A Clash of Kings recap

With the realm split among rival kings, Tyrion Lannister arrives in the capital as acting Hand and cunningly outmaneuvers his sister Cersei while shoring up the city's defenses. Stannis Baratheon, driven by the red priestess Melisandre, murders his own brother Renly by shadow-craft, absorbs his forces, and sails to besiege King's Landing. In the climactic Battle of the Blackwater, Tyrion's wildfire and a great chain cripple Stannis's fleet, and the last-moment arrival of Tywin Lannister and his new Tyrell allies breaks the assault. In the North, Theon Greyjoy betrays the Starks, seizes lightly held Winterfell, and, unable to recapture the escaped Stark boys, murders two other children and passes off their burned bodies as Bran and Rickon. Robb keeps winning battles in the field but weakens politically. Arya toils as a captive laborer at the ruined castle of Harrenhal, Jon goes among the wildlings beyond the Wall, and Daenerys seeks ships and allies in the far eastern city of Qarth, gaining little but hard lessons.

Previously, in A Game of Thrones: Lord Eddard Stark of Winterfell went south to serve his friend King Robert as Hand of the King. Investigating his predecessor's murder, Ned discovered that Queen Cersei's children were fathered not by the king but by her own twin brother, Jaime Lannister. Before Ned could act, Robert died of a hunting wound, and Cersei's cruel son Joffrey seized the throne. Betrayed and arrested, Ned was executed on Joffrey's command. His son Robb raised the North in war, was proclaimed King in the North, and captured Jaime in battle, while Robert's brothers Stannis and Renly each declared themselves the rightful king as well. The Stark children were scattered: Sansa a hostage betrothed to Joffrey, Arya fleeing in disguise, and Bran left crippled at Winterfell after a fall. Ned's bastard Jon Snow took his vows in the Night's Watch as an ancient enemy stirred beyond the great Wall. Far across the sea, the exiled Daenerys Targaryen lost her warlord husband and unborn child, then stepped into his funeral pyre and rose unburned with three newborn dragons, the first in living memory.

The Battle of the Blackwater is won by the Lannister and Tyrell alliance. Tyrion, gravely wounded and nearly killed in the fighting, is stripped of credit and pushed aside once his father Lord Tywin arrives to take up the office of Hand; Joffrey keeps his crown and is newly betrothed to Margaery Tyrell. Stannis, badly beaten, retreats to Dragonstone but is not destroyed, and Melisandre keeps her hold on him. In the North, Winterfell falls and is put to the torch, Theon Greyjoy's brief conquest ending in disaster, though Bran and Rickon Stark are secretly alive and flee into hiding, splitting up, with Bran drawn north beyond the Wall by his dreams. Robb Stark still holds the field but stands on shakier ground. Jon Snow rides with the free folk in disguise, having proven his loyalty in a grim way, while Arya escapes Harrenhal. Daenerys leaves Qarth still short of the army and fleet she needs to press her claim, her dragons growing but the road home as long as ever.