Martin's third volume in his Song of Ice and Fire series continues in the same vein as the previous volumes, that is to say, warring nations continue to war and a number of kings are killed as contenders for the Iron Throne get thinned out.

The Others continue to plague the fringe realms of Westros, rising expectations for future conflicts (I believe the Others will play the role of "Ice" in the Ice and Fire series, just as the dragons play the role of "Fire"). As some characters are plucked from their roles due to the developing role of magic, others get removed to heighten tension and change expectations.

Storm of Swords focuses on the characters of the previous volumes: Jon, Tyrion, Jamie, Bran, Daenerys and the rest. Martin goes as far as changing the role of being a chapter focus character by offing several characters as the series reaches midpoint (it's said that the series will be about six volumes long).

Sword of Storms continues the language and adult situations that have been present in the other volumes, readers of the series will be use to this, but those wanting to hand off the book may have to explain certain things (like the last scene with Tyrion, which is a case study in irony) that a reader over 16 will probably understand, at least in a rudimentary sense.

Overall, this volume continues to build on the epic foundations found in the previous volumes. Readers should enjoy the easy flow of story and quick moving pace as the book progresses, making this volume a strong entry in the fantasy genre.