Series: A Song Of Ice And Fire, Book One
Publisher: HarperVoyager
Format: Paperback
Published: 1st January 1996
Number of Pages: 8o6
Book: Bought
Genre: Epic Fantasy, Fantasy, Action-Adventure, Thriller Suspense, Mythical, Adult Fiction, YA-Adult Crossover
Recommended Age: 15+
Contains:Violence, Death, Swearing, Blood, Gore, Sexual and Alcohol References
No Drug References
Author's Site: George R. R. Martin
Kings and queens, knights and renegades, liars, lords and honest men.
All will play the Game of Throne.
Summers span decades. Winter can last a lifetime. And the struggle for the Iron Throne has begun. It will stretch from the south, where heat breeds plot, lusts and intrigues’ to the vast frozen north, where a 700-foot wall of ice protects the kingdom from the dark forces that lie beyond.
The Game of Throne.
You win, or you die.
Book One of A Song of Ice and Fire begins the greatest fantasy epic of the modern age.
Review:"When you play the game of thrones, you win or you die..."
In a land that is dangerous and unpredictable, the Iron Throne is coveted by all.
In a land where no one can be trusted and allegiances change in a heartbeat, to play the Game of Thrones could mean death.
But none of them have a choice: the game has already begun and each already have their part to play....
Ok, so since I mostly review YA and children’s books on this site, I'll -needlessly, I'm sure - point out that A Song Of Ice And Fire is NOT a children’s series. Hell, at times, I wondered if I was old enough to read it! But yeah. Just thought I'd state that for any of my younger readers...
Moving on... I've been meaning to read and then watch the Game of Thronesseries for ages. Finally, after my exams, I thought: What the hell? So I picked up my - very substantial - copy. It took me a few chapters to really get into the book - and about three times that long to get all the family names straight in my head! But pretty damn soon, I was completely hooked. I don't really know what it is about this book, but it is freaking additive.
However, I don't know if my heart was made for books like this. I have a habit of getting attached to characters: a habit I'm sure will kill me if I continue it with the Song Of Ice And Fire series. I just couldn't help it: I could feel myself getting attached to these characters and I just knew I'd most likely be crushed sooner or layer - probably sooner, given Martin's notorious reputation of character-killing... And so I was crushed. Just as I'd start to really love a character, bam! Bye bye. Dead. Gone. But I didn't learn - I don't think I'll ever learn!
And so, because I'm a glutton to punishment, I did have favourites. Arya was obviously one of them: that kid is badass. I loved Eddard: he was the most noble person in the whole damn book. Jon, his illegitimate son, was brilliant too - as was his middle son, Bran, who was so brave. I really liked Dany as well: she was a sweet girl with a git of a brother. Tyrion may have been my favourite: that guy is awesome and so snarky! I don't care for Lannisters, but I'll make an exception for Tyrion! However, I have this dreadful, ominous, and most likely totally correct given the events of this first book, feeling that all the characters I love will die, and all the ones I hate will live... Le sigh... And I also fear for my favourite shippings: the two I loved quickly perished. Sigh. Not looking good for my heart, is it...?
Now, I've heard some badish things about Martin's writing: that's it's mediocre. I actually rather liked it. Sure, it wasn't the most lyrical I've come across but it fit in perfectly with this world and these people. Plus, I'm all for any epic fantasy that doesn't read like J.R.R. Tolkien's dry and long books. I mean, all the gore and fighting and world building... it was phenomenal. Seriously. And so much easier and more fun to read than the likes of Lord Of The Rings.
The plot... I was a little confused for a while. In fact, about half way in I wondered where this plot was going. I mean, sure, fights for the throne and all that, but... Let's just say, s*#t got real pretty soon. And people died. Like a lot. The slogan for Game Of Thrones should be: “No one was safe. No life was certain.” So yes, the plot was wonderfully complex yet also totally intriguing. I really enjoyed it.
Oh, I've got to mention the world, because I adored it! The history was so rich and vivid it’s untrue. The extent of the story that Martin has created is incredible! I mean, I thought the epic fantasies I’d read were amazing, but A Song of Ice And FireHowever, I wasn't so keen about the incest, sexism and misogynist views that were so present throughout the whole book. Saying this, though, given the kind of alternate-world time period the series is set in, I guess it was to be expected. I mean, look at all the stuff that went on during the War of the Roses: illegitimate kids, kings having orgies, people marrying their first cousins, etc. etc... I'm sure you get my drift. What I'm trying to say is that you can be annoyed about an aspect of the time period without it clouding your enjoyment of the book. And trust me when I say that it really didn't – ok, I may have rolled my eyes a little about how many times the word 'whore' was used throughout the story, but other than that, no real complaints. I mean, there were some kickass women in this book and they pretty much made up for it.
So now we reach the end of my review. My feels for this book are so very hard to put into words. I really, really enjoyed A Game Of Thrones. It was… phenomenal. Totally just… I really don’t have the words! It was an amazing book and I can see why everyone is so obsessed. I’m totally obsessed now, too! I needed the next book the very moment I put A Game Of Thrones down! It is… epic. I have no better words than truly and utterly epic.
So I’ll leave you all on that epic note and go and read A Clash Of Kings…
Star Rating:
5 Out of 5
5 Out of 5
Read this book if you liked:
Lord Of The Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien
Cousins Series by Philippa Gregory
Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling
Study Series by Maria V. Snyder
The Grisha Trilogy by Leigh Bardugo
Happy Reading
Megan