ShinToad reviewed A Game of Thrones by George R. R. Martin (A Song of Ice and Fire, #1)
Review of 'A Game of Thrones' on 'Goodreads'
5 stars
Simply epic!!!
E-book
English language
Published Oct. 13, 2016 by Harper Voyager.
4 stars
(681 reviews)
In a land where summers can last decades and winters a lifetime, trouble is brewing. The cold is returning, and in the frozen wastes to the North of Winterfell, sinister and supernatural forces are massing beyond the kingdom’s protective Wall.
At the centre of the conflict lie the Starks of Winterfell, a family as harsh and unyielding as the land they were born to. Sweeping from a region of brutal cold to a distant summertime kingdom of epicurean plenty, here is a tale of lords and ladies, soldiers and sorcerers, assassins and bastards, who come together in a time of grim omens.
Amid plots and counterplots, tragedy and betrayal, victory and terror, the fate of the Starks, their allies, and their enemies hangs perilously in the balance, as each endeavours to win that deadliest of conflicts: the game of thrones.
Yashima reviewed A Game of Thrones by George R. R. Martin (A Song of Ice and Fire, #1)
Review of 'A Game of Thrones' on 'Goodreads'
5 stars
Even in 2017 I will maintain that this is the start of one of the best epic fantasy series ever. At the time I read this, I was devastated by the world, the characters, the death, blood and gore. I loved it. And I still do. It has some of my favorite characters (the Lannister twins, Jon Snow, Daenerys, Arya), some of the best villains or non-villains who are just people, and some of the most surprising plot twists and "oh no no no you cannot .... oh you can" moments. ASoIaF is immersive like little I had read before...
I just would not recommend reading these books anymore as the written series was over-taken by the HBO series--which in its own right is absolutely fantastic.
But I am currently assuming that beyond the most horrible cliffhanger that has ever been written (stabbing my favorite character in the back leaving …
Even in 2017 I will maintain that this is the start of one of the best epic fantasy series ever. At the time I read this, I was devastated by the world, the characters, the death, blood and gore. I loved it. And I still do. It has some of my favorite characters (the Lannister twins, Jon Snow, Daenerys, Arya), some of the best villains or non-villains who are just people, and some of the most surprising plot twists and "oh no no no you cannot .... oh you can" moments. ASoIaF is immersive like little I had read before...
I just would not recommend reading these books anymore as the written series was over-taken by the HBO series--which in its own right is absolutely fantastic.
But I am currently assuming that beyond the most horrible cliffhanger that has ever been written (stabbing my favorite character in the back leaving him most likely dead?) no more books will be forthcoming.
After the infamous GRRM is not your bitch line by Neil Gaiman himself, we're all terribly aware of the fine line between fan entitlement and whatever other reaction there could possibly be...
There are probably tons of reasons that next book has not been written. It is not for me to speculate about, comment on or criticize these reasons whatever they may be.
But I find it impossible to have no reaction at all after waiting for years and years for [b: The Winds of Winter|12111823|The Winds of Winter (A Song of Ice and Fire, #6)|George R.R. Martin|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1465341854s/12111823.jpg|6570035] (now expected 2020) and finally realizing that it may never be written at all and definitely not the way it should have been. It makes me sad more than anything, to see that the potential of this series will likely remain unfulfilled because we'll never be able to find out just how it would have been written if there had been no HBO.
I have just stopped waiting for another book to ever be written. It's not that I don't care anymore or that I wouldn't read it (definitely would read it) but my excitement has just fizzled out.
And sometimes when someone gushes about the TV-show seasons that I haven't seen because I wanted to read the books first, I feel a stab of disappointment.
outofrange reviewed A Game of Thrones by George R. R. Martin (A Song of Ice and Fire, #1)
Review of 'A Game of Thrones' on 'Goodreads'
3 stars
Definitely a well-told fantasy tale. I enjoyed it but also realized I want something different.
franksbooks reviewed A Game of Thrones by George R. R. Martin (A Song of Ice and Fire, #1)
Review of 'A Game of Thrones' on 'Goodreads'
2 stars
I wanted to give myself a leg to stand on in my criticisms of the idiotic TV show having given up on it after two episodes.
The best thing I can say about this Feist with Boobs nonsense is that it helped me pass the time at Sydney Airport as I waited for my delayed flight to leave. Just like the book, the plane never took off as expected.
Protip, Mr. Martin's publisher: Get an Editor who can edit.
And yet, it has sold and been read by gazillions. Sigh.
Ceries reviewed A Game of Thrones by George R. R. Martin (A Song of Ice and Fire, #1)
Review of 'A Game of Thrones' on 'Goodreads'
3 stars
Beautiful book.
A little rough on the sex, etc. at points, but nonetheless each scene related to it, is carefully done and seems purposeful rather than a cheap attempt at pandering to baser instincts
Moving on the next one in the series
Ced L reviewed A Game of Thrones by George R. R. Martin (A Song of Ice and Fire, #1)
Review of 'A Game of Thrones' on 'Goodreads'
5 stars
Nice book! I wasn't very thrilled of the first few parts, but believe me it gets exciting onwards. Highly recommended.
thisisfranklin reviewed A Game of Thrones by George R. R. Martin (A Song of Ice and Fire, #1)
Review of 'A Game of Thrones' on 'Goodreads'
5 stars
I read this after watching the first season of the HBO adaptation. It's very well written and is a must read for those that enjoyed the show, as it provides a lot of interesting background and internal monologue that fleshes out the story.
Sean Bala reviewed A Game of Thrones by George R. R. Martin (A Song of Ice and Fire, #1)
Review of 'A Game of Thrones' on 'Goodreads'
5 stars
"A Game of Thrones" by George R.R. Martin is a deeply engrossing and engaging fantasy adventure. Martin has created interesting characters living in a rich and creative fictional world interacting in a complex and well-constructed plot. The first volume of "A Song of Ice and Fire," "A Game of Thrones" deserves to rank among the best of modern fantasy.
The plot takes place in the fictional Seven Kingdoms of Westros and follows the political mechanizations between rival noble houses [a note - I do not want to give out more plot details than are necessary]. A number of things makes "A Game of Thrones" stand out. First is creative world-construction. Martin has created a well-thought out environment where no detail, from clothing to food to culture and even religion, are not touched upon. It is this level of detail that have prompted some to call Martin "The American Tolkien" and …
"A Game of Thrones" by George R.R. Martin is a deeply engrossing and engaging fantasy adventure. Martin has created interesting characters living in a rich and creative fictional world interacting in a complex and well-constructed plot. The first volume of "A Song of Ice and Fire," "A Game of Thrones" deserves to rank among the best of modern fantasy.
The plot takes place in the fictional Seven Kingdoms of Westros and follows the political mechanizations between rival noble houses [a note - I do not want to give out more plot details than are necessary]. A number of things makes "A Game of Thrones" stand out. First is creative world-construction. Martin has created a well-thought out environment where no detail, from clothing to food to culture and even religion, are not touched upon. It is this level of detail that have prompted some to call Martin "The American Tolkien" and though not as nakedly academic as Tolkien, the richness of Martin's fantasy world is in many ways comparable to Middle-earth. In particular, Martin has imaginatively created numerous diverse locations: my personal favorites are The Wall, the Eyrie, Riverrun, and Vaes Dothrak. On a personal note, as a student of religion, I also found the details of the Old Gods of the North and New Gods of the South particularly fascinating. Second is intricate plotting that does the impossible of making events seem preventable AND inevitable at the same time. And good settings and plotting would be nothing without well constructed, three-dimensional characters who react in honest ways. But what makes the book stand out in my mind is that it perfectly balances the realistic and the fantastic in such a way where both beleivably exist in the same space-a tricky balance that most fantasy writers can't acheive.
Even without further books in the series or an excellent and critically acclaimed adaptation of the book on HBO, I think that "A Game of Thrones" deserves the high praise it has received on its own and is a fantastic read for anyone, even those who may not be fans of fantasy. Extremely enjoyable and entertaining!
Chelle reviewed A Game of Thrones by George R. R. Martin (A Song of Ice and Fire, #1)
Review of 'A Game of Thrones' on 'Goodreads'
1 star
UGH ok I had to stop myself from commenting in the thread because it would serve no purpose, but I have to vent here a little.
Just got done reading a series of posts on here where readers expressed their shock that people who didn't fall all over themselves for Game of Thrones existed (great quote here "god forbid they should hate the series" - and then they speculated as to why that is.
To date the thread has two main speculations:
- they can't stomach the rape (it's realistic in a medieval setting!)
bullshit - GRRM MADE UP the world that GoT takes place in. He intentionally chose to include rape. As for realism? So dragons and magic and whatnot is believable but omfg a medieval-ish fantasy without rape.. NO WAI!
My "favorite" of these was
"GRRM is still the best out there, so it's a huge shame that …
UGH ok I had to stop myself from commenting in the thread because it would serve no purpose, but I have to vent here a little.
Just got done reading a series of posts on here where readers expressed their shock that people who didn't fall all over themselves for Game of Thrones existed (great quote here "god forbid they should hate the series" - and then they speculated as to why that is.
To date the thread has two main speculations:
- they can't stomach the rape (it's realistic in a medieval setting!)
bullshit - GRRM MADE UP the world that GoT takes place in. He intentionally chose to include rape. As for realism? So dragons and magic and whatnot is believable but omfg a medieval-ish fantasy without rape.. NO WAI!
My "favorite" of these was
"GRRM is still the best out there, so it's a huge shame that some people can't get past whatever pre-conceived notions [referring to the sex and paedophilia] they have to enjoy these books. "
Not liking rape is a perfectly valid reason for not reading a book, the part that bugged me is that this was frowned upon. Which implies that I should "get over" being offended by something (one commenter actually says this) in order to enjoy the books. No - I am sorry.. I don't think I'm going to get over rape being portrayed as ok. Also childbrides and their subsequent rape - no thanks not in my fantasy!
- they can't read long books
That must be it. I am just not intelligent enough of a reader to make it through a long book. Also the tie-in that because I don't read long books I also won't read books twice. (for the record I've read LoTR about 23 times AND I've made it through the Simarillion SO BITE ME)
I wish these people could take a step back from their fanboy/girl ism and take a minute to actually read what it is that they're typing and consider what it is that they are saying.
I didn't comment in the thread because doing so would make me have to join the group - something I didn't want to do. But thanks for reading the rant!
Alex Keane reviewed A Game of Thrones by George R. R. Martin (A Song of Ice and Fire, #1)
Review of 'A Game of Thrones' on 'Goodreads'
4 stars
The way that Martin handles intrigue and suspense with his myriad of viewpoints and myriad of subplots all leading to the climax of the story in King's Landing show what a gifted storyteller he is. Song of Ice and Fire is definitely a story I would recommend to others.
Shack70 reviewed A Game of Thrones by George R. R. Martin (A Song of Ice and Fire, #1)
Review of 'A Game of Thrones' on 'Goodreads'
2 stars
I kept hearing so many good things about A Game of Thrones and with the new HBO series airing they hype was building up. I decided to read this epic fantasy masterpiece and very quickly got bored. One of the problems I had with the book is the amount of characters, there are way too many to really enjoy the story. The only character I even remotely cared about was Tyrion Lannister because he was the only one that actually felt real to me. Everyone else is stiff and before you get attached to them you are off to the next character. There is no real build up to anything thrilling until the end of the book and by that time I was just hoping for it to be over and done.
I am not a die hard fantasy reader and unless you are a die hard I don't think …
I kept hearing so many good things about A Game of Thrones and with the new HBO series airing they hype was building up. I decided to read this epic fantasy masterpiece and very quickly got bored. One of the problems I had with the book is the amount of characters, there are way too many to really enjoy the story. The only character I even remotely cared about was Tyrion Lannister because he was the only one that actually felt real to me. Everyone else is stiff and before you get attached to them you are off to the next character. There is no real build up to anything thrilling until the end of the book and by that time I was just hoping for it to be over and done.
I am not a die hard fantasy reader and unless you are a die hard I don't think you will enjoy this book. I think if you invest the time to read the next few books in the series it might get better, but this first book was nothing more that a super huge introduction to the characters and the world they live in.
Edward Branley at a book signing reviewed A Game of Thrones by George R. R. Martin (A Song of Ice and Fire, #1)
Review of 'A Game of Thrones' on 'Goodreads'
5 stars
Started reading these books after watching ep 1 of the HBO series--too much context missing in the TV show. First was a great page-turner, has inspired me to keep going.
Molly Foust reviewed A Game of Thrones by George R. R. Martin (A Song of Ice and Fire, #1)
Review of 'A Game of Thrones' on 'Goodreads'
4 stars
Gross and engrossing, I cannot dislike a book with a heroine who watches a witch burn on her Mongol husband's funeral pyre before suckling dragons at her tit and setting out to conquer the world. The dialogue is sharp, especially the dwarf's dialogue. And it has zombies, and dyer wolves. It got better and better, and by page 500 I was thinking, oh great, now I have to read the whole damn series. Hopefully it is finished and the author won't die before the end of it, like in Dune and the Rand al Thor books... or switch in the fourth book to some uninteresting character, like in the Kushiel's Dart series.
I strongly agree with the horny teenager stole the typewriter. But hey, sex sells, and this book was 100% escapist fun. If you like staying up until 4 a.m. to finish a well-written book, with dubious literary merit …
Gross and engrossing, I cannot dislike a book with a heroine who watches a witch burn on her Mongol husband's funeral pyre before suckling dragons at her tit and setting out to conquer the world. The dialogue is sharp, especially the dwarf's dialogue. And it has zombies, and dyer wolves. It got better and better, and by page 500 I was thinking, oh great, now I have to read the whole damn series. Hopefully it is finished and the author won't die before the end of it, like in Dune and the Rand al Thor books... or switch in the fourth book to some uninteresting character, like in the Kushiel's Dart series.
I strongly agree with the horny teenager stole the typewriter. But hey, sex sells, and this book was 100% escapist fun. If you like staying up until 4 a.m. to finish a well-written book, with dubious literary merit but a splendidly crafted, well-written story, well here you go.
willhopkins reviewed A Game of Thrones by George R. R. Martin (A Song of Ice and Fire, #1)
Review of 'A Game of Thrones' on 'Storygraph'
4 stars
Good, but somewhat unsatisfying. Incredibly complex plot threads and the good guys just can't seem to win.
