A Storm of Swords

Honestly, what can I say about this book that hasn't already been said? This book is utterly fucking phenomenal. It's incredible from the opening words of the first chapter to the last words of the final chapter.

Let's start with the prologue. It's ominous as fuck. GRRM is amazing at making you feel the harshness and rawness of this world, especially in POV chapters that take place in the north. His descriptions of the cold are so detailed that he manages to transport you into this unforgiving world where people die like flies to the forces of nature. In addition, this chapter reminds you of the true threat Westeros faces. The majority of the series's focus so far has been on the political squabbles and the War of the Five Kings, but show more this book immediately reminds you of the true danger and the true enemy that our heroes must eventually face. It is why the "Samwell" chapters are probably my favorite in this book. However, choosing a favorite POV character in this book is like choosing a favorite child. All of them are just so fucking good.

The book wastes no time. It immediately continues where we left off with our characters in the last one. The aftermath of the various battles and important events are still being felt, but the book wastes no time in building on these events and continuing the overall story. Despite how large this book is, it still feels relatively fast-paced. Yes, there are some slower chapters here and there, but they all serve two important purposes: to continue building this massive world and to continue developing these complex characters. One of the most developed characters in this book is Jamie Lannister. In the previous two books, you saw him purely as a piece of shit with no honor. In this one, however, he's revealed to be exceedingly complex, with very interesting motivations and an incredible backstory. By the end, you actually start to root for him as you realize that he still has honor in him, he wants to help Brienne with her task of finding the Stark daughters, and he loves his brother Tyrion (one of the primary protagonists of this series) dearly. Yes, he did some unforgivable things in the past, but a lot of his actions are also revealed to be morally grey due to the complexity of the decisions he constantly has to make.

Perhaps the most infamous aspect of this book is the downfall of Robb Stark's kingdom. Yes, his kingdom started fragmenting in the last book when Theon Greyjoy betrayed him, but this is where we really start to see Robb lose his foothold on the North and the riverlands. It's fucking heartbreaking, man. Things constantly go from bad to worse, and the end of this arc is one of the most tragic moments in all of fiction. The Red Wedding is notorious and infamous for all the right reasons; it is utterly merciless, but it makes perfect sense. It is set up so well that, after it happens, you wonder how you didn't see it coming, but, when reading for the first time, you are utterly blown away by the sheer brutality of the scene. It is no understatement to call GRRM an evil genius.

The entire second half of this book is genuinely one the craziest things you will read in your entire life. I've already mentioned the Red Wedding, but there's so much more that happens in the final 30 chapters of this book that you honestly can't catch a breath. Main characters are dying left and right, and you are put in this state of dread, wondering if your favorite character will live to see another day. When you think about it, all of the incredible moments in Season 3 and Season 4 of the show (considered by many to be the best seasons of the show) happen in this book. It's just plot twist after plot twist after plot twist. The character who goes through the most is Tyrion Lannister. At first, he is accused of murdering Joffrey Baratheon, and you think he's a goner. The situation goes from bad to worse as more "evidence" is brought against him, but he finds an unexpected path to salvation with someone whom he thought would be a major pain in his ass: Oberyn Martell. The Dornishman champions his cause spectacularly, and you think Tyrion might have escaped his fate, but, at the last second, he is BRUTALLY murdered by Gregor Clegane, and now you think there's truly no way Tyrion escapes his plight. But, with the help of Varys and Jamie Lannister, he does, and Tywin Lannister is killed in the process (for good reason; that Tysha backstory is utterly devastating).

It's not just Tyrion's last chapter that blew me away; practically every POV character in this story has an incredible final chapter. It really does feel like the end of a trilogy and the first major arc of this series: the Lannisters triumph over the Starks in a war that started in the first book; Jon Snow decides to remain a brother of the Night's Watch instead of accepting Stannis Baratheon's deal to become Jon Stark (Lord of Winterfell) after Robb's death; Sansa Stark finally stars playing the "Game of Thrones"; Arya Stark is about to begin her training as a Faceless Man with Jaqen H'ghar; Tyrion escapes the Lannisters after much ambivalence towards their behavior in recent years; and Daenerys Targaryen chooses to remain in Essos and rule over her people instead of sailing to Westeros and letting them fend for themselves. I really wish there were only six books in this series instead of seven (books four and five are basically one large book) as this really feels like the halfway point of the series with so many plot threads being resolved.

If I had to criticize this book, I would say that it's a bit too long as there are a number of chapters (Arya's chapters, in particular) where not much really happens. A bit too many chapters take place in the riverlands, and you are starting to see the beginning of this series's inexorable increase in length and plot threads. Ultimately, however, my complaints pale in comparison to my praises. I'm not sure I even mentioned everything I love about this one because there's just so much. It truly is one of the best fantasy stories ever written. show less

The Good: I continue to read this series in utter disbelief. Jaw hanging open, more often than not. I struggled reading A Storm of Swords - reading as fast as possible to find out what was going to happen next, while trying to slow myself down enough so I didn't miss anything. It's hard to explain my addiction to this series. The characters are so good. So well developed. So complex, that we keep uncovering things we never expected. I am constantly surprised at every plot twist, yet I know I should expect the unexpected at every turn. Nothing is ever as it seems, even when it couldn't possibly be other. If that makes sense. The writing in these books gets under your skin. Martin making you question your initial opinions. Making you love show more the characters you should be hating. Making you root for things that make you a very bad person. It sort of makes you crazy in the best possible way.

The Bad: Not a thing. show less

The best words to describe the 3rd volume of A Song of Ice and Fire; A Storm of Swords, are tour de force. It’s as close to a perfect instalment of an epic that I’ve ever read. It can’t stand alone as it is very obviously an instalment in something ongoing, but it’s one of the best books I’ve read in this or any other genre.

I knew I was in for something different when the first actual Point of View (PoV) chapter (I don’t regard the one off prologues as genuine PoV characters) was entitled Jaime. That refers to Jaime ‘The Kingslayer’ Lannister. In A Game of Thrones and A Clash of Kings to a lesser extent Jaime was a total black hat. One of his actions annoyed me so much in A Game of Thrones that I very nearly ripped the show more page out of the book in a fit of anger. If he was a PoV character then that meant the readers were going to see more layers to him, that in itself was a mouth watering prospect, whether or not he altered his character much. I regard what George Martin did with Jaime Lannister in ASoS as one of his greatest achievements as a writer. I hated the character with a passion in A Game of Thrones, but midway through A Storm of Swords I was cheering him on, as I suspect were many other readers. It takes rare talent to turn a character around like that, make it believable and inspire passion in the readers. Martin succeeded admirably on this front in A Storm of Swords and the redemption of Jaime Lannister.

It wasn’t just shiny new PoV characters like Jaime that were kicking goals for the author in A Storm of Swords, it was established fan favourites like Dany, Jon, Arya and Tyrion. They were all at the top of their game and right in the thick of the action. There were so many jaw dropping moments from this book. The infamous Red Wedding. The marriage of Sansa to Tyrion and that of Joffrey to Margaery Tyrell and the shocking, but satisfying conclusion to that particular union. The fight between Oberyn ‘The Red Viper’ Martell and Gregor ‘The Mountain’ Clegane. Tyrion’s confrontation with his father. They just kept on coming.

Despite the size of the book (it had to be split into two volumes in mmpb in the UK editions) there’s hardly a dull moment. It’s not all beer and skittles though, although there isn’t anything I could term as a flat spot, the author’s increasing interest in minor details became more apparent, I think a more ruthless editor could have cut some things out without letting the narrative suffer, because most, if not all, of it seemed pertinent at the time readers let it slide.

If Jaime was an unqualified success as a PoV character then his 2nd new one; Samwell Tarly, was less so. The author likes Sam and I know he’s got his fans out there in readerland, but I find him a pretty colourless, two dimensional character. He’s a fat coward who occasionally gets lucky and barely manages to survive, once you’ve read that once it just continues to repeat itself. I also wasn’t particularly enamoured of Bran’s seemingly endless journey northward to discover exactly what we don’t know. However I can forgive even those less than thrilling sections for the inclusion of Meera Reed’s delightful story of Lord Whent’s Tourney at Harrenhal as a fairytale. That was masterful stuff and hints at the truth behind some accepted facts.

For a book of it’s size I read it in double quick time and was left breathless at the end. I’ve read it a number of times since and I always find something new to appreciate in it. show less

"You know nothing, Jon Snow."

The above is a constant refrain from several books in George R R
Martin's Song of Ice and Fire series.

I have not read a fantasy series that so captivated me in literally ages.

GRRM constantly put his characters into situations where the 'honorable' choice is often untenable, impossible or appears to be entirely without honor. And even when the characters struggle to find the honorable choice, half the time (if not more) the taste of honor turns to dust in their mouths and things beyond their control, understanding, or knowledge, make their choices, their lives, their beliefs shatter apart.

Lots of wars, sword play, heartbreak, and an incredible number of twists, make the books entirely unpredictable. You can't show more even count on a character surviving. And if they do, death might be kinder. Although if they do survive, you can be certain they've changed and grown and become tempered steel.

Highly, highly recommended. show less

YES YES YES. That's what I'm talking about: an incredible, incredible (if, yes, a bit long) entry into this impressive series. I wouldn't call any of this 'resolution' but man oh man did a whole lot of stuff happen and man oh man did all of it seriously push this plot forward. Except most of Dany's stuff, but, she's the Hamlet of this series (I'm gonna keep pushing that til it sticks) and so she gets a pass.

But anyway. In the wake of the last novel, which left me satisfied but also feeling strangely restless and irritated, Martin storms back and sets off several major plot explosions that, I do not kid, dropped my jaw. There's a moment, one I won't spoil because I know the TV series hasn't gotten there yet, that I went back and re-read show more because it was just so well done that I wanted, immediately, to experience it again. AND THEN Martin pulls off the same plot point in a different place - HE PULLS IT OFF! I'm laughing just thinking about how ballsy the man is.

Look, if you aren't on board with this series yet, there's little chance you've even made it so far as this book. But if the end of [b:A Clash of Kings|10572|A Clash of Kings (A Song of Ice and Fire, #2)|George R.R. Martin|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1358254974s/10572.jpg|3272005] left you feeling a little on-the-fence... this book will absolutely reward you for your investment.

More at RB: http://wp.me/pGVzJ-I3 show less

Did I complain that not much happened in the last book? Well, Martin is moving things along at a fair clip in this one. My sympathies keep getting more complicated, things mostly keep getting more dreadful (except for one honest-to-god act of altruism which I had totally forgotten), but I'm starting to get inured to the tragedy, and of course I can't put it down for a moment. I have become a machine for doing needlework and reading George R. R. Martin. It's just as well I have some employment coming up, or I'd be forced to admit how truly useless I am when left to my own devices.

El tercer libro de ‘Canción de hielo y fuego’ es el más espectacular y el mejor de momento. Mezcla perfecta de emoción, violencia y fantasía medieval, ‘Tormenta de espadas’ se convierte en casi un folletín que no da respiro al lector. Tiene de todo: combates, venganzas, torturas, conquistas, codicia, chantajes, duelos, traiciones, etc., y como en los dos libros anteriores, cada capítulo está encabezado por un personaje que te permite observar la acción desde diferentes puntos de vista. Martin mantiene el pulso narrativo de manera inigualable dejándote con el corazón en un puño por momentos. Su manera de tejer la trama hace que sea casi imposible saber con lo que te vas a encontrar en la siguiente página, y eso sin show more descuidar la calidad literaria y los diferentes argumentos que Martin tiene en la cabeza. Martin no se casa con nadie y es capaz de eliminar a personajes principales de un plumazo. En manos de otro autor, estos ingredientes no hubiesen dado tan buen fruto, ya que resultaba muy fácil dejarse llevar por las circunstancias y jugar con los personajes de la manera más predecible y popular.

La historia narrada en ‘Tormenta de espadas’ es la más larga hasta ahora de la saga, más de 1200 páginas, y continúa exactamente donde se quedó 'Choque de Reyes'. Por lo tanto, ante tal extensión resultaría imposible hacer un resumen exhaustivo de la novela, aparte de que se podrían desvelar demasiados detalles que aguarían la lectura a posibles lectores.

Bien, empezaré diciendo que la novela mantiene la estructura de los tres hilos argumentales de sus antecesoras, es decir, las luchas por el trono de los Siete Reinos, la amenaza tras el Muro y el avance hacia Poniente de Daenerys Targaryen. Pero hay una cantidad enorme de personajes, principales y secundarios, y como siempre, Martin los desarrolla de manera objetiva, sin describir simplemente a unos como buenos y a otros como malos, porque esta es una historia que va más allá de buenos o malos, y lo interesante reside precisamente en esas tonalidades grises. Una novedad respecto a los personajes con voz, es decir, aquellos que encabezan capítulos, es la inclusión de Jaime Lannister y Samwell Tarly, que aportan gran riqueza a la trama. Por primera vez, sabemos de las motivaciones y pensamientos de Jaime El Matarreyes, un personaje más vulnerable y honorable de lo que pensaba. Un punto fundamental es la relación que Jaime mantiene con Brienne de Tarth. En cuanto a Samwell o Sam, el amigo cobarde de Jon Nieve, y miembro de la Guardia de la Noche, su aportación en la historia nos permite conocer lo que sucede entre las tropas de la Guardia más allá del Muro, con la amenaza de los Otros.

Para saber del juego de tronos, de las luchas por el poder, tenemos la visión de Tyrion, que sigue siendo un personaje fundamental, y de Sansa Stark. Tyrion, que tanto hizo por la victoria Lannister en Desembarco del Rey, se verá envuelto en las estratagemas políticas de su padre Tywin, así como en las intrigas de su hermana Cersei. Será entonces cuando el gran Tyrion tendrá que hacer uso de todo su ingenio. Por otra parte, Sansa Stark sigue siendo un peón más del tablero, del cuál Martin se sirve para mostrarnos de primera mano qué va acaeciendo en ese nido de víboras que es Desembarco del Rey.

Jon Nieve, al cual dejamos en manos de Mance Ryder y sus salvajes libres, continúa infiltrado, estudiando las fuerzas y planes del enemigo, que cada vez está más cerca del Muro. Jon, honorable y recto como lo era su padre Eddard Stark, mantiene una lucha consigo mismo en una disyuntiva entre si poner o no por encima de su misión los votos que hizo como guardián de la noche. Estos capítulos son interesantes para saber cómo son estos salvajes y lo que quieren realmente.

Y después está Daenerys Targaryen, mi personaje favorito junto a Tyrion, Jaime y Arya, y del que he echado de menos más episodios. Daenerys va creciendo como personaje en cada libro, y resulta cada vez más apasionante. Daenerys sigue su lento avance hacia la reconquista de los Siete Reinos, junto a sus tres dragones y su pequeño ejército. Pero necesita más guerreros, así que decide acercarse a la Bahía de los Esclavos, donde se sucederán toda una serie de aventuras, y sabremos de los Imaculados, según muchos los mejores soldados de todos los reinos.

Como ya dije en su momento, esta es una saga de personajes, donde sí, hay aventuras, pero donde su punto fuerte es la psicología de los personajes, que hacen que los odies y ames por igual. Y eso es lo que fascina de estos libros, el carácter impredecible de los protagonistas, que actúan como seres de carne y hueso. En resumen, un libro apasionante que te deja con ganas de más, sobre todo por los giros inesperados que se han dado en la historia. show less