50 Books Challeng 2013 - # 25: A Storm of Swords by George R. R. Martin (A Song of Ice and Fire # 3)

Title: A Storm of Swords (A Song of Ice and Fire # 3)
Author: George R. R. Martin
Story: Of the five contenders for power, one is dead, another in disfavor, and still the wars rage as alliances are made and broken. Joffrey sits on the Iron Throne, the uneasy ruler of of the Seven Kingdoms. His most bitter rival, Lord Stannis, stands defeated and disgraced, victim of the sorceress who holds him in her 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 still 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 mythical 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...
Start: july 1st 2013
End: july 10th 2013
Comment: It has always takes me some time to finish a book in this series. This one took me ten days, less then the two other books I read. Although this novel isn't fast paced either, it was easier to go through for some reason. I was absorbed by this book. You would think that after three books, you have the basic plotlines of the story mapped out. Think again. Nothing is predictable with "A Storm of Swords". It's not always the good guy that wins or the bad guy that will lose, the hero doesn't necessarily stay alive at the end. It's an emotional rollercoaster ride with a lot of WTF moments. Again not for the feint of heart. There are some horrific murder scenes, they are so well written it just feels like the action seems to move in slow motion. This is the best book in the series so far. Wonderful.
Rating: 5/ 5

50 Books Challenge 2012 - # 48: A Clash of Kings (A Song of Ice and Fire # 2) by George R. R. Martin

Title: A Clash of Kings (A Song of Ice and Fire # 2)
Author: George R. R. Martin
Story: A comet the color of blood and flame cuts across the sky. And from the ancient citadel of Dragonstone to the forbidding shores of Winterfell, chaos reigns. Six factions struggle for control of a divided land and the Iron Throne of the Seven Kingdoms, preparing to stake their claims through tempest, turmoil, and war. It is a tale in which brother plots against brother and the dead rise to walk in the night. Here a princess masquerades as an orphan boy; a knight of the mind prepares a poison for a treacherous sorceress; and wild men descend from the Mountains of the Moon to ravage the countryside. Against a backdrop of incest and fratricide, alchemy and murder, victory may go to the men and women possessed of the coldest steel...and the coldest hearts. For when kings clash, the whole land trembles.
Start: november 2nd 2012
End: november 18th 2012
Comment: I'm a fan of the first book. Loved it so much. I was very excited about the second book, but unfortunately it didn't met my expectations. But it's still an awesome sequel. Like the first, Martin tells the story from various points of view. This time the story of Theon is added and we continue to follow Arya, Sansa, Catelyn, Jon, Tyrion and Daenerys. In the first book we read a lot about Daenerys, I kind of missed that here. She only has a couple of chapters dedicated to her, I was hoping for more. I did like to read about the split Stark clan. Especially Arya. She is though and also very likeable. I already liked her in the first book, but she was more present in "A Clash of Kings". Her arc was very adventurous. So different from her sister Sansa. One character I truly dispise is Joffrey. Ever single time I just wanted to slap him in the face and kick him in the jewels. Aaargh!! Tyrion is one of the more interesting arcs. He has to prove himself, this time to his dad. Tyrion kind of grew on me in this book. I like his sharp tongue. The second book in the series was just too big and it wasn't as fast paced as its prequel. But overall the stage is set nicely for the next book. In particular, the battle at Blackwater is a great literary scene. "A Storm of Swords" is already waiting for me on the shelve, so I can't wait to see how it all continues.
Rating: 4/ 5

50 Books Challenge 2012 - # 8: A Game of Thrones (A Song of Ice and Fire # 1) by George R. R. Martin

Title: A Game of Thrones (A Song of Ice and Fire # 1)
Author: George R. R. Martin
Story: Long ago, in a time forgotten, a preternatural event threw the seasons out of balance. In a land where summers can last decades and winters a lifetime, trouble is brewing. The cold is returning, and in the frozen wastes to the north of Winterfell, sinister and supernatural forces are massing beyond the kingdom's protective Wall. At the center of the conflict lie the Starks of Winterfell, a family as harsh and unyielding as the land they were born to. Sweeping from a land of brutal cold to a distant summertime kingdom of epicurean plenty, here is a tale of lords and ladies, soldiers and sorcerers, assassins and bastards, who come together in a time of grim omens. Here an enigmatic band of warriors bear swords of no human metal; a tribe of fierce wildlings carry men off into madness; a cruel young dragon prince barters his sister to win back his throne; and a determined woman undertakes the most treacherous of journeys. Amid plots and counterplots, tragedy and betrayal, victory and terror, the fate of the Starks, their allies, and their enemies hangs perilously in the balance, as each endeavors to win that deadliest of conflicts: the game of thrones.
Start: february 13th 2012
End: february 25th 2012
Comment: I've wanted to read this book for such a long time. And this book took me a long time to read as well. But it was worth the time. And I even think this is an epic story maybe someday even titled as classic. The story isn't complicated, but the reason this book took me this long to finish is because you want to absorb every inch of the book. It has a lot of characters, it was hard to remember who was who. To make it easier each chapter is seen from the point of view of another character and it's limited to only some of them. My favorite characters were Eddard Stark and Daenerys Targaryen. The chapters from their viewpoint were the most interesting ones and those characters really stood out. The story had a fast pacing, but I did think the books was extremely graphic. It didn't bother me, but this isn't just for anyone. Sex and violence are described in detail. I loved the writing style, so well done. I'm really glad that I finally got to read this fantastic fantasy novel and I can't wait to read the next book in the series.
Rating: 5/ 5