Saturday, March 20, 2010

A Storm of Swords


Do you like to read?

Do you enjoy fantasy novels?

Do you enjoy fantasy novels anchored in a world so realistic you almost think you’ve picked up some gripping historical fiction?

On the other hand, do you also like a bit of “old-school” fantasy elements, like, oh, a dragon or two, or a wee bit of sorcery, things like that?

Does the prospect of wandering through a rich tapestry of lands and kingdoms, each with living histories, intriguing cultures and customs, mythologies and religions, entice you?

When you see a map or two on the first page of a novel, do you pause and study it for minutes at a time, and dog-ear the page for future reference?

Are you fascinated by the minds and motivations of kings and lords, both evil and good, as well as those of peasants and grunt foot soldiers, who often have some nasty choices to make for mere survival’s sake?

Do you fancy yourself a student of warfare, particularly of the medieval variety, or would you like to be?

Are regular trips through the emotional wringer – cliffhangers and the promise of vengeance for injustices done to characters you quickly come to love – a sweet addictive element to your reading?

Do you find appeal with stories and tales entrenched in that “age of heroes”, where men are authentically men and women are authentically women?

And do you harbor perhaps a slightly more than wistful wish to be completely transported into and spend a lengthy time in such a vivid world … at least 3,000 pages-worth?

Well, if you answered YES to ALL these questions, I have one imperative for you:

Go out and start reading George R. R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire series.

But if you answered YES to ALL the above questions, you probably already have.

This series starts with A Game of Thrones and continues with A Clash of Kings and A Storm of Swords. I’ve been reading them since the beginning of this past October. I just finished A Storm of Swords yesterday, and I’ll take a break for a week or two, and then start the fourth entry, A Feast of Crows, in early April.

This is the best series I’ve read since I read Tolkien thirty years ago.

1 comment:

replica medieval weapons said...

I'm a fan of fantasy and medieval books. Of course, movies seem to be the normal progression of my passion. Since I have been out of the loop lately, your suggestion is worth my time. I'll find time in doing the thing I love most - reading. Thanks!