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Game of Thrones: Folio Society unveils epic new edition & exclusive artwork for A Clash of Kings
THE KING IN THE NORTH!
Westeros never looked so good in The Folio Society's brand-new illustrated collector's edition of A Clash of Kings (the second Game of Thrones novel in George R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire saga).
This edition features 16 full-color illustrations from artist Jonathan Burton, including four double-page spreads so fans can relive iconic moments from across the Seven Kingdoms like Jon hesitating to kill Ygritte, Renly Baratheon dying in Brienne's arms, Arya freeing Jaqen H'ghar, Bran escaping Winterfell with Meera Reed, and more.
"When I first offered the project I had the mixed emotions of fear and excitement. A perfect mix for me to jump at it," Burton, who previously worked on Folio's illustrated version of A Game of Thrones, exclusively tells SYFY WIRE. "George R.R. Martin’s characters are so compelling and interesting, my favorites being Arya and Tyrion who are both underdogs bearing witness to the injustices and the cruelty. Martin’s environments are vividly described too and they are [a] gift to an illustrator."
Take a look at Burton's artwork for the project below:
"Each drawing takes between two days and a week depending on the complexity of the scene. I try to mix up the illustrations, so that the simpler compositions give some visual relief to the heavily detailed ones," Burton reveals. "The most challenging aspect of the project is the selecting the scenes to illustrate, it’s a constant juggling act to try and include iconic moments and important characters. Once the scenes are defined, the research and drawing start to move at a pace."
Picking up where the last novel left off, A Clash of Kings finds Westeros in a state of civil war. Robb Stark has been dubbed the "King in the North" (a moniker that eventually spells his doom), while Daenerys Targaryen (still in exile to the east) plots to retake the Iron Throne with fire and blood.
Of course, there's plenty more to the story like when Melisandre, the red priestess of R’hllor, uses her dark magic to kill Renly on behalf of his power-hungry brother, Stannis.
"I do like a twist and when Melisandre’s true nature is revealed, my jaw hit the floor," Burton says. "Renly’s death too was a shock. Note that I haven’t seen the TV series, so all of these moments are new to me and I’m now thankful that I never did get round to seeing it."
Folio's new edition does include a "fiery and terrifying portrait of Melisandre," as well as character emblems at the top of each chapter, and bindings "blocked in blue and a fierce orange."
You can pick up a copy of The Folio Society's illustrated collector's edition of A Clash of Kings for $195 right here. Head on down to the media gallery for even more images of what awaits you...
