A Clash of Kings

Phew. Finally finished A Clash of Kings by George R.R. Martin. It took me 11 days to read this book, which for me is a long freaking time.

As much as I really enjoy these books, and I do, I have a hard time just sitting down and enjoying a book like this. Its dry, its heavy, it has about 5 million things and people running around to keep straight. Not to mention the banners - ugh- the banners. How I am supposed to keep track of all of the colors and ensigns without a freaking chart is beyond me. I feels my eyes cross during the descriptions of who is where and against who.

I am not even going to try to give a synopsis of this book. Its huge, and there is so much going on that it would take forever. Suffice it to say that the Seven Kingdoms are in shambles, four men have claimed the crown - and the rest is basically a big game of Risk with everyone jockeying for men and position and trying to claim what they think is theirs. Oh - and Daenerys has the three dragons over the ocean and is trying to plot her own little way back over to the seven kingdoms to avenge the "theft" of the crown from her family.

I really like the books. I love the sweeping worlds, the history, the long lineages, and just the depth and completeness of the world. Plus, its long enough that you can get lost in the world for a while. I am also very intrigued by the supernatural and magic that is slowly coming to the forefront. Martin did this just brilliantly, slowly letting us discover it as the individuals around the Seven Kingdoms do. I can't wait to see how it ratchets up in the next book.

I love epic fantasies- I enjoy having characters and stories that I REALLY get to know. I have a hard time with stand alone novels for that reason. I just don't feel like I get enough time with the people in those books. The flip side there is that I go through some serious mourning when a series is over. But I figure its better to have loved and lost, right?

My only foibles here are how dry it is and the teeny mundane details.

Oh - and how much I hate the Lannisters - especially Cersei and Joffrey. I wish miserably slow and painful deaths on them.

Here is my theory on authors like Tolkien and Martin. They are just brilliant, they come up with this whole world and this whole story. They know their worlds down to the smallest creature, the farthest tree- the most insignificant village person - and they get so excited to share that whole world, and make sure that nothing gets left out - that they just lay it all on you. And it gets heavy. Its hard to breathe under the weight of it all - and even though you like it - you can't stay there for too long. Then there are authors like Robert Jordan, Brandon Sanderson, Neil Gaiman, and Rick Riordan - who have the worlds - but give you the info as you need it. I prefer the second method. I understand and can appreciate the first but I have more fun reading the second. I need breaks after a Martin book. I could read Sanderson forever.

I just need a little rest - and I will ready for A Storm of Swords. Bring it on.

Winter is coming.