A Storm of Swords (A Song of Ice and Fire #3) by George R.R. Martin

• Title: A Storm of Swords (A Song of Ice and Fire, Book 3) 
• Classification: Adult Fiction
• Genre: Fantasy
  
• Format: Paperback, 1216 pages
• Publisher: Bantam (March 4, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 055357342X
• ISBN-13: 978-0553573428 
• Notes:  This series has a little bit of every taboo in it - rape, incest, murder, etc. If it hasn't been included yet, I can only imagine that it's just a matter of time.

     "The way the world is made.  The truth is all around you, plain to behold. The night is dark and full of terrors, the day bright and beautiful and full of hope. One is black, the other white. There is ice and there is fire. Hate and love. Bitter and sweet. Male and female. Pain and pleasure. Winter and Summer. Evil and good. " She took a step toward him. "Death and life. Everywhere, opposites. Everywhere, the war."
     "The war?" asked Davos.
     "The war," she affirmed. "There are two, Onion Knight. Not seven, not one, not a hundred or a thousand. Two! Do you think I crossed half the world to put yet another vain king on yet another empty throne? The war has been waged since time began, and before it is done, all men must choose where they will stand. On one side is R'hllor, the Lord of Light, the Heart of Fire, the God of Flame and Shadow. Against him stands the Great Other whose name may not be spoken, the Lord of Darkness, the Soul of Ice, the God of Night and Terror. Ours is not a choice between Baratheon and Lannister, between Greatjoy and Stark. It is death we chose, or life." (Melisandre)

The war is still in play. The Seven Kingdoms of Westeros are still up for grabs. Slowly, long kept secrets will be revealed. Would be Kings are taken out of play, loyalties will be tested, alliances broken, and one would be Queen will amass her army. With an ending so shocking and unpredictable you'll be left stunned and demanding Martin join your online book club so you and the other members can pick his brain to find out what in the world is going on in his diabolical and devious mind. Oh, wait, that's probably just me. Oops! *chuckle*

Still loving the cast of characters and world Martin created. Among my favorite characters are Ayra, Dany, and Tyrion. Arya and Dany are smart and strong while Tyrion just adds his own brand of humor to mix. He has got to have some of the best lines. One of the zingers he had in this book, "My sister has mistaken me for a mushroom. She keeps me in the dark and feeds me sh*t." (Yes, I censored that one a bit)

Loved seeing mammoth and giants in this book. We now have a name for the beings the Others have created that are zombie like. Their called wights. So the question is now, how do the wights differ from the Others and what exactly are the Others? Do they have something to do with the above quote I listed by Melisandre?

Theme song dancing through my head? 'Another One Bites the Dust' by Queen.
"And another one gone, and another one gone
Another one bites the dust
Hey, I'm gonna get you too
Another one bites the dust"
Just seems to fit with all the people dying. 

Again, this one gets 5 out of 5 roses. 

Order of Series:


1) A Game of Thrones (A Song of Ice and Fire, Book 1)
2) A Clash of Kings (A Song of Ice and Fire, Book 2)
3) A Storm of Swords (A Song of Ice and Fire, Book 3)
4) A Feast for Crows (A Song of Ice and Fire, Book 4)
5) A Dance with Dragons (A Song of Ice and Fire, Book 5)