A Game of Thrones (A Song of Ice and Fire, Book 1)
NOW THE ACCLAIMED HBO SERIES GAME OF THRONES--THE MASTERPIECE THAT BECAME A CULTURAL PHENOMENON Winter is coming. Such is the stern motto of House Stark, the northernmost of the fiefdoms that owe allegiance to King Robert Baratheon in far-off King's Landing. There Eddard Stark of Winterfell rules in Robert's name. There his family dwells in peace and comfort: his proud wife, Catelyn; his sons Robb, Brandon, and Rickon; his daughters Sansa and Arya; and his bastard son, Jon Snow. Far to the north, behind the towering Wall, lie savage Wildings and worse--unnatural things relegated to myth during the centuries-long summer, but proving all too real and all too deadly in the turning of the season. Yet a more immediate threat lurks to the south, where Jon Arryn, the Hand of the King, has died under mysterious circumstances. Now Robert is riding north to Winterfell, bringing his queen, the lovely but cold Cersei, his son, the cruel, vainglorious Prince Joffrey, and the queen's brothers Jaime and Tyrion of the powerful and wealthy House Lannister--the first a swordsman without equal, the second a dwarf whose stunted stature belies a brilliant mind. All are heading for Winterfell and a fateful encounter that will change the course of kingdoms. Meanwhile, across the Narrow Sea, Prince Viserys, heir of the fallen House Targaryen, which once ruled all of Westeros, schemes to reclaim the throne with an army of barbarian Dothraki--whose loyalty he will purchase in the only coin left to him: his beautiful yet innocent sister, Daenerys.
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Community Reviews
12/20/2022: Updating with the news that 6 years after finishing this book, I have finally started watching the show. Except now I'm past where the first book ends, so I'm in that weird place of "Do I stop watching the show to catch up on the books or just watch the show and finish the books later?" Decisions, decisions.
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12/17/2016:
I did it. I finished A Game of Thrones.
What this should mean is that I will reward myself by finally watching the show. What it actually means is this:
There are a crapload of really great reviews out there on this book already, so I'm going to keep this review only as long as the cup of coffee in front of me lasts. Note: I go through coffee the way a child of the 80s/90s went through Kool-Aid (thanks for the flavored sugar water, Mom!).
1. I Will Remember You (Will You Remember Me - Do Do Doot Doot Do)
I don't know what the deal is, but my memory has become terrible. Old age? Brain is at max capacity? I don't know. What I do know is that I read this book over a span of THREE MONTHS. This is no indication of how good or bad the book is. I started reading on an airplane (the perfect place for me to read - no interruptions except for a beverage delivery) in September and then picked it up when I had the time afterwards. I would have to restart most books if it took me this long, but I was always able to pick this up from where I had left off because it's memorable. Martin has done a wonderful job of creating a completely new world that is fantasy but feels very real. I was easily transported to each location. And there are many locations. With each chapter comes a different character and usually a different location. I loved the chance to experience so many different places and characters. Speaking of characters...
2. Ball of Confusion (That's What the World is Today - Oooh Hey Hey)
There are a billion names in this book but not necessarily a billion characters.
Example: Lord Westerling, Lord Banefort, Ser Garth Greenfield, Lord Estren, Ser Tytos Brax, Mallor the Dornishman...and three Lannisters besides Jaime, Lord Tywin's own nephews, two of his sister's sons and one of his dead brother's...
Don't be discouraged by all the names! The trick is to pick through the ones that really matter. In this case, there are two names you should know/recognize. All those other names are not there for your benefit. They are there because if this dialogue were really happening, that is how they would actually relay the news. If you get lost on the names, there is a handy guide located at the back of the book. It's useful. Use it.
3. Although We've Come to the End of the Road (Still I Can't Let You Go)
There are two reactions when you reach the last page of a 800+ page book.
Reaction #1: WHAT THE HELL?! I WILL NEVER GET THOSE (INSERT # OF) HOURS/DAYS/MONTHS OF MY LIFE BACK.
Reaction #2: THERE HAD BETTER BE ANOTHER 800+ PAGE BOOK IN THIS SERIES FOR ME TO START IMMEDIATELY. AND THEN ANOTHER. AND ANOTHER. AND ANOTHER. AND ANOTHER. AND ANOTHER.
I'm clearly in the #2 category. I would have been devastated had the book just ended as is. Or if I had hopped on the Game of Thrones train early on and didn't have another one waiting on my bookshelf. By the end of a large book, you should care enough about the characters and their "world" that you want to stay on the journey with them. Which reminds me...
4. Another One Bites the Dust (and Another One Gone and Another One Gone)
Don't get too attached. Any one can go at any time. And you aren't going to have a sweet, lingering scene of them on their deathbed with weeping family kneeling at the bedside. There were a few times I had to reread the few sentences I was given to make sure I had actually read what I thought I read. SPOILER ALERT: If you ever wonder if it's a joke, IT'S NOT.
---------
12/17/2016:
I did it. I finished A Game of Thrones.
What this should mean is that I will reward myself by finally watching the show. What it actually means is this:
There are a crapload of really great reviews out there on this book already, so I'm going to keep this review only as long as the cup of coffee in front of me lasts. Note: I go through coffee the way a child of the 80s/90s went through Kool-Aid (thanks for the flavored sugar water, Mom!).
1. I Will Remember You (Will You Remember Me - Do Do Doot Doot Do)
I don't know what the deal is, but my memory has become terrible. Old age? Brain is at max capacity? I don't know. What I do know is that I read this book over a span of THREE MONTHS. This is no indication of how good or bad the book is. I started reading on an airplane (the perfect place for me to read - no interruptions except for a beverage delivery) in September and then picked it up when I had the time afterwards. I would have to restart most books if it took me this long, but I was always able to pick this up from where I had left off because it's memorable. Martin has done a wonderful job of creating a completely new world that is fantasy but feels very real. I was easily transported to each location. And there are many locations. With each chapter comes a different character and usually a different location. I loved the chance to experience so many different places and characters. Speaking of characters...
2. Ball of Confusion (That's What the World is Today - Oooh Hey Hey)
There are a billion names in this book but not necessarily a billion characters.
Example: Lord Westerling, Lord Banefort, Ser Garth Greenfield, Lord Estren, Ser Tytos Brax, Mallor the Dornishman...and three Lannisters besides Jaime, Lord Tywin's own nephews, two of his sister's sons and one of his dead brother's...
Don't be discouraged by all the names! The trick is to pick through the ones that really matter. In this case, there are two names you should know/recognize. All those other names are not there for your benefit. They are there because if this dialogue were really happening, that is how they would actually relay the news. If you get lost on the names, there is a handy guide located at the back of the book. It's useful. Use it.
3. Although We've Come to the End of the Road (Still I Can't Let You Go)
There are two reactions when you reach the last page of a 800+ page book.
Reaction #1: WHAT THE HELL?! I WILL NEVER GET THOSE (INSERT # OF) HOURS/DAYS/MONTHS OF MY LIFE BACK.
Reaction #2: THERE HAD BETTER BE ANOTHER 800+ PAGE BOOK IN THIS SERIES FOR ME TO START IMMEDIATELY. AND THEN ANOTHER. AND ANOTHER. AND ANOTHER. AND ANOTHER. AND ANOTHER.
I'm clearly in the #2 category. I would have been devastated had the book just ended as is. Or if I had hopped on the Game of Thrones train early on and didn't have another one waiting on my bookshelf. By the end of a large book, you should care enough about the characters and their "world" that you want to stay on the journey with them. Which reminds me...
4. Another One Bites the Dust (and Another One Gone and Another One Gone)
Don't get too attached. Any one can go at any time. And you aren't going to have a sweet, lingering scene of them on their deathbed with weeping family kneeling at the bedside. There were a few times I had to reread the few sentences I was given to make sure I had actually read what I thought I read. SPOILER ALERT: If you ever wonder if it's a joke, IT'S NOT.
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