A clash of kings, by George R.R. Martin

This is book 2 of the Song of Ice and Fire series.
I enjoyed this installment almost as much as the first.
Book 2 continues the saga of the 7 kingdoms of Westeros.
There's a lot of military and political positioning, but there's also some magic. Melisandre of Asshai shows a talent for birthing demons that assassinate kings. Lords Stanis, Rob, Renly, Theon, and King Joffrey each position their armies to take the crown. Tyrion bravely leads a group of men into battle.
The lives of Sansa and Arya teeter on the edge of a knife, and I found no relief to my worries for their safety.
The Mother of Dragons makes her way through the East, trying to raise an army and her dragons.
There's plenty of knightly valor and medieval superstition in this series so far, but it avoids tedium by throwing in some unconventional characters, like a female knight, an "onion" knight, and a swashbuckling seawoman. I'm looking forward to book 3.
audio: 37.25 hours
print: 768 pages