A Clash of Kings (A Song of Ice and Fire, #2)

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A Clash of Kings (A Song of Ice and Fire #2)

4.37 of 5 stars 4.37 · rating details · 212,782 ratings · 10,396 reviews

GAME OF THRONES: A NEW ORIGINAL SERIES, NOW ON HBO.
Here is the second volume in George R.R. Martin magnificent cycle of novels that includes "A Game of Thrones" and "A Storm of Swords." As a whole, this series comprises a genuine masterpiece of modern fantasy, bringing together the best the genre has to offer. Magic, mystery, intrigue, romance, and adventure fill these pa...more

Paperback, 873 pages

Published July 2011 by Harper Voyager (first published November 1998)

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Jul 07, 2012 karen rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

WINTERFELLLLLLL!!

obey your nerds. is what i am learning.srsly - i was never going to read this series, but once i started... it is like a drug. and - yes - i watched season two before i read this book, but i am not going to wait for seasons 3-4 to read the next one, no way, because i am hooked and I MUST KNOW! and if any one of you people spoils the third book for me, i am going to make one of those torture devices with the bucket, the rat, and the torch, and it is bye-bye stomach for you!

i see...more

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Jun 30, 2011 Cassy rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: physical-own, 2011, fiction-scifi-fantasy-paranormal, region-elsewhere

This isn’t going to be a cutesy review. I am well into the third book. I fear that if I don’t blurt out my thoughts about this one soon, then all the books in the series are going to meld together in my memory. Here are my three main impressions:

1. Bleak, dreary, and dismal

Don’t expect any happiness in this book. Martin is merciless with his characters. And if you do see a bright light, don’t trust it. One character learned she won’t have to marry an abusive, horrible guy. She and I were elated....more This isn’t going to be a cutesy review. I am well into the third book. I fear that if I don’t blurt out my thoughts about this one soon, then all the books in the series are going to meld together in my memory. Here are my three main impressions:

1. Bleak, dreary, and dismal

Don’t expect any happiness in this book. Martin is merciless with his characters. And if you do see a bright light, don’t trust it. One character learned she won’t have to marry an abusive, horrible guy. She and I were elated. Then someone pointed out that her ex-fiancé could still rape her as he desires and few would be able to stop him. Darn.

2. Eeny, meeny, miny, moe

It occurred to me halfway through a big battle that I didn’t know who I was rooting for. The defender is a cruel king and has a tenuous claim to the throne, but I like a few of the characters in his castle and feared what would happen to them if they lose. The attacker would probably be a fair king, yet he is cold and distant. He has a better claim than most to the throne. However I doubt he could hold it for long. Precisely who did I want to win? It was not a problem of apathy. Martin drew the characters and politics so craftily that I just could not decide. Honestly, instead of picking, I sat back and enjoyed the twists and turns.

3. Better keep up!

The scope of the plot is ever-expanding. I give Martin kudos for having such a grand vision and keeping it all straight. I don't feel that any of the storylines are unnecessary (except, I hate to say it, maybe Arya’s). And I have complete faith that they will culminate in the most amazing way by the end of series. Yet it is inevitable that you will prefer some perspectives over others. I counted the pages in between Daenerys’ chapters – an average of 130 pages! And this is a middle book. There are no cliffhangers, but very little is resolved. If it is resolved, that means someone died. Unless they are only pretending to be dead, of course.

I lied. One more point.

4. Awesomeness

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Apr 17, 2011 Melissa Rudder rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Recommended to Melissa by: Steve

It was right about at the beginning of George R. R. Martin’s A Clash of Kings, the second book in his A Song of Ice and Fire 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 quite sure if I made the right decision.

You think you know someone, and then you read the second book about her. (Or him. Though, for the most part, the changes of the hers were more exciting for me in this...more

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Apr 20, 2012 John Wiswell rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

If long Fantasy stories have fundamental rules, they probably go like this: 1) create a rich world, 2) put interesting characters in it, and 3) mix up some sequence of interesting things happening around them, happening to them, and being done by them. Martin’s first novel in this series, A Game of Thrones, fulfilled all three swimmingly. He forged one of the deepest Fantasy realms since Tolkien, with a mythology, culture and history. He spun characters of a few key families and then scattering...more If long Fantasy stories have fundamental rules, they probably go like this: 1) create a rich world, 2) put interesting characters in it, and 3) mix up some sequence of interesting things happening around them, happening to them, and being done by them. Martin’s first novel in this series, A Game of Thrones, fulfilled all three swimmingly. He forged one of the deepest Fantasy realms since Tolkien, with a mythology, culture and history. He spun characters of a few key families and then scattering them throughout that world and by the mid-point getting nearly all of them into some form of political, romantic or military intrigue. Active scenes illustrated the world and put it into motion, largely through political intrigue and the build to war.

This second book takes a mallet to what the first set up, dulling and dumbing down the world and putting the majority of the characters into boring or redundant situations where they do not escape the inertia of wasted prose until the final third of the book. Where the slow build to great promise was acceptable in the first, the sharp drop into bleak and sluggish chapters here is deeply disheartening.

Martin’s prose drops off noticeably. Fewer scenes generate atmosphere, and often it seems downright immature with sub-JK Rowling lines like, “The shame of that hurt worse than the pain, and the pain hurt a lot.” There is no language in this volume that rivals the blacksmith’s metallurgy or the dragon eggs in the first, leaving the thousand-page trek much less worthwhile.

Plotting and pacing have suffered similar fates. The first book took a few hundred pages to get off the ground but then flew into character development and action divvied up between a dozen (or so) lives, giving us a sense of a full and cohesive world. The narrative is divvied up again here, but with different results. A couple of characters are in intense situations: one girl poses as a boy, heading to an army garrison with a questionable guide and the possibility of being attacked by the enemy at any time on her attempt to get home; and a young soldier has gone to the other side of “the wall” and is risking facing creatures and perils never written about in the span of his homeland’s culture. They should have this volume to themselves, but instead we spend the first half waiting to hear more about them while we watch other characters sneaking into whorehouses and chatting about freshman-level theology. It’s especially annoying to leave someone hiding from enemy troops so you can read about some guy we haven’t thought about for hundreds of pages is getting a blowjob (Martin’s approach to sex is perhaps more adolescent than in the first book, and definitely has less appealing placement). While the last third expands the number of useful and interesting roles, the book has far too many chapters that serve as dull blockades to worthwhile narrative. These low-action chapters are not artistic or particularly expressive of original opinions (The Song of Ice and Fire seems like a prime franchise to expand into semi-literary fiction), but rather fumbles over clichés of sadness, lust and nonsense that are all strikingly less immediate than the situations we leave to read about them. We do not need another conversation about how some form of magic or divinity can’t possibly be real. Five or six of them will suffice.

It ties into a troubling sluggishness about this book. The first book ended on the verge of war with one major battle having ended. The second book ends on the very beginning of war, with a whole bunch of people arriving. It ends essentially on the same promise of future progress that the first did, and has so much unnecessary material that I couldn't help looking at my copy of A Storm of Swords, the 1,200-page third book, and wonder if it wasn’t bloated by the same problems. UPDATE: Storms of Swords conquered all expectations and was the best start-to-finish entry in the series so far. To read about what changed you can click here.

It stings worse because the first book ended with so many promises – NEW READERS MAY WANT TO SKIP THIS PARAGRAPH. We ended on the revelation that dragons are real, and three fell into the hands of one of the most tragic characters. In this volume they spend 1,000 pages doing little more than eat as we’re informed that they’re weak and helpless, and serve only as an excuse for their owner to go to a couple of fancy places. The revelation of the undead in the first book is even more underdeveloped here. Even the other side of “the wall” turns out to not by a realm of nightmares or perils, but more barbarians and sad people – a nice literary point, but severely underwhelming in delivery. There were so many things to look forward to, but they don’t manifest.

In short: Clash of Kings doesn't have much clashing and the kings do little of value. It would have been more aptly titled The Sadness of the People Who Aren’t Kings, but that wouldn’t have sold as well.
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Apr 25, 2011 Ben Babcock rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: own, 2011-read, fantasy, nebula-nominee

N.B.: When it comes to spoilers, I'm going to be talking rather liberally about the events of A Game of Thrones, so if you have not read the first book and want to remain spoiler free, stop reading now. I have avoided major spoilers for this book.

Suddenly everyone and his butler wants to be king!

In A Game of Thrones, we had the distinct pleasure of watching a kingdom fall apart as various individuals and their families jockeyed for positions of power. With A Clash of Kings, George R.R. Martin mo...more

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May 08, 2011 Becky rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2011, fantasy, highly-recommended, nook, political, reviewed, challenge-1010

I know what you're thinking... "Only 4 stars??!" Yeah. I shall tell you why.

First, because getting to the halfway mark of this book took me 11 days. In my edition, which was 807 pages of book, that's about 400 pages. I read more than half that just today, so 11 days is a LONG time for me to get into a story.

Secondly, because so much of this book felt like set up and maneuverings and I was ready for stuff to happen! A Game of Thrones had me on the edge of my seat almost from the word "go", and...more

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Jun 16, 2011 Ryan rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

While reading A Clash of Kings for the second time, it struck me that George R.R. Martin makes writing fantasy seem insultingly effortless. At first glance, Martin hardly bothers to do more than sketch his characters, yet they become legends so quickly.

For example, Quorin Halfhand is a brother in the Night's Watch. He eats an egg and has perhaps five lines, but he is a character that readers will find difficult to forget. Why is he called "halfhand?" Well, he lost all but the thumb and an index...more

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Feb 12, 2013 Dan Schwent rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2013, fantasy

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. In the wake of King Robert's death, five men lay claim to his crown. The Mother of Dragons builds her khalazar as magic slowly returns to the world. Jon Snow braves the wilds beyond the Wall. Tyrion Lannister struggles to hold the power behind the Throne. And Winterfell harbors a viper in its midst...

Like I said before, it's hard to write a teaser for a book this size. Look at it! You could club a narwhal to death with it if you were so inclined.

The epic of The Song of Ice and Fire continues to...more

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Feb 14, 2011 mark monday rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantastickal

Everyone seems to agree that George R.R. Martin and A Song of Ice and Fire are titans in the genre of Epic Fantasy. True, true.

Everyone also seems to agree that the best characters are Tyrion, Arya, and Jon Snow. They are indeed wondrous characters. They are heroes. They fail many times, but in a way they are infallible: they are so incredibly sympathetic, they are always trying to do the right thing, they have kindness & empathy & bravery & loyalty. In fact nearly every voice in th...more Everyone seems to agree that George R.R. Martin and A Song of Ice and Fire are titans in the genre of Epic Fantasy. True, true.

Everyone also seems to agree that the best characters are Tyrion, Arya, and Jon Snow. They are indeed wondrous characters. They are heroes. They fail many times, but in a way they are infallible: they are so incredibly sympathetic, they are always trying to do the right thing, they have kindness & empathy & bravery & loyalty. In fact nearly every voice in the first two novels is of this type: the HERO. Sansa is one exception – however she is a victim, and I found her perspective to be very uncomfortable. But I found the tale of the novel’s other non-hero, barely even an anti-hero, to be particularly compelling: Theon Greyjoy. You’re the bomb, Theon.

The kid is an asshole, a smug and irritating asshole. He thinks he’s smarter than everyone else. He makes plans upon plans that seemed based entirely around the idea that because he is thinking these thoughts, they will no doubt occur. He is arrogant beyond belief. He has an annoying, self-pleased smirk whenever another character describes him. He is a rough sex-loving womanizer and he strings girls along. In the first novel, he kicks around a decapitated head like a soccer ball.

Favorite Theon part: getting a blowjob while thinking about how awesome his future successes will be. And then he climaxes as he considers how his great deeds will even overshadow those of his dear old dad. What a self-absorbed asshole! I couldn't help but laugh out loud.

And yet he has positive qualities too, he’s no cardboard cut-out. He has guilty feelings of loyalty. He is brave and quick-thinking and is no kiss-ass. His rapid response time saves a child's life. Unlike his men, he doesn’t enjoy cruelty or barbarism and actively stops their occurrence. He is thwarted repeatedly and never lets that stop him. He sees no point in the grim vendettas of the old. He is not, as they say, “all bad”. In Theon, perhaps the nurture of the Starks has had some slight impact on the nature of the Greyjoys.

I really appreciate that Martin included Theon’s voice because honestly, reading wall-to-wall heroic perspectives is enough to make me want to cut some throats. Theon is an asshole, but he’s the kind of guy I’d love to get a beer with, shoot the shit, and enjoy his various mean-spirited bitching and self-absorbed plans of conquest. He is seriously imperfect, quite unlike most of the other voices in the tale.(less)

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May 16, 2012 Madeline rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy

"Kill your darlings" is a popular piece of advice given in creative writing classes - it's the concept that you shouldn't ever be afraid to take drastic and destructive action on your precious baby of a novel in order to move the plot forward or improve the story. George RR Martin should be held up as the gold standard of this rule, since his books might as well come labeled with a giant "Don't Get Too Attached" warning. It isn't just major and beloved characters (Eddard Stark, you will be aveng...more

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Jul 18, 2011 Lina rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy-general

I.NEED.MORE.NOW.

Why is this series so good? I mean seriously, why? It started off kind of dry and a little dense at parts, but once I start reading it BAM. My mind is completely enthralled into this world. There is so much character growth and development for all these characters who we have gotten to know in the last book. Some have died, some have been tortured and those who are alive may not be there for very long. I think that's why I love about these books. Once I think I know where it's go...more

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Sep 09, 2011 Shovelmonkey1 rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: epic lovers and people who like big books to build up their biceps

Recommended to Shovelmonkey1 by: many many goodreaders

Shelves: kitten-squishers, my-my-its-myth-and-sci-fi, read-in-2011, so-right-but-so-wrong, fantasy-fantastic

Isn’t it frequently the case that the sequel is never as good as the first? The first album is always followed by the prolonged wait for the “difficult second album”, a film sequel is often just a money-spinning lack lustre version of the first (don’t even get me started on the pitfalls of the cinematic trilogy) and frequently the second part of a promising story is just a lumpen, ill formed thing forever doomed to skulk in the shadow of its bigger, bolder and better formed older sibling.

Good th...more Isn’t it frequently the case that the sequel is never as good as the first? The first album is always followed by the prolonged wait for the “difficult second album”, a film sequel is often just a money-spinning lack lustre version of the first (don’t even get me started on the pitfalls of the cinematic trilogy) and frequently the second part of a promising story is just a lumpen, ill formed thing forever doomed to skulk in the shadow of its bigger, bolder and better formed older sibling.

Good thing that’s not the case here then, hey?

George RR Martin straddles the pinnacle of a towering mountain of bloodied corpses, a mountain generated by the bodies of Knights, watchmen, squires, Lords, Freys, Blounts, Baratheons, Lannisters, Dothraki, Greyjoys, Freys, Tullys, Starks, Karstarks, Oakhearts, Martells, Tyrells, Boltons, Bywaters and Mormonts along with all their kith and kin – man, woman and child (oh yes Martin is ruthless) and shouts for all the Seven Kingdoms to hear

“I AM THE UNDISPUTED KING OF THE EPIC!”

Yes, yes you are George. Well done you. Now stop waving that sword around, there’s a good chap. See, now you’ve chopped off a bit of your own beard.

A Clash of Kings kicks you in the nuts to grab your attention and doesn’t let go until it’s generated a sort of bollock puree. One minute you’re baying for blood and shouting “fight fight fight” and the next you’re moved to tears worrying about the plight of poor Sansa and Arya Stark, so defenceless and alone in the world. Ok, not really, you can kill them too if you want George. Really, it’s all about the fighting. Fighting and the increasingly large, varied and unpronouncably named cast of walk-on walk-off characters who staff the towers, keeps, great halls and farmsteads of the Seven Kingdoms as well as the mendacious lesser Lordlings and Sers who change allegiances quicker than the best of British politicians. Actually, British politics would be more interesting if we armed all the minor cabinet ministers and back benchers with battle axes and broadswords and let them charge at David Cameron when he said something that they didn’t like. I’d tune into BBC Parliament every day if that was on offer. Um, I digress. The point I was making is that if you’re not a previous reader of epics then you might want to keep a pen and paper handy just to keep track of what is going on, but fear not, it won’t be long before you know your Tyrells from your Tullys and your Baratheons from your Blounts.

Once again I’ve managed to write a review which tells you very little about the actual content of this book. This is because I live in constant fear of being chased by a virtual mob of pitchfork wielding goodreaders out for my blood after I’ve inadvertently inserted a spoiler into a review for this series. If you really want a basic summary, a lot of people die but then a lot more people get written in to take their place, which is a good thing really because wars tend to end when everyone is dead and the battle for the Seven Kingdoms is only just beginning.
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Apr 23, 2012 Greg rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: sf-fantasy-and-other-dorky-shit

I'm re-band wagon jumping.

Back a bunch of years ago, I guess in 2005 when Feast for Crows finally came out I picked up a specially priced copy, $3.99 copy of Game of Thrones to find out what it was about George RRRRRRRRR Martin (this is how I sometimes say his name in real life, and always say it in my head, lots of ARE's) that caused so many people to crave his books and get so disappointed each time the publication date for Feast for Crows came and went without a book being released* I don't...more

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Sep 16, 2012 Veeral rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: epic-fantasy

Dedicated to all the authors out there. Without you, any of these wouldn’t have been possible!

*******************************************************************
Acknowledgements

They say that reading is a lonely business. They lie. And this book was no different. A lot of people helped me while reading this novel which took me almost 2 months to complete. For that I would like to thank the editor who found it appropriate to print this book as it was and didn’t dare to edit out anything. Secondly,...more

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Dec 20, 2012 Jonathan rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, gritty-reads

After finding the first book in this series entertaining (if unnecessarily bloated with needless gratuity) I was a little disappointed with this second book and really couldn't ever get into it. I've been reading bits and pieces alongside my other novels and the act that this is not the type of fantasy that I like.

I'm one of the few individuals who read fantasy who think these books are slightly overrated. I personally cannot find the things in these books that I like in fantasy. Instead they se...more
After finding the first book in this series entertaining (if unnecessarily bloated with needless gratuity) I was a little disappointed with this second book and really couldn't ever get into it. I've been reading bits and pieces alongside my other novels and the act that this is not the type of fantasy that I like.

I'm one of the few individuals who read fantasy who think these books are slightly overrated. I personally cannot find the things in these books that I like in fantasy. Instead they seem to me like historical soap operas, though I've been informed that the third book is better and I will move onto that.

Love: Martin in my eyes exemplifies modern views on love perfectly. I find the quote when Tyrion says, "Can a whore truly love anyone, I wonder?" to be a major indicator of this when compared to the rest of the book's ideas. It seems to me he equates love with sexuality automatically. In the first book Daenerys 'falls in love' with . However if there is anything that observation indicates to me it's that sex is the superficial indicator of lust rather than love. Otherwise why would so many relationships break up if sexuality was the sign of love? No, I think that love is so much deeper.

Gratuity: Martin seems to love over detailed description. Which is fine. Only what he wants to describe over the top is gore, sex and blood. Which is not fine! I see Martin as writing a fantasy that I don't like as much. I think, from the interviews I've seen that he basically jumped into fantasy because he saw the potential to tell the type of story he wanted. Only it's not exactly fantastical in the way I like!

What did this book focus on? Well the title says it all, a clash of kings. With the death of the old king there are now several kings claiming lordship of the land. As a result there are plenty of battles being fought over the throne. Which is of course in the hands of an illegitimate king anyway. Apart from the meandering of armies and so on (which was done in a way which didn't really entertain me) there was some weird things going on with Daenerys which I didn't really get and Arrya was hiding as a boy. I really think I'll just try and move onto book 3...

My major issue overall with these books is that while they may be fun for a little bit there's nothing deep enough to draw me in. Or, to be fair, I don't see anything rewarding or redemptive in the novel. The heroic characters end up dead (Ned Stark in the first book for instance), the vile characters end up in command and the in between characters are all scheming for power. There's no one who acts with real integrity or with any sort of characteristic that I like. Perhaps the loss of Ned Stark is what really meant I didn't like this as much as I don't see the hero in Tyrion and Jon really hasn't done much at all. Although people say they get better later on...

My verdict? Personally I'm not really into this book but I'll see if I can get more into book 3. I skipped a lot of the detail in this book but I caught enough story to understand it all. I want redemptive aspects in my fantasy, I want magic and I want depth. I see this book as shallow fun that seems like it has a lot of depth on the surface. But really, Tolkien wrote fantasy better. Steven Erikson's Gardens of the Moon is a better example of how to write gritty fantasy in my view. Brandon Sanderson is also liked by me so much more because he writes inventive magic systems. Gormenghast has a magical environment. What has Martin got? A cast of characters I don't care for, that don't reflect on the world through disassociation and really instead seem to reflect the increasing nature of our society's need to get entertainment which is more about gratuitous elements and 'realism' than having skill and depth.

To boil it down: my problem is that I think these (first two) books are given much more acclaim than their quality deserves. They're more soap opera than fantasy and I do not like soap operas (I really don't like sex and violence being used as part of author's whims to titillate). I'd rather read other more redemptive and interesting fantasy novels that are less known. The entertainment just doesn't cut it with me.(less)

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Sep 22, 2011 Rad Ryan rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: owned, all-time-favorite

Color filled each hall. Rainbow owns each character. Mr. Martin's writing style is rich with hue. And yet some words are meant to kill, sharp as a Valyrian steel.

People's game of thrones is finish but it came with a price. Shit rained in Westeros. Sudden "KINGS" had risen and all they want is to sit in the uncomfortable Iron Throne. Which is lame, as King Robert I said so, "pretty boring".

Tyrion Lannister the Imp became one of my fave character(after seeing his face in the site of GoT), not just...more Color filled each hall. Rainbow owns each character. Mr. Martin's writing style is rich with hue. And yet some words are meant to kill, sharp as a Valyrian steel.

People's game of thrones is finish but it came with a price. Shit rained in Westeros. Sudden "KINGS" had risen and all they want is to sit in the uncomfortable Iron Throne. Which is lame, as King Robert I said so, "pretty boring".

Tyrion Lannister the Imp became one of my fave character(after seeing his face in the site of GoT), not just because of that but of his mighty wits. I didn't favor for him much in the first book why? First of all he's pervert. But also suddenly he's not the only one with a bed warmer attitude.
So here Theon Greyjoy enters. I'm so grossed out at his coming in Iron Islands, when she meets "A". Yeah, that's it. Manhood touched by a sister? I'm gonna faint with that. Insolent! An asshole! Damn, he's not making use of brains, isn't he? If I meet him I will surely flung him to the ground and rip his guts. Thinking like he's somebody else, when in truth no one even pay attention in his way. Though with the exception of the loyal people who had been beheaded.
Arya, beast with a sword but cloaked in a fashion of a girl. A warrior out of a girl. Her character is gripping, when it comes to her POV I'm full of life and keep reading and reading and reading. Unlike any other princesses she's made of steel, hard steel, she wanted to live she acted as a servant. I forgot all about her highness and yourness, she need no knight? Agree?

I wonder when will the winter come? I'm afraid I have to wait longer, Mance Rayder, King beyond the wall is on the move, and he came some unnatural and phenomenal creatures with him.

A folly the south don't know of this events happening in the north, once they know it, throats and heads will gush out bloods.

Let me indicate some more, the Direwolves! A shame they are not together! They are as interesting as the flowery characters, the green dreams, hopes, and strength the major char. got from them is major major big help!

'n god, Daenerys Stormborn. Shit, another clash of tides will wash over Westeros if bells be heard.

I have every right to say this book made me crazy! I'm still drooling over this one. I'm also glad to comply with my challenge. Finishing this before one and a half week ends. Hehe!
Just so you know, I downloaded a .pdf file of this so I can "read" in the middle of the night without turning on any blinding lights! And equal to that first class in the morn it's lucky I don't snore. Cause if I am, I'm dead.

ASAP I should be able to get my hands on the third book! Hoping for more actions, surprises and more.(less)

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Feb 15, 2013 Mike (the Paladin) rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy

Remember when we thought a trilogy made up of three books maybe 600 0r even 800 pages was a long tale? It's getting to the point where an 800 page tome is simply a chapter of a tale that can run 10,000 pages or more.

This is the second in the Song of Ice and Fire. I found the first book interesting and like so many others moved on with the story. I started it later than some. Having been burned by Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time I hoped to get some sign that this series wouldn't bog down and never...more Remember when we thought a trilogy made up of three books maybe 600 0r even 800 pages was a long tale? It's getting to the point where an 800 page tome is simply a chapter of a tale that can run 10,000 pages or more.

This is the second in the Song of Ice and Fire. I found the first book interesting and like so many others moved on with the story. I started it later than some. Having been burned by Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time I hoped to get some sign that this series wouldn't bog down and never be finished. With a toll of 6 years between the forth and fifth books, I wasn't encouraged, but girding up my loins I began and now have gone through 2 volumes.

Unfortunately the second book wasn't up to the firsts standard. While there is some wonderful writing here there are also periods of almost extreme tedium. AND yes, I must own up to some skimming. For me skimming can be a bad sign as it often precedes complete abandonment of a novel. When I was young I would slog through a book and never put it down, I would finish that book! Not so much now. My mortality is creeping up on me and I have so many books stockpiled on my own shelves (not to even consider the ones I borrow from the library) that if I finished a book a day I still might not get through them all before I shuffle off this mortal coil. So if a book bogs down, drags and doesn't recover, I don't waste my time on it.

This one did recover...after a fashion. It picks up, tells the story, gets us back into it, and then....bogs down again, over and over, rinse repeat. I got through it, plan to go on to the next, but oh how I hope the story picks up and flows better than it did here.

So, what's happening? Well as may be guessed from the title, Kings are proliferating. As a matter of fact they are becoming ubiquitous, you have trouble not tripping over them. And who rules what where? Well, that depends on when and where you are in the story. to keep track of who rules what where you almost need a program... oh well.

All our players are still here (unless they're dead) and they are still a nasty lot on the whole. That may be part of my problem with the books as I really don't like most of the players. I liked Lord (Eddard) Stark, if you read A Game of Thrones you know where I stand there. As for the rest of the Stark Clan, well, I like Arya pretty well, unwise as she often is (but she's young) and I like Jon Snow. The rest you can pretty much keep. I'm neutral about the other boys and as for Sansa and Catelyn, I just can't like them. Even though they are supposed to be "more sympathetic" here I just don't care for them. Suffer as they will I guess I'm burned.

Of course since I like Jon, you can probably see why I have trouble with Catelyn. Sansa, well, lets see ,(view spoiler)

Anyway between the Starks, the Lannisters, the Greyjoys, the Barathons, the Arryns, the Martells, the Targaryens, the Tullys, the Tyrells, and the rest of the merry band these people are on the whole...just not nice.

This novel moves the story along really very little from the end of the first book. The pieces on the board have all moved, but no end game is in sight. There are the changing fortunes of each house and each character. There are the misconceptions and hurts to each the book closes with but in the end if this were a multi-handed chess match none of the players would really be up or down all that much (Keeps lost, thrones changed hands and so on, but for most gains and losses end with it so far being a sort of zero sum game.

What I find interesting and what I suppose (and hope) he'll do something with is the obvious plot line involving the threat from north of The Wall. As these idiots scrabble around trying to get the upper hand on each other will the bigger threat eat them all?

So, good idea, good plot, pretty good story at places, but falls into the trap of stretching it's own details out ad nauseum. I give it a middle of the road 3 stars, lukewarm and hoping the next is a lot better. (less)

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Jul 11, 2011 AH rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: chubby-chunkster, dragons, dwarfs, fantasy, middle-ages, own, zzread-june-2011

EPIC!

A Clash of Kings started off slowly for me. The prologue was extremely long and included more new characters (to add to the cast of hundreds). The events of the previous book have led Stannis Baratheon to plot his quest for the crown.

In the sky, a red comet heralds things to come. Each side uses the sighting of the comet to predict their ascent to the throne. You can be assured that there are way too many kings and that situation can’t last long. There will be blood. There will be war. The...more

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Jun 21, 2011 Matt rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

It’s been a long time since I’ve read a series of books. When I was a kid, my dad read The Hardy Boys before my brother and I went to sleep. That was a nice bedtime ritual; so nice we never had the heart to tell him The Hardy Boys sucked. A little bit later on, I worked my way through The Berenstain Bears, which taught me not to watch too much T.V., get greedy, or talk to strangers. Oddly enough, it taught me to trust bears, which is probably not the best message to impart to an impressionable c...more

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Jul 09, 2012 K.D. Oliveros rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Recommended to K.D. by: Lynai

Shelves: series, fantasy, action, epic, populist

If you are looking for:

(A) Entertainment... this book is a topnotch (5 stars).

(B) Some good writing... this book is just okay (2 stars).

(C) Some life's meanings for you to grow as a person... there is just nothing in here (1 star).

Those are the three reasons why I read. I am a bookworm so I don't get easily bored. The last thing I look for in a book is entertainment.

I am normally amazed by books with different or innovative formats and as long as they are good and still readable, the book will...more

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Nov 19, 2007 Jennifer rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fiction, fantasy, own

Those of you who remember my review of A Game of Thrones will remember that I recommended it with misgivings, mostly having to due with some personal issues and especially because of the way women were portrayed in the book.

Many MANY people, not the least of which is the guy I'm married to, asked me to give the second book a shot, that Martin's portrayal of women has a purpose, and that I would understand *WHY* if I got through the second book.

Unfortunately, about 10 or so chapters in the book....more Those of you who remember my review of A Game of Thrones will remember that I recommended it with misgivings, mostly having to due with some personal issues and especially because of the way women were portrayed in the book.

Many MANY people, not the least of which is the guy I'm married to, asked me to give the second book a shot, that Martin's portrayal of women has a purpose, and that I would understand *WHY* if I got through the second book.

Unfortunately, about 10 or so chapters in the book. about where there was a graphic description of the rape of a 13-year-old girl, being described as "bobbing up and down like a floppy rabbit," that I damn near put the book and the series down for good. While certainly there is more depth to many of the female characters, especially Cersei, Sansa and Arya, I still find that the other side... where every woman is simply something waiting to be raped, is just as unnecessary as it was in the first book.

Still, despite this, I enjoyed the book. Midway through, I realized that I was holding the book to the standards of great works of fantasy fiction, and so long as I hold it to that standard it will always be a disappointment. However, if I hold it to the standard of a good read, a decent page turner, and nothing more than a soap opera in a fantasy universe, I found myself actually liking the book quite a bit.

The book picks up where A Game of Thrones left off. Westeros is in shambles, the seven united kingdoms divided amongst several kings, and each planning war. The book is more about political intrigue than battles. As a matter of fact, I found the major battle in the book to be nearly impossible to follow, though I believe that was intentional.

Interestingly, I might have a different comment about this particular aspect of the book if I hadn't have started another book last night. I've said a few times that this is a work of fantasy, and as such, does not have to exactly follow the rules of medieval society. However, I just recently started a book that is supposed to take place in 17th century London, and I'm finding myself picking it apart because of it's lack of accuracy. I've found that with the new perspective, I appreciate the accuracy, because when there are fantastic elements, such as magic and dragons and the like, they seem far more believable when the world they inhabit has a familiar baseline.

So in the end, I guess it was better to go for the more accurate depictions of life than not. In this case, as I said before, if you're at all familiar with European history, especially British history from the War of the Roses on through the Reformation, you'll likely be able to see where Martin drew his characters. You'll also likely be able to predict some of the plot lines and twists.

Though, I am happy to say, the princes in the tower did not end up as I expected.(less)

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Jul 05, 2011 Sonya rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2011, fantasy

The second installment in this series gets off to a slow start. There are 4 kings in the kingdom and it takes quite a while before the story gets to the eventual battles as they fight to be the last man standing. As with the previous book, we don’t really have a conclusion to the story – some die and others live to fight another day.

This is a great epic story, really it is, but some things about George Martin’s writing style really bothered me this time around. I don’t like how women are portray...more

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Dec 03, 2012 Stacia ~ Mistress of Mediocrity rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: adult

Sigh. I'm not sure what to say. I have the worst trouble trying to figure out what to write for longer (epic/high) fantasy book reviews. Will think upon this and hopefully have more to say at a later date.

Loving the series!

*fast forward to December* Later came and I still am stumped for what to write but I'm back for an ending re-skim so I can queue up book 3 before season 3 starts.

Woo-freakin-hoo!

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Sep 22, 2011 Jessi rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: six-stars-your-a-superstar, a-song-of-ice-and-fire, yeah-i-d-hit-that-boycrushes, sex-that-gets-weird, wolves-jessi-s-wolf-shelf, my-favs, dont-make-any-friggen-plans

Yep, I'm loving this series I think I liked "A Clash of Kings" more then AGoT. It was so exciting and everyones got an agenda and everyone is fucking everyone else over, it is unreal! How have I never read these books? I read Twilight before these? How can this happen? What is this world?
Two quick points that have come to my attention,we need some Old God / Godswoods cause those sound awsome. Also it seems to me that there is an abundance of wine(this has Jessi written all over it)

So my least fa...more

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Mar 15, 2012 Michael rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, epic, 1990s

Compared to the first novel, this one seems to drag on and on a bit. It wasn’t as exciting as book one, and all it did was left too many things unanswered and made me feel dirty with the way the sex scenes in it were written. The reset of the writing is good, the characters are great and it really set itself up for the next book but this felt more like padding than a progression of the story. I really like the shifting prospective in these books but with Clash of Kings I felt as if it was missin...more

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May 19, 2009 Michael rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, review

Sequel to the sublime Game of Thrones. The epic fantasy continues and underlines my suspicion that this series could be the finest addition to the genre of the decade. The original book threw so many twists, shocks and surprises at the reader that Martin has given himself a hard act to follow. Clash of Kings still compares very well. Its huge cast of brutally realistic characters soon draw the reader back into the war and intrigue that characterizes the series. Publishers and reviewers could eve...more

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Aug 13, 2011 Vicky N. rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy

Rating: 4.5
(Only because everything I dreaded happened.)

I don't even....

My relationship towards this book can only be describe as: love-hate. Mr. Martin is an evil man, even when horrible things were happening he made me enjoyed the book & keep on reading. His writing goes on so smoothly making you cherish each line. He is an evil mastermind.

I can honestly say he created a great sequel. There are the same characters with new revelations and new ones with secrets of their own, but the essenc...more

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Dec 02, 2011 Max rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Fantasy fans

Recommended to Max by: Common sense and the first book

Shelves: fantasy, outstanding-books

Well, this book was quite a ride. I do not often have a book that really lets me forget everything while I read it, but when I finished it, I was shocked to find I was in bed and not in Westeros. The only other books I remember that did this to me were The Name of the Wind,The Wise Man's Fear and Rumo: And His Miraculous Adventures (Yes, I know it's probably considered a child book, but it's good nontheless).

I can't really pin down why I liked this book so much, but I found every one of the main...more

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Jul 25, 2011 Nicola rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fiction, kindle, fantasy

I really liked the premise of A Clash of Kings, which features several self-anointed kings scrabbling for victory at any cost. This is warfare as a long, slow drudge through political quicksand. It’s all posturing, strategy and paper-thin alliances – groups gain ground only to lose it elsewhere. The novel’s best moments come as a result of game-changing manoeuvres on the (political and literal) battlefield.

Kings also boasts several enjoyable new characters (Asha! Asha is my new favourite!). Alas...more

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Aug 05, 2011 Sandra rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, in-english, books-i-own, read-in-2011, a-song-of-ice-and-fire

This book is just such a ride: wars are made, people are slain and hearts are broken. For all that, it is written well enough and has enough subtle humour here and there to not make this feel like a complete tragedy. Even though the end makes me rather sad, I must say I really enjoyed reading this book and it felt a lot shorter than its 1010 pages.

I'm amazed at how well all the storylines seem to come together. I love how all the different perspectives help build up this one big, epic story. I'm...more

like 3 likes · see review

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About George R.R. Martin

George R. R. Martin was born September 20, 1948, in Bayonne, New Jersey. His father was Raymond Collins Martin, a longshoreman, and his mother was Margaret Brady Martin. He has two sisters, Darleen Martin Lapinski and Janet Martin Patten.

Martin attended Mary Jane Donohoe School and Marist High School. He began writing very young, selling monster stories to other neighborhood children for pennies,...more George R. R. Martin was born September 20, 1948, in Bayonne, New Jersey. His father was Raymond Collins Martin, a longshoreman, and his mother was Margaret Brady Martin. He has two sisters, Darleen Martin Lapinski and Janet Martin Patten.

Martin attended Mary Jane Donohoe School and Marist High School. He began writing very young, selling monster stories to other neighborhood children for pennies, dramatic readings included. Later he became a comic book fan and collector in high school, and began to write fiction for comic fanzines (amateur fan magazines). Martin's first professional sale was made in 1970 at age 21: "The Hero," sold to Galaxy, published in February, 1971 issue. Other sales followed.

In 1970 Martin received a B.S. in Journalism from Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, graduating summa cum laude. He went on to complete a M.S. in Journalism in 1971, also from Northwestern.

As a conscientious objector, Martin did alternative service 1972-1974 with VISTA, attached to Cook County Legal Assistance Foundation. He also directed chess tournaments for the Continental Chess Association from 1973-1976, and was a Journalism instructor at Clarke College, Dubuque, Iowa, from 1976-1978. He wrote part-time throughout the 1970s while working as a VISTA Volunteer, chess director, and teacher.

In 1975 he married Gale Burnick. They divorced in 1979, with no children. Martin became a full-time writer in 1979. He was writer-in-residence at Clarke College from 1978-79.

Moving on to Hollywood, Martin signed on as a story editor for Twilight Zone at CBS Television in 1986. In 1987 Martin became an Executive Story Consultant for Beauty and the Beast at CBS. In 1988 he became a Producer for Beauty and the Beast, then in 1989 moved up to Co-Supervising Producer. He was Executive Producer for Doorways, a pilot which he wrote for Columbia Pictures Television, which was filmed during 1992-93.

Martin's present home is Santa Fe, New Mexico. He is a member of Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers of America (he was South-Central Regional Director 1977-1979, and Vice President 1996-1998), and of Writers' Guild of America, West.

http://us.macmillan.com/author/george...(less)

More about George R.R. Martin...

Books by George R.R. Martin

A Game of Thrones (A Song of Ice and Fire, #1)

A Storm of Swords (A Song of Ice and Fire, #3)

A Feast for Crows (A Song of Ice and Fire, #4)

A Dance With Dragons (A Song of Ice and Fire, #5)

A Storm of Swords: Blood and Gold (A Song of Ice and Fire #3, Part 2 of 2)

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Quotes from A Clash of Kings

“People often claim to hunger for truth, but seldom like the taste when it's served up.” — 485 people liked it

“I will hurt you for this. I don't know how yet, but give me time. A day will come when you think yourself safe and happy, and suddenly your joy will turn to ashes in your mouth, and you'll know the debt is paid.” — 424 people liked it

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A Clash of Kings (A Song of Ice and Fire #2)

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