A Storm of Swords (A Song of Ice and Fire, Book 3)
by George R.R. Martin
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Book Summary Information
Author: George R.R. MartinEdition: Mass Market Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2003-03-04
ISBN: 055357342X
Number of pages: 1216
Publisher: Bantam
Book Reviews of A Storm of Swords (A Song of Ice and Fire, Book 3)
Book Review: Not your typical fantasy series
Summary: 5 Stars
For this review, I'm including all the three of the books that have been released so far in the Song of Ice and Fire series. George RR Martin doesn't like to wrap up all the plotlines at the end of each book, so if you like the first one, you will definitely want the other two. The three books so far in the series read like one long narrative, and it is far from complete at the end of book three.
Most people put these books into the fantasy category, and to be fair, magic does play an increasingly important role as the story progresses, but these books are different from every other fantasy book I've ever read. The books are more like historical fiction except that their wonderfully vivid world is entirely made up. I'd almost put them in the sci-fi category if it weren't for the medieval setting. It is very much different from the traditional fantasy series.
A lot of people pick up these books expecting to get traditional fantasy novels, and wind up very disappointed. If you've read the entire Wheel of Time series, and are eagerly awaiting the next book, then this series may not be for you. Many people like fantasy books for the escape from reality that they provide. Evil is embodied in one dark villain, and you know that no matter how bad it seems, the heroes will come through and win in the end. I enjoy books like this from time to time, and I've read and enjoyed books from Terry Goodkind and Robert Jordan, but George RR Martin is something else entirely. Comparing him to them is like comparing apples to oranges.
At times it seems like this series was written to be the antithesis of the "escape from reality" fantasy novel. There is no overarching "force of evil" in this series, and no real heroes either. The books are set in Feudal times, and there's a lot of feuding going on. There are good and bad people on all sides of the conflicts, and sometimes I'm not sure who I want to win. Looking back historically, medieval times were hard, and they made for hard people, and that is exactly what George RR Martin tries to portray in his books. I've read a few negative reviews of these books which say the characters are not believable, or are unrealistic. I must say that anyone who thinks that the world in these books lacks realism probably doesn't have a clear idea of what life was like in the Middle Ages. They need to put down the fantasy book they've been reading and spend a little time in the non-fiction section.
Some reviewers have compared these books to a great medieval soap opera, and I'd say that's a fairly accurate description. Imagine the HBO series "Deadwood" set in the middle ages, then add in a little more sex and violence, and cut down a bit on the cussing, and you will have a good idea of what to expect in these books. There are a lot of complicated characters struggling with each other, and you have no idea how it's all going to end up. I'm not at all sure that the series will ever be ended, but if it keeps up its current level of quality, I'll be there reading as many pages as he cares to churn out.
I'm not much of a finisher when it comes to books in series. I stopped at book 5 in the Sword of Truth series, and I thought it went downhill after book 2. I stopped in the middle of book 4 in the Wheel of Time series after I asked my friend what was going on in book 9, and I found out that not much had changed since book 4. I stopped at book 4 in the Dark Tower series after getting fed up with Stephen King recycling his old material into his new books. I will probably finish all of these series eventually, but it will only be because I can't find anything better to read.
The Song of Ice and Fire is the first series in a long time to really grab hold of me and keep me interested from start to finish. I love the realism in these books, and it brings in a whole new level of intensity when you're really not sure if this character is going to live or die, and when you really don't know whether the Starks or Lannisters are going to win the next battle. The politics in the land of Westros is even more interesting than the battles. Who is allying with who? Who is going to be assassinated? Who's getting double-crossed? And then in the background, you have magic as the wildcard that throws carefully laid plans out the window, and the constant foreboding of the coming winter.
There was one point in the second book where I literally threw the book across the room and spent several minutes fuming and pacing around before I picked it up and continued reading. Those of you who read the book can probably guess the part I'm talking about. I've never had a book get me that worked up before or since, and I am eagerly awaiting the fourth book in the series. I hope it will be as good as the first three.
If you haven't yet read this book, I'd advise you to be a little wary when going through these reviews. There are a lot of spoilers, especially in the negative reviews, and I think you will enjoy the books much more if you let yourself be surprised by their twists and turns. There's a very helpful review by "Mister SJEM" which should be close to the top if you sort the reviews by "most helpful". It should give you a good idea if this book is for you without giving away too much of the plot.
Summary of A Storm of Swords (A Song of Ice and Fire, Book 3)
Of the five contenders for power, one is dead, another in disfavor, and still the wars rage as violently as ever, as alliances are made and broken. Joffrey, of House Lannister, sits on the Iron Throne, the uneasy ruler of the land of the Seven Kingdoms. His most bitter rival, Lord Stannis, stands defeated and disgraced, the victim of the jealous sorceress who holds him in her evil thrall. But young Robb, of House Stark, still rules the North from the fortress of Riverrun. Robb plots against his despised Lannister enemies, even as they hold his sister hostage at King?s Landing, the seat of the Iron Throne. 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. . . .But as opposing forces maneuver for the final titanic showdown, an army of barbaric wildlings arrives from the outermost line of civilization. In their vanguard is 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. . .
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. As a whole, this series comprises a genuine masterpiece of modern fantasy, bringing together the best the genre has to offer. Magic, mystery, intrigue, romance, and adventure fill these pages and transport us to a world unlike any we have ever experienced. Already hailed as a classic, George R. R. Martin?s stunning series is destined to stand as one of the great achievements of imaginative fiction.
Is George R.R. Martin for real? Can a fantasy epic actually get better with each new installment? Fans of the genre have glumly come to expect go-nowhere sequels from other authors, so we're entitled to pinch ourselves over Martin's tightly crafted Song of Ice and Fire series. The reports are all true: this series is the real deal, and Martin deserves his crown as the rightful king of the epic. A Game of Thrones got things off to a rock-solid start, A Clash of Kings only exceeded expectations, but it's the Storm of Swords hat trick that cements Martin's rep as the most praiseworthy fantasy author to come along since that other R.R.
Like the first two books, A Storm of Swords could coast on the fundamentals: deftly detailed characters, convincing voices and dialogue, a robust back-story, and a satisfyingly unpredictable plot. But it's Martin's consistently bold choices that set the series apart. Every character is fair game for the headman's axe (sometimes literally), and not only do the good guys regularly lose out to the bad guys, you're never exactly sure who you should be cheering for in the first place.
Storm is full of admirable intricacies. Events that you thought Martin was setting up solidly for the first two books are exposed as complex feints; the field quickly narrows after the Battle of the Blackwater and once again, anything goes. Robb tries desperately to hold the North together, Jon returns from the wildling lands with a torn heart, Bran continues his quest for the three-eyed crow beyond the Wall, Catelyn struggles to save her fragile family, Arya becomes ever more wolflike in her wanderings, Daenerys comes into her own, and Joffrey's cruel rule from King's Landing continues, making even his fellow Lannisters uneasy. Martin tests all the major characters in A Storm of Swords: some fail the trial, while others--like Martin himself--seem to only get stronger. --Paul Hughes
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