A Clash of Kings (HBO Tie-in Edition): A Song of Ice and Fire: Book Two

A Clash of Kings - George R.R. Martin With its massive cast introduced and explored in the first novel, "A Clash of Kings" takes these players through multiple conspiracies to claim the rights and throne of the Seven Kingdoms. While each character's story is gripping and original, the large number of threads to follow can become daunting to track through this massive novel within a series of massive novels. Nevertheless, Martin's pacing is sharp and his ability to make so many of his creations unique, memorable, and identifiable by the context of their actions makes the series a worthwhile read that is too rich to be labelled a fantasy-themed distraction. This is an epic series worth the investment it asks.