All hail the new king of fantasy!!! Martin's 2nd book is even better than the first masterpiece. The amazing characters that you care about and love make a triumphant return in "A Clash of Kings". Martin takes risks by making this series extremely realistic, but it pays off big time. The characters are breathtaking, your opinion often changes about them as you learn more and sometimes you don't know which side of the epic struggle between the Lannister and the Stark families to cheer for. In Martin's world, there are no black and white characters, there's no good and bad, but grey. Most characters would do terrible things along with honorable things if they had the chance. This book really takes you away from reality. Every chapter is brilliant, especially the amazing and brutal battle scene in the end. During the battle, Tyrion admires the bravery of his opponents and says, "those are some brave men. Let's go kill them!". My favorite quote of all time. Anyway, buy this, love it and cherish it.

A Clash of Kings is....  beyond all fantasy writing.  If you are reading this review, put down the Robert Jordan right now, drive to the nearest bookstore and buy both books of the Song of Ice and Fire series.  It is the best.  IT is the closest thing to non-fiction there is.  No, cliche hero garbage in these books.  Its so...  bloody real.  The plot is  so interweaved, i dont understand how  Martin keeps it together.  IM not kidding when i say the best.  IVe read Goodkind and JOrdan,  these books are  simply better.  If you dont think so...  you must be false metal or something .   Hail!

Following "A Game of Thrones", George Martin provided us with another oeuvre of epic fantasy, the sequel "A Clash of Kings". Unlike, for example, Robert Jordan, George Martin keeps a tight grip on his brilliant plot and amazingly real characters.

"A Clash of Kings" has everything a good fantasy book needs: Romance, court intruiges, treason, war. But it has more. George Martin displays characters that just slip into your very soul. You hate them and you love them as passionately as if they were a part of your real life.

This makes "A Song of Ice and Fire" not only a masterpiece of fantasy, but of Literature. Martin refuses to play the usual good-and-evil games, he refuses to give the reader the sugar-coated heroic-fantasy he probably expects. His characters have amazing depth, they just steal your heart, no matter if they are good or bad.

This, combined with a sensible treatment of magic and a natural feeling for suspense and climax make "A Clash of Kings", as well as "A Game of thrones" a book you simply fall in love with. And George Martin one of the most remarkable authors of our decade.