Valar Morghulis

I must apologize for being away so long. Between working two jobs, applying for Grad school and trying to have at least a tiny bit of a social life, I haven’t done much review writing. I’ll be honest with you, friends, after I get home from a long day of working two shifts, I basically just stare at my computer screen and do absolutely nothing. I think about all the things I could be doing, but the energy to actually do them is just not there.

I have, however, managed to read a few books since my last posting. As all of those books have been part of the Song of Ice and Fire series, I’m going to do a general review covering books 2, 3, 4 and most of 5, as I’m still finishing that one.

A Song of Ice and Fire

Author: George R. R. Martin

Publisher: Bantam

George R.R. Martin knows how to keep readers on their toes. This story is not one where a reader can look at a certain character and just know that they will make it to the end of the book. Just when the audience starts to think to themselves, “Okay, this character is playing a huge part in the story; there’s no way they’re going to die,” Martin pens a scene that just destroys you as a reader. I have heard friends say that when they had finished certain scenes, they slammed the pages closed in anger and threw the book across the room. Those are the kind of responses Martin elicits from his readers. And that, I believe, is a testament to his ability to create lovable and relatable characters.

As mentioned in my review of A Game of Thrones, Martin’s story is more about the politics of the fictional kingdom of Westeros than it is of the few magical creatures that inhabit the lands. The young king currently seated on the Iron Throne is rumored to not be the legitimate heir of the late King Robert. This sparks a war in the kingdoms, with multiple persons laying claim to the crown; Stannis Baratheon, older brother of the late king; Renly Baratheon, Robert’s younger brother; Robb Stark, son of the former Hand of the King, Ned Stark; and across the narrow sea, Daenerys Targaryen, heir of the former royal family of Westeros, is gradually making her way back to her home land, gathering an army and raising the last three living dragons in the world.

On the other hand the kingdom is also dealing with the impending winter, one that is expected to last for several, several years. In addition to the cold weather and snows, there is something else lurking in the northern lands, beyond the wall. Creatures that were long thought to be extinct, after missing for a thousand years, are beginning to resurface, killing every warm-blooded creature they come across. The wall separates them from the rest of Westeros but with the worst winter in centuries about to descend on the kingdoms, things are changing – will the wall be enough to keep the people safe?

There is never a dull moment, as Martin always ends a chapter with a big reveal or on a cliffhanger. The novel is told in third person and each chapter focuses on a different character. The only problem with those cliffhangers is that you may go a hundred or so pages before you get to see what happens next with each character. It does, however, entice you to read the novel as quickly as you can, so you can see what occurs. I am almost finished with the fifth book, “A Dance of Dragons,” and this has been a big problem for me in this installment. However, this isn’t a huge issue – because even though I find it slightly annoying that I don’t know what happened to Arya or Dany since I last saw them a few hundred pages ago, that just keeps me wanting to read even more.

Martin is a wonderful author who creates such dynamic characters – you either absolutely love them and spend the days hoping and praying that they will survive, or you hope they will get what’s coming to them!  As before mentioned, just because a character is considered to be on the good side, that doesn’t mean they will survive to the end. Martin’s style is very realistic – sometimes good doesn’t win, people die and sometimes the bad guys are successful. That’s why you can’t guarantee the safety of anyone in the novels. When I reached the same scene in which my friend threw her book across the room after reading it, I immediately understood why. Though I didn’t throw my book, I was still shocked at what took place on the pages in my hands. A character I was rooting for and expected would survive throughout the entirety of the series because they were one of “the good guys,” was suddenly killed in the most horrifying way. It was at this moment when I realized that, in keeping with the realistic medieval theme of the novels, no one was guaranteed to survive.

I can’t stress highly enough how much I recommend these novels. The storyline itself is enthralling – who, in the end, will actually be the king or queen of Westeros? Martin’s character development is extraordinary. There are so many main characters in this series and yet each of them has their own personality, their own goals and their own breaking point. Not often do you see a novel or series of novels in which you have some sort of attachment, whether positive or negative, to nearly all the characters.

I believe he is still working on book 6, which will be called “The Winds of Winter.” I'm nearly finished book 5, “A Dance with Dragons,” so in a few chapters time I will be one of those people anxiously waiting for the publication date of the next installment. The series, in general, is quite addicting and I encourage you to go pick up a copy of the next book, or if you haven't started them yet, do so! You will not regret it!