others which they'll boo. A C...more...]]> 985875 0002256681 9780002256681 18 2 4.44 http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1180016092m/985875.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/985875.A_Clash_of_Kings 5 0 false Sun Dec 06 00:00:00 -0800 2009 Wed Dec 02 08:49:02 -0800 2009 Mon Dec 07 09:30:04 -0800 2009 more...]]> 10572 0553381695 9780553381696 9175 390 4.44 http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1211414486m/10572.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10572.A_Clash_of_Kings 3 0 false Wed Dec 02 00:00:00 -0800 2009 Fri Nov 27 13:03:02 -0800 2009 Wed Dec 02 14:01:10 -0800 2009
I thought the action (when there was action) was exciting and well paced. I also enjoyed the characters difficulties. Though our heroes win they also lose and frequently. The more screwed they are the happier I am.

Improvements from the la...more...]]> 374855 0553579908 9780553579901 827 57 4.44 http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1239039099m/374855.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/374855.A_Clash_of_Kings 3 0 false Sun Mar 15 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Mon Mar 09 19:20:31 -0700 2009 Sun Mar 15 20:54:36 -0700 2009 A Clash of Kings is a mostly worthy follow up to A Game of Thrones. Perhaps it is the lack of fresh eyed wonderment felt when introduced to the world and characters in the first book, but this one had moments that were a bit trying...more...]]> 10572 0553381695 9780553381696 9175 390 4.44 http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1211414486m/10572.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10572.A_Clash_of_Kings 4 0 false Fri Dec 19 00:00:00 -0800 2008 Wed Dec 10 06:49:29 -0800 2008 Fri Dec 19 03:25:14 -0800 2008 more...]]> 10572 0553381695 9780553381696 9175 390 4.44 http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1211414486m/10572.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10572.A_Clash_of_Kings 5 0 false Fri Jan 02 06:27:54 -0800 2009 Fri Jan 02 06:28:13 -0800 2009 more...]]> http://www.goodreads.com/book_link/follow/8?book_id=10572