Book Review: A Storm of Swords - George R.R. Martin

 Title: A Storm of Swords (A Song of Ice and Fire #3) - George R.R. Martin

Release Date: The edition I have was first published March 4th 2011

Publisher: Bantam

Pages: 1177 (mass market paperback)

Goodreads 

Of the five contenders for power, one is dead, another in disfavor, and still the wars rage as violently as ever, as alliances are made and broken. Joffrey, of House Lannister, sits on the Iron Throne, the uneasy ruler of the land of the Seven Kingdoms. His most bitter rival, Lord Stannis, stands defeated and disgraced, the victim of the jealous sorceress who holds him in her evil thrall. But young Robb, of House Stark, still rules the North from the fortress of Riverrun. Robb plots against his despised Lannister enemies, even as they hold his sister hostage at King’s Landing, the seat of the Iron Throne. Meanwhile, making her way across a blood-drenched continent is the exiled queen, Daenerys, mistress of the only three dragons still left in the world...

But as opposing forces maneuver for the final titanic showdown, an army of barbaric wildlings arrives from the outermost line of civilization. In their vanguard is a horde of mythical Others--a supernatural army of the living dead whose animated corpses are unstoppable. As the future of the land hangs in the balance, no one will rest until the Seven Kingdoms have exploded in a veritable storm of swords...

THE COVER  

I've always loved the covers for the new editions of A Song of Ice and Fire. Simple but pretty.

THE STORY

HOLY SEVEN GODS, WAS THIS BOOK AMAZING. It was better than the first two, and in almost every chapter, an event occurred that made my jaw drop. There were a lot of happenings - unexpected ones, delivered in GRRM's trademark style. Numerous deaths, of course. By now, I've learned not to get too attached to most of the characters in this series because evil author is evil.

THE CHARACTERS

I'll start with the two characters who were added to my list of favorites in the course of this book: Sansa, because she's learning how to play the game of thrones - albeit really slowly, but all learning is learning - and Jaime, because he kept that snarky, smart egotistical attitude of his despite everything.

In the beginning of ASoS, Tyrion was faced with the problem of no I will not say his face lol being relieved of his Hand of the King position. Then towards the end, an even bigger problem was thrown his way. I really want to read AFfC soon but I'm afraid I would've forgotten everything that happened in it by the time the fourth season of the TV series begins airing.

Daenerys just keeps getting fiercer as her dragons grow, and I actually call her the "nomad queen". I can't wait for when she's finally able to go to the Seven Kingdoms- if GRRM lets her, lol.

And oh my dear Arya. You're too young to be living the life you have, but that'll only make you stronger.

MY FAVORITE PART was The Purple Wedding. One less villain in Westeros.

RATING: 78236427283/5 (Sorry, but five doesn't give this book enough justice.)

(photo and summary from Goodreads.com)