A Game of Thrones is the first novel in A Song of Ice and Fire, a series of fantasy novels by the American author George R. R. Martin. It was first published on August 1, 1996. The novel won the 1997 Locus Award and was nominated for both the 1997 Nebula Award and the 1997 World Fantasy Award. The novella Blood of the Dragon, comprising the Daenerys Targaryen chapters from the novel, won the 1997 Hugo Award for Best Novella. In January 2011, the novel became a New York Times Bestseller and reached No. 1 on the list in July 2011.In the novel, recounting events from various points of view, Martin introduces the plot-lines of the noble houses of Westeros, the Wall, and the Targaryens. The novel has inspired several spin-off works, including several games. It is also the namesake and basis for the first season of Game of Thrones, …
A Game of Thrones is the first novel in A Song of Ice and Fire, a series of fantasy novels by the American author George R. R. Martin. It was first published on August 1, 1996. The novel won the 1997 Locus Award and was nominated for both the 1997 Nebula Award and the 1997 World Fantasy Award. The novella Blood of the Dragon, comprising the Daenerys Targaryen chapters from the novel, won the 1997 Hugo Award for Best Novella. In January 2011, the novel became a New York Times Bestseller and reached No. 1 on the list in July 2011.In the novel, recounting events from various points of view, Martin introduces the plot-lines of the noble houses of Westeros, the Wall, and the Targaryens. The novel has inspired several spin-off works, including several games. It is also the namesake and basis for the first season of Game of Thrones, an HBO television series that premiered in April 2011. A March 2013 paperback TV tie-in re-edition was also titled Game of Thrones, excluding the indefinite article "A".
Pretty much what I expected since I had already watched the TV adaptation. Medieval setting, hints of lurking evil, politics and intricacies for power, which of course means also military confrontations. On top of that, add some supernatural elements and creatures of the fantasy real and you get a nice balanced story.
This was good. Really good. Better than I expected, frankly.
My initial thought is that if it's about anything, A Game of Thrones is about how the folly of youth becomes the folly of adulthood. The sins of the father (and mother and siblings and distant cousins, bastard or otherwise) are visited upon the son (etc.), and all that.
My first favorite character is Arya. Arya reminds me of my younger daughter, who at the age of six leapt out of a tree and beat down a boy larger than her as he was hitting her repeatedly with a stick. (Thankfully, my daughter has not learned how to use a sword.) Arya is courageous, not just because she's a tomboy who prefers gauntlets to thimbles, but because she makes no bones about it. She is the most interesting of the Stark children. I will admit I was much dismayed when …
This was good. Really good. Better than I expected, frankly.
My initial thought is that if it's about anything, A Game of Thrones is about how the folly of youth becomes the folly of adulthood. The sins of the father (and mother and siblings and distant cousins, bastard or otherwise) are visited upon the son (etc.), and all that.
My first favorite character is Arya. Arya reminds me of my younger daughter, who at the age of six leapt out of a tree and beat down a boy larger than her as he was hitting her repeatedly with a stick. (Thankfully, my daughter has not learned how to use a sword.) Arya is courageous, not just because she's a tomboy who prefers gauntlets to thimbles, but because she makes no bones about it. She is the most interesting of the Stark children. I will admit I was much dismayed when there was like 200 pages where she didn't appear. I actually flipped ahead to make sure there was at least one more section/chapter focusing on her. And I never flip ahead in books (well, almost never, apparently...).
My second favorite character is Tyrion. His clarity and candor are awesome, and I think both of those characteristics point to a deeper genuineness that nobody else in the book — even Eddard, perhaps especially Eddard — seems to possess. In Tyrion I see not only an earnest enjoyment of life ("I like living" he tells Bronn, perhaps the most honest statement uttered by a character in the book), but a desire to actually make life better — and not only for himself. Yes, Tyrion is an ardent opportunist, and he does not shy from any opportunity to better his situation; however, he is also an ardent supporter of the win-win situation. The other Lannisters only want to win. Furthermore, Tyrion's design for Bran's saddle is perhaps the only truly selfless act in the entire book.
I was pleasantly surprised by Eddard at the end, although obviously disappointed by the outcome. His willingness to recognize the situation and do the distasteful thing shows his humanness. To avoid spoilers for that one person who hasn't read it (you know who you are), that's all I'll say about that.
Characters in grey abound in this book. There are few characters (like Lord Ned) who are in white or black. That's part of the beauty of this book. Don't expect spells and enchantments in this book. The Magic is understated and oft hidden. The magic bearers mostly choose to work behind the scenes here. George R R Martin weaves a strong story around his strong characters. In essence the book is what the title says - a Game of Thrones. People fight for the right to rule - the events in the story are a consequence of this hunger. It has everything that you could ask for - betrayal, sex, murder. It's set in a Universe where knights and lords rule over the land.
Brilliant start to the series. I can't wait to get my hands on the rest of the series and find out what happens next.
What a fantastic read--I'm anxiously awaiting the next volume in the saga and hoping the library queue moves quickly. I may wind up buying these.
Took a little while to get used to the narrator, but then I couldn't stop listening. I am glad I saw the tv series first, which helped me get over the narrator's style.
This is the first book in one of the best epic fantasy series around, A Song of Ice and Fire. It has also recently been adapted into the first season of an equally epic TV series, Game of Thrones, which I highly recommend watching if you haven't already. And if you're coming to the book series as a fan of the TV show, then the books will give you plenty of additional details and background to feast on.
The characters and places that George R R Martin introduces us to in this book are richly and lovingly rendered in believable detail. The world of the books is a dark and often brutal one; good things do not necessarily come to good people simply because they are good, and the game of thrones of the title is a bloody one where every action has its consequences. The characters are rarely black …
This is the first book in one of the best epic fantasy series around, A Song of Ice and Fire. It has also recently been adapted into the first season of an equally epic TV series, Game of Thrones, which I highly recommend watching if you haven't already. And if you're coming to the book series as a fan of the TV show, then the books will give you plenty of additional details and background to feast on.
The characters and places that George R R Martin introduces us to in this book are richly and lovingly rendered in believable detail. The world of the books is a dark and often brutal one; good things do not necessarily come to good people simply because they are good, and the game of thrones of the title is a bloody one where every action has its consequences. The characters are rarely black and white, good and evil; what they are is people, with all the flaws and failings that real people have. They are also fascinating, interesting people, and you care about what happens to them.
If you like your fantasy dark, gritty, political, epic and on occasions downright grim - and, obviously, I do - then I cannot recommend these books highly enough.
What a very dense book! I'm not sure if I really liked it or not, actually. I don't like how you aren't always sure what happens at the end of a chapter. In one case I thought Bran was dead, in another, Ned. But I was mistaken. A friend said she thought Martin tends to throw characters away. I am displeased with the fate of who appeared to be the main character, the driving force, of this book.
There are a lot of characters, which is okay. Unfortunately, if several chapters have gone by since visiting them last, it takes me a bit to remember what was going on. A book this size could take maybe 3 weeks to read, but it took 2 months! I don't know if that speaks to my very busy schedule with work and life and training, or if that speaks to the not quite …
What a very dense book! I'm not sure if I really liked it or not, actually. I don't like how you aren't always sure what happens at the end of a chapter. In one case I thought Bran was dead, in another, Ned. But I was mistaken. A friend said she thought Martin tends to throw characters away. I am displeased with the fate of who appeared to be the main character, the driving force, of this book.
There are a lot of characters, which is okay. Unfortunately, if several chapters have gone by since visiting them last, it takes me a bit to remember what was going on. A book this size could take maybe 3 weeks to read, but it took 2 months! I don't know if that speaks to my very busy schedule with work and life and training, or if that speaks to the not quite as easy read that is Martin.
My other complaint is that the book does not feel ended at the ending. I have waiting books, due to rings, and just some stand alone books I was going to read interwoven with this series, and instead, I went right to the next book to read to see if anything gets wrapped up early in the novel.
However, it is a very well written book and engaging. Even on the characters that I don't much like, I'm interested in finding out more about them. Also good when you go from liking a character to disliking to liking again and vice versa. There are tons of twists and there isn't much the reader sees coming. I highly recommend this book.
