A Storm of Swords Part 1: Steel and Snow

Wow - the best one yet! Loved book 1, enjoyed book 2 but got a bit bogged down with long battles, but book 3 ( part 1) is amazing! Characters getting physically close - separated by half a day on the road, a boardwalk across a swampland or a castle tower - adds to the drama and suspense. Knights are changing sides, regrouping, examining political allegiances, nursing there wounds and counting the costs of war. Rebels and low folk show tenacity, moral fibre and good sense as the whole politics of the wall - and the rights to land, sea and air, who we let in or keep out, couldn't feel more relevant if it tried!

Whilst the Song of Ice and Fire books of course have their own pre-existing following, I imagine that many people now deciding to read this book will do so due to the success of the television series Game of Thrones, as I did. Therefore, I will not provide an ordinary review but try to give my impressions of the book as someone who had already been exposed to the television adaptation. Consequently, there may be spoilers for those who haven't seen the show.

My impressions of Part One of A Storm of Swords are very similar to those I had regarding A Clash of Kings. It is apparent that the television series has made a number of narrative tweaks, changing character arcs and eliminating/consolidating minor characters to streamline the story. show more Both the Red Wedding and the Second Sons, for example, are delayed until Part Two of this book, whereas in the TV series they were brought forward to the end of Season 3. There are also no Theon Greyjoy plotlines in Part One here; presumably I will find the ones already adapted for the screen when I get onto Part Two. But fans of Daenerys and her dragons will be happy to know that her visit to Astapor is here in Part One.

I freely admit to preferring the changes made for the screen adaptation, and I must say that I don't think this is entirely due to the fact that I experienced the show first. For example, in the book Tyrion Lannister actually desires his wife Sansa Stark, and their wedding night goes a bit further in the bedroom than it did in the screen version. This, to my mind, makes the book's version of Tyrion less sympathetic than Peter Dinklage's version, particularly as he seems to forget about Shae. In the book, there is also a clumsy lesbian sex scene involving Daenerys which just seems gratuitous. Robb Stark's wife - so important to how the war develops - is also a minor character in the book, much less fleshed out than her screen counterpart. She is also a shy girl from a minor House called Jeyne, rather than the foreign noblewoman Talisa from Volantis that we meet on screen. There are a number of other minor changes (Jaime is bald!) but these are the ones that stood out for me.

As with the previous two books, the main advantage held over the TV series is that it allows for more depth than can be presented on screen. Jaime's backstory, concerning the wildfire in King's Landing, plays out much the same as on screen, but goes into a bit more depth. Chapters are also told from the perspective of Jaime which is refreshing, as his character changes from the smug, sister-shagging, Bran-crippling rich boy to someone who might have some good in him deep (deep) down. We also get a bit more of Mance Rayder's backstory and the morally-gray nature of his character; yes, he is good in that he wants to see his people safely south away from the White Walkers, but in doing so he means to bring down the Wall and consequently open the rest of Westeros to the White Walker threat. With this in mind, the Horn of Winter (also known as the Horn of Joramun) is also given a couple of teasing references; perhaps it has something to do with the broken horn Sam found amongst the dragonglass at the Fist?

As in the first two books, battles are more fleshed out than on screen, though to my recollection the only real battle in Part One of A Storm of Swords (Astapor doesn't count) is the one between the Night's Watch and the White Walkers at the Fist of the First Men - in the show this wasn't even depicted. It is also hinted at that what Stannis saw in the flames with the Red Woman (which was shown on screen) was part of this battle, though I might have misinterpreted this.

Overall, whilst there are a lot of opportunities here for fans to compare and contrast the differences between the book and the TV series, the two mediums do still sing in harmony. The stories in both the book series and the TV series are shaping up nicely, with the 'Song of Ice and Fire' of the series' title becoming ever more intriguing. It seems clear that in this cataclysmic clash, the 'Ice' will be the White Walkers, but the 'Fire' is harder to pin down. Will it be Daenerys' dragonfire (as she dreams on page 375) or the hosts of the Lord of Light (as Stannis and the Red Woman profess on pages 348-9 and 500)? Or something else, which George R. R. Martin has yet to divulge? Whatever it is, I finish each volume of Martin's books with ever-increasing desire to pick up the next one. The books are quick and easy to read, which is remarkable when you consider their length and the amount of detail they go into. The confusion regarding all the names of the characters is becoming more pronounced, but this is a minor quibble. These books have taken fantasy to another level. show less

I do deeply want to enjoy this, so many of my friends adore this series, but I think it's too fractured, I don't want to care much for a lot of the characters because I know people die, and I think Brienne is a character who deserved better.
It took me a fair few pushes to get to about half-way and then I was finished in a few hours, so I'm not being pulled in by it, it's just not happening easily enough.

Marriages happen, people die, people grow and change and I can see the puppeteers hand as he moves the pieces around. I can also see the idea of telling a story from several facets so you get a more rounded story, but at this stage I'd almost just like it to be one person's story, one view or maybe two. It's multilayered and complex and show more sometimes I find that more tedious than interesting. I get it, I know the why and the idea but the fractured story leaves me cold, it's not a storytelling style I enjoy that much.

Will I finish the series, probably, but there is no great urge in me to do so. show less

This is the third book in the series, and so far I am liking each one somewhat less than its predecessor. This one treads too much water and not much of great significance takes place. Too many of the ongoing characters' chapters failed to hold my interest and I am feeling little sympathy for, or particular interest in, most of the characters, with the exception of Tyrion Lannister and, to a degree, Bran. In earlier novels, I liked Arya's storyline, but this has palled rather. In the absence of the more engaging features of the first and most of the second novels, the lengthy descriptions and lists of names become a little tiresome. All this said, I will probably continue the series, as the basic concept still intrigues me - though show more there is really no justification for splitting Book 3 into two separate novels (both of which are still nearly 600 pages long). show less

Proprio non ci riesco a non dare ancora una volta 4 stelline!! Anche se la storia si incasina sempre di più, e un dipanamento della matassa lo vedo sempre più lontano, l’emozione non viene mai meno!
Per di più in questo libro si aggiungo dei nuovi punti di vista, rendendo la narrazione sì più frammentata, e più dispersa nello spazio (se penso che all’inizio tutti e 7 i personaggi con POV si trovavano nello stesso posto!), ma si fa anche più ricca e con più colpi di scena e cliffangher!
Bravo Martin, un applauso ancora!

https://www.naufragio.it/iltempodileggere/1754

Westeros is still in the grip of the War. Joffrey Baratheon holds the Iron Throne, but Robb Stark, Balon Greyjoy and Stannis Baratheon, jostle for their claim with blood and steel. Catelyn Stark has released Jaime Lannister as an exchange for her daughters, Sansa and Arya, who she still believes are at King's Landing. Having been victorious until now, Robb Stark suffers setbacks, and learns that Winterfell has been taken, and his other brothers are now presumed dead.

In the North the Wildlings are marching on the wall, with a pitiful small force of Night's Watch to counteract them. With the wights also attacking them, they realise the odds are so far stacked against until they realise that there is a possible way to defeat these show more creatures of the night. In the east Daenerys Targaryen is trying to raising forces to retake the Iron throne, which she sees as her divine right. She encounters slave trading, and makes plans to release these people from they captors.

As the players in the game of thrones move their pieces, the stakes are raised higher and higher. In this world you win; or you die.

Martin has managed to continue this epic tale of the land of Westeros in the same vain as before. There is not so much action in this one, but you get a full realisation that he is setting the scenes for the next books as the characters develop and grow, rise and fall, win and die. He is not afraid to eliminate characters as you get to know them, and occasionally even like them. This world that he has created is tough and brutal, and I like that way that the underlying magic, adds a little zing to all that is happening.

But what makes this series so good is the political manoeuvring and intrigue that he has infused into this land. As alliances are forged and broken, loyalties are tested beyond all measure. show less

The pace does not let up in Book Three, Part One of A Song of Fire and Ice. Again linking various narratives across time and distance the key characters progress. In this book there is a stronger focus on the events beyond The Wall and Jaime Lannister becomes a central character. This isn't a book to read over a long period of time as the cast is huge and the stories are complex, it would be really easy to lose track. There is a little less characterisation and a little more mysticism and gratuitous violence but that doesn't spoil the fact that this is a cracking read.