Review - A Clash of Kings

A Clash of Kings by George R.R. Martin

My rating: 4 of 5 stars
A Clash of Kings

I started reading this book strait after I finished A Game of Thrones.The story is just as epic as its predecessor, with just a bit more on the war side to it.

I ultimately gave it a four star rating, just because I’m not a fan of too much detail, and this time I felt like Martin threw a bit too much at me. The storyline is a great one, I love how there’s some action now, but reading all the detail of the whole battle and what every little thing looks like gets a bit boring. Don’t get me wrong, detail is great, but overkill is not.

Martin again hits you with a few surprises that you never expect to happen, and you gasp at it wondering why, oh why! But that’s what keeps the suspense going, you want to read further, nay, you NEED to read further to know what happens. Also, there is a lot of animal cruelty (again) in this book that I try to just read but not take in, as it upsets me a great deal, but I guess that’s part of war.

My favourite characters remain Arya, Jon Snow and Tyrion, but I’m adding Gendry (the Bull) and the Hound to the mix.

Arya: What a spitfire! I love her spunk and her fierceness. I think she’d make a great leader to any army. Sometimes you want to wring her little neck and shout “Why did you do that!” but you must remember she’s only 10 years old and yet she has more sense than most grown men. I can’t wait to see what happens to her.  She’s escaped death so many times that sometimes you get really scared that her luck might have run out.

Jon Snow: I just like Jon, I started liking him in the first book because he was the underdog, the bastard that Catelyn Stark wouldn’t acknowledge. There’s less action in this book for him, except at the end. He’s a very loyal character this one, and he seems to have a very pure heart, even his leader on an expedition to find the Wildlings saw that. There’s a twist for him at the end and I hope he gets through it all.

Tyrion: Well, what can I say, he has a brain, he has incredible wit and is sarcastic as hell. I love this dwarf! He plays the same game as his sister, yet in such different ways. Sometimes I don’t know if I should really like him or not, is her with his family? Or is he going to blow their minds? I don’t know how Martin came up with this character, but you feel like you get to know him when he speaks. I love it when he puts his sister in her place…

Gendry: I won’t tell you who he really is, that would just spoil it for the rest, but I hope he gets to go far! His looks should say it all. I hope that what happens to him, Arya and Hot Pie goes far enough for him to reach his destiny.

The Hound: Yes, so he’s stupid little Joffrey’s dog, but I have grown too really like this character. Joffrey has become an even bigger jerk than what he already was, but the Hound seems to be the only one (except Tyrion when he arrives) to stand up to the twit. I do think that he really cares for Sansa… You’ll see what I mean.

My least favourite characters have become Lord Tywin, Stannis and still Cersei.

Lord Tywin: Cercei’s father… what a jerk. The way he treats Tyrion? I just dislike this man. He seems so stern and emotionless all the time.

Stannis: Ok with the red priestess? What the heck is going on there? It’s like the man is brainwashed! He also seems like an emotionless idiot. I do feel so sorry for his daughter though. Stannis just seems to have given himself to this different god and now he’s weird.

Cersei: I thought I was starting to like her. But a friend of mine said that she’s a great villain, which is true, her character is so well written, you actually like her because you hate her so much! To the end of the book she becomes pure evil to me, the way she treats the people and Sansa, it seems she has no love in her heart but for Jaime and her children.

Most of the old characters are back, with a load of additions. Sansa is still at Kings Landing and still a pathetic little bird (as the hound calls her). I feel sorry for her, I really do, and the way Joffrey treats her, goodness! Joffrey would be in my least favourite category, but I dislike him too much to give him that honour! He’s a spoiled brat that one!

The story is written with different POV’s again, but I that make it interesting, just remember what you read in the last POV of that person, or you might get confused.It was a bit long for my taste, but there are more battles in the book, and twists and turns you never expect.

Enjoy the read! I’m heading on to the third.


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