A Storm of Swords: Book Three of A
Song of Ice and Fire (A Song of Ice
and Fire, Book 3) by George R.R.
Martin
3,000 Pages Are Waiting To Be Read
Is George R.R. Martin for real? Can a fantasy epic actually get better with
each new installment? Fans of the genre have glumly come to expect go-
nowhere sequels from other authors, so were entitled to pinch ourselves
over Martins tightly crafted Song of Ice and Fire series. The reports are all
true: this series is the real deal, and Martin deserves his crown as the
rightful king of the epic. A Game of Thrones got things off to a rock-solid
start, A Clash of Kings only exceeded expectations, but its the Storm of
Swords hat trick that cements Martins rep as the most praiseworthy
fantasy author to come along since that other R.R. Like the first two
books, A Storm of Swords could coast on the fundamentals: deftly
detailed characters, convincing voices and dialogue, a robust back-story,

and a satisfyingly unpredictable plot. But its Martins consistently bold
choices that set the series apart. Every character is fair game for the
headmans axe (sometimes literally), and not only do the good guys
regularly lose out to the bad guys, youre never exactly sure who you
should be cheering for in the first place. Storm is full of admirable
intricacies. Events that you thought Martin was setting up solidly for the
first two books are exposed as complex feints; the field quickly narrows
after the Battle of the Blackwater and once again, anything goes. Robb
tries desperately to hold the North together, Jon returns from the wildling
lands with a torn heart, Bran continues his quest for the three-eyed crow
beyond the Wall, Catelyn struggles to save her fragile family, Arya
becomes ever more wolflike in her wanderings, Daenerys comes into her
own, and Joffreys cruel rule from Kings Landing continues, making even
his fellow Lannisters uneasy. Martin tests all the major characters in A
Storm of Swords: some fail the trial, while others--like Martin himself--
seem to only get stronger. --Paul Hughes
Personal Review: A Storm of Swords: Book Three of A Song of
Ice and Fire (A Song of Ice and Fire, Book 3) by George R.R.
Martin
With this book, GRRM's A Song of Ice and Fire has been cemented as my
favorite fantasy series of all time. Martin's epic saga is able to draw you in,
mesmerize you, beat you up, and spit you out as nothing else in literature.
A STORM OF SWORDS continues the same powerful, gritty, complex,
and enormous tale, and maintains or intensifies the same fast-paced,
emotionally-draining pace as the first two books. Some of the world-
altering, storyline-changing twists found in this book come as such
surprises (for me) that you'll find yourself needing a pause just to really
consider what just happened and the implications for the rest of the story.
Most of the same great characters (except for those that have been killed
off) continue to develop here, and some of those you previously hated
begin to earn your grudging respect and admiration. Also, in this third
book, you finally get a little more in the way of maps. Both the Eastern
continents (partial) and the lands north of the Wall are detailed in the same
convincing way as the old maps (which haven't disappeared).
I should be used to it by now, but Martin's twists and sudden redirections of
the plot continue to catch me off guard. Every time you think you have the
feel for where the plot is taking you, something major and usually
unexpected occurs to send it off in a totally new direction. And Martin
doesn't take his time with this development. Every single chapter
chronicles some plot-altering event that you just couldn't imagine leaving
out of this tale. No wasted space here, even with a book approaching
1000 pages. I hate to see other reviewers complaining about how long his
books are taking to get published because I'd much rather Martin take the
time he needs to write this story as masterfully as he has up till now than
throw something together that is less than perfect. He has built this story
up into something so huge and amazing that it would be all to easy for it to
come tumbling down into disappointment with a couple of poor decisions

or corners cut. Even though it is torture waiting to find out what will
happen, the reward is sure to be well worth the wait. I only feel sorry for
those aging fans that may not live long enough to see this through!
I do have a couple of friends that have read this series up to this point and
been less than pleased.. It has always puzzled me as to how that could be,
when the series is so powerfully written and intense. I've come to the
conclusion that it must simply be too much for some people. This
emotionally-draining roller-coaster ride with never-ending and catastrophic
twists, turns, and wrecks can be completely exhausting, and for the less-
than-dedicated reader willing to give their full attention, this book is too
complex, too intense, and simply too big. But for those of us that love
getting lost in a world this well-developed and vivid, this series is the
absolute best!
I am making myself wait to read the next book, A Feast for Crows, for as
long as I can so that I can prolong the enjoyment and so that I'll have as
short a wait as possible for the book after. I'm not sure how long my plan
will hold however, as I'm already itching to pick up FEAST, and damn the
consequences.
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