Game Of Thrones: Ranking George R.R. Martin's Westeros Books - Worst To Best

3. A Clash Of Kings

One of the best things about A Clash Of Kings is how it thrives on the momentum of the end of A Game Of Thrones. Following Ned Stark's execution, A Clash Of Kings takes off running, delving into the true intricacy and wonder of the setting. Following Daenerys and her three newborn dragons goes from fascinating to exhilarating as Drogon saves her from the House Of The Undying, but the real meat of the excitement comes from anticipating the inevitable Battle of Blackwater Bay. It's this battle where Tyrion really becomes his own character, casting aside aspersions about the kind of person he is and thrusting him into the spotlight as one of the series' best players. Clocking in at around seven-hundred and fifty pages, A Clash Of Kings is paced perfectly and has enough great material that it never drags. It's also hugely benefited from the fact that it's the first ASOIAF sequel. At the time of writing, what readers knew of the world was much less complex than it later becomes. Martin may have had dozens of characters, locations and plot strands in his head, but they hadn't been put to paper, meaning the arcs were fewer and felt much tighter and coherent.