About this title: George R.R. Martin's superb and highly acclaimed epic fantasy A Song of Ice and Fire, the richest, most exotic and mesmerising saga since The Lord of the Rings, continues with A Storm of Swords. There is passion here, and misery and charm, grandeur and squalor, tragedy, nobility and courage. The Seven Kingdoms are divided by revolt and blood feud ...
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Note: This is a general synopsis. Each listing is described below.
Description: Very Good. 055357342X **mass market paperback**--Exactly as pictured--EXACT ISBN MATCH--cover has shelf wear at tips of corners and minor cover crease or curl, minor Spine Creasing, No personalizations, No marks in the text at all. Tight and well bound. read more
Description: Very good. No dust jacket as issued. Mass market (rack) paperback. Glued binding. 1216 p. Contains: Illustrations. Song of Ice and Fire (Paperback). Audience: General/trade. read more
Description: Reader copy. Ex-public library. COVERS AND PAGE CORNERS SHOW HEAVY WEAR. COCKED SPINE. PAGES REINFORCED. Library stamps & stickers. SAVE A TREE-BUY USED! ! read more
Description: New York: Bantam 2002 3rd printing 973 pages, 6 x 9, large format trade paperback, cover art by Stephen Youll, CONDITION: VERY GOOD, 1/2" edge tear on rear spine edge & a little light edge wear o/w a nice copy, very good condition SERIES-A Song of Ice and Fire Book 3. read more
Description: Fine. Trade Paperback. Bantam, 2002. Fine Book. Aside from light wear to cover, overall a clean and tight, lightly read copy. Media mail packed in protective bubble lined shipping bags, Priority in a Flat Rate Envelope. Shipped quickly. Prompt response to questions. read more
Description: Very Good. 055357342X Mass Market Paperback, Condition: Very Good; this book is in very good condition with light curve to the spine / light reading creases to the covers. read more
Binding: Mass-market paperback
Publisher: Bantam Books, New York
Date Published: 2003
ISBN-13:9780553573428ISBN:055357342X
Description: New. No dust jacket as issued. (040609) Mass Market Paperback is brand new in Near Mint condition. Mass market (rack) paperback. Glued binding. 1216 p. Contains: Illustrations. Song of Ice and Fire (Paperback), 3. Audience: General/trade. read more
Binding: Hardcover
Publisher: Bantam
Date Published: 2000-10-31
ISBN-13:9780553106633ISBN:0553106635
Description: Very Good. November 2000 first edition with full number line, tight, bright and shiny, pages clear and bright, shelf and edge wear, corners bumped, smudges on page edges, number and a line written on front end paper. read more
"A Storm of Swords is the third title in the series A Song of Fire and Ice by George R R Martin. Here, the story continues exactly where A Clash of Kings leaves off, with the battle at King's Landing just finishing up, everything seems to have calmed down while at the same time more divided as ever.
Having just finished this book about two days ago, I have to say that it is still with me. The story that Martin has been able to bring about is absolutely breathtaking, but it is much more than just the story. It is the wonderful setting; it is the unpredictable plot twists. This is epic fantasy at its greatest. There are plenty of major plots, sub plots, villains, heroes, rebels, magic, and creatures to keep your imagination running at full throttle the entire book, hell the entire series.
I have to say that before I get into my review, this series is supposed to be 7 books long, and after A Storm of Swords we are three books in, but if Martin wanted to end his next book with "And they all lived happily ever after..." this series would still hold a special place in my heart. Especially this latest entry put the reader on a rollercoaster of emotion, and its something I won't soon forget. Definitely getting a prime spot on the bookshelf.
Book Three: Leaps and Bounds Ahead
If the first book, A Game of Thrones, was an introduction to the world of Westeros, and the second book, A Clash of Kings was a grand transition, then this book would be the car in 5th gear floored. The pace of this novel is quick, needing to be so as it stands at about 925 pages. However, some nights I found myself reading 200 pages at a time because the book was constantly in motion, and in a constant climax. These first three books could be grouped together in a sub trilogy of sorts, as they compliment each other very nicely.
However, like his previous novels, there is no catch-up at the beginning, meaning you should briefly review A Clash of Kings before entering this book, because it starts right where the other one left off. So, for a little catch up, I'll say a little bit of what has been going on.
At the end of A Clash of Kings, the Battle of Blackwater pushed King Stannis's army back to Dragonstone. Tyrion was badly wounded in battle and become uglier than his previously ugly state. Caitlyn Stark has retreated away from the slain King Renly's camp and back to Riverrun with her brother and the rest of House Tarly. Robb has returned from his battle with a slight surprise with him. Daenarys Is still roaming the Free Cities trying to cultivate an army to bring to Westeros. Jon has become a "turncloake" at the Wall on orders from the slain Halfhand to scout the wildlings from the inside and report back to Castle Black with news. However, the army of "Black Soldiers" remains decimated from an attack by the Others while in camp.
If you haven't read any of these novels, the previous paragraph means nothing to you other than the fact that a lot is going on here. However, this is one of the charms of the book, as so much is going on but all of them are in a state of action. We have passed the mode of setting up the story which the first two novels do wonderfully, and now we are finally getting somewhere, which is what makes this novel so great.
Plot: Twist and Turns
I'll have to say that one of the main reasons this novel is so good is from all the constant plot twists in the book. I would say that the final 250 pages has more shifts in it than the rest of the series combined, and it makes it so the reader will put down the book with a smile on their face saying, "Wow."
Our characters are well separated around the world of Westeros, and it makes for quite an interesting adventure and a good glimpse at what is going on everywhere at once. Arya is with the rebels around King's Landing, which helps account for some minor characters that might have gone under the radar. Lord Tywin takes up the Hand of the King as Tyrion was badly wounded from battle. There is a lot less mention of the Ironmen in this book, which is probably for the best, as it seemed as though they were simply an addition to make the Northmen lose strength, and now that the plot has been set, they were easily discarded.
Overall, this plot is one to remember, as it will weave you on a journey of unpredictable twists that make the story seem so one of a kind, that you won't be able to read the pages fast enough. Every time there is somewhat of a slower pace, the end of the chapter has such a gripping cliffhanger that you cannot wait to get back to that setting.
Characters: With Traits or Traitors?
I would say that this book could be renamed to Tales of Treason, as you never know where the loyalties lie. Each character has been crafted in a manner that makes it so it is logical for them to go either way, whether it be because they only follow a certain king because he seems to be the victor, or there is an underlying past deed that has yet to go punished that causes friction in the relationship, every character has a reason to turn. And, this is where Martin brings out his characters, because he is not afraid to let the turn, and he is not afraid to let them die.
I might have began this series thinking that House Stark was the undeniable protragonists, but I would say now that it is so mixed that characters are just characters. There are major and minor ones, but there is no driving good force or a driving evil force. Each character has its flaws, and makes its mistakes, just like reality, though the reality of Westeros does seem a little morally lacking and punishing to begin with. Now I would say that Jaime has a chance to turn himself around, and Tyrion is one of the most enjoyable characters in the novel. Jon is cementing himself in the face of his father's morals and pride but he has the bastard chip on his shoulder.
The characters have always been the strong point of this series, and while the plot does take a lead ahead in this book, the characters are still the driving force. There is just one for everyone, as I couldn't tell you who you are going to like the most, I probably couldn't tell you who I like the most...
Conclusion
If you haven't read this series, but you would consider yourself a enjoyer of fantasy and adventure, then I would have to challenge you to read these. Yes, the page count might be at the ceiling, and yes, the series has somewhat stalled at 4 books, but I would say that the first three books make any further progress worth it, whether it be that Martin finishes in a year or a decade. This novel is definitely one of my favorites, and in comparison to the others, whom I've already given a 5 star rating, this one blows them out of the water; I'd give it 6 stars if I could."
"I think I liked this book slightly less than the first two books, but that could have something to do with the fact that I read it at work. A few of the characters were sort of wandering around being miserable without much plot (mostly I'm thinking of Arya), and it mostly felt like Chekhov's guns were being loaded throughout, but only to go off in the next book. Nevertheless still a really, really competent and enjoyable read.
I did finding myself unexpectedly adoring Jaime in this book. All of the other threads are so dark and morally complex that I was moved by his simple story of redemption.
Oh, yes, and I did mean to comment on one very interesting strength of Martin's - he doesn't foreshadow. Obviously all good stories involve some foreshadowing, because we know they will be story-shaped and that certain elements must have payoff (see Chekhov's guns above.) But mostly Martin just tells the story as it happens, with no literary awareness of the (usually horrible) things that are about to happen to his characters. There's very little dramatic irony, for instance. I love that his realism is so rigorous - it's not the only way to tell a story but it's a good, epic way."
"I've read the first three books in this series, and I'm going to have to read the next two, or as many as it takes - as long as this author keeps writing them. But you should know a couple things before you pick these up.
One: I dunno how long this author is going to be writing these books, and they don't have a clear end in sight as far as I can tell. And they seem to come out about four or five years apart. So you're gonna get stuck into them, and then have to wait quite awhile for the next one, possibly. There is very little closure at the end of each book. It's like, things just keep happening; things tangle up and then unravel, people keep dying, and you're not sure if their existence had any point or not. Sort of like life, as this author views it.
Which brings me to the second thing you need to know: this series is BLEAK. Filled with the most horrific types of violence you can think of in every single chapter, Martin keeps no one safe. The lives of these characters can best be described as, "You're born into ruin, you grow up amidst rape, disappointment and abuse, then you're tortured in various bloody ways and you die. Then you might come back as a ravaged animated corpse, but still, you're dead." Just when you begin to hope for a character, they come within inches of getting what they want and get slaughtered. Great bedtime reading.
Having said that, it's pretty good. I think his writing is good enough that he doesn't really need all the blood and gore, but that's his choice. I'm pretty hooked and I'm going to see it all out until the (undoubtedly) bloody end."
"Just as with the previous two books in the A Song of Ice and Fire cycle, A Storm of Swords is a brutal, enticing read. The plot is formed around a series of complex intrigues and twists, some of which even the most astute reader will not predict. Also not new to the series is Martin's willingness to let nearly any character die. The world in which this novel takes place is a dark and ruthless one, and no character is safe.
Instead of giving blow-by-blow descriptions of battles, Martin chooses to focus on the interactions and internal monologues of his characters. The few battle scenes in the novel are exciting, but these are not the core of the series. More so than its two predecessors, A Storm of Swords provides new insight into some of the less savory characters of the series. Chief among these is Jaime Lannister, who is a POV character in this novel. Martin manages to reshape the character without devolving into ham-handed melodrama. He introduces several unexpected twists into character dynamics throughout the novel, with an end result of almost no one-dimensional characters.
The most captivating aspect of this series, in my opinion, is the way in which Martin's characters seem to be a product of their world. No one seems out of place, and everyone is the way they are for a reason. This aspect, more so than any other, indicates the depth present in these novels, and this alone should recommend the series to anyone who will not have a problem with the aforementioned brutality and wantonness of Martin's universe."
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