A Clash of Kings

A Clash of Kings is an epic fantasy novel written by George R.R. Martin. It is the second novel of the A Song of Ice and Fire series. It won the Locus Award for Best Novel in 1999. It was also nominated for the Nebula Award for Best Novel in 1999. Following this book in the series are A Storm of Swords and A Feast for Crows.

Roy Dotrice has narrated this book. While he does a few voices very well, his women characters are questionable. They sound a bit too wild, a bit too vicious. He has completely misunderstood some characters. One of them is Tyrion and another is Varys. Unfortunately, Dotrice has not done justice to these two mighty characters of this great universe.

Two great leaders of the past are now dead. Lord Eddard Stark has fallen at the hands of the conspiring Lannisters. Lord Robert Baratheon, losing his youthful shine with time, is also finished off in a humiliating manner. A comet of blood and flame cuts across the sky, indicating the times to come.

Since those leaders who held sway over the Seven Kingdoms are dead, chaos ensues. From the citadel of Dragonstone to the seat of Highgarden, the struggle starts. Six factions now vie to rule the Seven Kingdoms and take the Iron Throne. In such times, brother plots against brother and young princesses disguise as orphan boys to save their lives. What is bound to come is the clash of swords, when cold steel meets cold steel. When cold hearts compete against colder hearts; that is when the stage will be set, for the ultimate war. Victory will not be easy, and it surely won’t be clean.