George R. R. Martin's monumental fantasy epic continues in this dazzlingly wrought graphic novel adaptation. In the second volume of A Game of Thrones, the irresistible plot thickens and the spellbinding magic of a master storyteller deepens. For Eddard Stark, Lord of Winterfell and Warden of the North, a new role now beckons: Hand of the King-a position of power second only to his majesty himself. But is a life at court, in luxurious King's Landing, any life for a hardened man of action like Stark? Is the king's invitation an honor he can refuse-or a mandate he cannot ignore, when faced with shocking revelations of treachery on high?