Long ago, in a time forgotten, a preternatural event threw the seasons out of balance. 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 center of the conflict lie the Starks of Winterfell, a family as harsh and unyielding as the land they were born to. Sweeping from a land 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. – Bantam Dell Publishing
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I was blown away by A Game of Thrones: Book One of A Song of Ice and Fire simply because it’s a fantastic book. This being the first fantasy genre book I’ve ever read, I have to say I was impressed enough to want to learn more about the genre. Not only is the book interesting, it’s full of humor, suspense, and action. I have my favorite characters and I look forward to seeing where they end up as the series continues.
A Game of Thrones is the first in the series and it is a great introduction into such a wonderful world of kings, lords, and creatures. If you’ve watched the series on HBO, you’ll pretty much have an idea of what the book contains. Of course, the text is more detailed and those details are superb. George R.R. Martin pulls you into this mystical world and doesn’t let you go. He has the recipe for creating a new world that you believe is on a map somewhere, as I did with each turn of the page. Oh and there is a map and appendix which help you keep everything in line. There are a lot of families to keep track of.
The chapters are not numbered but split into various points of view (POVs). You get pieces of this ongoing narrative from each of the main characters. I’ve never read a story written from more than two POVs and found it quite refreshing. It’s an interesting feature for a book of this magnitude. You don’t get lost at all; instead you find yourself wanting to learn more about these characters and how their lives intersect. Also, Martin does something to help identify members of each specific family. They all tend to have the same hair coloring and eye color. I know that’s not unheard of, but once you realize why he does it, it plays an important role in one aspect of the tale. I won’t spoil it for you, but know it is a whopper.
The Starks are the main protagonists and consist of Lord Eddard Stark, his wife Catelyn, and their children Bran, Arya, Sansa, Robb and Jon Snow (Eddard’s bastard son). I found myself on the edge of my seat when reading their fates. They each go through a life changing situation which seems incredible. Death and betrayal are only the beginning. How they fare will leave you biting your nails. There are also the villains spread across two families: the Lannisters and the Targaryens. Though, I’d like to point out, only one of the Targaryens is a villain. Viserys, brother to usurped King Rhaegar, is a user and fool who gets what he wants the most. His crown. But not in the way you would think. Now the Lannisters, they will do nothing but wreak havoc on the Starks. You won’t believe the lengths they go through to hold onto the iron throne.
There are other curious characters throughout the story who I found to be endearing, but I think my favorite is Tyrion Lannister. He is an imp who has a personality bigger than the tallest man he’s come up against. I love the sense of humor Martin gives this character as well as Tyrion’s lust and zest for life. He is the son of Tywin Lannister and brother to twins Cersei and Jaime (they put the capital “E” in Evildoers). How Martin developed such twisted and sadistic characters amazes me.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves the fantasy genre, or has never been into it before, as well as those who wish to follow along with the HBO series. I cannot wait to get started on the next installation, A Clash of Kings.
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