Customer Reviews
Truly Fantastical
One day I stumbled upon A GAME OF THRONES while browsing through the library. I am forever grateful. George R.R. Martin has written an epic masterpiece that is intelligent, gripping, and reflective of the very best qualities of fiction (not just fantasy).
A GAME OF THRONES is a sweeping tale of the continent of Westeros, a land torn asunder by political intrigues. In King's Landing, capitol of the Seven Kingdoms, the mysterious death of the King's Hand sets into motion power plays and political games. Eddard Stark, a northern lord as hard as winter, is chosen by King Robert Baratheon as the new King's Hand. Stark is drawn into a game for which he has no taste, forced to leave his children and wife, yet duty-bound to discover the causes for the death of his friend Jon Arryn, the old King's Hand. But Stark finds that honor has no place in King's Landing, where the truth is a matter of deadly danger.
A GAME OF THRONES, through the use of multiple perspectives and masterful writing, is a powerful and unforgettable story about the shattered Seven Kingdoms. Pure good and pure evil holds no place in Martin's writing. We come to know every person as an individual, each with unique ambitions and dreams. Their reactions are realistic and human. Our ideas of an event are twisted and turned as we see it through the eyes of different characters, each of which have remained in my memory long after I have turned the last page.
I highly recommend A GAME OF THRONES, and moreover the entire "A Song of Ice and Fire" series to anyone who is patient and enjoys reading. I promise that if you have these two qualities, you will not be disappointed.
Easily the greatest fantasy book ever written!
Let me begin by saying that A Game of Thrones is the best fantasy book to every grace the genre and A Song of Ice and Fire is the best fantasy series ever, easily surpassing Lord of the Rings. What makes this series so good is that Martin combines fantastic world-building with grity realism of both plot and human nature. This is not a simple tale of sword and socery, and it doesn't have the heroic flare like the story of Frodo. It is an incredible tapestry of jealousy and hatred, incest and murder, knights and ladies, kings and soldiers. And instead of focusing on seperation of good and evil like many fantasy series, there are no black and white characters, only grays. Each character is so fully developed, it pulls you into their world never let you go. The dialouges are some of the best ever as well as the usage of the English language.
By the time you finish this book, you will realize how realistic it is. In this book, there are no exaggerations. There are no magical ring that corrupts you, no evil wizards, no ... characters created just to force the meaning of evil upon you. None of that exists. The only evil is the human heart. The malice of it, and its the will to suceed no matter what. And if you think good guys win in real life, Martin brings you back to the terrifying reality that victory goes to those who is sly, cunning, and sometimes those that possesses the coldest of hearts. Honesty and trust does not always brings you happiness, but sometimes acts as your grim reaper. This is a direct parallel to world we live in. Every teenager should read this book. Through it, they will see what the real world is like, especially in a age where kids uses taunts and punches more than their brain.
A masterpiece for the ages.
Fantasy for the non-fantasy reader
My husband, an avid fantasy reader, has tried for years to get me interested in the genre. One evening when I was desperate for something to read, he handed me this book and begged me to give it a chance. I was hooked from page one! The writing is exceptional, and the characters--especially the women--are well developed. What strikes me most about Martin's work is that it is brutally honest and the characters act and think like real people...they don't seem at all like the stereotypical "heroes" I've encountered in other books. One word of caution to those who don't read a lot of fantasy, be sure to give yourself a few chapters to get into this book. Until I figured out how this world worked I found myself confused a lot, and I kept having to ask my husband to clarify certain points. Once I "got it" though, I had no trouble reading. This book (and entire series) is so amazing it transcends genre and can appeal to any reader.
