A Clash of Kings

Figure 1: A Clash of Kings.

I am almost half-way through this wonderful book which is a sequel to the Game of Thrones. Clash of Kings is the continuation of this beautiful series which is the A Song of Ice and Fire. The Clash of Kings takes the story where Game of Throne where there is great disturbance to the kingdom of Westeros, where the death of King Robert Baratheon and his hand Eddard Stark causes war between all the seven kingdoms to claim the power of the Iron Throne.

This story takes on the characters of Stark's daughters Sansa and Arya, Stark's son Bran and Jon Snow, Stark's wife Catelyn, Stark's squire Theon Greyjoy, the new hand, Tyrion, and the Khaleesi, Daenrys. Each of these characters play a huge role on the story telling of this story. This story is a mix of cleverly woven mix of dark sly politics as well as true bravery and honour.

The kingdom is now in pieces where Robb Stark is proclaimed the King of the North, King Stanis Baratheon of Dragonstone is marching to reclaim his rightful throne from King Joffrey. King Renly Baratheon of Highgarden is also on the march to claim the throne. Far across the seas, Queen Daenrys Targaryen has her three dragons which are born through the fiery pyre of her dead Khal husband.

Still digesting it slowly, next year it is said that the a HBO television series will be adapted from the novel. Until that time, I'll be weaving each scene in this novel with my own imagination through the power of reading.

Dying a death where no one misses you..

Figure 1: The Mayor of Casterbridge.

   

    Recently I completed a masterpiece novel by Thomas Hardy, entitled the Mayor of Casterbridge. This story is about a man named Michael Henchard who initially in the early part of the story sold his wife and daughter for a small amount of money to a sailor named Richard Newson. 

    

    This story is a tragic story where the main character Michael Henchard starts with absolutely nothing and ends up with basically nothing as well. He is an impulsive person, who acts without thinking and a very self person. Everything that he does is based solely on his own actions.

   Henchard, is never condemned by anyone in this story, no matter the deed that he does is totally unacceptable. He lives in a society but never wants to be a part of it. He only wants to use his own power to obtain his wants, however, he forgets that he lives in a society.

    Henchard is really bad with secrets, he can't keep them well and keep telling those secrets to the wrong person, and in the end, the whole thing just backfires to him and causes his life to turn upside down. Henchard is not a trustworthy person and breaks his promise to marry a young lady name Lucetta.

    The Mayor of Casterbridge is a masterpiece written by Thomas Hardy. It is a really good book where its values are potrayed as the story is played by the reader. This story is tragic and filled with elements of curse, mirror-repetitions which are played well.

    Maybe, I have such qualities such as Henchard, it is a horror to end up like him, as in the end, Henchard dies a death where he wants no one, not even his own step daughter to remember or miss him. This is indeed a bitter and terrible curse to uphold.