Series: A Song of Ice and Fire (#3)
Author: George R.R. Martin
Genre: Fantasy
Pages: 1177
Published: March 4th, 2003
Summary: (May contain spoilers for first two books) Here is the third volume in George R. R. Martin’s magnificent cycle of novels that includes A Game of Thrones and A Clash of Kings. Together, this series comprises a genuine masterpiece of modern fantasy, destined to stand as one of the great achievements of imaginative fiction.
Of the five contenders for power, one is dead, another in disfavor, and still the wars rage, alliances are made and broken. Joffrey sits on the Iron Throne, the uneasy ruler of the Seven Kingdoms. His most bitter rival, Lord Stannis, stands defeated and disgraced, victim of the sorceress who holds him in her evil thrall. Young Robb still rules the North from the fortress of Riverrun. Meanwhile, making her way across a blood-drenched continent is the exiled queen, Daenerys, mistress of the only three dragons left in the world. And as opposing forces maneuver for the final showdown, an army of barbaric wildlings arrives from the outermost limits of civilization, accompanied by a horde of mystical Others - a supernatural army of the living dead whose animated corpses are unstoppable. As the future of the land hangs in the balance, no one will rest until the Seven Kingdoms have exploded in a veritable storm of swords....
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
“Old stories are like old friends, she used to say. You have to visit them from time to time.”
Really, I'd like to rate this book 4.5 stars, but I rounded up since we do whole stars.
I do not watch Game of Thrones on HBO (I've seen 1 and a half episodes) so I had many surprises ahead of me when I brought along "A Storm of Swords" on a sort of vacation this summer. I had a few other books with me, planning to get through at least two in the two weeks I was away. This is the only one I really put time into. I was a monstrous 1100+ pages, and I read every single one of them. This book is an epic story following several character's struggles and battles through various wars, and the lengths they will go to survive. George R.R. Martin shocked me, appalled me, and kept me interested the whole way through.
Some things I loved. . .
The story itself! I don't know how I can say this better, but the story was awesome. I am coming back for a fourth book, no questions there!
The story felt like a fairy tale, but for adults. It even had a bunch of fairy tale morals, such as:
“Sometimes the knights are the monsters."
“Every man must die, Jon Snow. But first he must live.”
“The greatest fools are ofttimes more clever than the men who laugh at them.”
And that's just the first 3 I found while going through quotes.
Who the hell does Martin think he is killing off all of those characters I love? They didn't deserve to die! I wanted more of them! And the Red Wedding? No! No! Not okay! What is wrong with Martin! (I debated putting this in things I loved as well, since a bunch of characters I hated also died. You know who I'm talking about. But this really deserves to be in the good half for Martin's amazing storytelling)
Why was it so long? Sorry, but 1177 pages is a lot. Couldn't you maybe shove a bit of it into the next book, or get rid of a bit of padding. A lot happened, but it was so large, and a bit disheartening when you realized at 400 pages you were not even close to halfway.
I feel like this is such a short review for such long novel.
This book was awesome. Read the series. Read it now.
-Claire
Some Other Reviews for "A Storm of Swords" (may contain spoilers)
Cuddlebuggery
Best Fantasy Books
The Caffeinated Symposium
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