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So I know Empire is the best film in the trilogy because I've seen it a hundred times, but it's a different thing to choose the best book in a series. Unfortunately, I've only read George R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire books twice (and actually only the first three novels at this point). So who can say how A Storm of Swords will be remembered?

The focus of the series becomes a bit fragmented, reflecting the fact that the War of the Five Kings has not only devastated the smallfolk but has also divided the kingdom in ways that it hasn't seen since... about fourteen years ago when Ned and Robert led their rebellion against the Targaryens.

A Sword of Storms offers context on the rebellion, which I always enjoy, but I was impressed with the way these past events shed new light on Ned Stark. Ned died two novels ago, but his life is given a new focus through a series of stories, my favorite being the fairy tale that Jojen and Meera tell Bran about Lord Whent's tourney. Even though we were inside Ned's head for a good portion of A Game of Thrones, I found myself realizing that we never knew him. We didn't know that he fell in love with Ashara Dayne, for example, which made re-reading his recollection of killing Arthur Dayne, the Sword of the Morning, a lot richer. Martin has a great talent for unusual juxtapositions: although Ned was a strong leader, he also needed to look up to someone. He'd relied on Brandon, his older brother, Robert, his friend and king, and Ser Arthur Dayne as well. He wasn't lonely because it's lonely at the top. He was lonely because he was once part of a band of noble knights, and circumstance either killed and corrupted everyone but Ned.

Martin adds new layers to almost every character and conflict that we thought we understood after finishing A Game of Thrones and A Clash of Kings, including introducing new viewpoint characters like Jaime Lannister. However, Martin also pulls off some pretty stunning scenes that would stand proud even without introduction.

Arya's storyline continues to steal the show, and I especially enjoyed reading about her fighting (view spoiler)[beside the Hound, even though she "prayed for him to die, hundreds and hundreds of times." (hide spoiler)] I will admit that I found Daenerys' plot a little dull in the first two novels, but I love how she outwits the slavers across the Narrow Sea in this entry. As for Tyrion, (view spoiler)[rather than defending King's Landing against invading armies, this time he merely watches the Red Viper's "pole-vault" duel (hide spoiler)], which I'm inclined to say tops Stannis' attack in A Clash of Kings.

All of these moments have stayed with me since I first read A Sword of Storms in 2000. However, I think this time I'll take away the "return" of Lord Beric Dondarrion, who leads an unusual band of merry men. It's not Beric's "Robin Hood" antics that are striking so much as his unusual appearance. When we last saw him, he was a gallant knight for Sansa and her friends to fantasize about. Things have changed.

He wore of a ragged black cloak speckled with stars and an iron breastplate dinted by a hundred battles. A thicket of red-gold hair hid most of his face, save for a bald spot above his left ear where his head had been smashed in ... One of his eyes was gone, Arya saw, the flesh about the socket was scarred and puckered, and he had a dark black ring all about his neck ... Lord Beric's ribs were outlined starkly beneath his skin. A puckered crater scarred his breast just above his left nipple, and when he turned to call for sword and shield, Arya saw a matching scar upon his back. The lance went through.

.

I won't spoil what happened since we last saw Lord Beric ... but it's pretty great.

So is A Storm of Swords the best? I'm still not sure, but it's a strong contender. Books do take more time to tell a story than movies, but I think in another ten years, I'll be happy to read this series again as I prepare to read the final book. Perhaps then I'll be able to say with more confidence that A Storm of Swords is the best entry in George R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire series.