I mentioned a War of the Worlds review tonight, but since I'm not really feeling that, and am feeling like working on my novel, here's one I wrote a few days ago.
A Clash of Kings is the second book in George R. R. Martin's ongoing fantasy series,
A Song of Ice and Fire. Much like book one (
A Game of Thrones) and book three (
A Storm of Swords) this novel is not self-contained. The three books together tell one epic story, one that is going to occupy six or possibly seven novels, the fourth of which will be published later this year (November 2005) with the fifth following in 2006. No one has any idea when the sixth and seventh will be published, but since there was a five year gap between book 3 and 4, it's probably best if you don't hold your breath.
Book-writing delays aside, this novel is hard to review since, like books 1 and 3 in the series, it's not self-contained. It's part two of a very long story, but since there is no final conclusion to the numerous interwoven story lines, it doesn't really have a beginning or an end. Book two does come to more of a conclusion than book one did, with most of the story lines leading up to a gigantic battle at King's Landing, but there's no way you can read this one and feel satisfied; it will just whet your appetite to move on to book three and more of the adventure.
Nevertheless, on we go to the scores.
A Clash of Kings, by George R. R. Martin
Plot: 9
Concept: 8
Writing Quality/Flow: 7/9
Characters: 10
Horror: 7
Fun Factor: 7
Page Turner: 7
Re-readability: 10
Overall: 9
This wasn't the most fun I've ever had reading a novel, even a fantasy novel, but it's definitely the best fantasy novel I've ever reviewed, an honor that will likely be removed once I finish rereading book three in the series.
To be fair, I should admit that I'm writing this review in mid-2005, after reading the novel for the second time.
My review of A Game of Thrones was written after reading it for the first time, and would earn substantially higher scores if I were to re-review it at this point. I enjoyed book one the first time, but it was enormously richer the second time through, simply because I knew what was going to happen, and knew more about the plot and characters. It's amazing how well Martin sets up everything, with subtle hints and clever foreshadowing everywhere, and I appreciated the complex plot and character motivations far more knowing enough to follow all of the threads. I don't think it's possibly to fully appreciate any of the novels in this series the first time through, simply because you can't keep all the dozens of characters, and families, and battles, and allegiances, and wars, and so on straight in your head. You'd need a photographic memory, and even then you wouldn't appreciate how well it all weaves together.
The second book was much the same. I enjoyed it far more than book one on my first read, back in 2003, and while I didn't enjoy it as much more this time though, I definitely got more out of it than I did the first time. And the first 100 pages I've (so far) reread of book three are that much better than they were the first time as well. To generalize, I gave book one a 7 the first time, and while I didn't review books 2 and 3 I'd have given them an 8 and an 8.5 or so. This time through, book one was a solid 9, book two was better, and if book three keeps on being even better than it was before, I might need to Spinal Tap my scoring scale to keep up.
It's also sort of pointless to review individual books in this series at this point, since the three novels thus far have all been very similar in flow and pacing and style; they all keep the plot moving on, all have fascinating characters, all tie the plot threads together brilliant, etc. The only differences between them, from a reviewer's point of view, are the actual plot events in the books, and since these all feel completely organic and required by the story they tell, it's hard to quibble about them.
If I have any complaints about book two, and I must or I'd have given it 10s down the entire board, it's that there aren't any chapters from Robb Stark's POV, or from the POV of anyone with him. We hear a little about his war efforts, but only short reports told from a distance, and the only time he appears in the book, aside from very brief reports of his success in battle, is in a couple of early Caitlin chapters. And in those he does nothing but talk to her as she argues against the inevitable war. I'd gladly have exchanged some of the extremely-detailed chapters about the goings on in King's Landing, or a Bran chapter or two, for some more reports of Robb's war efforts, especially given how small a presence he has in book three.
Overall, I enjoyed the first 400 pages, but didn't feel any real urgency to keep reading. As the plot threads began to twist tighter though, and the major war showdown drew nigh, I started to read for longer at a stretch, and by the time everything came together in the explosive and enormously-satisfying concluding battle, I simply could not quit reading. I don't think I was that engrossed the first time through, and for a novel that
I'd already read to suck me in that deeply is quite an accomplishment.
What more is there to say? The characters are more real and full of personality than any I've ever read in any novel, the world is fascinating and incredible detailed, the action is exciting and painfully-gritty, and the writing is excellent. It's truly a masterpiece, and if Martin keeps the series going at anything near the quality of the first three books, he'll have created the best fantasy series ever written. The only thing I'd compare it to is Tolkien, and while Tolkien's world is more epic and inventive (and endlessly ripped off by now), Martin's got him beat on plot, character, writing quality, and since his world grows deeper with each book (as some final, epic struggle is hinted at and slowly developed) even JRR's one advantage may vanish eventually, though he might get points for pulling his off in a fraction of the pages Martin's using.
Needless to say, this book gets my highest recommendation, though it's impossible to read it on its own and get much from it; you've got to read book one first.
