A Clash of Kings

I finished reading book A Clash of Kings: Book Two of A Song of Ice and Fire, and like it's predecessor, A Game of Thrones, it didn't disappoint.  I'll attempt to complete this review with as little spoiling as possible for those of you who are still watching the series or haven't yet read the books.  The story did a nice job following the struggles of the main characters while adding in some new viewpoints such as that of Davos Seaworth, aka the Onion Knight and King Stannis' right hand.  The second installment introduces us to many new lords, ladies, knights and kings, all of whom fight for the iron throne (or support one of the sides fighting for it) and control over the seven kingdoms of Westeros.  There's plenty of action, love, betrayal, and cruelty throughout the story, and Martin provides many plot twists that would leave any seasoned reader very surprised.  Martin uses excellent wording and conventions to construct a piece that tells a story from a different time period.  I personally enjoy his frequent use of creative similes.  It's very difficult to write a review without giving too much away, but I'll say that Martin gives you the battle that many of you long for, and you may be surprised by the result (I know I was). 

No no no, it's not all good.  What kind of critic would I be if I just praised the shit out of this book? One that would hopefully have a nice payday coming from the publishers.  I personally do not like weak character development, and Martin falls into this pitfall quite often.  Many lords and ladies are introduced in important forums and then disappear for the rest of the book.  For instance, Walder Frey, Lord of the Twins, plays a crucial role in King Robb's war effort, and is then forgotten for the rest of the book.  Same goes for Lysa Arryn who I believe is only mentioned in Book Two, but never once makes an appearance (Lady Arryn played a significant and entertaining role on Book one).  The Vale, Lady Arryn's kingdom, supposedly has a strong number of knights that simply sit tight at the Eyrie, never joining the melee.  I attribute the loss of these characters to the vast number of characters introduced by Martin, and I just don't see the point of mentioning so many different people if Martin doesn't plan on developing their characters.  Keeping track of everyone can be a grueling feat in itself, and by not giving characters any significance, Martin simply fills pages with words (900-1000 pages per book so we know he's good at that). 

Martin's story mostly follows logic and is believable except for a few main mistakes.  SPOILER ALERT: I don't get Robb sending Theon to his father, Balon Greyjoy for his aid.  Nedd Stark, Robb's father, defeated Greyjoy in battle when he rebelled, killed two of  Balon's sons, and took the third hostage (Theon) to serve as his steward.  I don't see how Robb would think that Balon Greyjoy would ever have been his ally.  Plus, once home, why would Theon come back to Robb under his own free will to fight a north man's war? Doesn't make sense to me.  Another part that I disagreed with was Martin trying to sell the readers that Bran and Rickon were killed by Theon.  Their death was mentioned in a calm and anti-climactic fashion.  For Bran, one of the more intriguing characters, to die such an unceremonious death made no sense and didn't fool me. 

My other critiques are more minor, yet to me they make a difference in the quality of the story.  At times Martin places a great amount of detail into describing armor, scenery, and clothing, and it can be a bit much.  I think that it breaks up his rhythm when Martin goes on and on about how a character is dressing on his or her way to a significant conflict.  Who cares? Just get to the battle or argument to see what happens.  The story also features many instances of rape, some of which are described in a bit too much detail for my taste.  I understand that one of the horrors of war is usually rape and pillaging that hurts the civilians most of all, but must there be so much? Rape is horrible, and it grosses me out, and I could do with a bit less rape. 

Here's a trailer of the second season of HBO's Game of Thrones which closely mirrors the events of A Clash of Kings.  Enjoy.