A Song of Ice and Fire II: A Clash of Kings

After the unexpected execution of Eddard Stark, his vassals and followers declare his son Robb King in the North. The cruel boy Joffrey sits on the Iron Throne and thwarts Stannis and Renly Baratheon's attempts to take the throne. Four pretenders and only one crown! The Seven Kingdoms are on the brink of a devastating civil war. The blood-red comet in the sky only confirms the impending disaster.

In A Clash of Kings, brother conspires against brother, and the dead advance through the cold night. The destinies of the heroes are riddled with profanity, fratricide, alchemy, spells, murders and cold-blooded decisions. The corrupt and the pure of heart win equally. For when kings break their spears, the whole earth trembles.

All the features of the first part of the series - complex characters, secrets and intrigues, moments in which honor, family, pride and love are opposed - are even more emphasized and branched out in this sequel. Old characters die and new ones become important, alliances are broken, loyalties are tested, and there is no end in sight to suffering. Each chapter is even more tense, shocking and exciting than the last, which is a huge achievement for a novel of almost a thousand pages. A Clash of Kings is a story about turmoil, war, conflict and tragedy, but above all, it is a story about people. The author does not hide the flaws of his heroes, moreover, he exposes them so that we can experience them as they really are - human, sinful, full of hope, anxiety and fear, but also fearless and unwavering in their desire to live.