A Storm of Swords

A Song of Ice and Fire, book 3
by George R.R. Martin
973 pages

This continues the story right where book 2 leaves off.  King's Landing is recovering from the battle well, and Stannis is on Dragonstone licking his wounds and regrouping.  Robb is in the west, planning a course to re-take the North.  Lady Catelyn is grieving for her dead sons, Arya is still trying to reach Riverrun, and Sansa is still stuck in King's Landing.  Tyrion is recovering from his wounds and planning his next moves as his father has taken over as the Hand.  Jon is still wandering around with wildlings, and Bran is still trying to find his three-eyed crow.  Daenerys Targaryen is still in the East building up an army and followers.  Many twists and turns occur in this novel.  Some characters die, some reach their goals, and some are suffering from blows they never even imagined.  Nobody ends in quite the same place as where they began. You also begin to understand why this series is called "A Song of Ice and Fire," and it has less to do with dragons than you might imagine.

A new narrator is added to this novel: Jamie Lannister.  Believe it or not, I actually found him likable.  Yes, I know he sleeps with his sister, and threw an innocent boy off a window ledge; however, he's not all evil.  Like the other characters in this book, he is "grey."

I was sorely disappointed by some of the events in this novel.  I can't really say much more because if I do, you'll know who's living and who's dead at the end.  *sigh*