Clash of Kings by George RR Martin (A Song of Ice and Fire, Book 2)

Synopsis:
With four kings fighting for control of Westeros and a dragon queen rising in the south, the scattered children of the executed traitor Eddard Stark try to survive the perils of civil war.

Review:
Continuing to love re-reading this series. I am just so in love with the complexity that Martin brings to his characters and the world. Yes, A Clash of Kings gets really dark, but the second time around I noticed how much hope he puts into the story. Martin is a master of structure and pacing, and I wish his imitators would learn how to infuse their works with as much depth as he does.