A Clash of Kings

The second entry in the Song of Ice and Fire Saga, A Clash of Kings, written by George R.R. Martin begins a bit slowly, but introduces us to new viewpoint characters, such as Stannis Baratheon, the true heir to the Iron Throne. It's quite clear by the end of Kings however, that those with the most gold and swords aligned with them can claim the throne for themselves.

The book titles have very closely followed the events of the books. In the first entry, A Game of Thrones, there is much political positioning, backstabbing, and plans being laid. It truly was a game of thrones. In A Clash of Kings, though there is still many politics going on, it truly is a clash of kings. At the beginning of the novel, there are four kings in Westeros, and fighting is occurring in all parts of the land.

The most intriguing character in the series so far, Tyrion Lannister, is serving as Hand of the King, in the stead of Joffrey's Grandfather, Tywin Lannister, who is busy fighting a war against Robb Stark. Tyrion quickly impresses with his shrewdness and aptitude for subterfuge. He has never quite shined as he does in Kings.

Though the novel is fantastic, it doesn't flow as quickly as did Thrones, and seems to wander a bit. Still, the events in the book can't be discounted. Without giving it away, suffice it to say that things are coming unraveled in Westeros, and the Reader may be surprised by how vulnerable every character is–whether we get to see through their eyes or not. Indeed, it's one of the draws to the series: no character is ever safe. New characters are frequently introduced, secondary characters slowly become more important, and major characters can be killed off and replaced. It's a refreshing change of pace from so many other novels (especially series-based books) that fail to truly put their antagonists in jeopardy, or seriously threaten their main characters. The author makes no such assumptions; everyone is cannon fodder.

A Clash of Kings takes place primarily in two locations: Winterfell, and King's Landing. Though we are taken all over the realm, to places like Riverrun, and Pyke, we don't spend nearly as much time there. We also get to go beyond the Wall for a huge portion of the book, and see how that story is beginning to unfold. Jon Snow has become yet another major player in the series, and continues to be enthralling to read about.

In the end, A Clash of Kings is a great read, and continues to develop one of the greatest Fantasy sagas of all time.