A Clash of Kings (A Song of Ice and Fire, #2) in Beyond Reality

Dec 12, 2010 mark monday rated it it was amazing

Shelves: alpha-team, fantasy-modern

Everyone seems to agree that George R.R. Martin and A Song of Ice and Fire are titans in the genre of Epic Fantasy. True, true.

Everyone also seems to agree that the best characters are Tyrion, Arya, and Jon Snow. They are indeed wondrous characters. They are heroes. They fail many times, but in a way they are infallible: they are so incredibly sympathetic, they are always trying to do the right thing, they have kindness & empathy & bravery & loyalty. In fact nearly every voice in the first two Everyone seems to agree that George R.R. Martin and A Song of Ice and Fire are titans in the genre of Epic Fantasy. True, true.

Everyone also seems to agree that the best characters are Tyrion, Arya, and Jon Snow. They are indeed wondrous characters. They are heroes. They fail many times, but in a way they are infallible: they are so incredibly sympathetic, they are always trying to do the right thing, they have kindness & empathy & bravery & loyalty. In fact nearly every voice in the first two novels is of this type: the HERO. Sansa is one exception – however she is a victim, and I found her perspective to be very uncomfortable. But I found the tale of the novel’s other non-hero, barely even an anti-hero, to be particularly compelling: Theon Greyjoy. You’re the bomb, Theon.

The kid is an asshole, a smug and irritating asshole. He thinks he’s smarter than everyone else. He makes plans upon plans that seemed based entirely around the idea that because he is thinking these thoughts, they will no doubt occur. He is arrogant beyond belief. He has an annoying, self-pleased smirk whenever another character describes him. He is a rough sex-loving womanizer and he strings girls along. In the first novel, he kicks around a decapitated head like a soccer ball.

Favorite Theon part: getting a blowjob while thinking about how awesome his future successes will be. And then he climaxes as he considers how his great deeds will even overshadow those of his dear old dad. What a self-absorbed asshole! I couldn't help but laugh out loud.

And yet he has positive qualities too, he’s no cardboard cut-out. He has guilty feelings of loyalty. He is brave and quick-thinking and is no kiss-ass. His rapid response time saves a child's life. Unlike his men, he doesn’t enjoy cruelty or barbarism and actively stops their occurrence. He is thwarted repeatedly and never lets that stop him. He sees no point in the grim vendettas of the old. He is not, as they say, “all bad”. In Theon, perhaps the nurture of the Starks has had some slight impact on the nature of the Greyjoys.

I really appreciate that Martin included Theon’s voice because honestly, reading wall-to-wall heroic perspectives is enough to make me want to cut some throats. Theon is an asshole, but he’s the kind of guy I’d love to get a beer with, shoot the shit, and enjoy his various mean-spirited bitching and self-absorbed plans of conquest. He is seriously imperfect, quite unlike most of the other voices in the tale. ...more

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Jan 03, 2011 Christy rated it it was amazing

Shelves: fantasy, favorites

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Jun 12, 2011 Adrienne rated it liked it

Shelves: fantasy, gritty

I didn't like this book as much as A Game of Thrones. Either I'd gotten frustrated with the previously-introduced POV characters or I simply didn't like the new ones (Theon, Davos). Additionally, many of the familiar characters didn't get anywhere in this story. Sigh! And finally, there's only so much I can to read about rape and violence towards women and all that before I have to read something else. While some people may say it's realistic for a medieval-esque society and that the author is c ...more

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Jul 07, 2014 HeatherLynn added it

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