Again we return to the lands of Westeros, where War of the Five Kings is nearing it's end. Return to this land full of intrigue, struggle for power, lust and treachery, where twists and turns of faith keep everyone on their toes, is like coming back to old lover - she knows all the tricks that make you happy, and you, although already know what to expect, can't help yourself but feel pleasant tingling in anticipation of the meeting.

Of five kings that started the war, four are dead, and one is stranded on the Wall. Tommen Baratheon is proclaimed King, and his mother Cersei is his Regent. But after all the scheming and killing in the struggle to attain ultimate power over Westeros, she finds her victory hollow. Her brother and lover Jaime has left capitol in personal quest to reclaim honor he feels tarnished by his past deeds. Her firstborn son Joffrey is dead, as is her father and main suporter Tyvin.

And her brother Tyrion, whom she blames for the death of her son, and who killed her their father has escaped.

Brienne of Tarth, is searching Riverlands for Ned Starks missing daughters. Instead she finds Tyrion's squire Podrick Payne, and knight Ser Hyle. Those three travel trough Riverlands, and witness all the misery that war, which raged strongest there, brought to the smallfolk. In the end she is captured by Brotherhood Without Banners, and sentenced to hanging by Lady Stoneheart, reanimated Cathelin Stark, for not fulfilling the bargain they had.

Meanwhile, Sansa is hidden in the The Eyrie, posing as Alayne, bastard daughter of Petyr Baelish. She recognizes him as mastermind behind most of events in the court, and starts to learn royal politics from him. Arya is in Bravos, and eventually finds her way into the House of Black and White, temple dedicated to the task of bringing "gift" of dying to everyone who pays for it. She manages to persuade temple pries called Kindly Man to start her training as assassin for the temple.

On the Iron Islands, Aeron Damphair, brother to the late King Balon Greyjoy, calls for the Kingsmoth, to decide who will be the next king of the Iron Men. Main candidates are Victarion and Asha, brother and daughter of the late King. But suddenly Euron, called "Crow's Eye", exiled brother of Balon, appears, and persuades Iron Men to vote for him as the new king, presenting them with a horn believed to tame dragons.

After the death of Oberyn Martell, his bastard daughters - called sand snakes, are preparing revolt against seemingly incapable Prince Doran Martell, ruler of Dorne. However he sees through their plot and manages to thwart them, together with his own daughter Arianne's plot to crown Princes Myrcella Batarheon, Doran's ward.

Some of the well known characters are missing from this book of the series. It is because George RR Martin was forced, because of great volume of work he done ,to publish his fourth book as two - A Feast for Crows and A Dance with Dragons. It is still very long book, full of Martins signature writing - betrayals, lifelike characters, sudden twists in the plot. Everything that made A Game of Thrones, A Clash of Kings and A Storm of Swords, such great work in Epic Fantasy is still here. Another book from Martins master workshop of writing worthy of reading by all that appreciate good fantasy.