A Storm of Swords is the third book in the A Song of Ice and Fire series by George R.R. Martin. In this installment, the readers follow Sansa Stark as she flees King’s Landing for her life, Arya Stark as she trains to become a Faceless Man in Braavos, Jon Snow as he battles against the wildlings north of The Wall, and Tyrion Lannister as he tries to survive following his father’s execution order. Along with these point-of-view characters, we are also privy to events happening elsewhere in Westeros – most notably Cersei Lannister’s ruthless ascension to power atop the Iron Throne and Stannis Baratheon’s preparations for an assault on King’s Landing.
For who is this book for ?
A Storm of Swords is a book for people who love character-driven stories with a lot of action and political intrigue. If you’re already familiar with Martin’s world, then this book will not disappoint. It truly feels like the middle chapter of an epic story, setting the stage for even more drama to come in books 4 and 5.
Pros :
- The world that George R.R. Martin has created is so vast and well-developed that it’s easy to get lost in it for days at a time
- The characters are written with such depth and nuance that they feel like real people
- Martin isn’t afraid to kill off his main characters, which keeps the reader constantly guessing about who will make it out of the story alive
Cons :
- The book is too long and could have been edited down
- Several storylines seem to drag on without much happening
- Some parts of the plot are confusing
Learn more about the author
George R.R. Martin is the author of several successful science fiction and fantasy series, including A Song of Ice and Fire.
Reader Reviews
“A Storm of Swords is one of the best books I have ever read. George R.R. Martin does an amazing job of completely capturing your attention and holding it until the very end.”
“George R.R. Martin is one of the greatest storytellers writing today.”
“A Storm of Swords is one part fantasy, one part drama, and all parts awesome. If you’re a fan of the first two books in this series, you’ll undoubtedly gobble up A Storm of Swords just as quickly.”
“George R.R. Martin is one of the best authors I have ever read.”