Steven C. (SteveTheDM) - , reviewed on 6/6/2011 + 204 more book reviews

Helpful Score: 1

This was the second of Martin's well-regarded "Song of Fire and Ice" series.

Generally speaking, it was good. The writing when considered narrowly, is quite good. Martin's style doesn't have much in the way of dialog, but I do like the scenes he paints. When considered broadly, he's created a sweeping pre-industrial political situation, and the interplay of different leaders and kingdoms is wonderful.

When considered somewhere in the middle, though, this is a ponderous book. That was a whole lot of pages to get through before the requisite second book cliffhangers at the end. And with a style that doesn't flow quite as well as other authors, it really took some determination on my part to actually finish. Part of me really wishes I didn't like the story, because at times I really wanted to just shelve the book.

3.5 of 5 stars.

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