The second novel in the A Game of Thrones series is A Clash of Kings by George R.R. Martin. It continues the story of Westeros and the characters as they fight for the crown and the future of the Kingdom. Keep reading to find out what happens in the second novel!
A Clash of Kings Summary
After the death of King Robert Baratheon in book one, A Game of Thrones, all hell breaks out. The next ruler in line is supposed to be his son Joffrey but Robert’s brothers Renly and Stannis claim the throne. Joffrey is accused of not not being Baratheon’s son and isn’t entitled to be king.
The North secedes and Robb Stark, son of Ned Stark, is declared the new “King of the North” and Balon Greyjoy declares himself the king of the Iron Islands. The War between the Kings is declared the “War of the Five Kings and the winner gets to rule Westeros.
Besides the five kings, Daenerys Targaryen, a descendant of the Targaryen bloodline claims the throne belongs to her. She is traveling with Jorah Mormont, a knight, her followers, and her three newly hatched dragons. In order to rule Westeros, Deanerys needs an army and and tries to secure one while across the ocean separating her from Westeros.
And lastly, Jon Snow and the Night’s Watch scout and learn about the wildlings gathering forces beyond the wall. It is up Jon and his new group of friends to prevent the Night’s Watch from being overrun by the wildlings.
Commentary
As you can see, there is a lot going on in this novel. The cast of characters is endless and the world Martin created is vast and there is nothing like it. Yet Martin does a wonderful job telling numerous tales in one book and how they are all connected to the iron throne in King’s Landing.
The story gets bigger, more characters are introduced and killed, and the future of Westoros is still uncertain. MArtin tells a tale that is very detailed, characters that are flawed, and a world that is headed towards many battles to determine the rightful ruler.
Conclusion
The Game of Thrones world is beautiful and full of mystery. There is a lot of bloodshed, murder, betrayal, love, and everything in between. There is a reason that the tv show was as popular as it was. A Clash of Kings might be the most chaotic and entertaining book in the series.
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