A Clash of Kings [REVIEWS]

This review contains no major spoilers for A Clash of Kings or any other books in the series.

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.

A Clash of Kings is the second book in A Song of Ice and Fire series by George RR Martin. It takes us deeper into the series and gives us some new views.

A red comet appeared in the sky, visible in the day and outshining the moon at night. There are many names and meanings for the comet all over the lands. In King’s Landing it is called the ‘King’s Comet’ at court and ‘Red Messenger’ in the streets. It is also the ‘Red Messenger’ to the soldiers in the Riverlands. The Faith says it is the ‘Sword that Slays the Season’ and the Night’s Watch thinks of it as ‘Mormont’s Torch’. To the Dothraki its name is ‘Shierak Qiya’ (Bleeding Star). A boy named Gendry calls it the ‘Red Sword’.

Melisandre and Old Nan seem to think the comet signals the coming of dragons and others think it has to do with the future triumph of the throne. To many more it means the onset of war and bloodshed. Daenerys thinks of it as a herald of her coming.

The prologue is in the view of Stannis’ maester. It gives us a view of the place Stannis is from (Dragonstone) and the anger that fuels him.

We are introduced to two new point-of-view characters, Davos Seaworth and Theon Greyjoy. Theon gives us a view of the hard rulings of the Iron Islands, whose customs aren’t that different from those of the Vikings. We get an idea of why he is the way he is too. Davos is a friend to Stannis. He is a former smuggler and now a lord.

What of our characters in the first book? Catelyn is trying to stop a war from getting out of hand while dealing with problems of her own. Sansa is still inKing’s Landing trying hard to be obedient while thoughts of home and escape plague her. Arya is trying hard to get back home with the help of a few friends. Bran, while still a cripple, is facing his own problems at Winterfell. Tyrion, now Hand of the King in his father’s place, is also trying to stop the war. Across the Narrow Sea Daenerys is trying to reclaim her crown and rightful throne. Jon is in the North, beyond the Wall.

I must give this book credit, it is better than the first one. It is much more action-packed and not as sad. It did have some humorous aspects in it. You learn more about characters, old and new, and it leaves you begging for more.

I give this 5/5.