This is the second book of George R. R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire fantasy epic. As the second book of what I believe is intended to be a quintet, it's not surprising that I don't have much to add to my original review of the first book: A Game of Thrones. However there are a few points that this book brings out that I feel worth mentioning in particular.
One of the things that I like about Martin is the fact that he's prepared to kill characters and in this book a few more bite the dust. There's also the amount of plot furtherance you'd expect and the older generation of characters are increasingly;y explored. I found Tyrian Lannister and Catelyn Stark especially interesting in this book. Against the backdrop of a feudal society where conflicts are won by the sword, the fact that Tyrion is a dwarf (in the non-fantasy sense of the word) means that he has been forced to live by his wits and in this book we see and increasing amount of cynical wisdom from him which makes him seem more likeable to the reader than to his fellow characters. Catelyn Stark is also explored well and her actions, although often unwise, are made comprehensible by the tight network of relationships which Martin has bound her into. The Daenerys Targaryn plot continues to build, as does the magical plot, with indications of what Martin intends for his principle characters in the later volumes.
If you didn't enjoy this first book this is unlikely to draw you in any further. But, with the fact this is part of an epic sequence in mind, I'm rating A Clash of Kings as 7/10. It's a good solid volume of Martin's story. But it is aimed at a niche audience of fantasy readers and would be unlikely to appeal to anyone who finds the epic anathema.
