{"product_id":"a-clash-of-kings-isbn-9780553108033","title":"A Clash of Kings","description":"\u003cb\u003eTHE BOOK BEHIND THE SECOND SEASON OF \u003ci\u003eGAME OF THRONES,\u003c\/i\u003e AN ORIGINAL SERIES NOW ON HBO.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003eHere is the second book in the landmark series that has redefined imaginative fiction and become a modern masterpiece.\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eA CLASH OF KINGS\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003eA comet the color of blood and flame cuts across the sky. And from the ancient citadel of Dragonstone to the forbidding shores of Winterfell, chaos reigns. Six factions struggle for control of a divided land and the Iron Throne of the Seven Kingdoms, preparing to stake their claims through tempest, turmoil, and war. It is a tale in which brother plots against brother and the dead rise to walk in the night. Here a princess masquerades as an orphan boy; a knight of the mind prepares a poison for a treacherous sorceress; and wild men descend from the Mountains of the Moon to ravage the countryside. Against a backdrop of incest and fratricide, alchemy and murder, victory may go to the men and women possessed of the coldest steel . . . and the coldest hearts. For when kings clash, the whole land trembles.\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003eA GAME OF THRONES \u003cb\u003e•\u003c\/b\u003e A CLASH OF KINGS \u003cb\u003e•\u003c\/b\u003e A STORM OF SWORDS \u003cb\u003e•\u003c\/b\u003e A FEAST FOR CROWS \u003cb\u003e• \u003c\/b\u003eA DANCE WITH DRAGONS“Martin amply fulfills the first volume’s promise and continues what seems destined to be one of the best fantasy series ever written.”\u003cb\u003e—\u003ci\u003eThe Denver Post\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“A truly epic fantasy set in a world bedecked with 8,000 years of history, beset by an imminent winter that will last ten years and bedazzled by swords and spells wielded to devastating effect.”\u003cb\u003e—\u003ci\u003ePublishers Weekly, \u003c\/i\u003estarred review\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e“High fantasy with a vengeance.”\u003cb\u003e—\u003ci\u003eThe San Diego Union-Tribune\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e“Rivals T. H. White’s \u003ci\u003eThe Once and Future King.\u003c\/i\u003e”\u003cb\u003e—\u003c\/b\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cb\u003eThe Des Moines Registe\u003c\/b\u003er\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003e \u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“So complex, fascinating and well-rendered, readers will almost certainly be hooked by the whole series.”\u003cb\u003e—\u003ci\u003eThe Oregonian\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003e \u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“The richness of this invented world and its cultures lends Mr. Martin’s novels the feeling of medieval history rather than fiction—except, of course, that he knows how to entertain.”\u003cb\u003e—\u003ci\u003eThe Dallas Morning News\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cb\u003eGeorge R. R. Martin\u003c\/b\u003e is the #1 \u003ci\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/i\u003e bestselling author of many novels, including the acclaimed series A Song of Ice and Fire—\u003ci\u003eA Game of Thrones, A Clash of Kings, A Storm of Swords, A Feast for Crows, \u003c\/i\u003eand\u003ci\u003e A Dance with Dragons\u003c\/i\u003e—as well as \u003ci\u003eTuf Voyaging, Fevre Dream, The Armageddon Rag, Dying of the Light, Windhaven\u003c\/i\u003e (with Lisa Tuttle),\u003ci\u003e \u003c\/i\u003eand\u003ci\u003e Dreamsongs Volumes I \u003c\/i\u003eand\u003ci\u003e II\u003c\/i\u003e. He is also the creator of \u003ci\u003eThe Lands of Ice and Fire,\u003c\/i\u003e a collection of maps from A Song of Ice and Fire featuring original artwork from illustrator and cartographer Jonathan Roberts, and \u003ci\u003eThe World of Ice \u0026amp; Fire\u003c\/i\u003e (with Elio M. García, Jr., and Linda Antonsson). As a writer-producer, Martin has worked on \u003ci\u003eThe Twilight Zone, Beauty and the Beast, \u003c\/i\u003eand various feature films and pilots that were never made. He lives with the lovely Parris in Santa Fe, New Mexico.\u003ci\u003eTyrion\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIn the chilly white raiment of the Kingsguard, Ser Mandon Moore looked like a corpse in a shroud. \"Her Grace left orders, the council in session is not to be disturbed.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"I would be only a small disturbance, ser.\" Tyrion slid the parchment from his sleeve. \"I bear a letter from my father, Lord Tywin Lannister, the Hand of the King. There is his seal.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Her Grace does not wish to be disturbed,\" Ser Mandon repeated slowly, as if Tyrion were a dullard who had not heard him the first time.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eJaime had once told him that Moore was the most dangerous of the Kingsguard--excepting himself, always--because his face gave no hint as what he might do next. Tyrion would have welcomed a hint. Bronn and Timett could likely kill the knight if it came to swords, but it would scarcely bode well if he began by slaying one of Joffrey's protectors. Yet if he let the man turn him away, where was his authority? He made himself smile. \"Ser Mandon, you have not met my companions. This is Timett son of Timett, a red hand of the Burned Men. And this is Bronn. Perchance you recall Ser Vardis Egen, who was captain of Lord Arryn's household guard?\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"I know the man.\" Ser Mandon's eyes were pale grey, oddly flat and lifeless.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Knew,\" Bronn corrected with a thin smile.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eSer Mandon did not deign to show that he had heard that.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Be that as it may,\" Tyrion said lightly, \"I truly must see my sister and present my letter, ser. If you would be so kind as to open the door for us?\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe white knight did not respond. Tyrion was almost at the point of trying to force his way past when Ser Mandon abruptly stood aside. \"You may enter. They may not.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eA small victory,\u003c\/i\u003e he thought, \u003ci\u003ebut sweet.\u003c\/i\u003e He had passed his first test. Tyrion Lannister shouldered through the door, feeling almost tall. Five members of the king's small council broke off their discussion suddenly. \"You,\" his sister Cersei said in a tone that was equal parts disbelief and distaste.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"I can see where Joffrey learned his courtesies.\" Tyrion paused to admire the pair of Valyrian sphinxes that guarded the door, affecting an air of casual confidence. Cersei could smell weakness the way a dog smells fear.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"What are you doing here?\" His sister's lovely green eyes studied him without the least hint of affection.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Delivering a letter from our lord father.\" He sauntered to the table and placed the tightly rolled parchment between them.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe eunuch Varys took the letter and turned it in his delicate powdered hands. \"How kind of Lord Tywin. And his sealing wax is such a lovely shade of gold.\" Varys gave the seal a close inspection. \"It gives every appearance of being genuine.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Of course it's genuine.\" Cersei snatched it out of his hands. She broke the wax and unrolled the parchment.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eTyrion watched her read. His sister had taken the king's seat for herself--he gathered Joffrey did not often trouble to attend council meetings, no more than Robert had--so Tyrion climbed up into the Hand's chair. It seemed only appropriate.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"This is absurd,\" the queen said at last. \"My lord father has sent my brother to sit in his place in this council. He bids us accept Tyrion as the Hand of the King, until such time as he himself can join us.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eGrand Maester Pycelle stroked his flowing white beard and nodded ponderously. \"It would seem that a welcome is in order.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Indeed.\" Jowly, balding Janos Slynt looked rather like a frog, a smug frog who had gotten rather above himself. \"We have sore need of you, my lord. Rebellion everywhere, this grim omen in the sky, rioting in the city streets . . .\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"And whose fault is that, Lord Janos?\" Cersei lashed out. \"Your gold cloaks are charged with keeping order. As to you, Tyrion, you could better serve us on the field of battle.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eHe laughed. \"No, I'm done with fields of battle, thank you. I sit a chair better than a horse, and I'd sooner hold a wine goblet than a battle-axe. All that about the thunder of the drums, sunlight flashing on armor, magnificent destriers snorting and prancing? Well, the drums gave me headaches, the sunlight flashing on my armor cooked me up like a harvest day goose, and those magnificent destriers shit \u003ci\u003eeverywhere.\u003c\/i\u003e Not that I am complaining. Compared to the hospitality I enjoyed in the Vale of Arryn, drums, horseshit, and fly bites are my favorite things.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eLittlefinger laughed. \"Well said, Lannister. A man after my own heart.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eTyrion smiled at him, remembering a certain dagger with a dragonbone hilt and a Valyrian steel blade. \u003ci\u003eWe must have a talk about that, and soon.\u003c\/i\u003e He wondered if Lord Petyr would find that subject amusing as well. \"Please,\" he told them, \"do let me be of service, in whatever \u003ci\u003esmall\u003c\/i\u003e way I can.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eCersei read the letter again. \"How many men have you brought with you?\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"A few hundred. My own men, chiefly. Father was loath to part with any of his. He \u003ci\u003eis\u003c\/i\u003e fighting a war, after all.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"What use will your few hundred men be if Renly marches on the city, or Stannis sails from Dragonstone? I ask for an army and my father sends me a dwarf. The \u003ci\u003eking\u003c\/i\u003e names the Hand, with the consent of council. Joffrey named our lord father.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"And our lord father named me.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"He cannot do that. Not without Joff's consent.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Lord Tywin is at Harrenhal with his host, if you'd care to take it up with him,\" Tyrion said politely. \"My lords, perchance you would permit me a private word with my sister?\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eVarys slithered to his feet, smiling in that unctuous way he had. \"How you must have yearned for the sound of your sweet sister's voice. My lords, please, let us give them a few moments together. The woes of our troubled realm shall keep.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eJanos Slynt rose hesitantly and Grand Maester Pycelle ponderously, yet they rose. Littlefinger was the last. \"Shall I tell the steward to prepare chambers in Maegor's Holdfast?\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"My thanks, Lord Petyr, but I will be taking Lord Stark's former quarters in the Tower of the Hand.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eLittlefinger laughed. \"You're a braver man than me, Lannister. You \u003ci\u003edo\u003c\/i\u003e know the fate of our last two Hands?\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Two? If you mean to frighten me, why not say four?\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Four?\" Littlefinger raised an eyebrow. \"Did the Hands before Lord Arryn meet some dire end in the Tower? I'm afraid I was too young to pay them much mind.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Aerys Targaryen's last Hand was killed during the Sack of King's Landing, though I doubt he'd had time to settle into the Tower. He was only Hand for a fortnight. The one before him was burned to death. And before them came two others who died landless and penniless in exile, and counted themselves lucky. I believe my lord father was the last Hand to depart King's Landing with his name, properties, and parts all intact.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Fascinating,\" said Littlefinger. \"And all the more reason I'd sooner bed down in the dungeon.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003ePerhaps you'll get that wish,\u003c\/i\u003e Tyrion thought, but he said, \"Courage and folly are cousins, or so I've heard. Whatever curse may linger over the Tower of the Hand, I pray I'm small enough to escape its notice.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eJanos Slynt laughed, Littlefinger smiled, and Grand Maester Pycelle followed them both out, bowing gravely.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"I hope Father did not send you all this way to plague us with history lessons,\" his sister said when they were alone.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"How I have yearned for the sound of your sweet voice,\" Tyrion sighed to her.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"How I have yearned to have that eunuch's tongue pulled out with hot pincers,\" Cersei replied. \"Has father lost his senses? Or did you forge this letter?\" She read it once more, with mounting annoyance. \"Why would he inflict \u003ci\u003eyou\u003c\/i\u003e on me? I wanted him to come himself.\" She crushed Lord Tywin's letter in her fingers. \"I am Joffrey's regent, and I sent him a royal \u003ci\u003ecommand\u003c\/i\u003e!\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"And he ignored you,\" Tyrion pointed out. \"He has quite a large army, he can do that. Nor is he the first. Is he?\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eCersei's mouth tightened. He could see her color rising. \"If I name this letter a forgery and tell them to throw you in a dungeon, no one will ignore \u003ci\u003ethat,\u003c\/i\u003e I promise you.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eHe was walking on rotten ice now, Tyrion knew. One false step and he would plunge through. \"No one,\" he agreed amiably, \"least of all our father. The one with the army. But why should you want to throw me into a dungeon, sweet sister, when I've come all this long way to help you?\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"I do not require \u003ci\u003eyour\u003c\/i\u003e help. It was our father's presence that I commanded.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Yes,\" he said quietly, \"but it's Jaime you want.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eHis sister fancied herself subtle, but he had grown up with her. He could read her face like one of his favorite books, and what he read now was rage, and fear, and despair. \"Jaime--\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"--is my brother no less than yours,\" Tyrion interrupted. \"Give me your support and I promise you, we will have Jaime freed and returned to us unharmed.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"How?\" Cersei demanded. \"The Stark boy and his mother are not like to forget that we beheaded Lord Eddard.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"True,\" Tyrion agreed, \"yet you still hold his daughters, don't you? I saw the older girl out in the yard with Joffrey.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Sansa,\" the queen said. \"I've given it out that I have the younger brat as well, but it's a lie. I sent Meryn Trant to take her in hand when Robert died, but her wretched dancing master interfered and the girl fled. No one has seen her since. Likely she's dead. A great many people died that day.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eTyrion had hoped for both Stark girls, but he supposed one would have to do. \"Tell me about our friends on the council.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eHis sister glanced at the door. \"What of them?\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Father seems to have taken a dislike to them. When I left him, he was wondering how their heads might look on the wall beside Lord Stark's.\" He leaned forward across the table. \"Are you certain of their loyalty? Do you trust them?\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"I trust no one,\" Cersei snapped. \"I need them. Does Father believe they are playing us false?\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Suspects, rather.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Why? What does he know?\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eTyrion shrugged. \"He knows that your son's short reign has been a long parade of follies and disasters. That suggests that someone is giving Joffrey some very bad counsel.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eCersei gave him a searching look. \"Joff has had no lack of good counsel. He's always been strong-willed. Now that he's king, he believes he should do as he pleases, not as he's bid.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Crowns do queer things to the heads beneath them,\" Tyrion agreed. \"This business with Eddard Stark . . . Joffrey's work?\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe queen grimaced. \"He was instructed to pardon Stark, to allow him to take the black. The man would have been out of our way forever, and we might have made peace with that son of his, but Joff took it upon himself to give the mob a better show. What was I to do? He called for Lord Eddard's head in front of half the city. And Janos Slynt and Ser Ilyn went ahead blithely and shortened the man without a word from me!\" Her hand tightened into a fist. \"The High Septon claims we profaned Baelor's Sept with blood, after lying to him about our intent.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"It would seem he has a point,\" said Tyrion. \"So this \u003ci\u003eLord\u003c\/i\u003e Slynt, he was part of it, was he? Tell me, whose fine notion was it to grant him Harrenhal and name him to the council?\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Littlefinger made the arrangements. We needed Slynt's gold cloaks. Eddard Stark was plotting with Renly and he'd written to Lord Stannis, offering him the throne. We might have lost all. Even so, it was a close thing. If Sansa hadn't come to me and told me all her father's plans...\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eTyrion was surprised. \"Truly? His own daughter?\" Sansa had always seemed such a sweet child, tender and courteous.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"The girl was wet with love. She would have done \u003ci\u003eanything\u003c\/i\u003e for Joffrey, until he cut off her father's head and called it mercy. That put an end to that.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"His Grace has a unique way of winning the hearts of his subjects,\" Tyrion said with a crooked smile. \"Was it Joffrey's wish to dismiss Ser Barristan Selmy from his Kingsguard too?\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eCersei sighed. \"Joff wanted someone to blame for Robert's death. Varys suggested Ser Barristan. Why not? It gave Jaime command of the Kingsguard and a seat on the small council, and allowed Joff to throw a bone to his dog. He is very fond of Sandor Clegane. We were prepared to offer Selmy some land and a towerhouse, more than the useless old fool deserved.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"I hear that useless old fool slew two of Slynt's gold cloaks when they tried to seize him at the Mud Gate.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eHis sister looked very unhappy. \"Janos should have sent more men. He is not as competent as might be wished.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Ser Barristan was the Lord Commander of Robert Baratheon's Kingsguard,\" Tyrion reminded her pointedly. \"He and Jaime are the only survivors of Aerys Targaryen's seven. The smallfolk talk of him in the same way they talk of Serwyn of the Mirror Shield and Prince Aemon the Dragonknight. What do you imagine they'll think when they see Barristan the Bold riding beside Robb Stark or Stannis Baratheon?\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Cersei glanced away. \"I had not considered that.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Father did,\" said Tyrion. \"\u003ci\u003eThat\u003c\/i\u003e is why he sent me. To put an end to these follies and bring your son to heel.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Joff will be no more tractable for you than for me.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"He might.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Why should he?\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"He knows \u003ci\u003eyou\u003c\/i\u003e would never hurt him.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eCersei's eyes narrowed. \"If you believe I'd ever allow you to harm my son, you're sick with fever.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eTyrion sighed. She'd missed the point, as she did so often. \"Joffrey is as safe with me as he is with you,\" he assured her, \"but so long as the boy \u003ci\u003efeels\u003c\/i\u003e threatened, he'll be more inclined to listen.\" He took her hand. \"I \u003ci\u003eam\u003c\/i\u003e your brother, you know. You need me, whether you care to admit it or no. Your son needs me, if he's to have a hope of retaining that ugly iron chair.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eHis sister seemed shocked that he would touch her. \"You have always been cunning.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"In my own small way.\" He grinned.","brand":"Random House Worlds","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46303133335781,"sku":"NP9780553108033","price":36.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1842\/7735\/files\/9780553108033.jpg?v=1767720364","url":"https:\/\/k12savings.com\/products\/a-clash-of-kings-isbn-9780553108033","provider":"K12savings","version":"1.0","type":"link"}