A Clash of Kings by George RR Martin

Second in the Song of Ice and Fire series, A Clash of Kings picks up right after A Game of Thrones. Martin continues to throw surprise after surprise at the reader and I fully admit that this book was the first one that I peeked ahead to see if a certain character was going to show up again.
I like that Martin gives the reader the feeling that certain characters are destined for greater things, I like that he writes characters the reader can hate so violently as well as characters it is very easy to become attached to, plus characters one isn't entirely certain what to make of.
It's been 2 and a half books since I finished Clash of Kings, so forgive the poor review. It's fantastic, spares nothing, gets into the grittiness of war, and made me desperate for A Storm of Swords, which only recently was returned to the library (which is the only reason 2.5 books have been read since finishing Clash of Kings), and I look forward to starting it.
Wonderful, engrossing, and these books really need to be read in quick succession. I can't imagine how fans have waited so long between books!