Tyrion is in the hands of Catalyn, Ed Stark is seriously injured and is now almost openly opposed to Lannister. Alliances are made and broken, the game begins and the throne forever, night watch before.
This second volume (second part) is more nervous than the first one is now clear as a presentation volume. The background is well posed and focuses more on the characters. The lack of "reinforcement" evoked criticism as the first game fell. A war you and gives body to the novel without burdening the endless descriptions of fierce fighting (although I love it in general, here nay). Politics and power games still hold an important, even more crédibilisant narrative. The horizon darkens for all parties involved and the story keeps its promises.
A History of Medieval Fantasy takes here all his titles of nobility and which foreshadows a great saga coming (although I do not have to say it deserves because it is :-)).