A Storm of Swords: Steel and Snow (A Song of Ice and Fire #3, Part 1 of 2)

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A Storm of Swords: Steel and Snow (A Song of Ice and Fire #3.1)

4.49 of 5 stars 4.49 · rating details · 14,442 ratings · 587 reviews

The Seven Kingdoms are divided by revolt and blood feud, and winter approaches like an angry beast. Beyond the Northern borders, wildlings leave their villages to gather in the ice and stone wasteland of the Frostfangs. From there, the renegade Brother Mance Rayder will lead them South towards the Wall.

Robb Stark wears his new-forged crown in the Kingdom of the North, but...more

Paperback, 623 pages

Published April 7th 2001 by Voyager (first published August 2000)

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May 04, 2011 Kristin rated it 2 of 5 stars

Better than the last book, not as good as the first. Altogether an interesting story, but the pace of the series is very slow and if GRRM mentions one more banner/sigil, I'm gonna lose it...

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Mar 20, 2009 Célia rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: own, 5-stars, 2008, saida-emergencia, gift, fantasy

"A Tormenta de Espadas" é a primeira parte do original "A Storm of Swords", geralmente considerado o melhor volume publicado até agora das Crónicas de Gelo e Fogo, da autoria de George R.R. Martin. Apesar de ainda só ter lido metade (do livro original), posso dizer que de todos os volumes lidos até agora este foi o meu preferido. O motivo para isto é que, para além de todos os aspectos positivos presentes nos volumes anteriores, este livro é consistente no que diz respeito ao interesse gerado pe...more

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May 18, 2012 Josh rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: own, read_2012, fantasy, fire_and_ice_series

George R R Martin had fun with this instalment – the evidence is in the dialogue and actions of the characters who manage to find moments of jocularity amidst the chaos of war. Tyrion Lannister is his usual swashbuckling self with a sharper sense of violence honed through bloody battle and everyday dealing with his treacherous domesticated life. Robb Stark breaks an oath and gains comfort of the flesh – a choice sure to have ramifications on the war effort. While King Joffrey continues to echo t...more George R R Martin had fun with this instalment – the evidence is in the dialogue and actions of the characters who manage to find moments of jocularity amidst the chaos of war. Tyrion Lannister is his usual swashbuckling self with a sharper sense of violence honed through bloody battle and everyday dealing with his treacherous domesticated life. Robb Stark breaks an oath and gains comfort of the flesh – a choice sure to have ramifications on the war effort. While King Joffrey continues to echo the sentiments of a mad King – perhaps his fate will mirror that of Arrys (one can but hope)? Fan favourites continue to evolve (Arya, Jon, Robb Stark, Sansa, Cersei. Davos the Onion Knight etc.) while newer faces begin their slow rise to prominence (such as The Red Viper, Lady in Red, Stannis, Samwell etc.) through an intrinsically finely weaved web of violence, betrayal, magic, love, and duty.

Continuing the series evolution, the fantastical elements are becoming paramount to the core plot with a heavy emphasis on the unnatural and the mythic tales of wet nurses springing true from storybook to reality. There is a subtle beauty to the way Martin sneaks in these creatures of man and monster alike. So gentle is the hand that caresses their introduction that I had to reread certain passages as to ensure I didn’t misinterpret or skim over what was happening (this was not a chore and further enhanced Martins storytelling ability – this book is loaded with worthwhile double-takes). A particular interest of mine is the mysterious landscape over the Wall. Thankfully, the Brothers of the Black, Wildlings, and Others feature relatively frequently in this instalment.

Martin did have a tendency to exhaust the readers’ ability to follow the detailed and elaborate history of his well defined world and complex cast of characters by devoting generous passages to the multitude of back-stories. That said; I did enjoy reading the Kingslayers tale of how is moniker was attained and retained and the perception of his honour that both curses and praises him.

Dubbed as more a companion piece to ‘A Clash of Kings’ rather than a true sequel (as per the author intro) with chapters detailing events amidst the feverish battles of the previous book, I felt ‘A Storm of Swords: Steel and Snow’ actually worked well as a sequel as many of its entries were a direct result of the preceding books outcomes. Much like the previous instalments, if not more so, ‘A Storm of Swords: Steel and Snow’ has left me craving more of this world and its deep and violent history – 4 stars.(less)

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Sep 14, 2011 Marisa Martins rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: leituras-2011, george-r-r-martin

(Pode contém spoilers para quem não leu os livros I, II, III e IV)

Jon Snow está para lá das Muralhas e vê-se obrigado a viver com os selvagens. Arya continua a enfrentar perigos na sua demanda para chegar a casa. Tyrion convalesce depois do terrível acidente que sofreu durante o ataque de Stannis a Porto Real. Catelyn, com a ajuda de Brienne, tenta trocar Jaime Lannister pelas filhas, Sansa e Arya. Robb, embora continue a ganhar batalhas, está longe de ganhar a guerra, objectivo cada vez mais lo...more (Pode contém spoilers para quem não leu os livros I, II, III e IV)

Jon Snow está para lá das Muralhas e vê-se obrigado a viver com os selvagens. Arya continua a enfrentar perigos na sua demanda para chegar a casa. Tyrion convalesce depois do terrível acidente que sofreu durante o ataque de Stannis a Porto Real. Catelyn, com a ajuda de Brienne, tenta trocar Jaime Lannister pelas filhas, Sansa e Arya. Robb, embora continue a ganhar batalhas, está longe de ganhar a guerra, objectivo cada vez mais longínquo agora que nem sequer é Senhor de Winterfell. Enquanto isso, em Porto Real, estão em marcha os preparativos para o enlace de Joffrey e Margaer, da casa Tyrell.

"(...) Ela voltou a carregar o sobrolho, com uma cara que era toda dentes de cavalo e suspeita carrancuda.
— Ireis usar as vossas correntes, Regicida.
— Tencionas remar até Porto Real, rapariga?
— Chamar‑me‑eis Brienne. E não rapariga.
— O meu nome é Sor Jaime. Não Regicida.
— Negais que matastes um rei?
— Não. Negas o teu sexo? Se assim for, desata essas bragas e mostra‑me. — Dirigiu‑lhe um sorriso inocente. — Pedir‑te‑ia para abrir o corpete, mas olhando para ti, julgo que isso não provaria grande coisa."

Apesar de ter gostado de quase todas as histórias dos principais personagens, não há como deixar de destacar os capítulos do Jaime e Brienne e os do Jon Snow.

Incumbida de levar Jaime são e salvo até Porto Real, Brienne, fiel à Senhora Catelyn, tenta a todo o custo cumprir a sua importante missão. Enquanto enfrentam os perigos da estrada, driblam ladrões, discutem, lutam e são apaziguados pelo outro companheiro de viagem, Sor Cleos Frey, presa e guarda começam a confiar cada vez mais um no outro.
Na minha opinião, a relação de Brienne e Jaime é o ponto alto desta leitura.

Jon Snow está para lá da Muralha. Estes capítulos, para além de dar-nos a oportunidade de conhecer os hábitos e modo de vida dos selvagens, permite-nos estar perante um Jon apaixonado e a viver momentos de felicidade, apenas manchados pelo peso na consciência que fá-lo sentir-se um corvo traidor que quebrou os votos.

Mais um excelente capítulo desta excelente história.(less)

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May 25, 2010 Lisa rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2010, own, faves, 2010s-most-enjoyed

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Sep 29, 2011 ☼~Marian~☼ rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Fantasy lovers

Recommended to ☼~Marian~☼ by: GR members

Shelves: owned-books, 2011, fantasy, young-adult

The plot was never boring. The characters gracefully transitioned to different roles they had to play . Though there were parts that are redundant. Same course of event through the eyes of different characters. Between reading, I was close to throwing this book because the author has this queer habit of butchering my favorite characters. Near its ending, the story somehow mustered a little strength to redeem for the loss.

**COMMENTS BELOW CONTAINED SPOILERS..READ AT YOUR OWN RISK**

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May 07, 2013 Michael rated it 4 of 5 stars

I'll be honest, I enjoyed the first book but stopped reading the second book after a hundred pages - it was just too boring and nothing happened, and I was confused. With the TV series, I picked it up after the second series and started again with Part 1 of Book 3. I know its bad habit to watch a TV series in place of a book, as events aren't completely parallel, but oh well.

Book 3 was good, I still think its overly long and blown out in some places and could do with some editing, but it was go...more

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Apr 05, 2013 Kyra rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: owned-books

I loved and hated this book. Because (view spoiler)
Because there were so few Daenerys chapters, and they were wonderful. I thought she was being a little crappy when she (view spoiler) That was low.

The ending was so epic ! I do not mean the epilogue by that, which was unexpected, but th...more

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Apr 03, 2013 Tim Howard added it

Shelves: read-2013

The first volume of the third book of A Song of Ice and Fire is a 600pp behemoth in its own right. I loved the first two books, but GRRM is really revved up here. I'm not sure I have ever read a novel in which so much shit has gone down. Every chapter brings unexpected twists of fate, and at least two chapters ended with me shaking my head and whispering, "Oh. Fuck me."

If you're into this series, you don't need me to tell you to read this, and indeed you probably did so years ago. If you're not...more The first volume of the third book of A Song of Ice and Fire is a 600pp behemoth in its own right. I loved the first two books, but GRRM is really revved up here. I'm not sure I have ever read a novel in which so much shit has gone down. Every chapter brings unexpected twists of fate, and at least two chapters ended with me shaking my head and whispering, "Oh. Fuck me."

If you're into this series, you don't need me to tell you to read this, and indeed you probably did so years ago. If you're not into it, or only know the tv show, I want to impress upon you how brilliant and thrilling this work is. The fantasy setting is so detailed, yet the complexity is immersive rather than overwhelming. Martin has built the world before our eyes, and even now, three books in, he's adding details that incrementally flesh out our understanding of its geography, history, and peoples. Martin's does this without info-dumping, without dry appendices. Everything that he wants you to know is in the text, and it works to build a world rich in character, story and thematic resonance.

Because the narrative flits between a range of p.o.v. characters, many of the chapters resemble short stories into which the reader is dropped, disoriented, and which then build to often nerve-wracking crescendoes. Critics tend to focus on the ASOIAF books' conceptual scope and ever-increasing length, overlooking Martin's brilliance at writing powerful individual scenes or passages. A chapter like the one in which Samwell Tarly flees the Others (later used as the basis for the best episode of The Biggest Loser evah!), demonstrates Martin's extraordinary ability to tell a compressed, structurally complex narrative.

Another pejorative leveled at Martin - sometimes even by ostensible fans - is that he is writing "pulp". Divorced from its historical context, I assume this is intended to mean cheap, disposable workmanlike. I can understand criticism of Martin's occasionally idiosyncratic grammar and word-choice, as well as his more lascivious descriptions of nudity and sex, but he is not a "cheap" or careless writer. In fact, his prose is usually supple and direct. I'm now over 2500 pages into the saga, and I have noticed very little obvious repetition of figurative language. (The characters' repetition of homilies and mottos is a different matter, being deliberate and of a piece with the world depicted.) Even the infamous epithet that attaches to Jon Snow isn't as prevalent here as in the tv series. (Although that might only seem to be the case because we encounter him every few chapters, rather than every few minutes.) Even the much-derided longuers involving supposedly endless descriptions of meals or sigils feel well-honed, and there are far fewer of these moments than comment thread wits would have you believe. Anyway, I quite enjoy them.

Sure, there are flaws: the occasional flat scene or chapter, moments of coincidence that challenge belief. There is also the ongoing issue of Martin's apparent preoccupation with incest and his sometimes dubious approach to secondary women characters - in marked contrast to his array of excellent leading women. But overall I was enthralled by this book, and I'm looking forward to reading the closing volume and the remaining two books in the series to date.(less)

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Feb 23, 2013 Linda Jaejoong rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Was ich nicht gut fand ist das Robb mal wieder kein eigenes Kapitel bekommen hat. Ich meine er ist König und für mich eine der Hauptfiguren schlecht hin!! Jede mal muss ich mich mit Catelyn Starks Kapiteln rumschlagen, sie jammert nur um ihre verlorenen Söhne und sieht gar nicht was sie mit ihren Entscheidung und Taten anrichtet!! Ich hätte mir gewünscht zu erfahren wie es Robb geht und was er über seine jetzige Situation denkt!! Wen ich als Figur sinnlos finde ist Jeyne Westerling, Robbs Ehefra...more Was ich nicht gut fand ist das Robb mal wieder kein eigenes Kapitel bekommen hat. Ich meine er ist König und für mich eine der Hauptfiguren schlecht hin!! Jede mal muss ich mich mit Catelyn Starks Kapiteln rumschlagen, sie jammert nur um ihre verlorenen Söhne und sieht gar nicht was sie mit ihren Entscheidung und Taten anrichtet!! Ich hätte mir gewünscht zu erfahren wie es Robb geht und was er über seine jetzige Situation denkt!! Wen ich als Figur sinnlos finde ist Jeyne Westerling, Robbs Ehefrau. Wir wissen alle das er sie nur geheiratet weil er ihr ihre Jungfräuligkeit genommen hat und er...er ist nun mal der Sohn seines Vaters, Ehre über alles!! Vielleicht ist er auch ein bisschen verknallt, aber die große Liebe ist es auf jedenfall nicht!! Ich hab ja die Theorie das Jeyne mehr ist als es bis jetzt den Anschein hat, ich trau ihr nicht!!

Jaime Lannister wird mir immer lieber!! Jetzt da wir mehr über ihn und seine Vergangenheit erfahren haben, verstehe och teilweise warum er so ist wie er ist, woran andere nicht ganz unschuldig sind!! Er hat halt alles getan um mit seiner Schwester Cersei zusammen sein zu können und sie behandelt ihn wie einen Deppen und betrügt ihn ja auch noch nebenbei!! Ich hoffe wirklich er kommt von ihr los. Ich hab so geweint als er seine Hand verloren hat. Ich bin mal gespannt was er ohne seine Schwerthand jetzt macht und ob er sich wirklich eine goldene Hand machen lässt so wie er es gesagt hat!! Und vor allem bin ich gespannt was er Tyrion so wichtiges zu sagen hat. Ich hoffe es ist nichts schlimmes, da Tyrion schon so genug durchmachen musste. Nicht nur das er bei der Schlacht gegen Stannis entstellt wurde, er wurde auch noch gezwungen Sansa Stark zu heiraten.

Jon reist mit den Wildlingen und beginnt eine Beziehung zu der Wildlingsfrau Ygritte, sie sind schon ein niedliches Paar. Ich hoffe wirklich das Jon hinter der Mauer nichts passiert und das er den Weg zu seinen Brüdern zurück findet. Arya und Gendry sind unterdessen bei der Brunderschaft ohne Banner gelandet, deren Anführer Beric Dondarrion genannt der "Blitzlord" ist. Sie wollen Arya gegen Geld bei Robb eintauschen und sind zu Arya und Gendry auch sehr nett!! Ich hab auch das Gefühl das Gendry mehr für Arya fühlt als er zugeben will. Sie haben ein paar sehr schöne szenen im Buch!! Ich hoffe wirklich die beiden haben eine Zukunft zusammen.

Von den neuen Figuren die hinzugekommen sind interessiert mich am meisten Oberyn Nymeros Martell, genannt die "Rote Viper" von Dorne. Er ist der Bruder von Doran Nymeros Martell, dem Fürsten von Dorne und Lord von Sonnspeer. Er kommt erst in den letzten paar Seiten im Buch vor, da sein Bruder nicht zu Joffreys Hochzeit kommen konnte und er als sein Vertreter da ist. Interessant ist auch wie die Tyrells auf sein kommen reagieren werden, da die Tyrells und Martells Todfeinde sind!!

Obwohl Oberyn nur 14 Seiten im Buch hatte mag ich ihn jetzt schon!! Er ist zwar arrogant und hat ehr einen harten Kern als einen weichen, aber man hat gemerkt das ihm Ehrlichkeit sehr wichtig ist und das für ihn Taten mehr zählen als Worte und er nimmt kein Blatt vor den Mund und somit ist er zu den ganzen anderen Speichelleckern eine erfrischend witzige und ehrliche Figur. Ich hoffe wirklich er spielt noch eine größe Rolle in den Büchern!!(less)

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Feb 21, 2013 Georgia! rated it 5 of 5 stars

You know, at this point I don’t even know where to start talking about this series. I am truly and completely enamoured with it, and George R. R. Martin is a sheer genius. I could literally leave this review there, but I suppose that would be unfair!

A Storm of Swords Part One was a great read from the get go. The prologue raised the hairs on the back of my neck when the arrival of the Others was announced, and let’s just say Chett’s reaction was probably rather accurate. I’m trying to think of h...more You know, at this point I don’t even know where to start talking about this series. I am truly and completely enamoured with it, and George R. R. Martin is a sheer genius. I could literally leave this review there, but I suppose that would be unfair!

A Storm of Swords Part One was a great read from the get go. The prologue raised the hairs on the back of my neck when the arrival of the Others was announced, and let’s just say Chett’s reaction was probably rather accurate. I’m trying to think of how best to approach this review, and I think ‘by king’ might have to be the organisation. So let’s start with my least favourite.

Joffrey Baratheon is still the kind of person I would like to kick repeatedly in the face. With Tywin there to take over his official role as Hand, however, Joffrey is sort of held back a little from full stupidity. I’m still undecided about my feelings for Tywin. I like that he doesn’t take any of the shit that Cersei tries to dish out to everyone, but the way he treats Tyrion seriously grates on my nerves. Tyrion is still awesome, even with half a nose, but the way he treats Shae makes me want to shake him ridiculously hard. I think he forgets that she is a w h o r e, and is clearly in it for the money. Time will tell if I’m right.

The Tyrells are a great addition in my opinion. I like that the Queen of Thorns seems to know a lot more than she’s letting on, and the fact that she tries to come up with a plan to help Sansa puts her pretty high in my estimation. When I think about my feelings for Sansa Stark, I actually chuckle to myself because they’ve changed so much. I’ve gone from hating a bratty little girl who, when you think about it, contributed to the death of her father and his men by telling Cersei what he was up to, to absolutely adoring the young woman she’s slowing turning into. I wouldn’t say she’s a real contender yet, but she’s picking up on the rules of the game and I think she’s going to give people a run for their money as time moves on.

I don’t really have much to say about Stannis Baratheon. I kind of like that he has a genuine claim to the throne, but his storyline just doesn’t interest me as much as the others. Davos being rescued was all well and good, but all he does it tell Stannis he’s doing everything wrong and that Melissandre is evil. Well, I kind of like her and her mysteriousness (is that a word?).

Ahhh King Robb, how I love the Starks. Robb is really growing up quite fast, and the difficulties he’s facing as a king are really testing his character, and I love that he’s – on the whole – pulling through. That being said, however, there’s such a thing as too much bloody honour, boy! As much as I understand the whole Jeyne situation, just think of all the trouble that would’ve been saved if he’d just kept his promise to old Walder Frey. Bad move, Robb. Bad move.

Catelyn is more difficult in this book. I completely get where she’s coming from regarding Jaime Lannister, but I think she’s just causing more trouble for herself and for Robb by interfering. The scenes with her father were interesting though, I’ll be interested to find out what he was talking about in his delusional state of mind.

Before I had read this book, I had heard a lot of people talking about how they ‘shipped’ Jaime with Brienne, and I just couldn’t figure out why on earth they thought that from the little I knew of the two of them. This book has opened my eyes, let me tell you. Firstly, Brienne is just awesome. She’s loyal practically to a fault, but that she takes her duties so seriously is part of her appeal. She was definitely the right choice to escort Jaime. And secondly, there’s the Lannister lion himself. I had previously hated Jaime as is kind of normal with all the Lannisters bar Tyrion. His relationship with Cersei and what he did to Bran were just a recipe from dislike in my eyes. A Storm of Swords Part One will forever be marked as the beginning of my love affair with this man. As with the majority of Martin’s characters, we’re finally seeing the depth this character has to offer and he’s melting my heart. Of course, his chapters also strengthen my dislike for Cersei, but otherwise they do a marvellous job of showing the better side of this ‘evil’ kingslayer.

Daenerys’ chapters are quite interesting in this book. I liked the whole Unsullied aspect of it and how she worked the people. I think she’s becoming a better queen as time goes on, but a part of me still wonders if she’s just as mad as Viserys. Hmm, time shall tell I suppose. Ser Jorah kind of ticks me off, and Dany needs to set him straight. Whenever he talks to her, I almost get secondhand frustration on her behalf. Though she’s technically still a child, she’s also a widow, rightful heir to the Iron Throne and the mother of three dragons. She does not need your constant whining, Mormont. Sort it out. Arstan is very puzzling too actually. He’s rather clearly not exactly who he says he is, but I still haven’t figured out just who he is and why he’s there as of yet. I’ll keep you posted.

Lastly, we have Jon Snow; my favourite character in the entire series. His work with the wildings is especially fascinating because it introduces yet another completely different way of life in this series. Mance Rayder is nothing like I expected. I made the same mistake as Jon, and expected him to be the great big warrior-type, but no, he was rather a surprise. Ygritte makes me laugh with her constant chasing of Jon, but their relationship warms my heart, because Jon is so determined not to father any bastards in his life because he knows how hard it can be, but it’s almost like he’d forbidden himself from loving or caring about anyone ever just incase. I like that Ygritte changes that.

I always try to avoid any real spoilers, but I must say that I was practically shouting at the book within the very last chapter. Bran and Jon being SO CLOSE to each other just drove me mad, because I just want all of the Starks to be happy forever. *Sad face*.

I find these books hard to review because its hard to just pick what the main points are, what with there being so many! So, after all I have said (and I’ve said rather a lot), I just really hope you can find the time to read this series. You will not regret it.(less)

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Jan 07, 2013 *danielle* rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy

It was okay. I really liked some bits and despised others, and to be honest, the bits I didn't like were based on my own personal preferences.
Things I liked:
Unexpected plot twists. Martin is rather good at these. This is the thing I have always enjoyed most about the series and this book is crammed with them.
Unexpected character twists. By this, I mean at the start of the book I would have happily throttled Jaime myself, by the end... I was actually starting to feel a little bit of sympathy f...more

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Nov 27, 2012 Alice rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2009, saída-de-emergência, fantasia, fantasia-épica

Neste quinto volume d' As Crónicas de Gelo e de Fogo, George R.R. Martin consegue mais uma vez surpreender-nos, não só com a vida que inunda os seus personagens, tornando-os quase reais, mas também coma sua prodigiosa imaginação que parece não se esgotar. A acção central continua a focar-se na guerra pelo trono de Westeros muito embora os acontecimentos para lá da Muralha comecem a ganhar maior destaque e consequentemente a despertar no leitor um maior interesse. Contudo, mais do que as batalhas...more

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Nov 25, 2012 Mónica Silva rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Opinião no blog http://howtoliveathousandlives.blogsp...

Neste livro o leitor continua a seguir as vidas de personagens que já conhece bem, mas também surgem novos pontos de vista. De igual modo, algumas personagens que perderam o interesso nos livros anteriores surgem a uma nova luz – mais fortes e mais interventivas.

Mais uma vez, friso que o ponto forte desta saga são as suas personagens. Mais do que nunca neste livro as suas intenções não são a preto e branco, não existem heróis ou vilões defi...more

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Aug 18, 2012 Gregory rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, fiction, i-own

New favorite character: Queen of Thorns. Other than that, I thought this book was the worst entry so far. It was so full of characters complaining (I'm giving a hard side-eye to Sam & Davos, especially) & chapters that didn't really go anywhere, plot-wise. Plus, Martin's sex scenes have gone beyond tiresome & have become completely laughable. Dude, where's my male gaze? Oh, it's lingering on Ygritte's/Brienne's/Shae's "teats."

I will say, howevs, that I'm liking what Martin is doing w...more New favorite character: Queen of Thorns. Other than that, I thought this book was the worst entry so far. It was so full of characters complaining (I'm giving a hard side-eye to Sam & Davos, especially) & chapters that didn't really go anywhere, plot-wise. Plus, Martin's sex scenes have gone beyond tiresome & have become completely laughable. Dude, where's my male gaze? Oh, it's lingering on Ygritte's/Brienne's/Shae's "teats."

I will say, howevs, that I'm liking what Martin is doing with ability & injury. If masculinity in Westeros hinges around power, & power is only recognized when it flows through a capable, muscled-up warrior's body, what happens when that soldier is brutally injured? We've seen Bran coming to terms with his disability all along, but what about men like Jaime, a man who has been at the peak of his game until -- boom -- he up & loses his sword hand? How will this impact his role as the legendary Kingslayer? I'm sensing that as more & more of our male characters get injured in battle, we will see the food chains start to get shaken up. Soon, I'm guessing, Bran & Tyrion, will no longer be the only two characters who don't measure up to what it means to be a man in the Seven Kingdoms.

We're also seeing a rise in the number of female warrior-types (Ygritte, Brienne). Their introduction to the story offers additional ways of being in Westeros. Girls can fight (well, that idea has been around in the novels since we first met Arya, but these women are showing it in action) but perhaps more importantly, boys can be attracted to girls who can fight. You don't just need to be into simpering maids drenched in jewels & silk -- you can *also* fall in love with Amazonian bad asses armored in animal hides & bones.

Of course, this leads into what I've been observing since book 1: that there is little interest given (by the characters or the narrator) to the strength of femininity. Sansa & Cersei are good examples of this strength, although Martin repeatedly robs them of it. He makes Sansa into a foolish girl who keeps making stupid mistakes, while Cersei is the venomous femme fatale, the kind of soap opera diva you love to hate, but who lacks the human qualities of a fully realized character. I *loved* the scene in the novel where Sansa is invited to dine with Margaery Tyrell -- it was a glimpse of a female-only space that Martin rarely allows room for in his books. I want more of those kinds of moments. Hopefully in the following novels, Martin's non-masculine characters will grow & improve. Also Daenerys needs more magic. I want her to be the powerful dragon goddess Martin keeps hinting at!(less)

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Aug 18, 2012 Mike Steven rated it 4 of 5 stars

I'm totally into this series of novels now. Upon reading the first one, I enjoyed the story but felt that Martin's prose was poor. I still read the second one though and enjoyed that too. This is probably my favourite of the three that I've read. There's less crudity in it by far and I'm invested in the characters enough now to really care about each plot.

I'm totally aware of what Martin is doing but he does it incredibly effectively. There is a vast cast of characters in the novel. Each chapter...more

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Jun 13, 2012 Steve Rippington rated it 2 of 5 stars

Oh dear.

I so wanted to like this series. I raced through the first two books and thoroughly enjoyed them. The premise was hardly original, but the prose is well written and the plot and characterisation was refreshing. Then, three books in, came the horrible realisation that Martin has become a victim of his own success. People will buy his books no matter what he puts in them. Much like Rowling, he no longer needs to worry about an editor.

Where did he go wrong? The problems boil down to two fac...more Oh dear.

I so wanted to like this series. I raced through the first two books and thoroughly enjoyed them. The premise was hardly original, but the prose is well written and the plot and characterisation was refreshing. Then, three books in, came the horrible realisation that Martin has become a victim of his own success. People will buy his books no matter what he puts in them. Much like Rowling, he no longer needs to worry about an editor.

Where did he go wrong? The problems boil down to two factors: plot and characters.

The Plot
These books are big, which is not a problem in itself: Everyone loves a bargain after all. The issue is that Martin has spread the plot too thin. There are a lot of strands, and a lot of action seems to be occurring. Unfortunately, the reader only gets to see the same characters doing the same things, over and over again. What is the point in showing the drudgery and leaving out the action--some people obviously like it, but I call it soap opera.

The characters
The characters that have survived this far into the series have all had their own journeys since book one. For the most part, there has been some good character development. However, in this book, Martin decided that it would be best if his characters just trudged with apparantly little purpose from A to B; it is like he's given them secret instructions to take up a holding pattern while book sales swell. What makes it worse, is the knowledge that Martin has no qualms about killing main characters off. I just decided I no longer wanted to read about a character walking through some snow, or trudging up a rive, or sitting morosely in a castle, if they're probably going to die in the next book.

In summary, I am convinced this series will go on to be one of the biggest disappointments in fantasy literatures long and noble history. If Martin had it all worked out when he started, he'd have finished writing the series by now. The fact that he didn't, and he hasn't, explains the meandering mess that is book 3. Maybe I'll come back to the series in time, but I doubt it.
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Mar 20, 2012 Mick O'Dwyer rated it 4 of 5 stars

After the mild disappointment of A Clash Of Kings, which felt like too much padding in places, this is more like it. Probably edges A Game of Thrones in terms of story-telling: pace, imagination and character development are all in high gear. Without giving away any plot details ...

Good Bits:
While one or two characters retreat to the shadows, others step forward and there's some great additions. For once I'm becoming fascinated with Daenerys character and her development, gone is the simpering...more

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Dec 26, 2011 Jennifer rated it 2 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Let me tell you what I didn't like:

- enough with killing off all the characters I come to invest in. Some of them need to make it out alive (And I mean alive as in really alive!). Some of them need to win. You cannot always maim and hurt and kill, dear author. You will say that you can but I answer: you piss me off with it. Granted, the world you create is a cruel one. But even in a cruel world, people occasionally succeed and experience moments of happiness... and they aren't always the evil on...more Let me tell you what I didn't like:

- enough with killing off all the characters I come to invest in. Some of them need to make it out alive (And I mean alive as in really alive!). Some of them need to win. You cannot always maim and hurt and kill, dear author. You will say that you can but I answer: you piss me off with it. Granted, the world you create is a cruel one. But even in a cruel world, people occasionally succeed and experience moments of happiness... and they aren't always the evil ones because it makes the good ones look incompetent and stupid and this lets the evil ones lose some of their cleverness and you see where I am going with this? Plans work out and not only for the antagonists. Maybe I am rooting for the wrong team, but you are to blame for that as well since you made me be on team Stark in the first novel. Now you cannot switch me around. I'm a faithful reader.

- Sansa. Sansa pisses me off to no extent...that is because I think the author fails her. Nobody goes through whatever she has gone through unchanged. And yet, miraculously, Sansa manages to remain this naive girl without backbone. Grow some balls, girl. Or maybe, if the author would actually be on those character's side that he has originally established as the protagonists, Sansa and Arya might meet and then some of Arya might rub off on her little sister?

- the pace. It is way too slow. I know, sooner or later, Arya and her wolf will meet up or she wouldn't have wolf dreams. Do I have to wait until book 12762?

- I wonder why I should bother reading the next volume. I know I will, but... I expect the remaining characters that I care for (the Hound, Tyrion, Arya, Jon, Ghost) will probably be maimed and killed in it anyway.

What I would like to say is... I see the work that went into it, I also see the typos in the print (yes, I know it is tough work but there is a difference between "Catelyn opened the windows" and "Catelyn opened the widows"... I can even remember that one), and I hope that it won't stay as hopelessly grim and depressing. The bad guys cannot win (and they can be as clever and as layered as they are...they are still the antagonist), the originally established protagonists must have some success as well. Throw them a bone. Throw me a bone but one you don't snatch away when my fingers are already brushing it. Because it isn't good story-telling when it is the only thing you do. We got it: everyone can die. Fine, sing me a new tune, maybe the one that is called "some of them can survive".

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Oct 02, 2011 Rhiannon Ryder rated it 5 of 5 stars

My epic summer read continues with A Storm of Swords (book three), and another 1128 pages of George R.R. Martin goodness. What a fantastic summer read! all I want to do it loll around in the back yard with the kitties, some ice cream or a cold drink and some of George’s awesome story telling. And all this talk of freezing, and snow, and winter's coming, is all very helpful when your dying of heat stroke as well. It's almost cooling in its own right!

Being the equivalent of roughly 9 and a half of...more My epic summer read continues with A Storm of Swords (book three), and another 1128 pages of George R.R. Martin goodness. What a fantastic summer read! all I want to do it loll around in the back yard with the kitties, some ice cream or a cold drink and some of George’s awesome story telling. And all this talk of freezing, and snow, and winter's coming, is all very helpful when your dying of heat stroke as well. It's almost cooling in its own right!

Being the equivalent of roughly 9 and a half of my average 300 page reads, the Games of Thrones has seriously slowed down my reviewing speeds. You would think it would also be trying to stick with something so long, I am only just over half way through what’s published to date, but I have to say the level of quality he can maintain at 2904 pages of writing astounds me. I haven’t hit a single part I thought was dragging or slow. Part of this is the tension he constantly maintains between all his characters, and part of this is the very slow reveal of his magical elements. If there wasn't pay out once in awhile he would loose a lot of readers, 1128 pages is a mega commitment for the average reader after all.

For Storm of Swords, the constant trickle of reveals and developments had me hanging on every word. Rumors, hints and outright confessions of who has done what, and to whom keeps the story interesting and moving right along, but the way the sands are always shifting is also super engrossing. God knows I wouldn’t want to have to play at the game of thrones but I’m desperate to read more of Martin’s characters dabbling in it.

I really loved how the fantastical and magical elements are getting heavier in each of the books as well. Others, wights, giants, mammoths, gods, dragons and more abound in book three, both in back story as well as part of the action. Some of the greatest reveals have been about the magics forgotten in the seven kingdoms and how they are only now just starting to come to the surface again.

Also, can I just say? I know everyone blathers on about how he kills so many of his characters, so you think you’d be prepared, but it seems every time there’s a death it’s a total shocker! And there were several epic ones in this book. I’m starting to wonder who’s going to be left alive by the end. No seriously, possibly no one. The shock value of them alone is so intense I end up starring off into space stunned for a few minutes muttering about how I can't believe that just happened. The hubby finds this endlessly amusing.

It's going to be the hardest thing ever to ignore A Feast of Crows and A Dance of Dragons for the next couple weeks while I catch up on some my other, languishing, review reading. Especially with the cliff hangers left dangling at the end of A Storm of Swords!! Argh, see my resolve is already weakening!
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Oct 02, 2011 C.C. Cole rated it 5 of 5 stars

See full review: http://www.shevata-cccole.blogspot.com

(Non-spoiler review)

Just when you think it’s safe to go play in the snow, this giant epic slings the reader upon another roller coaster, where a bit of intrigue and boredom takes a corner, leaving the reader (me, anyway) saying a four-letter word aloud while reading.

In dark fantasy language, it’s winter for the generally honest, good-people Starks and summer for the scheming, powerful Lannisters. Martin’s storytelling reveals the harder time...more

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Jan 17, 2013 Anna rated it 5 of 5 stars

Recommended to Anna by: Lannister

Shelves: fantasy

I love that I genuinely have no idea what will happen by then end of each book. Martin continues to paint a vivid picture of his world. My only reservation is that I have stopped trying to keep up with all the legends, let alone the families and sigils in the kingdom and am therefore convinced I will miss some minor detail that proves vitally important (like I did in book 2)! I don't want to summarise events or give spoilers but Martin continues to explore the ideas that power corrupts, that jus...more

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Jul 04, 2012 M.B. rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I actually think that, so far in the series, this has been my favourite book. I don't know why it felt different to read, but it seemed as if the chapters were shorter and the "voices" of each character's point of view was much stronger.

As with the 2 preceding books, this book is obviously building up to something, and I have to wait a couple of days before I can buy the next in the series to find out what that something is.

Still, my favourite character is Daenerys(closely followed by Jon Snow)...more

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Jun 05, 2012 Iz rated it 5 of 5 stars

I absolutely loved this book, couldn't put it down for long because my daydreams always went back to Westeros, curious to know who will last and who wont. Much more action in this than in the first two books, but there was also an equal amount of history told to ensure the reader understands more and more about who these people are and why they do what they do. I see the strong development of Danaerys character and she shines as her journey towards the Seven Kingdoms continues. Even with the int...more

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Apr 16, 2013 Shruti rated it 4 of 5 stars

So, while I'm waiting till I get a chance to borrow Part 2, thought I'd review the series so far:

Actual ratings:
Book 1: 4
Book 2: 4.5
Book 3 Pt.1: 4.3

SPOILERS AHEAD!

I have a very weird, confusing love/hate relationship with these characters that's constantly changing. I thought maybe I'd do a character study on some of the important characters to clear the air a bit:

JAIME LANNISTER:
I have hated this man ever since he threw Bran off the tower. I don't really care about whether he killed Aerys Targa...more

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Dec 30, 2011 Bernard rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy

This is the third book in the Song of Ice and Fire series and I can honestly say that the story is building as a crescendo. What I really noticed in this book is just the little glimpses buried in story-lines that connected the characters and events, albeit indirectly. Seemingly, there will be more clarity in future books but seemingly unconnected characters have more in common than first meets the eye. All I can say about this entire series is WOW. George R R Martin is highly talented and able...more

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May 28, 2012 Apps *๒l๏๏๔ ๏ภ เςє* rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: not-sure-what-to-think, human-superhumans-books

I didn't enjoy the book very much but I'm compelled to give this book a 3 star rating (I've given better books lower ratings). I can't really say anything about the plot as I started reading this series form this book, which I have to admit is a very, very bad idea. Martin tells the story from thousand P.O.Vs. And each character who's narrating the story knows at least another ten thousand character...so it becomes something like 1000*10,000. And in one kingdom there a 1000*10,000 plots hatching...more

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Jan 09, 2013 Ellie Lloyd rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. WOW! This book was definitely the best one so far!

I really like the way the war is progressing; its not all happening so fast that you miss what's going on but then its not really slow either. It feels as if you are actually viewing the war the way you would if you were part of it.

I have to admit, my favourite character is Tyrion by far. I love the fact that he's both the same as the rest of the Lannister's but then he's also so different; and not just in the obvious way of his handicap! I feel...more

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Oct 16, 2012 Ulissae Efp rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Posso considerare questo libro come una sorta di primo passo in quello che è l'angoscioso e favoloso mondo di Martin.
Finora mi ero mossa in una trama che già conoscevo grazie al telefilm, mentre qui... è stato tutto nuovo.
Martin ha uno stile che si mantiene accattivante e interessante, nonostante alcune volte risulti ripetitivo (veramente, nel capitolo di Sam se ripeteva un'altra volta che era grasso strappavo la pagina XD), la sua capacità di ricreare un mondo a sé stante lo premia perché il le...more

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Mar 17, 2012 Lhara rated it 3 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. (SPOILERS)

I'm still digesting part one and am not quite sure how I feel about it. On the one hand, I did enjoy POVs that I didn't expect to - Jaime's was definitely my favourite and I also enjoyed Jon's. On the otherhand, POVs that had been my favourite in the first two books didn't seem exciting in this book. Arya, who is by my far my favourite, had a journey that slowed down somewhat and I feel her character is getting nowhere fast (maybe this will change in part II.) Sansa, who had also been...more (SPOILERS)

I'm still digesting part one and am not quite sure how I feel about it. On the one hand, I did enjoy POVs that I didn't expect to - Jaime's was definitely my favourite and I also enjoyed Jon's. On the otherhand, POVs that had been my favourite in the first two books didn't seem exciting in this book. Arya, who is by my far my favourite, had a journey that slowed down somewhat and I feel her character is getting nowhere fast (maybe this will change in part II.) Sansa, who had also been a favourite, goes in an unexpected direction. Indeed, in the latter part of this book, there is no POV from her, instead her story being told from Tyrion's POV. If I'm being honest, I found the idea of Tyrion and Sansa being wed hard to stomach. Obviously it was a political match and Tyrion has yet to consummate the marriage, but it's obvious that he feels some sort of desire for her. I know in the books that GRRM has underage girls partaking in sex left, right and centre (and that's something I dislike, even if he is trying to be true to a medieval setting), but because we read about Sansa and 'know' her, the idea of Tyrion (whom we also 'know' and feel for)feeling aroused by Sansa, is almost disturbing (I really can't let go of the age thing), especially when I got the impression that before the marriage, he was trying to protect Sansa from Joffrey (in an almost uncle-y way) - now that just seems tainted (though obviously it wasn't his choice to marry her.)But again their story my take a completely different turn in part II, so maybe my mind will change.

When reading A Clash of Kings, my heart was very much in my throat and it was a very nail-biting experience every time the characters took one step forward and two back. In this book, I feel like they are just taking steps sideways and really have no idea where it's going. I hope it changes in part II, but even if it does, the book is taking a long time to get somewhere. It's not to say that I haven't enjoyed the book, because I have, but I'm starting to wonder if the books are getting somewhere.(less)

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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)

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Books by George R.R. Martin

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

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

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)

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“Sometimes Old Nan would tell the same story she'd told before, but we bever mindedn if it was a good story. Old stories are like old friends, she use to saym you have to visit them from time to time.” — 1 person liked it

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A Storm of Swords: Steel and Snow (A Song of Ice and Fire #3.1)

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