A Clash of Kings is the second novel in A Song of Ice and Fire, an epic fantasy series
by American author George R. R. Martin expected to consist of seven volumes. It was first
published on 16 November 1998 in the United Kingdom, although the first United States
edition did not follow until March 1999. Like its predecessor, A Game of Thrones, it won
the Locus Award for Best Novel and was nominated for the Nebula Award for best novel. In May
2005 Meisha Merlin released a limited edition of the novel, fully illustrated by John Howe.
The novel has been adapted for television by HBO as the second season of the TV series
Game of Thrones. A Clash of Kings is also the name of the first
expansion to the Game of Thrones board game.
Plot summary A Clash of Kings depicts the Seven Kingdoms
of Westeros in civil war, while the Night's Watch mounts a reconnaissance to investigate
the mysterious people known as wildlings. Meanwhile Daenerys Targaryen continues her
plan to reconquer the Seven Kingdoms. In the Seven Kingdoms
With King Robert Baratheon dead, his son Joffrey Baratheon, and brothers Renly and Stannis
all claim the throne of Westeros. Robb Stark is declared 'King in the North' while Balon
Greyjoy declares himself king of the Iron Islands and attacks the western coast of the
North. Robb's younger brother Bran Stark finds new friends in Jojen and Meera Reed.
Stannis Baratheon declares himself King of Westeros, encouraged by Melisandre of Asshai,
a priestess who believes Stannis the reincarnation of Azor Ahai, a messianic figure of her faith.
The war is dubbed the War of the Five Kings. Catelyn Stark meets Renly and Stannis to discuss
alliance against the Lannisters; but the meeting fails, and a shadow created by Melisandre
and Stannis kills Renly. Brienne of Tarth and Catelyn Stark are incriminated in Renly's
murder and most of Renly's supporters defect to Stannis, excepting the Tyrells. Renly's
stronghold falls when Melisandre's second shadow kills its castellan, Cortnay Penrose.
Tyrion Lannister arrives at King's Landing as acting Hand of the King, the closest adviser
to the monarch Joffrey. Whilst intriguing against Joffrey's mother Cersei, Tyrion improves
the defenses of the city and sends Littlefinger to negotiate with the Tyrells, gaining their
support when Lord Mace Tyrell agrees to wed his daughter Margaery to Joffrey, despite
Joffrey's earlier betrothal to Sansa Stark. Tyrion also forges an alliance with House
Martell when he marries Joffrey's sister Myrcella to Trystane Martell.
To conquer the North and to impress his father Balon, Theon Greyjoy captures Winterfell,
taking Bran and Rickon captive; but Bran and Rickon disappear in the night. Rather than
admit his failure, Theon murders two anonymous peasant boys similar in size to Bran and Rickon
and mutilates their faces to enhance the resemblance. Believing this ruse, Stark supporters besiege
the castle, joined by a force from House Bolton. Theon having conspired with Bolton's bastard,
Ramsay Snow, the Bolton soldiers turn on the besiegers and Theon opens the gates to the
victorious Boltons, whereupon they destroy Winterfell. Osha, a captured wildling turned
castle servant, takes Rickon to safety, while Bran, accompanied by Meera, Jojen, and his
simpleton manservant Hodor, travels north. Robb Stark wins several victories against
the Lannisters in their home territory. Tywin Lannister advances against him, but receiving
news that King's Landing is threatened, withdraws. Arya Stark, posing as a boy named 'Arry',
travels with new recruits for the Night's Watch. They are captured and taken to Harrenhal,
where Arya poses as a serving girl. When Jaqen H'ghar offers to repay Arya for saving himself
and his two companions by killing three men of her choice, Arya selects two Lannister
bannermen and threatens Jaqen himself unless he releases the Stark supporters, who overtake
the castle. His debt repaid, Jaqen gives Arya an iron coin and a strange phrase, "Valar
Morghulis", to be used in asking help from his compatriots. When Lord Roose Bolton occupies
Harrenhal, Arya becomes his cup-bearer, but soon escapes.
Stannis Baratheon's army reaches King's Landing and launches assaults by both land and sea.
Under Tyrion's command, Joffrey's forces use "wildfire" to ignite the bay, and raise a
massive chain across its mouth to prevent Stannis's fleet from retreating. Stannis's
attack ultimately fails when Tywin Lannister leads his army to the aid of King's Landing.
Stannis's fate is left uncertain. During the defense of the castle, Tyrion is attacked
by one of Joffrey's guard, and rescued by his squire, Podrick Payne.
On the Wall A scouting party from the Night's Watch learn
that the wildlings are uniting under 'King-beyond-the-Wall' Mance Rayder. The Watch then continue to an
ancient hill-top fortress known as the Fist of the First Men, whence Jeor Mormont sends
Jon Snow and Qhorin Halfhand with others to the Skirling Pass, where they are hunted by
wildling warriors. Facing certain defeat, Halfhand commands Snow to infiltrate the wildlings
and learn their plans. They are captured by wildlings who demand Jon fight Qhorin to join
them. Jon kills Qhorin with the aid of his direwolf, Ghost, and learns that Mance Rayder
is advancing on the Wall with thirty-thousand wildlings, giants, and mammoths.
In the East Daenerys Targaryen travels east, accompanied
by the knight Jorah Mormont, her remaining followers, and three newborn dragons. Scouts
find a safe route to the city of Qarth, where her dragons make Daenerys notorious. Xaro
Xhoan Daxos, the leader of the Thirteen, a prominent group of traders in Qarth, initially
befriends the outsiders; but Daenerys cannot secure aid in claiming the throne of Westeros,
because she refuses to give away any of her dragons. As a last resort, Daenerys seeks
counsel from the warlocks of Qarth, who show Daenerys many confusing visions and threaten
her life, whereupon Daenerys's dragon 'Drogon' burns down the warlocks' 'House of the Undying'.
An attempt to assassinate Daenerys is thwarted by a fat warrior named Strong Belwas and his
squire Arstan Whitebeard: agents of Daenerys's ally Illyrio Mopatis, come to escort her back
to Pentos. Characters
The tale is told through the eyes of 9 recurring POV characters plus one prologue POV character:
Prologue: Maester Cressen, maester at Dragonstone. Tyrion Lannister, youngest son of Lord Tywin
Lannister, a dwarf and a brother to Queen Cersei, and the acting Hand of the King
Lady Catelyn Stark, of House Tully, widow of Eddard Stark, Lord of Winterfell
Ser Davos Seaworth, a smuggler turned knight in the service of King Stannis Baratheon,
often called the Onion Knight Sansa Stark, eldest daughter of Eddard Stark
and Catelyn Stark, held captive by Queen Cersei at King's Landing
Arya Stark, youngest daughter of Eddard Stark and Catelyn Stark, missing and presumed dead
Bran Stark, second son of Eddard Stark and Catelyn Stark and heir to Winterfell and the
King in the North Jon Snow, bastard son of Eddard Stark, and
a man of the Night's Watch Theon Greyjoy, heir to the Seastone Chair
and former ward of Lord Eddard Stark Queen Daenerys Targaryen, the Unburnt and
Mother of Dragons, of the Targaryen dynasty Editions
Foreign language editions
Television adaptation A Clash of Kings has been adapted for television
by HBO as the second season of its successful adaptation of A Song of Ice and Fire. Filming
began July 2011, and the first episode of season 2 of Game of Thrones aired on April
1, 2012. Reception
As with its predecessor, A Clash of Kings was positively received by critics. Dorman
Shindler of The Dallas Morning News described it as "one of the best [works] in this particular
subgenre", praising "the richness of this invented world and its cultures ... [that]
lends Mr. Martin's novels the feeling of medieval history rather than fiction." Writing in The
San Diego Union-Tribune, Jim Hopper called A Clash of Kings "High Fantasy with a vengeance"
and commented: "I'll admit to staying up too late one night last week to finish off this
big book, and I hope it's not too terribly long until the next one comes out." Danielle
Pilon wrote in the Winnipeg Free Press that the book "shows no signs of the usual 'middle
book' aimlessness". Although she found the constantly switching viewpoints "momentarily
confusing", she felt that it "draws the reader deep into the labyrinthine political and military
intrigues and evokes sympathy for characters on all sides of the conflict." Bradley H.
Sinor of the Tulsa World praised Martin for "keep[ing] readers balanced on a sword's edge"
and managing to do "three important things" with A Clash of Kings: "It grips the reader
whether or not they read the earlier book, tells a satisfying story and leaves the reader
wanting the next book as soon as possible." The Oregonian's Steve Perry called the book
"easily as good as the first novel" and commented that the Song of Ice and Fire books were "so
complex, fascinating and well-rendered that readers will almost certainly be hooked into
the whole series." However, he cautioned that "if it were a movie, it would be rated "R"
for sex and violence, so don't pick the book up for your 10-year-old nephew who likes Conan."
Awards and nominations Locus Award – Best Novel –
Nebula Award – Best Novel – Ignotus Award – Best Novel –
References