A Clash of Kings (ASoIaF #2) by G.R.R Martin

Summary from Goodreads:

Time is out of joint. The summer of peace and plenty, ten years long, is drawing to a close, and the harsh, chill winter approaches like an angry beast. Two great leaders—Lord Eddard Stark and Robert Baratheon—who held sway over and age of enforced peace are dead...victims of royal treachery. Now, from the ancient citadel of Dragonstone to the forbidding shores of Winterfell, chaos reigns, as pretenders to the Iron Throne of the Seven Kingdoms prepare to stake their claims through tempest, turmoil, and war. 

As a prophecy of doom cuts across the sky—a comet the color of blood and flame—six factions struggle for control of a divided land. Eddard’s son Robb has declared himself King in the North. In the south, Joffrey, the heir apparent, rules in name only, victim of the scheming courtiers who teem over King’s Landing. Robert’s two brothers each seek their own dominion, while a disfavored house turns once more to conquest. And a continent away, an exiled queen, the Mother of Dragons, risks everything to lead her precious brood across a hard hot desert to win back the crown that is rightfully hers. 

A Clash of Kings is the second book in the A Song of Ice and Fire series. The plot is still filled with the danger and uncertainty and really great political intrigue, as I have already talked about in my review of the first book, A Game of Thrones. But this being book 2, we now see the war as it escalates to a greater scope, so expect more blood and more grisly and harrowing scenes. There is also considerably more sorcery or magic involved in this installment, which added a great deal of texture to the story. It's infinitely darker and a lot grimm, and full of foreboding.  

But what I noted after reading the book, is how much I truly appreciated the way Martin crafted the characters. You revel in their personalities and are interested in their back stories. You understand their wants, needs, fears, and troubles. And then you begin to follow their plight with much interest. And you begin to feel a tremendous amount of emotions from rage, to hatred, to sadness, to pity; up to the point where you actually believe these people are real, as in they currently exists in the real world. (Although, on one hand, it may just mean that I am the fan girl who is typically afflicted with the behavioral problem of considering fictional characters as real i.e. a crazy person. Ha.) 

 Okay, fan girl time! Indulge me will you?

Here are some of the things that I loved in A Clash of Kings. (In no particular order)

1. Tyrion's brilliantly smart ploys and schemes, and his funny quips 
2. Tyrion and Cersei showdowns
3. Dany's Dragons
4. The Battle of Blackwater
5. Awesome backstories of various characters/houses/places  
6. Davos and Theon POVs
7. Sansa, changed into a different girl, than what I've initially thought of her in book 1.
8.  The Hound, as a much different from what I thought of him in book 1
9. There is more Magic involved
10. The Arya, Gendry, and Hotpie ragtag trio. 

All in all, this is a pretty good second installment. And as always, I am extremely pleased of this new found obsession, especially since I still have book 3-5  to look forward to, and a 6th and a 7th to boot, once Mr. Martin has them done.    

Rating: 5/5 stars

Awards received: Nebula Award Nominee for Best Novel (2000), Locus Award for Best Fantasy Novel (1999), Ignotus for Novela extranjera (2004)

Award Winning Books Reading Challenge Entry # 14