A Storm of Swords

Book three of George R. R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire series, A Storm of Swords is everything the title tells you it will be throughout the entire book.

Battle after battle whether with sword or words this book keeps your head turning from player to player never knowing what to expect for the next turn.

Tywin Lannister, the patriarch of the cunning, deceitful, entitled and sometimes incestuous Lannister clan makes it clear that "some battles are won with swords and spears, others with quills and ravens."

Stannis Baratheon chooses to fight his battles of words and swords with the red woman always by his side. Has he been brainwashed by this witchy woman? Or is he truly the chosen one of the Lord of Light and does the red woman really have the power to see the future in the flames?

Baseborn Jon Snow, sworn brother of the Night's Watch, finds himself in a position that just might land him fighting his own brotherhood against his will. While his half sister Arya is fighting for her life to get to her mother Catelyn or brother Robb.

Daenerys is doing everything in her power to get an immense army together in order to get to the Seven Kingdoms and reclaim her rightful throne with her three dragons by her side.

Catelyn fights her own grief after losing so many loved ones. She may need to fight her own madness if she loses another. Sansa is still a hostage in the city if King's Landing and must brave every new torment thrown at her.

My favorite line in this book: "You raped her. You murdered her. You killed her children."

A Clash of Kings

Second of the Song of Ice and Fire series by George R R Martin, A Clash of Kings is a building crescendo of up to seven possible Kings, or rulers, of the Seven Kingdoms, Westeros if you will, all making the same claim, or variations of the same claim. Only two of these possible claimants are presented to us in their own viewpoint. Most of the rest are either depicted though close proximity or various onlookers to their situations. At least one does not even appear throughout the entire book, however is a presence none the less even if not in an apparent position of sights set on ruling the Seven Kingdoms.

In this book Martin clears up a few questions from the first while cleverly creating more mysteries. What is the red comet a sign of? Are the ancient powers awakening and why? What exactly lives beyond the Wall? Who is on whose side? Do they even know? Does Martin even know?

We follow several characters' stories; Davos the smuggler turned knight for Stannis Baratheon, brother of late King Robert Baratheon and rightful heir to the throne #1. Davis is loyal but not blind he sees how easily his King is fooled but that will not keep him from doing his duty for his lord; Arya is the late Lord Ned Stark's second daughter and King of the North's, Robb Stark's, sister. She has been hiding in plain sight of the enemy and none of the Starks are sure if she still lives while the Lannisters are sure she's been lost; Sansa is Arya's older sister. She is the hostage and betrothed to King of the Iron throne, Joffrey Baratheon. Few know that he has no true claim to the throne, not even himself, being the bastard son of late King Robert's wife, Queen Cercei Lannister; Tyrion Lannister is the dwarf brother to Queen Cercei and sitting as the King's Hand in place of his father Tywin Lannister while off commanding battles in the North; Bran Stark is the crippled second son of Lord Ned Stark and Lady Catelyn Tully. He is left as the Lord of Winterfell in place of his brother King Robb while off fighting the Lannisters. At age 8 he is left with significant responsibilities in running the castle at Winterfell. Catelyn Tully is the matriarch of the Stark family. She has just lost her husband to accusations of treason to King Joffery, her father is very ill in his old age and will certainly die soon, and her son, Robb Stark, has been named King of the North. Catelyn finds herself sent from place to place as King Robb's envoy, including to Renly Baratheon, late King Robert's youngest and more popular brother Renly possibly has a better chance than Stannis at being supported as the next King; Theon Greyjoy was taken at age 10 as a ward to the Starks from his home on the Iron Islands. Now at age 20 he has been sent by King Robb to call his father's banners to join Robb's march on King's Landing; Daenerys Targaryen is the sole survivor of King Aerys II. She has been in exile since before she was born and is ready to take back her title; Jon Snow is the late Lord Eddard Stark's bastard son. Jon is a brother of the Night's Watch. He is among many of the Night's Watch Black Bothers searching for answers beyond the Wall in the North. He finds himself fighting wildlings claiming that their King Beyond the Wall is ready to take over the land below the Wall.

Everything goes wrong and nothing's what you'd expect in this incredible sequel to George R R Martin's Game of Thrones.

A Game of Thrones: Book One in George R. R. Martin's Song of Ice and Fire Series

I just finish the First of the Song of Ice and Fire series for the second time. Martin amazes me. He brings knights and kings, ladies and princesses to this story with bastards and exiles. Eunuchs, maesters, sworn brothers of the wall, a headsman and a dwarf all live in the Seven Kingdoms. North of the Seven Kingdoms it is said that wildlings, giants, and wights may roam the lands and are moving South with the coming of the great Winter. Across the sea to the East is the land of the Free Cities and beyond the grasses of the Dothraki Sea, inhabited by warring nomads.

Martin tells his tale through many of his characters, constantly challenging what you think is actually going on. In one chapter you may loath a character and in the next your reading from his viewpoint and find yourself agreeing with him. This whole series is impossible to put down....

A Song of Ice and Fire: Re-reading one of my favoite series

A few years ago... ok 4 or 5 years ago, I was introduced to A Song of Ice and Fire by George R R Martin by a very good friend of mine. I devoured those first 4 books she lent to me and have been awaiting Martin's release of the fifth book in the series, A Dance of Dragons, ever since. Well, it's been released as well as it being turned into an HBO series.

Since I heard about the HBO project of creating a TV series I've wanted to re-read these incredible books in preparation of watching the series. I have to face it, I'm a purist when it comes to my favorite books being made into movies or TV series. I always compare them, I can't help it.

Now it's been awhile since they started airing the TV show and since the fifth book has been released and I just haven't had the finances as of late to justify buying the books new so I've been waiting for them to show up in one of my favorite local used book stores. Well, I don't have to wait no more! My dear, sweet older sister and her amazing partner bought the box set for me of the first 4 books for my birthday that's coming up next week (I opened my present early). So I'm getting all excited to dig in! Thanks Becky & Brad!

The Vampire Diaries

The original series of 4 books by author L.J. Smith includes The Awakening, The Struggle, The Fury and Dark Reunion. I just finished this group of books. What can I say I'm a sucker (pun intended) for vampire books. I knew nothing about this series before I read them, I had no idea that they were turned into a TV series or that the series was continues with a post-trilogy... I'm intrigued and may have to seek out these extentions... OK the books, the plot is basically about the "typical" blond high school dream-girl with the most popularity... She's a senior the "prettiest," "coolest," and the homecoming queen... you get the picture, all the girls want to be her and all the boys want to be with her.... Along comes the new kid... a dreamy dark, handsome, oh and vampire.... Stefan Salvador.... by the way, he's got an evil vampire brother, Damon.... Does this have any hint of familiarity? Remind you a bit of the Twilight series? Me too, but this series was written before Twilight was, in the early '90's. So looks like we know who Stephanie Meyers was influenced by. All in all my opinion of this series, The Vampire Diaries, is that they are not very well written, much like most young adult books, but they certainly do fall under the guilty pleasures category... If you like vampire books, you've got to read these. Don't worry, you'll blow right through them and they'll hardly take up any time.... As for me... I'm gonna see if I can get a hold of the TV series and see what kind of terrible acting is going on there....

What this is all about

I originally just wanted to keep a list of everything I've been reading and now I think it will be developing into not just what I'm reading but what I'm watching and listening to as well....