I have a slight preference for Clash of Kings over Game of Thrones, although the two are quite close. In my opinion, Clash of Kings doesn't have a plot that is as tightly connected as that of Game of Thrones. This is because it lacks central mysteries that drive and connect the plot to the same extent. However, I believe that基本上 every point-of-view (PoV) character in Clash of Kings is more interesting than their counterparts in A Game of Thrones.

Probably my favorite books featuring Tyrion and Arya are in Clash of Kings. The entire back half of the book is truly amazing. The Battle of Blackwater is simply awesome, and the chapters featuring Bran are also there. It's these elements that make Clash of Kings a great read and just edge it ahead of Game of Thrones for me. Overall, I rate it 9.2 out of 10.

Long Fantasy stories likely have certain fundamental rules. Perhaps they are as follows: Firstly, create a rich and detailed world. Secondly, place interesting characters within that world. Thirdly, mix up a sequence of interesting events that occur around them, to them, and are done by them. Martin's first novel in this series, A Game of Thrones, accomplished all three aspects splendidly. He crafted one of the deepest Fantasy realms since Tolkien, complete with a mythology, culture, and history. He developed characters from a few key families and then scattered them throughout that world. By the midpoint, nearly all of them were embroiled in some form of political, romantic, or military intrigue. Active scenes brought the world to life and set it in motion, largely through political intrigue and the build-up to war.

However, this second book takes a different turn. It seems to undermine what the first book established, dulling and dumbing down the world and placing the majority of the characters in boring or redundant situations. They do not break free from the inertia of wasted prose until the final third of the book. While the slow build-up to great promise was acceptable in the first book, the sharp decline into bleak and sluggish chapters here is deeply disheartening.

Martin's prose also drops off noticeably. Fewer scenes create atmosphere, and at times it seems rather immature, with lines like, “The shame of that hurt worse than the pain, and the pain hurt a lot.” There is no language in this volume that rivals the metallurgy of the blacksmith or the dragon eggs in the first, making the thousand-page journey much less worthwhile.

The plotting and pacing have suffered as well. The first book took a few hundred pages to get going but then soared into character development and action, divided among a dozen or so lives, giving us a sense of a full and cohesive world. Here, the narrative is divided again, but with different results. A couple of characters are in intense situations, but we spend the first half waiting to hear more about them while watching other characters engage in less interesting activities. The last third expands the number of useful and interesting roles, but the book still has far too many dull chapters that impede the worthwhile narrative.

In conclusion, Clash of Kings lacks significant clashing and the kings contribute little of value. It might have been more appropriately titled The Sadness of the People Who Aren’t Kings, but that probably wouldn't have sold as well.

★★★½ /5
This was a solid sequel, yet unfortunately, it didn't possess the same level of interest as the first one.

Undoubtedly, this book served as a significant foundation for the subsequent installments in the series. However, it lacked the entertainment value that made the first one so captivating. I still derived enjoyment from it, as it contained numerous crucial plot threads. Nevertheless, the characters seemed slightly out of sync.

This particular installment wasn't my favorite, but I am most definitely determined to continue with this series. I am curious to see how the story will unfold and how the characters will develop in the upcoming books. Despite its flaws, there is still something about this series that keeps me engaged and eager for more.

I believe that the author has the potential to create something truly remarkable with this series, and I am looking forward to seeing what the future holds.

This took me FOREVER, dear god.

While I didn't necessarily enjoy this one as much as I did the first book, I am so glad I finally got around to tackling another volume in this series.

I do intend to carry on with my read-through of the series, but I definitely think I enjoy the show more than the novels (blasphemous, I know).

I just find the show to be easier to follow and, honestly, more interesting at times.

The novels have their own charm, of course, with the detailed descriptions and the opportunity to really immerse oneself in the author's world.

However, the show brings the story to life in a different way, with the visual effects and the acting.

It's like seeing the characters and the events unfold right in front of your eyes.

Okay, that's all I have to say about this for now. Seacrest out.

In my judgment as a reader, A Clash Of Kings received its 5 stars only on a technicality. Its immediate predecessor is, without a doubt, considerably better. I firmly believe that Arya, Tyrion, Catelyn, and even Sansa carried story lines that were more captivating and worthy than that of Jon Snow. Perhaps by expressing this, I am revealing my disappointment that Snow did not pursue the Others in a more direct manner.

Catelyn's electrifying little chat with Jaime was, without a doubt, a most welcome and unexpected surprise. Since pushing Bran, Jaime had received only scant mention. However, this oversight has now been rectified, and it is truly perfect. What a villain he is! Despite his vile nature, it is almost impossible to dislike him. A Clash Of Kings is filled with deaths, both literal and metaphorical. The fates of certain inhabitants of Winterfell contributed significantly to the 5-star rating it has received.

I feel that Tyrion's character suffered due to the author's indecision or perhaps a lack of inspiration in using him more deliberately. I believe that the plot need not unfold too rapidly, as I do not think that either the plot or Tyrion would suffer from overexposure. However, perhaps the author feels that both things are, unfortunately, impossible to achieve simultaneously.

Finally, I must hail the ambition of George R.R. Martin for conceiving such an interesting and engaging story. Reading the remaining three books may very well convince me otherwise, but as things currently stand, I would not begrudge the author for passing away before completing this series. Since he set the ball rolling, few story arcs have been resolved. I eagerly await reading the next book with stamina, diligence, and, of course, joy. That is, after all, the whole point of it all.

**“A Difficult Book to Rate”**

It is extremely difficult to rate this book!

Actually, it's 4.5

Four stars? Five stars? In situations like this, it's very hard to decide on a rating for a book that I liked 85% of its content, but which had a war and a final part that didn't completely convince me. The problem is that just after finishing the book, my dissatisfaction with that part was very great, but now that several weeks have passed, my perspective is different and I feel that although it wasn't to my liking, the development by GRRM was correct. Am I contradicting myself? Maybe yes, but maybe no. I'll try to explain myself.

The drawback of this book starts right when “A Game of Thrones” ends because there, in the last pages, only chaos reigned and it was inevitable that a great war would present itself; a war that had to be the protagonist in “A Clash of Kings”. And yes, of course, that conflict is the main axis of this extensive volume, but honestly, as a reader, I expected that in such a long book, the most important battles and “clashes of kings” in history would be narrated because, as I mentioned in my review of “A Game of Thrones”, this story is a game of chess, and as such, I personally wanted to witness the moves used by the combatants who risked their lives on the battlefield. Unfortunately, that wasn't the case. It was disappointing to learn GRRM's method of informing us about the results of the war: using the characters who weren't participating. So many pages and only one battle being narrated was very disheartening, especially with the short length of the presented one. If at this moment I could travel back in time, I would talk to myself and say: “Read it, you'll love it, but don't expect anything related to the war because if you do, you'll feel cheated.” But, on the other hand, if we take “the war” as the context of the story and not as the main event, as happens in countless historical books, then I would come to the conclusion that this conflict presented by GRRM is great. Everyone experiences the war in a different way, depending on their role and their possibilities, so showing us so many different perspectives and reactions is a very high added value that demonstrates the quality the author has to create well-developed stories and characters. Its quality is such that even the very comet that is announced in the synopsis can serve as an example to corroborate this statement because when that phenomenon presents itself, everyone, regardless of the kingdom, age or sex, upon observing it believes that it is a revealing message that is indicating the decision or path they must take in their lives. This event only helps us to confirm that the characters seem real and that they take the initiative themselves. Therefore, has this war been a genius move or a trick by the author? You decide that question for yourselves because I, personally, haven't been able to answer it.

The most popular negative aspect of this book is the slowness of its first half: And yes, indeed, some chapters feel very slow. The descriptions, the presentation of new characters and the mini-stories that are constantly in continuation without offering us almost any emotion cause the reader to feel a kind of hurry to turn the pages and reach a section with more adrenaline. This first part is like a car that accelerates to over 100 km/h, brakes suddenly and then accelerates again. However, if we analyze the composition of this book, we will discover that even that aspect is well-developed. The problem is not the style of the book, the problem is us because we are used to the intensity of books with parallel stories increasing progressively until the end. Many works that use that system have the same functioning, where the more pages we advance, the better the story becomes, and where the last pages await us with a level of adrenaline from another world. But this book doesn't work that way. In “A Clash of Kings”, each story presented has a different rhythm, so while some characters are fleeing for their lives facing the whole world, others are very calm and without threats and don't present any novelties in the chapters dedicated to them. The curious thing is that this functioning is correct because real life is like that: while some laugh, others cry; while some are sad because of the death of their loved ones, others are happy because of the birth of their child; while some are tired of sleeping with their partner, others long to have her; while some wish to reach their home, others want to leave it. I could continue citing examples successively, but I think it's not necessary. Clearly, GRRM writes with a lot of calm and delicacy, which helps his characters and stories to have enough time to mature. If the author were to accelerate the story even a little in that section, he could end up altering the personalities of his characters or simply exaggerating them, which would lead to the reader's indifference when they are mentioned. Therefore, is the beginning slow, or are we as readers very impatient? I would think the second. GRRM has taken more than twenty years writing this saga and still hasn't finished it, and he hasn't rushed its completion even with the pressure of the millions of followers who eagerly acclaim the sixth and seventh parts; not even being aware that his time of life may not be enough to achieve it. But he, continues to do it calmly, and without worrying about future events. If he has spent so much time dedicated to this project, why do we as readers despair because of a few “slow” chapters?

But not everything in this saga is war and narration: Of course not. One of the best aspects of the book without a doubt is the immersion of magic and supernatural powers into this story. They are spectacular details that give this saga the sparkle of mystery, suspense and intrigue enough to keep us trapped at all times. I'm dying of curiosity to know in the following volumes everything related to these topics; topics that were so interesting that at times they made me forget that there were battles, characters with a thousand and one tricks, and that everything revolved around the power of the throne.

Regarding the characters, I feel that it's not prudent to write. The mention of some of them would become a spoiler for those who are on the first book or haven't even started yet, because they would already know that, at least until here, character X or Y wouldn't die. On the other hand, speaking with the spoiler label isn't very useful either because I still have three volumes to read and my words would only be charged with naivety and innocence because of my ignorance. However, what I can say is that I still firmly believe that the characters are very well developed and that their roles are correct to help us know more deeply this fantasy world created by GRRM. That said, it seemed impossible for me to memorize the names of the number of characters and families that are introduced in this volume: there are too many. On many occasions, I confused warriors from both sides and if it weren't because I usually take notes, I would have been forced to have to repeat the book from the beginning to get oriented. Now I understand why the readers of this saga decide to reread it once they have finished: it's not a whim, nor fanaticism, it's a necessity.

And although I said that I wouldn't use this section, I find myself forced to do so to express some of my feelings; it would be a sacrilege not to mention at least some of the reactions I had in this ocean of words created by the author: I enjoyed each appearance of Tyrion for his ability to control a kingdom full of vipers, including his sister; I was left open-mouthed by the way Cersei spoke so serenely with Sansa without beating around the bush and telling her that she fought with her legs; I fell in love with Arya's courage and impetus to try to survive; I felt sorry for Sansa's desperation when she had her first menstruation and for her position as a kidnapped maiden, but at the same time I felt irritation for her eternal naivety; I felt disappointment for Theon and his immature and stupid behaviors; I was very excited and intrigued by the meaning of the dreams that the characters may have; I was impacted by seeing the hatred that is born in Catelyn after learning of the death of her children; I felt repulsion for the diabolical power that Melisandre uses... imagining a shadow coming out of her vagina is not something that is usually read every day; I loved the intelligence of the characters to try to defeat their enemies by avoiding facing them in a war; I finished anxious for the mysteries that Jon Snow may discover in his new role; I was impacted by the sudden death of Renly; and of course, I was very surprised by the destruction of Winterfell. It's really a pity that I can't deepen each of the scenes that I just named and the ones that I missed, but if I did, this review would have to have a thousand pages.

In summary, a book with an extensive story, but with great quality in its development, in its characters and in its main plot. We will find violence, cruelties, unexpected twists, strategy, injustices, manipulations, magic, great mysteries and a great adventure to discover. To finish, I want to make three recommendations for those new readers who feel interested in this saga: The first, to make a mental map, take notes, etc., of the names of the characters that they feel will be important later; the second, if possible, to read this saga together with another person so that they have someone to talk to about the events that occur: in my case, I'm reading it with my brother, although he is two books ahead of me; and the third, to lower their expectations regarding the battles that may occur. By following these recommendations, they will enjoy this saga much more.

It is a book that deserves five stars, and that I would like to give it; but I proceed to rate it with 4.5 because of the initial dissatisfaction that I felt at the most expected moment of the book. My next destination will be “A Storm of Swords”, a book of which I have very high expectations because of its countless praises and for being considered as the favorite of most of the followers of this saga of GRRM. It's time to continue.

**"A Review of 'A Clash of Kings'"**

“Crowns do queer things to the heads beneath them.”

This book took me quite a while to finish as I read it slowly, but I truly enjoyed it. Like others, I have my favorites among the chapters that draw me in more than others. Martin's writing style is very reader-friendly, making it an easy read despite its large page count and extensive scope.

I slightly preferred the first book, but this was a worthy sequel. Instead of doing a detailed plot breakdown in this review, I think it makes more sense to focus on the characters and their personal journeys.

Daenerys remains a top favorite. Although she doesn't have as many exciting scenes as in the first book, there is important plot progression regarding her and her journey. I love seeing the developing dragons and have a soft spot for her loyal companion who is clearly in love with her. She still holds some compassion despite the brutal world and her own self-doubt, and she is determined to overcome obstacles and stay on her path.

Tyrion is still my number one with his wise words, courageous strength, and cunning maneuvers. I'm always drawn to the black sheep of the family and the outcast of society. His story in "A Clash of Kings" is particularly hard, filled with violence and brutality. Cersei is still a nightmare of a sister to him, and his father is cruel and unappreciative. Despite his efforts to become independent, he only experiences major setbacks in this book.

Sansa's scenes with the grandmother and the friends the demented king is courting were the best part of the book for her. She is a character who tries to find strength when she feels she is losing it, and for good reason. I like her point of view as it stays interesting and delves into the court drama and twisted dangers. I'm curious to see where she will go from here and if she will remain as interesting. She's not a favorite, but she does have some of the best scenes in the book.

I'll always have a strong bond with Bran because he's an epic little kid. My heart aches for him as he is now without his legs and depends on the mercy of others. His life was already hard, but it gets even tougher. There are some confusing developments as he discovers there is more to him than meets the eye, so I'm curious to see where that will lead.

Catelyn - I understand her reasoning and feel bad for her motherly struggles, but some of her scenes are skippable for me. She is sympathetic to a degree but not a favorite as some of her chapters start to lose their shine.

Theon is a major player in the storyline, but I'm mostly bored with his chapters. I'm not sure why, but I have little chemistry with the character so far.

I know people are crazy about Jon Snow and he's a fan favorite, but like Theon, I have less chemistry with him compared to some of my other favorites.

Arya gets a lot of page time. She's a brutal and determined girl who embraces her violent mentality to get ahead. The scenes with the assassins were particularly interesting and brutal. She's definitely bloodthirsty but has some of the best scenes in the book and seems to be one of the author's favorites so far.

Jaime gets more of a voice in this book. I didn't like him in the first, but interesting aspects of him come through in this one.

As for the red comet, I liked the symbolism of it and how the book opens with the coming of the comet and different characters' perceptions of this omen and what it means to them personally. It seems some paranormal elements are introduced in this book, which I find especially interesting.

My favorite aspects of the book include some of the character progressions of Daenerys, Tyrion, and Arya, the red comet and kingdom politics and wars, the betrayals, secrets, and maneuvering in the Lannister family, the wolves and the paranormal creatures taking over the forest, and Bran's journey and discoveries.

However, there are still a few too many points of view for my personal taste, and some slower parts that I wasn't as invested in led to some skimming. I have to admit that some of the chapters bored me, which is a shame, but overall, the book was a good continuation of the first.

Only reread the Jon parts, why it took me 2 weeks I have no clue.

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Rereading this cause I've been rewatching the show and it made me want to read a few of the books. I'll probably only read about 2 though they are so long.

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THE REVIEW



Why this book?



I'm a big fan of the TV series. The captivating storylines and well-developed characters in the show have always intrigued me. When I decided to explore the books, I knew this one would be a must-read.



What I thought







This book was a pleasant surprise. It wasn't as closely tied to the show as the first one, which was refreshing. It felt like the events that occurred on the show were happening in the background, making everything new and exciting. The battle at Blackwater was especially thrilling, just as it was on the show. Despite the book's length, I never found it boring. In fact, I would have been more than happy to read another 700 pages. However, I do have a question. Where is Rob? They mention him, but we don't get to see him. Also, in my opinion, there should be more Jon POV's. Overall, this was an amazing book that I highly recommend to anyone who loves fantasy and epic storytelling.

It truly amazes me how this book could have such a profound impact on me, even after I have watched the TV shows and am already aware of the endings of the stories within it. Every single page is utterly gripping. The cruelty, the intense fighting, the brutal wars, the heart-wrenching death, the terrible sadness and pain, the sharp irony, and the complex politics are all vividly presented. This book could not have a more fitting title. "THE CLASHING OF KINGS" keeps me holding onto it tighter with each turn of the page. Just like its predecessor, this book is truly BRILLIANT. The vivid description brings the story to life, and the multiple points of view (Daenerys, Tyrion, Arya, Brian, and Jon Snow are my personal favorites) add depth and complexity. Not to mention the other interesting characters like Jamie, the Hound, Pod, Brienne, Varys, Little Finger, and so many more. The book is full of action, with a fast-paced narrative that keeps the reader on the edge of their seat. It presents such an honest and unflinching picture of human nature and the darkness of the world. Yes, this book is bloody, but it is FASCINATING nonetheless.

"Those not typically into this genre may find something to like here." This statement seems to be a bit of a stretch. A Clash of Kings is like A Game of Thrones on steroids. It's filled with an overwhelming amount of everything - more names, more political intrigue, more feasts, more detailed descriptions of armor, and so on. However, it's precisely this "more" that causes the book to stumble.

The excessive naming goes from being somewhat amusing at first (learning the names of everyone's boat, horse, house, family, and sword) to downright confusing. In any chapter involving warfare, it becomes a jumble of characters we've never heard of killing or capturing others who might have had only a single line. The book is also filled with unnecessary tedium. We are always told what each main character eats and wears every chapter. After the third ten-course feast and seventh jewel-encrusted sable-lined tunic, it all just blends together, and this goes on for almost 1000 pages.

What I dislike the most about this book, though, is its mean streak. A Clash of Kings is like a house built on sadism, with rape as the bricks and cruelty as the mortar. Every chapter contains something uncomfortable to read. What starts as a haunting account of medieval warfare soon becomes as boring as the clothing descriptions. Somehow, this book manages to make atrocities seem blasé.

And yet, despite these blatant flaws, there are still some redeeming qualities. The good parts of this book are better than they were in the first. There are interesting dialogues, captivating mysteries, and enough sympathetic characters to keep me interested in seeing how it all ends. Those with a lot of patience may still find something to enjoy here.

PS. It's interesting to note that some authors have a penchant for using a single unique adjective repeatedly. Timothy Zahn loved using "sardonic," and George Martin seems to have a thing for "brusquely." This word will jump out at you every single time you read it.

This book appears to be extremely foundational for the series. It manages to maintain my interest from start to finish. It vividly showcases the downfall that results from having an excessive amount of pride. As always, there are numerous different perspectives, with many men vying to be king.

These men are not engaged in the fight for a better kingdom. No, their sole objective is to hold the most power. I came across one review that aptly described it as a male soap opera, and that truly sums it up perfectly!

I have a particular fondness for Arya's chapters. Tyrion, of course, is a huge favorite of mine (and many others). Daenerys' chapters are what we all eagerly anticipate, but in this book, there wasn't a great deal to her story, haha. However, I have a hunch that it will be compensated for in the next installment.

The writing is of an exceptional caliber, just like in the first book. The war scenes (and most scenes, to be honest) make you feel as if you are experiencing each viewpoint firsthand.

I love the fact that each perspective truly gives the impression that you are delving into the thoughts of a different person. If the perspective is that of an old man, it reads exactly like it! Whether it's a young buck, a middle-aged individual, or anyone else, you would know without even having to learn whose chapter you are reading.

This was a superb fundamental setup for the remainder of the series. Oh, and can I just comment on the food descriptions? Because I have never desired old, raggedy, ancient food more than I do when reading this tale. It might just be one of my favorite aspects!

Fuck this book. Seriously, I'm so frustrated with it. It's like a never-ending source of annoyance. And fuck . It's supposed to be this great epic, but it just makes me angry. I haven't even read books 3, 4, and 5 yet, but I already know I'm going to hate them. And fuck book 6 that better be getting written at this very moment. I'm so sick of waiting for it. Fuck the characters that I hate and are evil pieces of shit but seem to be the ones that survive. It's so unfair. And fuck the characters I love because I know I'm going to see them get picked off by Mr. Martin one by one. It's like he enjoys torturing us readers. Last but not least, fuck me for getting hopelessly hooked on this series in the first place. I should have known better. The fucking end. 5 Ninja-Bunnehs-Flipping-Everyone-Off