A Clash of Kings begins where A Game of Thrones ended. Winter truly is
coming, and, instead of using autumn to prepare for its onset, the people of
Westeros watch their crops burn and their fields turn to ash. The Seven
Kingdoms are at war. Across the continent, battles rage and lords fall, or are
captured and held for ransom. Peace seems unlikely, as each faction believes
its cause will lead to victory and, for many, peace entails certain death. In
the towns and castles, peasants starve, while noble lords and ladies continue
to feast.
While
unrest rules in the Seven Kingdoms, asserting a power that not even noble
pedigrees cannot assuage, Wildlings and other forces continue to gather in the
North, and the Night’s Watch prepares to defend the realm. In Essos, Daenerys
Targaryen seeks a means to return to her kingdom and mount the throne that she
believes is hers by right. To do so, she must navigate the overt threats to her
safety, and the subtle dance of plots to weaken her power.
A Clash of Kings is notably darker than its prequel. War, it seems, has
bred crueler men and women. Swords are quickly raised and blood shed, where
before it was wits that clashed and pride that was wounded. Commanders condone cruelty
and wantonness in the men who serve them, as long as that cruelty demoralizes
their enemies.
Magic
seems to be returning to the world, and not all of it is used for good purpose.
Characters have prophetic dreams, sorcerers perform feats that could either be
magical expression or well-executed ruse, and the gods or demonic forces have
begun to speak to and through individuals who care to listen.
The
cast of characters has expanded, in the second installment of A Song of Ice and Fire. The size and
scope of Martin’s imagined realm begins to show its girth to the reader. New
perspectives have been added to account for more aspects of the story and to
replace characters that no longer dwell in the land of the living. Characters’
personalities have become more defined; it is easier to identify which
characters are crueler and eviler, kinder and more innocent, dutiful and
untrustworthy, than it was in A Game of
Thrones. Still, certain characters are harder to figure out, especially
those who are only seen through the perspectives of focal characters.
Perhaps,
this continually expanding cast of characters is one of the novels greatest
flaws. Sometimes, remembering the actions and personalities of fringe characters
becomes difficult, particularly when sons and brothers bear similar names and
titles, but owe their allegiances to different lords.
The increasing divergence of storylines also
proves problematic to the novel’s ending. A reader can feel that the tale has
come to a conclusion, as one character’s story comes to a close, but, there are
still other stories that have to be finished. The effect is that the novel’s
denouement feels a bit too drawn out. However, the various storylines also give
Martin an effective way to build suspense. He can conclude a chapter with a
cliffhanger, and then leave that tale to visit another perspective and facet of
his story. The effect sucks readers in, and makes them want to keep reading.
The divergent storylines also allow readers to escape one tale for a little
while, and enjoy the beauty of another.
A Clash of Kings is equal in size to A Game of Thrones, and it is equally
enchanting. The tale draws you in, despite some slow moments. It is certainly
worth the investment reading it, and the ending (to all its storylines) will
leave you wanting more, and force you to turn to the third book in the series.
JCM
28 March 2013
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