A Clash of Kings, by George R. R. Martin
Filed under: Fantasy, George R. R. Martin, bestseller
In A Clash of Kings, George R. R. Martin continues to tell the titanic story of The Song Of Ice And Fire. It is as good as the previous book, if not better. And it is even grimmer and 
It starts right where A Game of Thrones ends. King Robert is dead. Lord Stark’s head has parted with his shoulders. In the realm there is total chaos. Several kings vie for power, there is war everywhere.
Princess Arya Stark flees her dead father’s capital of King’s Landing, disguised as a boy. And the kingdom is now divided, with several groups wanting the Throne. Robb Stark has been appalled by the treachery of the Lannister family, and has declared himself King of the North. As well, two of the dead King’s brothers also declare for the throne and plan war.
At the same time, things are happening in the North, and it seems strange and mysterious forces are making their way into the civilized lands. Also, a young woman raises a trio of dragons and plots her revenge.
Tyrion Lannister – a very cynical and intriguing character indeed – is once again one at the centre stage in this book. Using his perspective, Martin is able to provide both humor and lots of intelligence.
Each of the three major plots is developing at great pace. And like the previous book, A Clash of Kings is full of scheming, plotting, betrayal, violence and action. The strings are masterfully held together by Martin, and the world of the Seven Kingdoms in vividly clear. Another great installment in a major saga you should not miss out on.
The Spine of the World, by R.A. Salvatore
Among the most memorable heroes in R.A. Salvatore’s books is the dark elf, Drizzt Do’Urden. He is famous for his swordsmanship, his smartness, and his courage. He features in a large number of Salvatore’s books, and is the major character in his Paths of Darkness-series as well.
The Paths of Darkness-series, a series of four books in the larger Forgotten Realms-series, consists of The Silent Blade (1998), The Spine of the World (1999), Servant of the Shard (2000) (now in The Sellswords Trilogy), and Sea of Swords (2001).
This is the tale of how Wulfgar comes to terms with his inner demons after six years under the 
There are two separate plot-lines that come together in the end in Spine of the World. In one of the story lines, Wulfgar and Morik (whom will also meet later in the series) are framed, get beat, and leave Luskan. Wulfgar is fired from his job and then framed for attempted murder. He is also robbed of his battle axe, Aegis-fang. The other story involves characters that we’ve never met before. The king of Aukney loves a peasant girl named Meralda. She, however, does not love the king. But Meralda is forced to see him by her father, who feels very guilty about whoring out his daughter.
The two stories come together in an unpredictable way that results in a very surprising and somewhat satisfying ending. R.A. Salvatore writes skillfully, but even so I found this book to be a little slow and it didn’t really ever catch my attention fully. Of course, the book has combat and intrigue, monsters and spells, but The Spine of the World is even so not close to Salvatore’s best. A little disappointing.
More reviews of books in The Paths of Darkness-series by R. A. Salvatore.
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.Bones of the Dragon (Dragonships of Vindras), by Margaret Weis & Tracy Hickman
Filed under: Fantasy, International bestseller, Margaret Weis, Science Fiction, Tracy Hickman, book review
Almost 25 years after their first Dragonlance book was published, Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman have started a new fantasy series entitled Dragonships of Vindras. Bones of the Dragon is the first of six volumes in the Dragonships of Vindras saga. Bones of the Dragon introduces a new creative world and a story full of with adventure, 
Fans of the fantasy genre know Weis and Hickman from their Dragonlance Chronicles, as well as other wonderful series such as The Deathgate Cycle, The Sovereign Stone Trilogy, and The Darksword Trilogy.
The hero of Bones of the Dragon is young Skylan Ivorson, a sea-raider of the Vindras, and a young warrior. Skylan is son to the Torgun chief—a small clan of the Vindras. He eventually, by means of the deceit of a cunning priestess, becomes the Chief of Chiefs of all the Vindras clans. This is an honor he truly feels he has deserved, by as we learn Skylan is a great fighter and courageous on the battle-field, but may not have all the other qualities desired of a great leader of the Vindras tribes.
The Vindras tribes, previously blessed by the gods, are going through a difficult period. They don’t exactly know why, but it seems their gods are no longer blessing them or answering their calls. And indeed, as it turns out, the gods are involved in a grand war themselves, that will influence and perhaps determine the fate of humanity. Skoval and the other ancient gods are under siege from a new generation of gods who are challenging them for the powers of creation. The only way to stop these brash interlopers seems to lie with the mysterious and hidden Five Bones of the Vektan Dragons.
To gather these bones is a task for the Vindras people, as the dragon-goddess’s champions. In order to have a fighting chance, they must recover all five dragon bones. However, the bones have been scattered throughout the land and their location is unknown. Yet they must be found. The fate both of the Gods and of humanity is at stake.
Weis and Hickman, who are real masters of the trade, do a wonderful job of painting a picture for the readers to understand this new world. However, since so much time is spent on world-building, it takes a while for Bones of the Dragon to build up to the adventures and developing an understanding for the story and what the series is about. The characters are multi-dimensional and interesting – some endearing, some you hate immediately, some mean, some mystical, and some many of these things. And the plot picked up considerably at the end. I found Bones of the Dragon to be an intriguing and highly entertaining book to read. And knowing Weis and Hickman, I am sure the other books in this new series will be stunning!
Order Margaret Weis & Tracy Hickman’s Bones of the Dragon (Dragonships of Vindras)
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