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Cover of A Storm of Swords
A Song of Ice and Fire · 299–300 AC

A Storm of Swords

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The war peaks, and the Wall comes under threat

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Do you need to read it?

Yes. It's in the Main story, the list of only what moves the plot forward to the end of the saga.

Where it falls in the order

  • Main story3 of 5
  • Chronological5 of 7
  • Everything5 of 8
BeforeA Clash of KingsAfterA Feast for Crows
Spoilers for this title

Quick recap

Robb keeps winning battles but breaks his pledge to marry a Frey by wedding Jeyne Westerling. At his uncle Edmure's wedding, the Freys and Boltons murder Robb, Catelyn and their men: the Red Wedding. Jaime returns to King's Landing without his sword hand, with Brienne. Joffrey is poisoned at his own wedding, and Tyrion is accused. In the trial by combat, Tyrion's champion, Oberyn Martell, dies fighting the Mountain. Jaime frees his brother, who kills Tywin before fleeing. Sansa escapes with Littlefinger to the Vale, where he marries Lysa Arryn and later kills her. At the Wall, Jon holds off the wildling attack, Stannis arrives and Jon is elected Lord Commander. Daenerys takes Meereen and decides to stay and rule. In the epilogue, Catelyn returns as Lady Stoneheart.

No spoilersOpens once you mark the title as seen.
6 differences

What changed in the movie

  1. ChangeTalisa instead of Jeyne

    In the book, Robb marries Jeyne Westerling, from a western house, and she never goes to the Twins. On the show his wife is Talisa, a healer created for TV, who dies pregnant at the Red Wedding.

    source ↗
  2. ChangeWhere's Lady Stoneheart?

    The book's epilogue brings Catelyn back to life as Lady Stoneheart, the ruthless leader of the Brotherhood Without Banners. The show left her out, and Martin said he regretted that.

    source ↗
  3. ChangeThe Tysha secret is gone

    In the book, while freeing Tyrion, Jaime admits that Tysha, Tyrion's first wife, was no whore: the lie was Tywin's doing. It drives Tyrion's final confrontation with his father. The show cut the reveal.

    source ↗
  4. ChangeWho killed Ygritte?

    On the show, Ygritte is shot by Olly, a boy created for TV. In the book she's hit during the attack on Castle Black, and nobody knows who fired.

    source ↗
  5. ChangeBrienne and the Hound never fight

    The duel between Brienne and the Hound, with Arya watching, was made for the show. In the book, Brienne and Sandor Clegane never even meet.

    source ↗
  6. ChangeOlenna and Tywin face off

    The sharp exchange between Olenna Tyrell and Tywin over marrying Loras to Cersei is the show's invention. Since neither narrates chapters, the book never shows that verbal duel.

    source ↗
No spoilersThe easter eggs give away parts of the title. They open once you mark it as seen.

Comments

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