A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin

About 3 years ago I had just finished reading a Sci-Fi series of epic proportions and wanted something big to fill that void, I sent an e-mail around a couple of mates and asked what they recommended in the way of a fantasy series. One of them came back suggesting the series called; A Song of Ice and Fire, which was now up to four volumes now, with a fifth due soon. (soon is a relative timeframe I suppose)

So I dropped by a local book store and picked up A Game of Thrones, I started reading chapter one while I was on a break at work. What a mistake that was, I was immediately hooked. I found myself impatiently waiting for the bus trip home, during which time I would devour another two chapters.

This is a rich fantasy story that really is aimed at an adult market, full of intrigue, political manoeuvrings, revenge, murder, sex, betrayals, action and so much more. This book is almost 900 pages of a nonstop rollicking good story, each chapter is written focusing on one of the main characters and their part in this epic story.

The story is set in a land that is as vast as it as rich in its own history, there is magic to this land but it isn’t the usual spell casting wizards and magicians, it’s a magic that comes from the land and of its history and mythology. The Seven Kingdoms of Westeros has a history of warring houses, dragons, mad kings and land whose people should fear the coming of winter and the fell creatures, known as White-Walkers that the long winter will spawn.

 In the north stands the Wall, protecting the south from the long Winter, which is coming. The Wall is manned by the Night Watch, a once proud brotherhood, which now accepts any kind of recruit including the rejects from the Kingdoms dungeons.  The northern most of the Great Houses resides in Winterfell; House Stark, whose patriarch Lord Eddard Stark is also a close and very personal friend of the Seven Kingdoms’ latest king.

From the south, King’s Landing, comes King Robert Baratheon, to visit his old friend, with him comes his entire family, including his children and his wife. Queen Cersei, whose family, House Lannister led by Tywin Lannister,  is probably the most powerful and wealthiest of the great houses.  It’s this visit to Winterfell by the Royal family and in particular Cersei and her two brothers, Jaime (her twin) and Tyrion (the Imp) that really sets the story in motion.

As part of the Stark family head south to King’s Landing with Robert, a journey of intrigue, betrayals with in betrayals sees the Seven Kingdoms fall into Civil War. Whilst at the same time an ancient terror is awakening beyond the Wall and the south is too absorbed by their disputes over who should be King, to even give this threat credence.

Meanwhile across the sea and to the east in the Free City of Pentos, the last descendants of the previous king, King Aerys Targaryen live in exile and in hope of returning and reclaiming what Viserys Targaryen sees as rightfully his, the Iron Throne of the Seven Kingdoms. Such are his ambitions that even his own sister Daenerys, nothing more than a sellable object to help him get back his crown. Daenerys has grown listening to Viserys’ stories of the Dragons of house Targaryen, but the last of the dragins died many, many generations ago. As she is sold to the Horse Lord Khal Drogo, warlord of the Dothraki people, Daenerys develops into the Queen she will be.

This book and its author are well awarded, for this book lone George R.R. Martin has won, three awards that I know of including a Locus Award, Best Fantasy Novel 1997. On top of this the series has now been picked up by HBO and has been turned into a very spectacular new TV series of the same name.  With HBO recently confirming that it is going to continue series into season two that covers the next book; A Clash of Kings.

This has been nothing more than the briefest of introductions to the saga known as A Song of Ice and Fire, and its people, with his way of writing this story using character perspective chapters, George R.R. Martin will have you enthralled for hours in what can only be described as one of the best Fantasy stories ever written for a grown up audience.  Martin continues this story in volume two, A Clash of Kings, which I will look at with you in the future.

Below are just a few examples of the cover art you will find for this book:

The book: A Game of Thrones.

The author: George R.R. Martin

Series name: A Song of Ice and Fire

Genre: Mature aged fantasy (it’s no kids book)

First published: 1996

My rating out of 10: It’s a 9.5, this is as close as it gets to perfection for me. I have re-read this novel many times now and I never fails to keep me enrapt.