Book Review: A Clash of Kings by George R.R. Martin

A Clash of Kings by George R.R. Martin

Genre: Fantasy
Pages: 969
Acquired: ???
Book of Your Shelf? Yes
Why I have it: Series
Series: A Song of Ice and Fire (2)

The battle for the Seven Kingdoms continues as up to five different people have declared themselves "king". The exiled Targaryan princess gathers her strength and a plan to return and reclaim her throne. Beyond the Wall in the north, strange things have are rising and the wildlings are on the march.

Once again the reader is drawn into a complex plot that it hard to walk away from. It continually amazes me how much detail Martin has put into the series and his skill at pulling all the different people and storylines together in a way that seems so effortless. The characters are constantly being forced to change and adapt as the war quickly covers the entire kingdom. The only ones that manage to stay out of it is the Night's Watch in the far north on the Wall. And they have their own problems to deal with as strange creatures have risen beyond the wall and it is rumored that the wildlings have gathered and are on the march.

A fantastic second book in the series that takes off running from the first pages. I can't wait until it's time to start the third.

5/5

Book Review: Gatekeepers by Robert Liparulo

Gatekeepers by Robert Liparulo

Genre: Urban Fantasy, Christian
Pages: 305
Acquired: 2/27/2010
Book of Your Shelf? Yes
Why I have it: Gift
Series: Dreamhouse Kings (3)

The King family continues to discover new and dangerous secrets about their house. The boys, Xander and David, continue to search for their mother but find someone else instead. The strange man, Taksidian, continues to try and get the Kings out of the house in any way he can.

The third book in the Dreamhouse Kings series continues to offer great action. The characters are still a bit stagnant and none of them seem to be anywhere closer to their goals. While there is little resolution, there is still a lot of forwrd momentum that is driving the story forward.

3/5

Book Review: Butterfly Swords by Jeannie Lin

Butterfly Swords by Jeannie Lin

Genre: Romance
Pages: 288
Acquired: 5/20/2011
Book of Your Shelf? No
Why I have it: NetGalley
Series: Harlequin Historical

Princess Ai Li is doing the unthinkable. She is running away from the mam she is supposed to marry. A marriage that was arranged by her father, her actions could bring shame to her entire family. But she has good reason for doing so. She has discovered that her future husband played a part in the slaying of one of her brothers. Thankful that she has smuggled her trusted butterfly swords along with her, she fights free of her entourage and tries to make her way home.

Ryam is a barbarian, begging for scraps as he tries to return to his military base after an attack that nearly killed him. He comes upon Ai Li defending herself against far greater numbers and decides to help her. This one decision changes both of their lives forever. As they make their way back to the capital and Ai Li's family, they gain each other's trust and respect, and not just in swordplay.

The two face nearly impossible odds on their journey to the city and find themselves willing to do anything for the other. I loved both characters and the way they interacted was nearly perfect. There were a few occassions that the plot stalled for a few pages, but it generally to help the reader understand some aspect of the culture and took off again as soon as it could.

3.5/5