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Science Fiction & Fantasy |
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A Storm of Swords (A Song of Ice and Fire, Book 3)
written by George R.R. Martin
Studio : Random House Audio
by Random House Audio
Release Date : 2004-03-16
Publisher : Random House Audio
Released : 2004-03-16
Availability : Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Number of Items : 27
EAN : 9780739308721
Avg. Customer Rating: (based on 749 reviews)
List Price : $59.95
Our Price : $99.97
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Product Description |
Here is the third volume in George R. R. Martin’s magnificent cycle of novels that includes A Game of Thrones and A Clash of Kings. As a whole, this series comprises a genuine masterpiece of modern fantasy, bringing together the best the genre has to offer. Magic, mystery, intrigue, romance, and adventure fill these pages and transport us to a world unlike any we have ever experienced. Already hailed as a classic, George R. R. Martin’s stunning series is destined to stand as one of the great achievements of imaginative fiction.
A Storm of Swords
Of the five contenders for power, one is dead, another in disfavor, and still the wars rage as violently as ever, as alliances are made and broken. Joffrey, of House Lannister, sits on the Iron Throne, the uneasy ruler of the land of the Seven Kingdoms. His most bitter rival, Lord Stannis, stands defeated and disgraced, the victim of the jealous sorceress who holds him in her evil thrall. But young Robb, of House Stark, still rules the North from the fortress of Riverrun. Robb plots against his despised Lannister enemies, even as they hold his sister hostage at King’s Landing, the seat of the Iron Throne. Meanwhile, making her way across a blood-drenched continent is the exiled queen, Daenerys, mistress of the only three dragons still left in the world....
But as opposing forces maneuver for the final titanic showdown, an army of barbaric wildlings arrives from the outermost line of civilization. In their vanguard is a horde of mythical Others—a supernatural army of the living dead whose animated corpses are unstoppable. As the future of the land hangs in the balance, no one will rest until the Seven Kingdoms have exploded in a veritable storm of swords. . .
From the Trade Paperback edition. |
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Americancivilwar.com |
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Is George R.R. Martin for real? Can a fantasy epic actually get better with each new installment? Fans of the genre have glumly come to expect go-nowhere sequels from other authors, so we're entitled to pinch ourselves over Martin's tightly crafted Song of Ice and Fire series. The reports are all true: this series is the real deal, and Martin deserves his crown as the rightful king of the epic. A Game of Thrones got things off to a rock-solid start, A Clash of Kings only exceeded expectations, but it's the Storm of Swords hat trick that cements Martin's rep as the most praiseworthy fantasy author to come along since that other R.R. Like the first two books, A Storm of Swords could coast on the fundamentals: deftly detailed characters, convincing voices and dialogue, a robust back-story, and a satisfyingly unpredictable plot. But it's Martin's consistently bold choices that set the series apart. Every character is fair game for the headman's axe (sometimes literally), and not only do the good guys regularly lose out to the bad guys, you're never exactly sure who you should be cheering for in the first place. Storm is full of admirable intricacies. Events that you thought Martin was setting up solidly for the first two books are exposed as complex feints; the field quickly narrows after the Battle of the Blackwater and once again, anything goes. Robb tries desperately to hold the North together, Jon returns from the wildling lands with a torn heart, Bran continues his quest for the three-eyed crow beyond the Wall, Catelyn struggles to save her fragile family, Arya becomes ever more wolflike in her wanderings, Daenerys comes into her own, and Joffrey's cruel rule from King's Landing continues, making even his fellow Lannisters uneasy. Martin tests all the major characters in A Storm of Swords: some fail the trial, while others--like Martin himself--seem to only get stronger. --Paul Hughes |
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This is killing me! |
I'm so in need of a Martin fix, that for the past two days I've been reading the customer reviews of this series, for the pure enjoyment of reminiscing.
I only picked these books up this Spring, which I suppose is rather lucky, since I was able to plow through the first four books non-stop, but now I'm in the same boat as the rest of you, eagerly awaiting the 5th installment. |
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Fantastic epic - intricate, real, captivating. Best book i have read to date |
This, the third volume is what I consider to be the greatest fantasy series out there, is also the greatest book in that series, difficult as that may seem to those who have just read the first two. This books continues Martin's amazing story, or indeed stories, as he weaves many disparate plot-lines together, or apart, telling of different happenings from many points of view. The realism in the thoughts and actions of the characters, the development, is, well, just astounding. The entire book - entire series, really, is like a work of art (although, not in a boring way, not in the slightest).
Of the four books out in the series, I would rate this one as the best, but, taken alone, any single book in the series is worthy of all the praise I heaped upon this one, if not more, and might well be my favorite book were it not for this one.
If you are an avid fantasy reader, then you really are not complete until you have read this series.
One Caveat: if you are NOT an avid reader, this probably is not the best introduction to the genre or reading. Not that it isnt a good example - quite the opposite, in fact - but that it is not a light read, not a quick bit of entertainment or a way to pass the time. This series is serious business, the kind more for those, like myself, who make time to read rather than read to pass time. |
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Not my normal genre |
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I have to state up front that fantasy is one of my most hated literary genres, right up there with SciFi. That being said, I do not know what possessed me to pick up this book (oh wait, yes I do, it was the incredibly overwhelming positive feedback). Well, those readers did not lie. If you are a fan of the "quest for honor" type story (think here Lord of the Rings), this is about to become your most favorite series ever. Beautifully written, incredibly imaginative, I fell in love with the series within a few pages. You'll thank yourself for giving these a go. |
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great but wait |
best start to a fantasy series i've read. But definitely wait till they last 3 installments come out before diving it. It's no fun to wait a few years between books.
it's the best of the first four books (that are out now) |
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Every book, every page, every word better than the last. |
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I couldn't possibly recommend this series more. For fans of epic sword and sorcery this is a must read. I put off reading the series for most of a decade and positively ran through it, and have since gone back and reread it twice. |
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