A Storm of Swords

This summer I took it upon myself to read the 'Song of Ice and Fire' series having enjoyed the TV show so much when it came out. 'Game Of Thrones' was like slipping on a comfortable pair of shoes and spending some time with old friends. 'A Clash Of Kings' saw those friends outstay their welcome somewhat being both tedious and overwrought yet still being too stomach-churningly-rapey. 'A Storm Of Swords' I'd read was a return to form so I gave it a chance and it really didn't disappoint!

Anyone familiar with the series knows that the books are strong on fleshed out characters with very real motivations. There are no cardboard cut-out heroes and villains (well, maybe a few villains) and every character's actions are somewhat understood through their lens. The books have impeccable plotting with twists and turns, and some really big shocks and 'a-ha' moments. Some of the seeds that come to fruition were planted in the first or second book! And lastly there is the worldbuilding. This is far more than a nicely drawn map and some lift and shift cultures. The cultural groupings within Westeros fit naturally and it feels like a natural organic world. Like all good worldbuilding, history matters - what makes a difference here is that events in the past have consequences in the book - not as in 'this happened a hundred years ago and so I am going on a quest' that starts a lot of books, but more that the history of the families in the setting emerges during the story and has consequences for the story.

Of course, these elements are present in all of the first three novels but it is here where everything seems to come together brilliantly. It's like a slow cooked stew that's been in the pot all day - the wait is definitely worth it.

There are a couple of 'well, that was a bit mental' moments in the book (well, actually more than a few) but there is one in particular that was quite shocking and you kind of know what's coming (especially having seen the TV show) but I found myself getting quite a lot of pleasure reflecting not just on the event but on working out just when the seeds of that particular action were sown. I do love that level of Machiavellian intrigue. Even a few of the reveals later in the book, have you thinking, 'but who were you really working for'?

I don't think the book touched my heart quite so much as a key event in 'A Clash Of Kings' but there were many moments of tenderness (framed through the lens of 'horrible people learning to get along together'). In many respects the book is challenging because there are some horrible people doing some truly wicked things but the book forces us to confront their humanity - it's an important real life lesson when we consider justice and rehabilitation and forgiveness. The book also made me think about father figures or the lack of. There is one relationship that is really, really creepy, and yet another that grows and grows from the unlikeliest of beginnings which is quite tender in it's own way. Not forgetting the concept of how can a man care when he has never acknowledged or even held his own son.

I don't really have any criticisms of the book, if I was to gripe I would say at times I felt it was a bit of a slog - there are a couple of characters whose storylines are doing little for me, and it is weird how certain character pairings feel all to short and I wanted more of them (or maybe I just have a crush on wilding women, who knows...)

What is weird, is that upon reading the book I thought 'yes, that was good, about four stars' and it was only in the days since finishing it and reflecting I have actually increased my rating (I normally end up dropping stars). I think that is because the book feels complete. It isn't the end of the series but in the sense that this is such a story on an epic scale it hangs together REALLY well.

It's exciting, it pushes your buttons and it will thrill / shock in equal measures and despite an awful lot of graphic scenes of torture, murder and sexual violence it doesn't feel as relentless as in 'A Clash Of Kings' - here I think the stories are allowed to breathe a little more.

Now wondering if I should stop at a 'peak' or read the rest?