A Clash of Kings
No. 2 in the A Song of Ice and Fire series
by George R. R. Martin
|
Bantam (New York): 02 February 1999. Hardback. ISBN-10: 0-55310-803-4 Suggested retail price: $25.95 (US) Tags: Fantasy; ice; kings; ravens; swords; wolves Tactical strength: [6/10] |
Compare prices on A Clash of Kings by George R. R. Martin at Book Cost
A Clash of Kings continues the story Martin started in A Game of Thrones -- one of the best fantasy novels of all time. Martin continues his powerful story line, but this second novel doesn't deliver the same punch as the first.
It seems that Martin loves his creation so much, that he must share every detail he knows, even if the detail has no bearing on the outcome. For example, Ser Davos sails into battle and Martin has him list the names of just about every ship in the attacking fleet, even though the names have no bearing on the outcome and most Martin never mentions again. Also, for a 700-page book, Martin hardly developed the characters beyond where he left them at the end of the first volume.
Even though A Clash of Kings pales in comparison to A Game of Thrones, don't think that Martin doesn't tell a compelling story. In light of the underdeveloped characters, the plot works overtime to bring the tensions between the kings to an interesting climax, and Martin does set up the characters for an interesting beginning to the third book.
