Best Fantasy Novel I Have Ever Read
I gave `A Game of Thrones' five stars and `A Clash of Kings' exceeds the first one in every way so what do I give this book?

I absolutely positively love this series. By far its greatest strength is in characterization. After well over 1500 total pages I've grown quite attached to Arya, Bran, Ricken and the rest of the Stark family. I truly want to see Joffrey and Cercei get their heads on a spike and I can't wait to see what Tyrion does next. The midget Tyrion is one of the most inventive and intriguing figures I have ever read. This is a fantastic character and I have to confess that when I see a Tyrion chapter coming up I'll skip forward to take a peek. Actually I found myself peeking forward quite a bit because the book is just so good. At over 960 pages this is probably the longest book I have ever read and amazingly I never wanted it to end and this is coming from a person with a very short attention span.

Martin writes his `Song of Fire and Ice' series like a fantasy soap opera. The chapters jump back and forth between about a dozen or so different storylines so the reader never spends a whole lot of time with any individual character. Robb Stark, from the first book, doesn't appear at all but has become sort of an enigmatic figure winning battle after battle in distant lands. The climax of the book is the huge assault on King's Landing by King Stannis's fleet and it is spectacular. At the conclusion of each book the author treats the reader to several major cliffhangers to keep us eager for the next installment. Lucky for me I'm years behind in the series so I can just grab the next book as I finish the previous.

This is the one to get. This is the best fiction book I have ever read. I loved it so much that I couldn't wait for the next one to arrive so I searched the libraries in my area for `A Storm of Swords' to tide me over until I get my own copy. I'm such a fan that I'm saddened at the thought that some day I'll be finished with the series. Unlike other fantasy writers that seem to be able to crank out a book every six months it takes Martin about 3 years to complete a book and it shows in the quality. These are not books to be plowed through and then tossed into a box. These are literary works. My highest recommendation.

The War for Margery Tyrell's Privy Purse
When it comes down to it, the winning move in the Clash of Kings is whoever gets Margery Tyrell's privy purse and the largest army in the seven kingdoms which goes along with it. House Tyrell is strong enough to singlehandedly throw the balance of power in the hands of whomever they make alliance, but they aren't quite strong enough to rule the seven kingdoms on their own.
This is the best book that RR Martin has written and what sets it apart from the rest are the memorable chapters.
My favorite overall POV is Arya's. She shines in this book whereas her POV rambles quite a bit in the next book. Her story is a wicked twist on conventional fantasy. Arya is trained by a swordfighter from the free city of Braavos in the first book. Arya's story is, in a somewhat predictable fashion, the story of how she eventually gets to Braavos to be taught by those who taught her swordfighting instructor. The twist is that her instructor was actually a Faceless Man, who she meets again in this book with a different name and a different face, and that her story is about loss of identity and transformation into a little murder machine.
Dany Targaryen the dragon girl's POV is on the whole a bit weak in this book, but the chapter where she goes to the House of the Undying is a classic of fantasy writing and more than compensates for the weak chapters.
The fist book left us in suspense for Stannis Baratheon's introduction into the story (protagonists Jon Arryn and Ned Stark were killed because they intended to support his claim to the Iron Throne) and his introduction in the prologue via throwaway character Maester Cressen is another brilliant and creepy chapter.
One of the themes of Martin's books is that Stannis is grumpy and unloved, but would actually make a good king. Renly Baratheon, who is much loved and starts from the position of greatest strength (at the beginning of the book he is in posession of Margery Tyrell's privy purse) is also a pretentions fop who accomplishes nothing before being seamingly assisinated in mysterious and muddled circumstances. While Renly marches north to King's Landing at a leisureley place having lots of feasts and tournaments, Rob Stark manages to fight Tywin Lannister to a standstill with an army a little more than 1/10 the size of the one Renly has mustered.
The description of the battle of King's Landing which spans several chapters is gripping. The other battles in A Song of Ice and Fire before and after this one are given a very terse description.

One Hundred Years War, er, Read
This is excellent fantasy. The sweeping epic begun in A GAME OF THRONES continues in A CLASH OF KINGS. Once again George RR Martin takes us deeper into his magical and beautiful world that stretchs from the icy wastes beyond the Wall to the burning deserts across the ocean.

The old King is dead; the succession disputed. The brothers of King Robert, Stannis and Renly contend for the crown while his queen upholds the claims of her son Joffrey. Other lords strive; some bend the knee to this or that claimant; others raise the standard of dormant kingdoms.

The family of Ned Stark is scattered across the kingdom: daughter Sansa a prisoner in the capital, daughter Arya adrift in the wilderness, sons Bran and Rickon at the family seat in Winterfell. The eldest son, Robb Stark, namesake of King Robert has raised his own banner as King in the North and fights battle after battle while his mother Lady Catelyn rides as envoy to this lord or that. Meanwhile, Jon Snow, Ned's bastard son, finds evidence beyond the Wall that a greater doom is about to fall upon this divided land.

And I haven't even mentioned the Queen Across the Water and her brood of growing dragons!

Martin's handing of his huge cast of characters and complex plot is nothing short of masterly. Every chapter ends with a potent hook and events, which go from bad to worse for the characters, will sweep the reader along. Martin has placed sympathetic characters on all sides of this contested realm. They can't all win or come through safe, but the reader can't help but hope for all of them.

This really feels like a juggling act done by a man dancing on a tightrope strung over a volcano. I've got a feeling this series can't be ended or resolved successfully, but that will be part of the suspense of reading the other books in the series.

On Par With the Standard Set In The First Book
Clash of Kings continues with the president GRRM set in Game of Thrones and expands on certain plot aspects while leaving others in the proverbial dust.

To begin this review, let's assume that you've read Game of Thrones and understand the unique method whereby GRRM weaves his tale. Again in Clash of Kings (COK), the reader is carried along on a grandiose prose through the various characters involved (some more directly than others) by each being given their own chapter.

We are introduced to the former Stark ward Theon Greyjoy in this edition who, despite some initial potential, turns out to be quite a traitor. We continue with the Starks through Catelyn, Sansa & Arya, Bran and Rickon although Robb is sourly lacking in this installment (his exploits are gathered through hearsay and conversations). Jon Snow (Eddard Stark's bastard) continues his exploits with the Brothers in the Night watch, this time from beyond the wall. Of course Martin balances out the Starks with the Lannisters through the exploits of the dwarf Tyrion, his sister Cersei, and their marauding father (who, like Robb is basically missing save for a few mentions). Worst of the lot by far is the nasty child-king Joffery who, quite frankly, better meet his demise soon.

The late Robert Baratheon's siblings come to blows over which has the rightful claim to the throne in the form of brothers Stannis and Renly.

Daenerys Targaryen's tale moves slowly forward and takes a twist toward the sorceress-side although I must confess that much of my initial intrigue with the character died with her Dothraki prince (in the first book).

Additionally there are some new developments in the form of the Onion Knight and the wickedly frightening red priestess. There's a bit more magic in this edition when compared to the first book and the pacing is quite consistent with Game of Thrones despite the additional bulk of this book.

Sadly, those looking for immediate resolve to long-standing plot elements will likely be disappointed to note that the prose simply ends fairly abruptly. Purchasing the 3rd book (A Storm of Swords) is simply a requisite to the further the threads GRRM so gracefully intertwines here.

Some critics fault the story for resembling more of a soap opera set in a medieval environment than a true epic fantasy (and there is slight truth to such claims) but the overall plot is crafted so flawlessly that I found it quite impossible to bail out along the way. The backbone of the prose isn't overly remarkable (after all it is a succession of family betrayals and plotting for political power) but GRRM delivers the package through such character-driven passion that it simply doesn't get bogged down. Very highly recommended reading for anyone who appreciates a slow-building, character-based drama with just the right amount of supernatural elements to keep things interesting.

great but wait
best start to a fantasy series i've read. But definitely wait till they last 3 installments come out before diving it. It's no fun to wait a few years between books.