I tore through this series, and while I would obviously recommend all the books, as they are essential to progressing the tale, A Storm of Swords seemed to stand above the others just slightly. I will not get into spoilers, as I would have hated to been spoiled on some of the plot twists that occur (there are quite a few!). I will say that at one point in the book I couldn't get to sleep because my heart was pounding so hard from the dismay and utter disbelief of what turn the plot took. A Storm of Swords is one of those books that you will pick-up to read before bed, look at the clock, and suddenly it is 3am in the morning... which seems like a great time for just one more chapter. If you have made it this far in the series, you owe it to yourself to pick-up this book, and continue on the epic journey through Westeros, the far east, and beyond the Wall.

Phew. I finished it. Who needs a 1200+ page novel? This cult favorite breaks every rule of the literary fiction/creative writing major/MFA crowd. It's got more characters than an ant hill has ants. A hundred story lines moving forward in a dizzying, incomprehensible maze. Names. Dates. Serial numbers. It's huge. Martin makes no attempt at creating a beginning, middle and end to this multi-volume epic--not to the whole thing or any volume. He just ends the thing--probably when he couldn't lift the manuscript any more--leaving threads untied, tales unfinished. Readers drooling.

My editors and writing coaches would ring their hands at this monster. But they haven't sold like Martin does, and they haven't created a very large jewel like this, either.

I loved it and started the next volume immediately. I'm not even done with that, and I'm asking my daughter, "Wasn't there a sequel on the way?" "Did you say there's a chapter to be downloaded?"

It's addictive and I'm addicted. No one can describe pageantry or create an imaginary world like Martin.

I gave the book 4 stars rather than 5 because of the publisher's cruelty to the reader. Packing this mother around was painful. It could be marketed as a form of exercise or maybe even a weight loss program. It's just too big. Why couldn't they have packaged it into two 600+ page books rather than this gigantic phone book? And why the submicroscopic print in the mass paperback versions? Please, you've got addicts, treat them nicely.

I'm midway through book 4 of the series and expect to wait, panting, for the next volume. Numenon (Bloodsong) (Bloodsong)

I've got two books of my own published and have worked like a dog to achieve that. And here comes George R. R. Martin with this gigantic book and larger series and breaks every rule--and charms me! Totally. I have to say--I'm mad at the literary establishment. The teachers and professors at writing conferences tell us don't do this: And then Martin does, and it works.

But who needs a 1200+ page novel? This cult favorite breaks every rule of the literary fiction/creative writing major/MFA crowd. It's got more characters than an ant hill has ants. A hundred story lines moving forward in a dizzying, incomprehensible maze. Names. Dates. Serial numbers. It's huge. Martin makes no attempt at creating a beginning, middle and end to this multi-volume epic--not to the whole thing or any volume. He just ends the thing--probably when he couldn't lift the manuscript any more--leaving threads untied, tales unfinished. Readers drooling.

My editors and writing coaches would ring their hands at this monster. But they haven't sold like Martin does, and they haven't created a very large jewel like this, either.

I loved it and started the next volume immediately. I'm not even done with that, and I'm asking my daughter, "Wasn't there a sequel on the way?" "Did you say there's a chapter to be downloaded?"

It's addictive and I'm addicted. No one can describe pageantry or create an imaginary world like Martin.

I gave the book 4 stars rather than 5 because of the publisher's cruelty to the reader. Packing this mother around was painful. It could be marketed as a form of exercise or maybe even a weight loss program. It's just too big. Why couldn't they have packaged it into two 600+ page books rather than this gigantic phone book? And why the submicroscopic print in the mass paperback versions? Please, you've got addicts, treat them nicely.

I'm midway through book 4 of the series and expect to wait, panting, for the next volume.

If you've liked the previous two installments of the ASOIAF series, then A Storm of Swords is the very definition of a must-buy; it takes the already great plot, characterization and overall workmanship of the previous two books and turns it up a notch or ten.

Be warned, though, several plot developments might result in your book being slammed to the floor or thrown across the room in rage/frustration or (if you're so inclined) wild celebration.

A Storm of Swords is incredibly entertaining and the best book of the series to date. The "issues" I had with the earlier two books (mainly the excessive, constant and gratutious sexual humiliation of women and other needless and bizarre hyper-sexual content directed at a 13 year old) which prevented me from giving them 5 stars are either gone or under control in this book. There is sex in this book but it isn't gratuitous - and therein lies the difference.

This book is nonstop action. The character development is interesting and on-point. This is one of the most entertaining books I have ever read in any genre. In short, I loved it and would recommend it highly. I suspect that fans of Martin will agree that this is the best of the series published to date.

This is the best of series so far. I'm excited to get started on a feast for crows.

Some of the self indulgence that turns Feast for Crows into a mediocrity shows up in this book, especially with Arya's POV. She goes here and doesn't do much, goes there and doesn't do much, and goes to a 3rd place and does didly squat. Martin wants to get her to Braavos so that her POV can begin to do what it was meant to do but he doesn't quite know how to get her there.
But Martin still has a dramatic tale to tell and he tells it.
One of the themes in Martin's story is how all these characters make plans and they all go astray. The more carefully planned and longer term the more spectacular the eventual undoing. There's a great revelation concerning Littlefinger's machinations at the end of this book, at a critical juncture where things start to go wrong for him. He finds a way out of the current impasse but Feast for Crows starts to give hints as to how things may come undone altogether. But, he has an important new ally, Sansa Stark. Rather than a pawn that is caught in his web as some have intreprted her, she develops into a valuable co-conspirator.
Joffrey Baratheon who is really Lannister wins the Iron Throne by coming into posession of widow Margery Tyrell's privy purse. Renly Baratheon was gay and the lover of brother Loras Tyrell, so her claims to virginity are plausible. But, something goes wrong for Joffrey, and the going wrong is a great read. It's not just the Starks whose efforts come undone, the Lannister's luck starts to run out in this book as well.
For those that were suprised by the turn of events of House Stark in this book - there were two dead givaways in the previous book that things were going to go very wrong for the Starks. One was the vision that Dany had in the House of the Undying. Another was the dream that Theon Greyjoy had at Winterfell. RR Martin hits people over the head with a sledgehammer to telegraph the direction of the story and few people get it.
The only main characters who seam to come out on top of the circumstances thrown at them are the two main ones - Dany (Fire) and Jon (Ice), both of whom are Targaryens, though Jon is a bastard. These two characters have the great destiny of typical fantasy literature, though both their lives are so screwed up that you wouldn't want to be them.
There's something in the Targaryen bloodline that allows them to control dragons. Dragons had died out but have returned just in time to battle the evil undead ice elves from the north - the true threat to humanity that all those that play the Game of Thrones are ignoring, with the exception of unloved Stannis Baratheon who comes to Jon's rescue with the few men who remain loyal to him.
The catch is that dragons are dangerous and though they will obey the Targaryens, they make no other discrimination about what or whom they may choose for a meal between battles.
The Targaryens themselves, being the last nobility of the lost city/empire of Valyria have inbred for the past 300 years, and nearly every one of the last couple of generations has been insane. Rhaegar, Jon's father, and Jon are exceptions. Maester Aemon of the Night's Watch is another exception. Dany isn't an exception. She means well, but so far she has managed to accomplish nothing more than sowing chaos in her wake.

Some of the self indulgence that turns Feast for Crows into a mediocrity shows up in this book, especially with Arya's POV. She goes here and doesn't do mucn, goes there and doesn't do much, and goes to a 3rd place and does didly squat. Martin wants to get her to Braavos so that her POV can begin to do what it was meant to do but he doesn't quite know how to get her there.
But Martin still has a dramatic tale to tell and he tells it.
One of the themes in Martin's story is how all these characters make plans and they all go astray. The more carefully planned and longer term the more spectacular the eventual undoing. There's a great revelation concerning Littlefinger's machinations at the end of this book, at a critical juncture where things start to go wrong for him. He finds a way out of the current impasse but Feast for Crows starts to give hints as to how things may come undone altogether. But, he has an important new ally, Sansa Stark. Rather than a pawn that is caught in his web as some have intreprted her, she develops into a valuable co-conspirator.
Joffrey Baratheon who is really Lannister wins the Iron Throne by coming into posession of widow Margery Tyrell's privy purse. Renly Baratheon was gay and the lover of brother Loras Tyrell, so her claims to virginity are plausible. But, something goes wrong for Joffrey, and the going wrong is a great read. It's not just the Starks whose efforts come undone, the Lannister's luck starts to run out in this book as well.
The only main characters who seam to come out on top of the circumstances thrown at them are the two main ones - Dany (Fire) and Jon (Ice), both of whom are Targaryens, though Jon is a bastard. These two characters have the great destiny of typical fantasy literature, though both their lives so screwed up that you wouldn't want to be them.
There's something in the Targaryen bloodline that allows them to control dragons. Dragons had died out but have returned just in time to battle the evil undead ice elves from the north - the true threat to humanity that all those that play the Game of Thrones are ignoring, with the exception of unloved Stannis Baratheon who comes to Jon's rescue with the few men who remain loyal to him.

This is book three of this intricately-plotted, cast-of-thousands series and it easily represents a couple of reams of paper. The reader needs weightlifting to pick it up and the endurance of a soldier on a death march. Once you start, you are chained to it, in thrall to the drama and epic sweep of the story. Multiple characters hold a reader's interest; some are likable; some not so much. Every storyline has one sympathetic character in great peril. The characters develop and change; the reader's view of them shifts constantly.

Jaime Lannister is one of the undoubted bad guys with incest and murder in his background. He killed the king he was sworn to protect and crippled a child of seven. One spends the first two books hating him, but in this one, we see some of his inner motivations. We watch him growing a conscience and start to admire him for his good qualities. In his wit and bravery, he resembles his brother Tyrion. His story is one of many that undergo dramatic changes of circumstance and unpredictable shifts.

Jon Snow, the bastard son of Eddard Stark, Lord of Winterfell, is another character whose circumstances upend themselves. Daenerys is another character who transforms herself. It is interesting that these two characters seem to be moving in a parallel direction.

As splendid as this series is, I can see fault lines developing as the story lines splinter and more characters and more plot lines are brought before the reader. The author has a habit of leaving a character in peril at the end of a chapter and with so many stories going at once, it is frequently a long time before he can get back to that thread. Seven hundred pages of this will leave the reader feeling jerked around. I would have deducted a star, but the author presented so many dramatic twists near the end of the book that I was stunned. Suddenly one sees why he splits off and follows Sam Tarly; one gets the point of something five hundred pages earlier. The complexity and permutations of fortune will make re-reading this series as great a pleasure as the first reading was. This is splendid value for the money, a series and a book to treasure for years to come.

I'm so in need of a Martin fix, that for the past two days I've been reading the customer reviews of this series, for the pure enjoyment of reminiscing.

I only picked these books up this Spring, which I suppose is rather lucky, since I was able to plow through the first four books non-stop, but now I'm in the same boat as the rest of you, eagerly awaiting the 5th installment.

This, the third volume is what I consider to be the greatest fantasy series out there, is also the greatest book in that series, difficult as that may seem to those who have just read the first two. This books continues Martin's amazing story, or indeed stories, as he weaves many disparate plot-lines together, or apart, telling of different happenings from many points of view. The realism in the thoughts and actions of the characters, the development, is, well, just astounding. The entire book - entire series, really, is like a work of art (although, not in a boring way, not in the slightest).

Of the four books out in the series, I would rate this one as the best, but, taken alone, any single book in the series is worthy of all the praise I heaped upon this one, if not more, and might well be my favorite book were it not for this one.

If you are an avid fantasy reader, then you really are not complete until you have read this series.

One Caveat: if you are NOT an avid reader, this probably is not the best introduction to the genre or reading. Not that it isnt a good example - quite the opposite, in fact - but that it is not a light read, not a quick bit of entertainment or a way to pass the time. This series is serious business, the kind more for those, like myself, who make time to read rather than read to pass time.

I have to state up front that fantasy is one of my most hated literary genres, right up there with SciFi. That being said, I do not know what possessed me to pick up this book (oh wait, yes I do, it was the incredibly overwhelming positive feedback). Well, those readers did not lie. If you are a fan of the "quest for honor" type story (think here Lord of the Rings), this is about to become your most favorite series ever. Beautifully written, incredibly imaginative, I fell in love with the series within a few pages. You'll thank yourself for giving these a go.

best start to a fantasy series i've read. But definitely wait till they last 3 installments come out before diving it. It's no fun to wait a few years between books.

it's the best of the first four books (that are out now)

Great book, great author great, series. This is one of the best high fantasy author's I have read in quite some time. I can only compare to Tolkien the work is exceptionally complete, all the sub stories wrap together with pure beauty. The kind of books you can't put down till there none left I have already ordered the pre-release on the next book.

I couldn't possibly recommend this series more. For fans of epic sword and sorcery this is a must read. I put off reading the series for most of a decade and positively ran through it, and have since gone back and reread it twice.

If you haven't started reading this series, it's fair to say that you shouldn't start. While the first two books are admittedly long winded, they are well done. That's what makes this third book such a tragedy. At some point in the third book one realizes that you've invested in a tragedy where perhaps only a few will survive. The only problem is that Shakespeare did it better in only a fraction of the pages. But there it is. By the time you get to the third book you feel obligated to continue, if only for a glimmer of hope to come through.

This is definitely the weakest book of the series so far and in some places even gets a bit repetitive (both sword duels reflect professional wrestling as the victors drop their guard momentarily after winning and are suddenly put down). Martin may argue that the large number of irked reviews for this book is somehow a positive, but he should remember it's not positive if people are telling each other to stay away. That I may not even be half way through this series after 3 books is what is truly tragic. Many are right to comment that it appears that the emperor has no clothes.

For a truly satifying experience, read Martin's short stories of Dunk, which take place at an earlier time within this world. Then move on to something else...before it's too late.

I guess my taste in fantasy is not similar to those who review the books on Amazons site.

I was stunned to read all the reviews of how great this book series was and then to read them. There were many plots. Unfortunately most of the plots ended up going no where. When you get to the end of the book you kind of go huh? Some plots had detail that made you wonder if you were in an R-Rated type book. I guess the idea was to not leave anything to your imagination but just describe really gross and disgusting scenes.

There were a few sections which gave you hope that the story was going to take off as the reviews indicated, but it never happened. In the end you were left wondering if there was another book coming since most of the plots didn't come to a conclusion, they were just kind of left hanging. As I got closer to the end with few pages left I was wondering how is he going to wrap everything up. Well the laugh was on me, he simply didn't wrap them up and the one he did, didn't make sense if you've read any good fantasy.

I couldn't recommend this series of books to anyone!

...Are you ready for this? A Song of Ice and Fire Books are not only as good, they're...BET-TER THAN the Lord of the Rings. Is that the bomb that will bring us together? Probably not.

The first thing I noticed about the first quarter of this book is that it wasn't quite as chronically addictive. I found it less painful to put down, and more predictable than its predecessors. Then it got better, then it went Scorcese...I got emotionally involved, and bummed out for an hour. And then it hit me again, I was hooked and had to read the rest...good save.

But you know what, Martin either needs an editor or should send his current one to the Black. There were several forgiveable errors, but the one that says "Maybe I need to do a little more than just run a spellcheck" all over it is on p. 495 "...to rape their windows." And this was translated into how many languages? I wonder how that turned out. Raping windows...hmmm. I think some of Martin's TV-writing experience is reflected in these books as well. Is it me, or does each of these chapters/viewpoints typically end as if it were anticipating a commercial break?

Too bad Martin didn't stick with his original intent of a trilogy, because the story is going all over the place , and doesn't seem to have the same solid direction that A Game of Thrones was going. Nevertheless, the majority of the characters retain a high level of interest. It's still worth reading if you read and enjoyed the previous two.

What do I mean by mainstream? I suppose you could also define it "literary fantasy." What drives all of George R.R. Martin's magnificent segments in his epic are the characters and how they develop across this colorful tapestry of war, greed, lust -- all the standard themes of truly great literature. He handles it oh-so-well and without a doubt Books 1-3 of A Song of Ice and Fire are among my favorites, at least the equal of The Lord of the Rings (Tolkien) and my new favorite Derek Armstrong's Song of Montségur trilogy (although so far I've only read/reviewed the first book The Last Troubdour.)The Last of the Troubadours, Carl Michael Bellman (1740-1795), although I'm about to order book 2, The Last Quest.The Last Quest: Song of Montsegur A fantastic journey, and I would recommend this to anyone over the age of 14 (after all it is a lusty, violent tale). This is one book you almost want to read on your Kindle or E-Ink reader simply due to the sheer weight of paper, even in the mass paperback, but I'd take it anyway I can get it. Just for the record, the first book in the series (separately reviewed) is actually my top favorite in this series. A Game of Thrones (A Song of Ice and Fire, Book 1)

George R. R. Martin has outdone himself in this, the third tome in his wickedly-entertaining "A Song of Ice and Fire" fantasy series. Yes, the series started off at a ploddingly slow pace with "A Game of Thrones", but the second book, "A Clash of Kings" picked up the pace and the plot got better. This third book improves on the previous two, on just about every aspect. The pacing is faster, the plot is "tighter", and the story is finally moving forward.

The land of Westeros is still in chaos and turmoil. The smallfolk continue to suffer as the Great Lords play their "game of thrones". Meanwhile, against this epic backdrop of war and political maneuverings, characters both great and small gradually reveal their own desires and motivations. Through many twists and turns, the plot will delight you, surprise you, shock you, and might even anger you. Old values, beliefs, alliances, and friendships will be shattered. New alliances are built. The old Gods now give way to the powerful flame god from overseas.

Jon Snow returns to Castle Black, with a wildling woman he has taken under the sheets. Meanwhile, his trusty side-kick, the self-described craven, Samwell Tarly has taken it upon himself to rescue a wildling woman from a band of rebel crows. The Young Wolf, having made a very foolish mistake attempts to right his wrong and repair a broken, and vital, alliance. The Kingslayer, under the escort of Brienne the Beauty, slowly reveals himself through a series of conversations with the maiden from Tarth. Tyrion, ever-clever, slowly tries to regain his political power within King's Landing, and gains himself a new paramour in the process.

Daenerys Stormborn, the last of the Targaryens, continue to gather followers, admirers, soldiers, and enemies. As her power grows, so do the list of those who would stop her. Stannis, the King in the Narrow Sea, has been broken, with no one to turn to but the priestess and sorceress, Melisandre.

Many, both high and low, will fall. And the dead will rise again. Winter is coming. The long night is coming. Old heroes will die and new ones will rise to take their place to face the new evil that is about to unleash itself unto the world. And your friend and reviewer, the ever-humble Citan, can only look forward to the next installments in the series with great hope and excitement.

I thought that with so many pages and being the third book it was going to decrease in interest and action.... Surprisingly, I found again that Martin is able to surprise me with every single chapter.... It's a really good work.... Congratulations to the author. Highly recommended.

To get to my review, you probably skimmed over more than a few that beg you to read Martin's series, perhaps just to get to this third book, his masterpiece. They're all correct. I've read hundreds, if not a thousand, science fiction and fantasy novels and this is the single best piece of fiction I have ever read.

If you need stereotypical good and bad characters immersed in a constant series of black and white scenarios, such as those created by David Eddings or those hacks who write the Dragonlance stuff churn out month after month, this is not your author. Martin's material is deep. His books read like historical fiction, with just enough fantasy thrown in to keep you on your toes. His characters are second to none and the world and specific locations he has created are simply breathtaking. I've turned on over a dozen people to these books personally and have never had anyone less than thrilled with the material. Please, please give A Game of Thrones a try. The second book is even better, and A Storm of Swords is pure genius that will leave you exhausted yet desperate for more (maybe don't start it until a publication date is announced for book 5....). It's unlike anything else out there and will ruin you for other fantasy writers, but the pleasure is just too great to resist.

I am no expert on fantasy literature, but for my dollar, no one is better that George R.R. Martin. This is the third volume in his project seven volume series a Song of Ice and Fire. If you're going to read these, you are definitely going to want to start with the first volume, A Game of Thrones (A Song of Ice and Fire, Book 1)

A Storm of Swords is less of an action book than the two previous installment, and spend more time developing characters and advancing the plot. That's fine with me. I often find battle scenes boring, and would rather follow the machinations happening in the Castles.

All the reviews on here are raving about Martin's ability to build characters and plot. I agree with that, Martin has built a complex world full of very human characters with flaws and desires just like the rest of us. These are not books that rely on battles or sorcery to keep our interest; they are character driven novels where you care very much what happens to everyone.

But, in addition to his grasp of excellent character development and plot construction, what puts Martin at the top of the pile is his attention to detail, both in the structure of the books, and in the descriptions of the world. No detail is unimportant, and clues to future events are peppered through this, and every one of his books. Also, Martin's descriptions of setting, clothing, and especially food, make Martin comparable to Dickens in his ability to create and shape a world.

All that is to say, that if you're interested in a good story, whether you are usually a fan of fantasy or not, then Martin is a great writer to get interested in.

- S.T. Sullivan

Having come this far in the series, needless to say I think it's excellent and, if you're thinking of picking this one up, you probably already know that this is not the typical good/evil fantasy approach, nor one so distant in its fantasy themes that it couldn't have been a part of real human history (with some obvious exceptions).

That said, while I still rate it five stars, I am having some minor complaints by this point:

First, Martin has killed off more characters than died in the American Civil War. While I appreciate his willingness to do this to move the plot forward, I'm forced to start wondering if, when we reach the final novel in this series, there will be any of the original characters remaining to come out on top! This isn't a major criticism, and generally I like what he's doing, but I do worry...

Second, I agree with other reviewers who have said that the sexual themes in the series are a bit over the top. I'm not against these on any matter of principle. This is fantasy for adults, I'd say, and sex is a welcome part of that. But to define characters as sexual (which to some extent makes them wholly human) to the extent that Martin does is probably not necessary. I have no problem with it because it's "dirty." My main concern is that it's overused to the point that, when it's an important plot device, the readers will no longer recognize it as such because of its overuse.

But these are minor criticisms of a series that has really spoiled me for all others. I still rate it as excellent, and look forward to new installments!

A Storm of Swords is filled with all the intricacies that made the first two novels so compelling: a well-crafted plot, deep and realistically flawed characters, unexpected twists, fluid writing style, and great imagery. The thing I like most about Martin is how he develops his characters -- you may start off liking one character and then at some point you may turn against him and then you may come back around to liking him again -- and I also love how he is willing to kill off anyone at any moment; no one is ever safe, which makes the storyline unpredictable, and it is this kind of decision making with characters that sets the series apart.

My only complaint with A Storm of Swords is the fact that I felt Martin took too long to actually ramp the story up. There is a lot of build up in this novel, as in the second book A Clash of Kings, and it is my contention that Martin could have eliminated a lot of the description and even some of the chapters, and the storyline still would have remained intact. The ending of A Storm of Swords is fantastic, and it really propels you into book 4. By the last couple of hundred pages, the storyline really starts to accelerate, and everything becomes chaotic, and after you turn the last page, you are left breathless.

I was blown away by the first two books in the series, and all of the positive things that have been said about books are true: riveting story lines, amazing character development, beautiful writing style. But by the middle of the third book, I was beginning to have enough, enough of the lengthy descriptions of family colors and crests, enough of the requisite twist at the end of *every* chapter, enough of Martin thinking I have the time to waste sitting around watching his dazzling display of verbosity. By the end of the book, I just wanted to get it over with. For book 4, I found a detailed plot summary online, and let that suffice. I may do the same for book 5, if it ever appears. I guess I'm not sure there's a point to investing my time and emotional energy in a storyline where at the end, there probably won't be any characters left, and the land will be so ruined, it won't be worth claiming by anyone. There are plenty of far more satisfying reads out there.

When this book first came out Martin had to put out a letter explaining that he had to chop it down to half the characters because it would have been too big. He said to expect the rest in six months.
HOGWASH! Where is the rest of it? Just like Robert Jordan and his "Wheel of Time" series, this story got away from Martin and we may never see the end.

This review is going to have spoilers. If you haven't read this book or series yet, you are missing out, especially if you enjoy epic fantasy in the vein of Robert Jordan. I actually think George R.R. Martin is better than Jordan (!!!) which is saying quite a lot, because Jordan's writing, at the height of his abilities, was unbelievably engrossing. Many of us sacrificed jobs, marriages, mortgages and hygiene to the Wheel of Crack. We became bad people but it was fun.

A few more words on Jordan: many times I think the book reviews that appear on the covers of trade paperbacks are not worth reading, and I think others can testify to the same experience, but in the case of Jordan's first Wheel of Time novels this isn't the case. Jordan's work did nothing short of revolutionizing contemporary fantasy, and without Jordan, I don't believe the world would've been ready for Martin. That might be hyperbolic garbage, but the fact is that before Jordan, people didn't write fantasy in the way that Martin does, and after Jordan people do. Terry Goodkind imitates Jordan, but he is not as competent as Jordan. George R.R. Martin imitates Jordan, and he is more competent than Jordan. Never before has the literary press hailed the second-coming of Tolkien with such unabashed enthusiasm, and never before has a writer justified the expectations of his fan base more completely than Martin did with A Storm of Swords. I wish I could say the same for A Feast for Crows; I only hope that Martin's abilities will show themselves in the forthcoming Dance with Dragons the way they did in this title. "Shakespearean" is not too strong a word to use in describing Martin's powers of plot structure, character development, and the delicately accurate-to-life interpersonal conflicts that drive this series. Seriously. Shakespearean. Unfortunately, I feel that Martin cut off his sword hand with this novel, and I will be totally astonished if his series recovers. I hope with every part of me that feels, but I don't think it will. He killed too many characters. Bringing them back from the dead ruined Jordan and it will ruin Martin too. Jon Snow, Tyrion Lannister, and Daeneryes Targaryen are THE ONLY CHARACTERS WHO MATTER in this series AT ALL, after A Storm of Swords. The rest of them are window decorations. If those three don't figure heavily (almost exclusively) in A Dance With Dragons I'll peace out the way I did with Jordan and MAYBE come back to the series when Martin puts out the last book or kicks the bucket.

But anyway, I don't want to dwell on admonitory notes too much. It's not fair to the work Martin did with this title. His writing was never better here. This title makes the biggest case for Martin as the "American Tolkien," but it's a complete misnomer. Fantasy enthusiasts for decades have awaited the second-coming of Tolkien the way fundamentalists await the second-coming of Christ, but there won't be another Tolkien and we probably wouldn't read his books if there was. Tolkien was not a novelist, he was a linguist and his prose is (admit it) Biblically cumbersome. It's not that people enjoyed that writing style a long time ago and they don't now. No. People have NEVER enjoyed that writing style and they never will. The prose of Robert Louis Stevenson and Sir Walter Scott is faster paced and more engaging than the prose of J.R.R. Tolkien. It's a testament to the strength of his vision and his abilities with the language that The Lord of the Rings turned him into the rock star he is today. The writing of George R.R. Martin is fantasy realism. Tolkien utilizes symbolism and allegory; Martin tries to portray a fantasy world in which people think and act the way they do in real life. In this respect, Martin represents the new direction the genre has taken in the way Jordan did, but unlike Jordan, Martin even went so far as to eliminate the "Dark Lord" character. The idea that the fantasy genre is going to bring us back, someday, to Tolkien is the biggest fantasy in the market. We don't even WANT to go back to Tolkien. We want to take Tolkien with us and move forward. If there was an American Tolkien (and I hesitate to acknowledge this possibility) the only realistic candidate for that distinction is Stephen R. Donaldson (sorry Terry Brooks), and his heyday was the 1970s, when Tolkien's popularity was first really beginning to rise (THIRTY YEARS after he published LOTR). Martin has elements of Tolkien (I guess), but maybe more elements of Shakespeare or Thomas Malory mixed with Jordan's theory.

In the longest book of the series so far, the lands of Westeros are no closer to peace than when we last left them. Filled with jaw-dropping twists, ASoS was very easy to get lost in for hours upon hours.

=part three of the A Song of Ice and Fire series=

Minimum Maturity Level - Adult
Strong violence. Strong language. Sexual situations.

Previous Reading Required - Major
Must read "A Game of Thrones" first, then "A Clash of Kings" next. Otherwise, you'll be lost on the plot.

Reading Level - Average
Easy to read, never a confusing paragraph.

Rate of Development - Extremely Fast
Picks up where "A Clash of Kings" left off.

The Story - More major battles, more death and mayhem, more intrigue and conspiracies. Some mysteries revealed.

My Suggestion - Highly Recommended
This is by far my favorite book of the series. This one will definately shock you and fill you with joy all at once. The ending is very climatic. I can only describe the series so far as a neverending joy to read. 1000 pages? I wished it was 2000 pages. It's just that good.

This is the third book in the Song of Fire and Ice series. Many main characters are killed and new points of view are introduced.

What was best: The plot had interesting twists and there was interesting character developments. Jaime Lannister seemed to be a generic cad in the first book, somewhat more interesting in the 2nd book and full fledged in the 3rd. Melisandre, the Red Sorceress, you wonder if she might be a flawed ally against the Undead of the beyond the Wall. Jon Snow may have joined the Wildlings at the end of the second book and could be facing consequences from the likes of Alisdair Thorn and Janos Slint(sorry for the spelling I listened to the Audio book). It is realistic in that the good and well intentioned make huge life costing blunders and the conniving coast by on looks and presentation. There is no escapism in this. The new King's Hand, Tywin Lannister, always does what is easy instead of right, and is none the worse. Danyreus is gaining more followers and makes her initial conquests but is unable to consolidate her holdings. Again this is a twist from fantasies.

What wasn't good: Tyrion Lannister is one of my favorite characters. He shines when he is using his considerable intelligence and rolling the dice, in a figurative sense. However, in this book and in the others, he is given abilities with the crossbow, battle axe, and sword. Despite, having his aching legs and recent battle injuries, he wields these weapons with proficiency.

New points of view I'd like to see in future books: Sandor Clegain, Ser Jorra Mormont, Mira or Jojen Reed.

The book is a good long read and leaves enough unanswered questions to intrigue but not frustrate the reader.

This series is AWESOME! I love the first two books. I havnt finished this book; however, I have already ordered the fourth book. This book and the others is not for the weak of heart! Lets just say- George R. R. Martin is not afraid to kill of characters. I start to fall in love with a character and before I know it, he or she is dead. It has many plot twists and paraphrasing an underlying theme , "Life is not a song." I'm hoping the series has a happy ending where the main characters are avenged. Anyone who read this book will agree with me- I hope the Freys burn in hell.

It is incredibly difficult to put into words how you feel after reading George RR Martin's work. There are many before me who have written extensive reviews of the books in A Song of Ice and Fire and I feel there is little I could really add or detract from any of them. To put it simply, if you are a fan of fantasy, and I mean from a casual reader who picks up a novel every couple of years or a die-hard fanatic, Martin's books are worth their weight in gold. The story is incredibly rich with detail, history, action and most importantly, intrigue. It is not written in the epic nature of the Lord of the Rings but challenges Tolkien's great work by instead offering a reader a world of fantasy that is startling similar to our own. Martin's realism, proven by his extensive historical research and adept knowledge of human nature, is what raises these books toward becoming classics. Like any other fan of the books, I can't say enough how much you should read them. Do not feel intimidated by their size as you will quickly move through the books once you are entrapped in the stirring stories. Go buy this and the other books.

Hopefully Martin will finish the series within the next ten years...

All of the comments I made about book 2 apply here as well ... although in this case, even though the book seems more complex and fragmentary than ever, the pacing seems slightly faster, and the amount of gratuitous sex and gory violence is a bit less. Unlike book 2, books 1 & 3 doesn't go quite so far enough overboard on those elements to merit a "Mature Reader" warning.

I think the pacing seems faster because GRRM got busy resolving a lot of dangling plot lines in rather ... ahem ... forceful fashion. Yes, that's a backhanded reference to my comments in book 2 regarding his tendency towards excessively high mortality among his main characters. This book reads like a Greek Tragedy at times.

Anyway, despite the incredibly fragmented storytelling, I still found it to be a gripping and highly entertaining read ... due in large part to the growing sense of depth in some of the main villains**. It's not often I finish 3,000+ pages of books in such a short period of time.

[SPOILER ALERT]
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I like how the author gave added depth to the characters of Jaime & Tyrion Lannister, by introducing nostalgia, regret, remorse, and a latent need for redemption and having a legacy. Tyrion got repeatedly screwed by his own family, no matter how hard he tried, and would up exacting some long overdue revenge. Ditto to a lesser degree for Jaime, who took a refreshingly introspective turn after his maiming.
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[/SPOILER END]

Highly recommended ... albeit for patient readers with a longer than average attention span.

[EDIT] Ok, here's something else that bother's me about GRRM's writing style that I forgot to mention in my review of Book 2 - he seems to take undue pleasure in describing people going to the bathroom. Yes, it's a perfectly normal reality of daily life, and we all go to the bathroom .. but he describes it with such regularity that it's almost like he's doing it to make a statement - like he's flaunting his commitment to hyper realism.

I actually remember the very first time that the sound of a toilet flushing was allowed on American TV ... it was the infamous flush by Archie Bunker on "All In The Family". People at the time yelled and screamed and talked like the world was ending. Well, it didn't ... but it definitely paved the way for an ever deepening spiral into unnecessarily graphic (and base) entertainment - which brings us back to GRRM, who, in one scene, has someone get shot in the groin with a crossbow, while they're on the privy ... and he goes out of his way to describe how the person's bowels loosen and empty down the chute into the moat below.

I realize we'll never go back to 1950'ish sensibilities of Tolkien (in which the author created a vast body of perfect 10 fantasy work that didn't incluide even a single needlessly graphic reference to voiding one's bowels or raping corpses), nor should we ... but there comes a point when enough is enough. I think GRRM repeatedly crosses that line at times. Eddie Murphy demonstrated some time ago that although the word "f*@k" is funny, there comes a point when it's possible to overdo it, and it's just not funny anymore. GRRM does the same thing at times in his writing, with excessive references to bodily functions.

I'm still forced to give the book 5 stars however, despite my plethora of pet peeves.

perfect but all of his books are perfect. Translation of this books must be really difficult because when I read it in turkish, I hated him and when I read the same book -It was my only english choice in Sarajevo airport- in english I adored.

You may die of old age before GM finishes this series. If it ever gets finished

In my opinion, every book in this series gets five stars, mainly for the following reasons:

Gritty without being gratuitous

Real while still very original

Gray characters that surprise the reader (you'll find your sympathies changing, along with whatever "side" you were last rooting for)

No character is safe (there's no thinking, "This character won't die in this sword fight because he's the hero" - anyone can die, and it keeps every encounter thrilling)

High emotion (horror, humor, suspense - Martin has it all)

Everything you want without clichés (there's no, "The simple farmboy didn't know he had magical powers until he discovered he was the Chosen One named in the prophesy and received a sword of great, mysterious powers")

I eagerly await his next book. :-)

I am not that far along in this book yet, but I LOVE IT!! Mr. Dotrice does a fantastic job of reading it and helps bring Martin's characters to life (I have the audio edition). As always, Martin leaves you hanging with one character as he then wets your whistle by catching you up on a character he left you behind with earlier. I cannot wait to get in my car every day just so I can follow along on the next journey.
I am actually not a fantasy reader by nature and started the series not only because my co-workers recommended it, but I got tired of being out of the loop as they discussed it constantly. I started the series believing I would dislike it because it was a fantasy book. However, Martin really grabbed me from the start and I have needed no further proding to catch myself up to speed.

*Side notes: This is the third book in a series that begins with A Game of Thrones. The second is A Clash of Kings. Martin can get graphic, gore and sex, in portions of the novel and this series may not be for younger readers or those who may find those scenes offensive.

The Kingdom of Westeros is still being torn apart by Civil unrest. The fighting between many key players has torn the world into 5 distinct factions. Joffrey is being supported by the house of the Lannisters owing to his Mother, Cersei, and natural fathers, Jaime. Stannis Baratheon has succumbed to the influence of the Red Priestess, Melisandre, who is still maintaining that he is the reborn messiah, Ashai. Robb Stark fights for the North, while Balon Greyjoy fights for the Iron Islands. Renly Baratheon, who was the fifth player in the story, has been killed by magic in the previous book.

But there are many other parts to be played in this grandiose story of intrigue. Brienne of Tarth is escorting Jaime Lannister to King's Landing on Catelyn Stark's orders in the hopes that it will encourage the Lannisters to free her captive daughters, Arya and Sansa. Robb Stark meets with Catelyn to question her of her releasing Jaime and she discovers that he has forgone his promise to the House of Frey to wed with one of their own in favor for a woman named Jeyne whom he fell in love with. Arya has been taken in by a group of mercenaries who want to ransom her to the highest bidder. Bran Stark is busy trying to get to the wall with Jojen and Meera Reed. Sansa bides her time in King's landing where she becomes a major pawn by virtue of her having reached marital age. Jon Snow is posing as a turncoat of the night watch by infiltrating the wildlings under Mance Rayder where he has also taken to a girl named Ygritte, and Samwell also has a part to play in the north. Davos Seaworth continues to watch Stannis and Melisandre, constantly suspect of her motives. Tyrion Lannister maintains a watchers position in King's Landing and even becomes involved with his sister's and father's nefarious scheming. During all of this Daenerys Targaryen is doing her utmost to secure an army fierce enough to throw into the fray.

Once again the narrative is divergent in that it is told from the point of view of many different narrators. Catelyn, Jon Snow, Daenerys, Bran, Arya, Sansa, Tyrion, and Davos return to convey their stories. Added to this are the voices of Jaime Lannister, Samwell Tarly, Sir Merret Frey, and a brother of the night's watchman named Chett. Though the story is choppy because of the many different narratives the magnitude of the characters, the strength of the overall story, and the compelling nature of the characters work to make this manner of narrative seem driven, and not in a frenetic way.

I rather enjoyed the third book in this epic saga. To me it's the strongest thus far, as many points of impact occur which really drive the plot along. Could it survive on its own outside of the first two books? Likely, but it would be less rich without them. I fully recommend this series. These are truly phenomenal books.

Could George R.R. Martin be related to J.R.R. Tolkien? Let's look at the facts:

They both have two "R"s in their names.
They both wrote exceptionally well-written and detailed fantasy.
They both wrote a fantasy series that got better and better with each book.

That last statement is certainly true in the case of "A Storm of Swords," which is the third book in Martin's "A Song of Fire and Ice" series and follows A Game of Thrones (A Song of Ice and Fire, Book 1) and A Clash of Kings (A Song of Ice and Fire, Book 2). This is not a standalone book. If you have not read the first two books, you have no business starting here because you will only be confused. So, assuming now that you are experienced with this series, I will skip over expounding on Martin's literary merits and simply say that this book is better than it's successors.

As usual, the main draw to this novel is its unpredictability. I should have known better after all the characters Martin killed in the first two novels. This book is no exception, as he continues to off MAJOR characters and take the plot in directions that the reader would never have considered. A Storm of Swords focuses heavily on Jon, Tyrion, Jaime, Arya, and Daenarys, and there is no lack of action or deceit. I am a very slow reader but this book was so fast-paced that it only took me about 3 days to finish what would normally last me a month. The interesting thing is that by focusing many chapters on Tyrion and Jaime, Martin gives us their viewpoints of the past events and I found myself actually empathizing with the Kingslayer. At the conclusion of the book, I've found that I have no idea who the "hero" and "villain" is in this novel. The correct answer is that there is none, which is just the way Martin would like it. Even Sandor Clegane, possibly the most evil character from the first novel, begins to earn a bit of respect from the reader.

"A Storm of Swords" does not have any of the climatic battles from the previous book, but will rather appeal to those who are more interested in the political intrigue and backstabbing that goes on among the characters. My only frustration with it is that Martin will end a chapter with a climatic event, and the reader is forced to wait several more chapters to pick up with that character again. But maybe this is what makes it such a fast read. Anyone who enjoyed the first two books will like this one even better, but be warned, many of the main characters in this novel do not even appear in the fourth book A Feast for Crows (A Song of Ice and Fire), and will not be picked up again until book five, A Dance with Dragons.

Wow, axes fall all over the place in this one. It's no secret that in a Martin novel no character is given a free pass to survival, but I was amazed by how many went down in this one. Jaw dropping, really, and brave of the author.

That's the first thing that comes to mind, but there's a lot of other great stuff about this book. I still have my favorite characters - I think everybody does - and that's a lot of what kept me turning the pages. Jon Snow's stuff is particularly good. He's beyond the wall and in love and torn about it. And then the seige on the wall is just amazing, finally giving us those promised giants and mammoths for real. In early novels, I'd thought that Martin skimped a bit on the battle scenes. Not so in the one. He makes the wall itself awesome and brings the battle to life with vigor.

Tyrion is a lot of fun, as always. But Daenarys is my other big favorite. I love the way she's developing, and I love that's she's got brains enough to pull off some major victories - unlike Arya and Sansa. And Jaime is quite interesting as well. He's strangely sympathetic, although with all the stuff that happens to him he deserves some sympathy.

Anyway, hell of a book, hell of a series. I'm a little worried about A Feast For Crows, considering what I've heard about it. But I'll probably give it a try before long. There's still so much promised to come. I'm fairly hooked.

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

Story- A+, Prose- A, Dialogue- A+, Romance- A, Action- A, Plot- A+.

This Series, "Song of Fire ad Ice," is by far the best modern fantasy written today, period! In a rich and vibrant fantasy world, George R. R. Martin, creates a complex and intricate story of war, intrigue, and betrayal that is similar to the historical War of the Roses, but only much grander, and vastly more compelling.

The story has something for everyone, mystery, romance, and action, but even more it creates a reality that is believable, with characters that seem real to live, some you like, some you loath, but all wonderfully interesting!


This is the third book of the series, and I liked it somewhat more than book 2, yet this book is wonderful just as a whole, it completely holds the reader and demands you to spend hours lost in this vibrant world of intrigue and conflict.

There is some violence, yet is no more than many comparable works, less than "The Return of the King," by JRRT, and it certainly fits into a medieval fantasy war story.

The sexual content touches on adult themes, but it is not anywhere as graphic as most aimed at an adult audience, anyone over the age of 16 should be able to handle this book. In fact the most disturbing sexual content in books 1 thru 4 is a retelling of an event that happens years before the events of the story.

p.s. Soon to be an HBO series, they bought the rights, hopefully we will be able to watch these characters before too long!

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

Story- A+, Prose- A, Dialogue- A+, Romance- A, Action- A, Plot- A+.

This Series, "Song of Fire ad Ice," is by far the best modern fantasy written today, period! In a rich and vibrant fantasy world, George R. R. Martin, creates a complex and intricate story of war, intrigue, and betrayal that is similar to the historical War of the Roses, but only much grander, and vastly more compelling.

The story has something for everyone, mystery, romance, and action, but even more it creates a reality that is believable, with characters that seem real to live, some you like, some you loath, but all wonderfully interesting!


This is the third book of the series, and I liked it somewhat more than book 2, yet this book is wonderful just as a whole, it completely holds the reader and demands you to spend hours lost in this vibrant world of intrigue and conflict.

There is some violence, yet is no more than many comparable works, less than "The Return of the King," by JRRT, and it certainly fits into a medieval fantasy war story.

The sexual content touches on adult themes, but it is not anywhere as graphic as most aimed at an adult audience, anyone over the age of 16 should be able to handle this book. In fact the most disturbing sexual content in books 1 thru 4 is a retelling of an event that happens years before the events of the story.

p.s. Soon to be an HBO series, they bought the rights, hopefully we will be able to watch these characters before too long!

Pretty good story, but I would have preferred for the book to have been about 300 pages shorter (too many side stories that go no where, and take a long time getting there). After reading the first three books in the series, I will be taking a break until the rest of the series comes out. I have two reasons for this....to see if they get better reviews (or more of the same), and I need a break....the books were just too long and to much work. I may be ready to continue again when the series is scheduled to be finished (2011).

For those interested, I think after book 3 is a good place for getting off the merry-go-round for a while. Enough of the story is wrapped up, or at least settling a little.

If you've read the first two installments of this series, then you know what to expect. I don't see how you could possibly be disappointed. If anything, I tend to appreciate Martin's writing even more as the story progresses.

After reading Book II, I took a short break and read several other works before returning for Book III. I found myself becoming impatient to return to A Song of Ice and Fire. The subject matter intrigues me and Martin's style is right up my alley. Though there is never an "ultimate resolution", each chapter results in a kind of cliffhanger that leaves you looking forward to a return of the just completed thread. I can honestly say that none of the threads fails to entertain, some on radically different levels.

Martin can write as many installments as he wishes and I'll read them all.

A Storm of Swords Review

*****

I now respect George R.R. Martin as an amazing writer. Recently I learned about the realism of this book via historic info on Age of Empires II. It really is true that practically everyone could be betrayed, or thought guilty of another person's crimes. Rarely were people learned resulting in a tumbleweed society, education spinning up and down on the scale of importance.

The following may contain spoilers:
This book is dominated by court intrigue. The closest we come to a battle is when Daenerys's army of Unsullied attacks a city in surprise. That even isn't really a battle. Robb Stark marches around the countryside, but doesn't do anything, while Joffrey Baratheon doesn't have any military movement at all. While Stannis chooses a new Hand, the threat of Others and the Wildlings appears.

Plot:
Of the character Jon -
Jon has decided to go with the Wildlings, while secretly spying on them. After killing Qhorin Halfhand at the man's death orders, he has convinced Mance Rayder he is trustworthy. Or has he? A slight flaw in his plan is that he never expected to come upon romance with the Wildling girl Ygritte...

Of the character Tyrion -
Tyrion spends the first part of the book recovering from the wound he took at the Battle of the Blackwater that hacked of half his nose. While he has been demoted from Hand of the King to Master of Coin when Littlefinger leaves to try and make truce with Lysa Arryn, he is still glad it's over for then. But when he is married off to Sansa Stark, what might go wrong but everything...

Of the character Samwell (new) -
Sam is fearing after when the Night's Watch was slaughtered at the Fist of the First Men. He considers himself big, fat and sissy till he kills an Other with his dragonglass blade.

Of the character Daenerys -
Daenerys spends ASOS getting troops for her army, including buying 10,000 slave warriors called "Unsullied". She does also conflict with Ser Jorah Mormont and spies, tricksters and fools.

Of the character Jaime (new) -
Jaime Lannister is traveling to King's Landing with Brienne (female warrior servant of Catelyn Tully) but runs into a couple of problems in the way like the Brave Companions.

Of the character Catelyn -
Catelyn is the point-of-view that tells the ventures of King Robb Stark. As his mother she is worried about him dying in battle. She also is covered in grief as her sons are "dead", her daughters lost and gone.

Of the character Bran -
Bran has opened his third eye. As he makes his way to past the Wall to find the three eyed crow, with Hodor, Meera and Jojen at his side he runs into some familiar company...

Of the character Sansa -
Sansa has several adventures throughout the book. She marries Tyrion Lannister, much to her dislike, and sees a strange and brutal murder...

Of the character Arya -
Arya plays the main role in this book. She leaves Harrenhal and is almost immediately captured by outlaws serving Lord Beric Dondarrion and Thoros the Red Priest. Everything goes fine until Sandor Clegane is found and captured...
Spoilers End Here.