Book 3 of A Song of Ice and Fire
Rating: 4.5 out of 5
This is the third book of George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire well-loved epic saga and the author doesn’t let up, whether in terms of the plot, the pace, the characterizations, the twists, or the quality of the work in general. Just as before, despite the numerous story threads that the reader must follow, no one feels overwhelmed by a story that’s becoming more and more complicated. Martin takes care to tell his story clearly so that the reader isn’t confused by numerous events taking place. And just as before, Martin writes beautifully, incorporating elements of foreshadowing being careful to place hints here and there indicating that there’s more to the story that needs to be uncovered and that each plot thread may not be what it seems, in the process keeping the reader’s interest glued squarely on the book. No one notices its length, which is probably the biggest so far in the series.
Picking up from the story Martin started with A Game of Thrones and continued with A Clash of Kings, and although it has the feel of being a middle book with no beginning and ending, his writing seems to be getting better. And things in Westeros are getting messier. We continue to follow the march of Robb Stark, who although he continues to win his battles against the Lannisters, his situation is getting worse. Meanwhile, his siblings aren’t faring any better. Arya is still lost and continues to try to find her family, and on the way meets one of the most feared men in the land, Sandor Cleagane. Brandon, is escaping the fate that has befallen the Starks home at Winterfell and discovers talents that he never had before. Sansa, the poster-child of spoiled princesses the world over, finds herself still alone in King’s Landing and a pawn of people eager to use her Stark name. And Jon Snow, the one character whose tale follows the more traditional “coming-to-age” story of a lost boy (and therefore becomes one of the favorites of the story), finds himself caught in the midst of another Northern horde preparing to descend on the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros.
Stannis Baratheon retreats from the defeat he suffered in the Battle of Blackwater Rush and contemplates his next move along with the mysterious and deadly Melisandre who seems to have an agenda of her own. Tyrion Lannister finds his relationship with his family deteriorating as fortunes seems to be turning towards the better for the Lannisters. And across the sea, Daenerys Targaryen, becomes more and more in control of her future as she braves every challenge coming her way while her army grows around her – an army poised for an invasion of Westeros and which may include one very frightening mythical monster.
Martin also introduces other POV characters, most particularly interesting that of Jaime Lannister as readers begin to understand his character and motivations. It is a testament to Martin's great writing that a character once reviled as almost a monster in the first two books, begins to shine in a different light, becoming a character in which readers can almost sympathize. And the author doesn’t just stop at that. Like before, he never lets his reader become secure with the direction his plot. Anything can still happen. Any one major character can still die, including the favorites. Martin weaves such a beautifully complicated yarn where the characters become quite messed up that by the end of the tale almost every major character’s story turns to a drastically and almost shockingly different direction in some of the biggest twists of tales written in the genre. And nobody, I repeat, nobody would ever be prepared for the final page of the book. Kudos to George R.R. Martin!
Picking up from the story Martin started with A Game of Thrones and continued with A Clash of Kings, and although it has the feel of being a middle book with no beginning and ending, his writing seems to be getting better. And things in Westeros are getting messier. We continue to follow the march of Robb Stark, who although he continues to win his battles against the Lannisters, his situation is getting worse. Meanwhile, his siblings aren’t faring any better. Arya is still lost and continues to try to find her family, and on the way meets one of the most feared men in the land, Sandor Cleagane. Brandon, is escaping the fate that has befallen the Starks home at Winterfell and discovers talents that he never had before. Sansa, the poster-child of spoiled princesses the world over, finds herself still alone in King’s Landing and a pawn of people eager to use her Stark name. And Jon Snow, the one character whose tale follows the more traditional “coming-to-age” story of a lost boy (and therefore becomes one of the favorites of the story), finds himself caught in the midst of another Northern horde preparing to descend on the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros.
Stannis Baratheon retreats from the defeat he suffered in the Battle of Blackwater Rush and contemplates his next move along with the mysterious and deadly Melisandre who seems to have an agenda of her own. Tyrion Lannister finds his relationship with his family deteriorating as fortunes seems to be turning towards the better for the Lannisters. And across the sea, Daenerys Targaryen, becomes more and more in control of her future as she braves every challenge coming her way while her army grows around her – an army poised for an invasion of Westeros and which may include one very frightening mythical monster.
Martin also introduces other POV characters, most particularly interesting that of Jaime Lannister as readers begin to understand his character and motivations. It is a testament to Martin's great writing that a character once reviled as almost a monster in the first two books, begins to shine in a different light, becoming a character in which readers can almost sympathize. And the author doesn’t just stop at that. Like before, he never lets his reader become secure with the direction his plot. Anything can still happen. Any one major character can still die, including the favorites. Martin weaves such a beautifully complicated yarn where the characters become quite messed up that by the end of the tale almost every major character’s story turns to a drastically and almost shockingly different direction in some of the biggest twists of tales written in the genre. And nobody, I repeat, nobody would ever be prepared for the final page of the book. Kudos to George R.R. Martin!
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