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stheos 's review for:
A Storm of Swords: Blood and Gold
by George R.R. Martin
PRESENTING YOU WITH STORM SWORDS 2. IT IS SERVED WITH BLOOD, GOLD, LITTLE HOPE AND MARTIN'S FAVORITE - LOTS OF MISERY.
So, this book was really good. The End.
Now for the longer review, I will go on about the book dividing it character - wise, because it is easier to organize that way.
Bran
I have given a lot of hate to Bran in the first two books. I will forgive him now, he is actually trying to do something. He is going beyond the Wall to actually become useful. The character development for him in the past two books (this included) has been great. He finally made up his what he needs to do, is ready to face the challenges coming, and can now fight, though not really well but still counts. The only complaint I can give is that we got a lot less of Bran. He is going beyond the Wall, it would have been a great chance for Martin for world development, in case he still needs to any.
Danerys
The dragon queen, mother of dragons and a thundered or two more people. She is the second best female character in the story and a strong competitor for third position (at least for me). She comes to terms with being a queen, takes hard decisions and is finally sure what to do and has stopped thinking the same four words to herself again and again. I know her character will come in action more in the 2 parts of Dance of the Dragons ( cause I mean, dragons), but still her character is a great built-up from the first book with probably the best paced development in the story similar to Jon and Arya, so I expected a lot more of her in the book, but well.
Arya
Ever seen a sword-fighting-hound-killing-revenge-seeking-actually-interesting-blood-lusting-horse-riding high born girl? Yea this is her. The best female character in the book and the second-best overall (for me, again). The book has a tendency to show the "maidens" as innocent and dumb fragile girls. And here is girl dreaming up ideas to write the book How to kill enemies 101. All the books till this do her justice in the amount of pages given for her POV and Martin takes all the chance he gets to develop the character in new ways. Once, she was a Castle maid trying assassination, now she experiences the horrors of war first-hand while travelling on the road. She is a character that is not only focused on her goals but actually tries to achieve them (unlike her sister for the most parts).
Jaime and Brienne
Not much to say. Jaime is cocky. Brienne is dumb. Ser Cleos is dead. Their POVs were not much of character-focused POV but more of story-focused POV as they are used to progress with the story. Only near the end of the book we get to see some development in Jaime, as humbles down a little and is ready to accept his feelings rather than play the brave shining knight ready to save thou maiden.
Tyrion and Sansa
Tyrion is the competitor for the third best character with Danerys. He is the only likable character in the Lannister family which is surprising since he is called a monster. He actually uses his brain and is ready to do what he doesn't wants to, which is surprising, since he is a Lannister. His character doesn't goes through much development since he is man full grown (though half of the seven kingdoms will disagree with me on that). Martin uses Tyrion to tell us more about the court and the true nature of people which is good. Again, not much to say.
Sansa is... finally doing something, yay! I know she is in a castle trapped, married against her will, and is a maiden (+20 sympathy points). I also know here her character is built up to show that she is quite dumb. Gets easily excited, believes immediately and that not all characters are supposed to play 5-D chess. But it still gets a little annoying when a person's POV is just..... just, there. Atleast now her adjectives can have - brave enough to climb a wall during the chaos of murder of a king.
Robb and Catelyn
Dead. The end.
Bur on a serious note, these two are probably the one of the best characters in the book, and Robb is perhaps the best King fighting the war, until he wasn't. I have written in previous reviews about he great development of these characters. But let me draw your attention to the writing. The red Wedding is perhaps one of the, if not the best chapters written in the series till this book. I can easily compare it with some of my favorites such as Battle of Blackwater, Jon kills Halfhand, Jon coming back to wall etc. I saw the TV adaptation of this scene and it was garbage in front of the book writing.the twist at the end though
Jon and Samwell
Well, time to write about the best character. He is also one of the few characters that get consistent number of chapters in every book. So, there is not much to say that I haven't said in the previous reviews. He is true to his character - honest, brave but also gets new traits as the story progresses, Liar and cunning. Though his lies were for the Watch, those were lies, a new thing for the Stark lineage. Cunning, is not the proper word, but he is smart enough to plot deceit, back-stab etc., for the Watch, but still a new thing for the Starks. Martin, who is great at giving his readers misery, finally stopped that, and gave us some happiness by making Jon Lord Commander of Night's Watch.
Samwell is another character who went through a lot of change in this book. He is still scared but has become brave enough to take risks. The way he plots the entire "Jon becoming the Lord Commander thing" was a great way to develop his character from Sam the Scared to Sam the Slayer.
So that is the end of the review. Now I will go and host a Feast for Crows.
I spilled tea on my book, again
THE END
So, this book was really good. The End.
Now for the longer review, I will go on about the book dividing it character - wise, because it is easier to organize that way.
Bran
I have given a lot of hate to Bran in the first two books. I will forgive him now, he is actually trying to do something. He is going beyond the Wall to actually become useful. The character development for him in the past two books (this included) has been great. He finally made up his what he needs to do, is ready to face the challenges coming, and can now fight, though not really well but still counts. The only complaint I can give is that we got a lot less of Bran. He is going beyond the Wall, it would have been a great chance for Martin for world development, in case he still needs to any.
Danerys
The dragon queen, mother of dragons and a thundered or two more people. She is the second best female character in the story and a strong competitor for third position (at least for me). She comes to terms with being a queen, takes hard decisions and is finally sure what to do and has stopped thinking the same four words to herself again and again. I know her character will come in action more in the 2 parts of Dance of the Dragons ( cause I mean, dragons), but still her character is a great built-up from the first book with probably the best paced development in the story similar to Jon and Arya, so I expected a lot more of her in the book, but well.
Arya
Ever seen a sword-fighting-hound-killing-revenge-seeking-actually-interesting-blood-lusting-horse-riding high born girl? Yea this is her. The best female character in the book and the second-best overall (for me, again). The book has a tendency to show the "maidens" as innocent and dumb fragile girls. And here is girl dreaming up ideas to write the book How to kill enemies 101. All the books till this do her justice in the amount of pages given for her POV and Martin takes all the chance he gets to develop the character in new ways. Once, she was a Castle maid trying assassination, now she experiences the horrors of war first-hand while travelling on the road. She is a character that is not only focused on her goals but actually tries to achieve them (unlike her sister for the most parts).
Jaime and Brienne
Not much to say. Jaime is cocky. Brienne is dumb. Ser Cleos is dead. Their POVs were not much of character-focused POV but more of story-focused POV as they are used to progress with the story. Only near the end of the book we get to see some development in Jaime, as humbles down a little and is ready to accept his feelings rather than play the brave shining knight ready to save thou maiden.
Tyrion and Sansa
Tyrion is the competitor for the third best character with Danerys. He is the only likable character in the Lannister family which is surprising since he is called a monster. He actually uses his brain and is ready to do what he doesn't wants to, which is surprising, since he is a Lannister. His character doesn't goes through much development since he is man full grown (though half of the seven kingdoms will disagree with me on that). Martin uses Tyrion to tell us more about the court and the true nature of people which is good. Again, not much to say.
Sansa is... finally doing something, yay! I know she is in a castle trapped, married against her will, and is a maiden (+20 sympathy points). I also know here her character is built up to show that she is quite dumb. Gets easily excited, believes immediately and that not all characters are supposed to play 5-D chess. But it still gets a little annoying when a person's POV is just..... just, there. Atleast now her adjectives can have - brave enough to climb a wall during the chaos of murder of a king.
Robb and Catelyn
Dead. The end.
Bur on a serious note, these two are probably the one of the best characters in the book, and Robb is perhaps the best King fighting the war, until he wasn't. I have written in previous reviews about he great development of these characters. But let me draw your attention to the writing. The red Wedding is perhaps one of the, if not the best chapters written in the series till this book. I can easily compare it with some of my favorites such as Battle of Blackwater, Jon kills Halfhand, Jon coming back to wall etc. I saw the TV adaptation of this scene and it was garbage in front of the book writing.
Jon and Samwell
Well, time to write about the best character. He is also one of the few characters that get consistent number of chapters in every book. So, there is not much to say that I haven't said in the previous reviews. He is true to his character - honest, brave but also gets new traits as the story progresses, Liar and cunning. Though his lies were for the Watch, those were lies, a new thing for the Stark lineage. Cunning, is not the proper word, but he is smart enough to plot deceit, back-stab etc., for the Watch, but still a new thing for the Starks. Martin, who is great at giving his readers misery, finally stopped that, and gave us some happiness by making Jon Lord Commander of Night's Watch.
Samwell is another character who went through a lot of change in this book. He is still scared but has become brave enough to take risks. The way he plots the entire "Jon becoming the Lord Commander thing" was a great way to develop his character from Sam the Scared to Sam the Slayer.
So that is the end of the review. Now I will go and host a Feast for Crows.
I spilled tea on my book, again
THE END