When even the hero might no make it…

Steel and Snow is the first half of A Storm of Sword, the third book in the Song of Ice and Fire series (after A Game of Thrones and A Clash of Kings, before Blood and Gold – the second part of A Storm of Swords, A Feast for Crows, A Dance with Dragons, The Winds of Winter (forthcoming) and A Dream of Spring (forthcoming)).

Pieces continue moving across the huge chessboard of Westeros.

Against her son's orders, Catelyn Stark has sent her hostage Jaime Lannister to Casterly Rock, escorted by Brienne of Tarth, in exchange for her daughters Sansa and Arya. Returning to Riverrun, King Robb also has a surprise for his mother, which might jeopardize certain alliances.

While Arya and Gendry are trying to reach Riverrun, Bran and his new friends Jojen and Meera Reed are fleeing Winterfell towards the Wall, following Bran's dream visions.

Beyond the Wall, Jon Snow has infiltrated Mance Rayder's Wildlings. He's falling in love with the warrior Ygritte.

After the battle at King's Landing, the Onion Knight, Davos Seaworth, has been rescued from the sea and taken prisoner in Stannis Baratheon's dungeons.

Sansa is still trapped in Casterly Rock with her betrothed King Joffrey, while the latter's mother Queen Cersei and uncle Tyrion the Imp are plotting against each other.

In the East, Daenerys, accompanied by her dragons and Ser Jorah Mormont, is buying slaves and setting them free, building herself an army to reconquer Westeros.

You'd think that after a while I'd have learned that with George RR Martin, nothing ever goes as planned. But no, I still hope for the good to triumph once in a while. And they don't. One step forward, at least two steps back… but that's actually what makes this grim tale so gripping, when you're not even sure the hero, at least, is going to make it.

9/10