Book review: A Storm of Swords is a must-read

Hello everyone. I'm back after a long absence. I've got some books to review with all of you. The first one today is A Storm of Swords.

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Story:
War continues to rage across the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros. Tyron Lannister has managed to repel the forces of Stannis Baratheon, and is left with nothing after his father and nephew take all the credit. Robb Stark continues to work to avenge his father, but his actions are causing problems in the ranks of his own men. Meanwhile, beyond the Wall, Jon Snow is trying to learn the plans of Mance Rayder, the King-Beyond-The-Wall, while he ends up getting too close to the wildling Ygritte. Arya Stark is still trying to get back to her mother and brother, but ends up having to deal with outlaws and bandits who have their own plans for her. Meanwhile, across the sea, Daenerys Targaryan is building an army of slaves and sellswords to sail to Westeros to take back the Iron Throne. In amongst all this conflict there is betrayal, conspiracies, schemes, and assassinations around every corner. Every man is looking out for himself while all around them the Storm of Swords rages on.
This book took me over a month to read, but it was worth every second. George R. R. Martin is a modern-day master of fantasy, stepping on the foundation that both J. R. R. Tolkien and history itself has laid, and combined the two of them to create one of the most realistic worlds in the realm of fantasy. In Westeros things are not black and white. There is a lot of grey in there, and you can see that in the people and the reasons they give for doing what they do. Characters you care about are not safe from the ravages of war and evil, and we see that even good people do bad things. His descriptions are very detailed and he really explores the psychological processes in each of his characters. So pick up a copy and be sure to join the adventure.
Caution:
Heavily language, including multiple use of the F-word. There is explicit sex and nudity, and often you'll have to skip entire pages before you can continue again. There is a lot of gore and violence, which would probably shock your parents if they could see the images your imagination projects with this book. Some terrifying moments.
Lessons:
As soon as men get a little power, they will exercise unrighteous dominion. Be careful of who you trust. Doing what is right sometimes means telling others no, and getting scorned for it.

Book Review: A Game of Thrones puts the Epic in Epic Fantasy

Hi everyone. I’ve been reading a book that has been entertaining, but long. Now it is finished. That book is the story A Game of Thrones

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Story:

Enter the world of Westeros, a land with a heavy medieval culture and seven kingdoms are ruled by a monarch who sits on the Iron Throne. After years of not seeing each other Lord Eddard “Ned” Stark is visited by his old friend Robert Baratheon, the King of Westeros, and is made the new Hand of the King. Reluctantly Ned follows Robert to King’s Landing with his daughters Arya and Sansa. On the way Ned starts to uncover facts that led to the death of the past Hand, Jon Arryn. As he searches for answers he uncovers a secret that could plunge all Westeros into chaos and war.

Online friends have told me that George R. R. Martin is the new king of fantasy, and it’s easy to see why with A Game of Thrones. Significantly more toned down than the HBO series the book focuses more on the politics of the world than on magic and monsters. Martin is an imaginative writer who brings you into the wondrous, and oft times, violent world of Westeros. Westeros is not a place where gallant princes and fair maidens dance with each other at the ball until midnight, or legions of orcs are trying to wipe out the kingdoms of men. The real threat comes from within, from the people themselves. The characters are well rounded, there is some serious development for many characters and you don’t have to worry about the pages being filled with clichés. In other words, no elves, no centaurs, no guiding wizard companion and counsellor. Magic is in Westeros, but it's very subtle to the point where if you blink you'll miss it. Martin steps away from many of the stereotypes of fantasy and makes Westeros seem like a place that could exist in reality. A gritty yet engrossing tale of the food and fashion of the dark ages. Also has magic and dragons and sex (sadly) and stuff. If you want a serious upgrade in fantasy worldbuilding you should pick up this book. The multiple characters the story follows helps to show the epicness of this world and once you start reading you won’t want to put this book down.
Martin does an incredible job of developing his characters. Cersei is so evil she makes the Evil Queen seem as gentle as a lamb. Sansa starts out as a silly love-struck girl lost in ideas of what stories paint the world to be, but as the book progresses she gets a serious wake up call that the world is often cold and cruel, and doing the right thing can get you killed. The Dothraki people that Daenerys Targaryan ends up with are seen as animals by many people, but as she spends time with them she sees a human side to them. Martin has said that when it comes to doing his female characters he thinks of them as people, and his writing proves it. The characters feel fleshed out and real with shortcomings and faults that many people have. More impressive is the immense political system Martin has created for Westeros. Most people in fantasy just have the king do everything when it comes to politics. In Westeros the king has a council that helps him govern and rule the land. Each man has a certain job  that they do when it comes to ruling the land. One's in charge of the treasury, the other rumors that abound in the land, etc. This suggests the king doesn't hold absolute power in this world. It makes a nice and well needed change from the stereotypes that have engulfed modern fantasy.  

Caution:

People swear, a couple of times f-bomb someone. Jaime and Cersei Lannister have incestuous sex with each other. Daenerys Targaryan's wedding night has too much detail. Characters are raped. Tyrion mentions sleeping with whores, and one instance has too much detail. Privates are mentioned. Sometimes it takes paragraphs, but other times you have to skip pages to avoid it. Not a book for younger readers. Battles break out and people die, sometimes in a gory way, more so than in The Lord of the Rings or The Inheritance Cycle. If this book were adapted into a movie the content could go beyond a PG-13 rating into NC 17. 

Lessons:

Sometimes we are our own worst enemy. Sometimes doing the right thing means going against the popular opinion. Family can be a source of strength and comfort. Our choices define who we are.

Review: The World of Ice & Fire gives a vast history to a vast world

Hi everyone. I got another book read that I am going to review today. After weeks of reading, I finally finished The World of Ice & Fire.

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Story:
Unlike most stuff I read this doesn't really have a narrative to tell. However it is still interesting to read what is essentially supposed to be a history book for George R. R. Martin's world of Westeros. Going back to a time before men, Martin tells the history of Westeros and several other lands that serve as the setting for his epic fantasy series. This book also recounts the history of each of the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros, from the time when they were first settled up to the end of the Mad King's reign. We also get to learn of the lands beyond Westeros, and get some of their history as well. The addition of the illustrations helps to create the image of the events of Westerosi history for those who are getting into the books.
I am greatly impressed with the amount of imagination and creativity Martin put into his fantasy world. There are some things about parts of Martin's world that I don't like, but I understand the point that this is a different world. People will have customs and traditions that I won't agree with, just like people in ancient times didn't agree with some of the ideas that other nations had. Since this is the history of Westeros it's no different than if a person were reading about the Pharaohs of Egypt or how people lived in Medieval Europe. Reading this made me reflect on the history I've been creating for my books, and showed me that I probably still have a lot of work to do to make things fun for readers. Probably not for younger readers, but adults who love fantasy and/or are fans of Martin's books or the show Game of Thrones will want to add this book to their library.
Caution:
Incest is part of a family's history, though the effects of such a way of life are shown later in their history. Various kingdoms and people are mentioned as taking people as salt wives and concubines. There is a picture that, although faint and not clear, depicts the worship of a love goddess on an island. Some illustrations show cleavage and some outfits are reminiscent of Princess Leia's metal bikini. Wars and battles are listed.
Lessons:
We have such a vast world with complicated histories and cultures. We should seek to learn as much about the histories and cultures of another nations as well as our own.