A Storm of Swords by George R. R. Martin

Once again I am blown away by this series. The further I get into the series, the harder it becomes to write a review. I don't want to commit the cardinal sin of spoiling plots twists or become too repetitive in my praise.

The characters and plots are as rich and varied as ever in this volume. Sadly, some of the characters I loved have shunned this mortal coil by the end of the book. Happily some of the villains have also lost their lives. Some that were once thought to be good are no longer seen so, while those once though evil have made amends or at least have begun to do so.

One thing that can be said for Martin, he does not believe in script immunity. Many characters that would be considered safe from an early death are lost. This definitely keeps you guessing about what is coming next. These books are continually surprising you, even if you are extremely well read in the fantasy genre.

That being said, and with my knowledge of his love of surprising the audience, the end of this book completely shocked me. I was bowled over. I think it surprised me more than the ending of The Sixth Sense did the first time I saw it. I have already begun reading A Feast for Crows, it's only appropriate as it's World Book Day.

Even better, George R. R. Martin announced the release date of the next volume in the series, A Dance with Dragons. I'm so excited!