Hardcover, 608 pages
Published Aug. 6, 1998 by Voyager.
the second book in the song of ice and fire a series started with the game of thrones converted recently into a hbo tv series
1,455 pages down in the series... ????? more to go!
This book is excellent. The battle scenes at the climax are so detailed you'd think the author were a medieval knight. The only reason it gets 4 stars is that even a quarter way into the book you were still getting more recapitulation than necessary.
I love this book, as much as I love Game of Thrones. As someone who strongly dislikes fantasy novels, this proclamation still surprises me. Sure, the most bothersome elements of the genre - magic and dragons - are mostly present in the background of the story, but in the end George Martin's sage is still a pseudo-medieval display of swords and sorcery. So what makes it so enjoyable?
The reason is quite simple. Martin is an extremely gifted writer and Clash of Kings, like its prequel Game of Thrones, is oozing with examples of his amazing skills. He has mastered the art of description, alternating between clear, concrete prose and smart and lively analogies to instill a vivid image in the mind of the reader. He carefully constructs the development of his characters, allowing you to read their minds if you're not given access to them, and manages to equip …
I love this book, as much as I love Game of Thrones. As someone who strongly dislikes fantasy novels, this proclamation still surprises me. Sure, the most bothersome elements of the genre - magic and dragons - are mostly present in the background of the story, but in the end George Martin's sage is still a pseudo-medieval display of swords and sorcery. So what makes it so enjoyable?
The reason is quite simple. Martin is an extremely gifted writer and Clash of Kings, like its prequel Game of Thrones, is oozing with examples of his amazing skills. He has mastered the art of description, alternating between clear, concrete prose and smart and lively analogies to instill a vivid image in the mind of the reader. He carefully constructs the development of his characters, allowing you to read their minds if you're not given access to them, and manages to equip all of them with unique psychologies and manners. A writer who manages to have my recognize his characters by voice alone, is indeed a master of the craft. Although he overuses rape as a device to introduce characters of low moral caliber, most personality traits are introduced through subtle and clever means.
Similarly, the story itself is cleverly constructed. Convincing schemes and military strategies tie together countless subplots, to arrive at an epic narrative that holds the middle between Bronze Age war poems and historic non-fiction. Martin has truly created an alternative world, and takes the time to tell the readers some of its more interesting events.
In contrast to the rich descriptions and intricate plot, however, the work is thematically poor. Themes like loyalty, war and morality show up, but the only thing that separates it from medieval fiction in that regard is the use of multiple perspectives, and the accompanying blurring of boundaries between good and evil. In the end, the book just tells an engaging story and does not serve as food for thought. Maybe that's not important in fantasy novels - they're supposed to be escapist, after all - but that then may be the reason that I typically dislike works in the genre.
Clash of Kings is an exceptional read in that it can be recommended regardless of your opinion on fantasy novels. Just marveling at the techniques that George Martin uses makes the book worth your while - the entertaining story makes for a great bonus.
Boy, this book twists and turns, as it drives the characters further and further apart. Keeping track of all the characters almost seems a futile effort at times, since they're wont to die pretty quickly, then come back just as quickly, thanks to unreliable narration (which is wielded to great effect).
I think the nerds are right on this one, but why, in this genre, are there so many wise people around. You can get an aphorism from a passing mage, a dwarf or your retarded cousin, and after you blow-off your retarded cousin's comment, the mage will say "he is wiser than you know". I read this on the Kindle, so no maps, but, believe it or not, if you check on the internet there are whole galleries of maps of Westeros.
