A Storm of Swords, by George R. R. Martin

And the deaths just keep on coming...Martin's third installment in the Song of Ice and Fire series (one can almost call it an omnibus at this point) delivers more of what readers have come to expect from him. There are still plenty of terrible people doing horrible things to good people, but in this book, at least some of the latter get to take vengeance out upon the former. Arya, Jon, and Tyrion remain the most captivating characters, and there are some deaths that are truly surprising. Martin's writing remains fluid and engaging, though I am starting to tire of his incredibly detailed descriptions, something many readers have come to lovingly mock. As lengthy as these books are, they are rarely ponderous and never boring, and I look forward to continuing the series.