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A Game of Thrones

Martin, George R. R. Book - 1996 Fantasy / Martin, George, Adult Book / Fiction / Fantasy / Martin, George R R None on shelf 4 requests on 5 copies Community Rating: 4.5 out of 5

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The kingdom of the royal Stark family faces its ultimate challenge in the onset of a generation-long winter, the poisonous plots of the rival Lannisters, the emergence of the Neverborn demons, and the arrival of barbarian hordes.

COMMUNITY REVIEWS

Political Intrigue submitted by Brad B. on September 15, 2009, 7:18pm For those of you looking for a new fantasy and curious about George R. R. Martin, I’m here to lay it out for you. I won’t go into a point by point plot summary, because you can read that elsewhere, and done better than me, but suffice it to say there is a large cast of characters a la Robert Jordan and in Martin’s case lots of houses vying for power. His books are harsh, and certainly for adults; there are a lot of bad things that happen to the characters, and Martin doesn’t shy away from things like incest, rape, or brutality. So, you’ve got to be able to handle that sort of thing. But, if you can, the political intrigue is top notch, and the fact that magic is only hinted at here and there gives it a gritty realism. The most notable thing about his books, however, is that they can be quite unpredictable, and Martin isn’t afraid to have really horrible things happen to a character, or even kill them off, if he wants to,which leaves a feeling that any character could be next; no one is safe. It’s a level of tension that many authors don’t achieve, and I give him credit for it. On the other hand some people find this frustrating- and add in the fact that the books for this have been coming out very-very-very slowly so it may be a long while before it reaches a satisfying conclusion. Still, a great read for a unique fantasy intrigue series.

cool submitted by tcaldera97 on June 22, 2011, 2:28pm cool

Gripping but heartbreaking submitted by marielle on June 29, 2011, 6:33pm I really enjoyed this book, but after I read it I did not read the sequels. I just couldn't stand having my heart ripped out of my chest so many times in one book, and I knew it wasn't going to get any better in subsequent books.

That said, I heartily enjoyed the HBO version of this book and I'm looking forward to season 2 so I can find out what happens to all the characters in the subsequent novels. TV provides enough distance for me to able to enjoy it, but the books are just a little too gritty for me.

Trigger warning for sexual violence.

cool submitted by readingking on July 14, 2011, 6:40pm nice work

Interesting book submitted by Dineshster on July 24, 2011, 11:34pm Held my attention through the entire book, very sad sometimes, but also intensely suspenseful.

Game of Thrones submitted by jaegerla on August 3, 2011, 3:27pm Definitely keeps your attention! Highly recommended for fantasy lovers and non-fantasy lovers alike. Can't wait to dive into Clash of Kings!

Great series submitted by ashflowtuff on June 28, 2012, 12:45pm Definitely read this series. Don't be intimidated by the length of the books. You will get sucked in and finish them faster that you think. Read them before you watch the TV show. This is one of the best fantasy stories I've read.

Intense and Involved submitted by cmboltz on July 8, 2012, 9:18pm Like others said, this is a great series but is dark and not for the faint of heart.

Definitely read the books BEFORE you watch the show. The book is extremely complex and detailed, and I expect to re-read the series a few times to grasp everything that is going on. I have only seen the first season of the show, but I was impressed with how they condensed it.

Overrated submitted by Annie B. on July 23, 2012, 12:15pm Good, but not great.

Good, not Best submitted by Celeste Arruda on July 27, 2012, 9:08pm George R.R. Martin is a good story teller, but it is very obvious who his favorite characters are from the way he writes their chapters. His female characters tend to have thoughts that only men think about—their bodies, for instance. Even his "strong" female characters are very weak when compared to his men. Some of the characters have few to no flaws, so reading their chapters can be boring. Jumping from character to character the way the author does is jarring to the reader.

The story is very strong, so if you're not a critical reader, you will love this book.

Excellent! submitted by Parzival on June 22, 2013, 6:51pm Of the books in the series that have come out so far, I love this the best. Still, I can't wait for book six!

It sucks you in fro the beginning submitted by jskodack on July 12, 2013, 7:44pm A Song of Fire and Ice will grab you right from the beginning. Read the novel before you start watching the HBO series.There is so much political intrigue and drama that will leave you wanting for more.

A great series opener! submitted by eapearce on March 7, 2014, 9:51am One of my biggest regrets in regards to the Song of Ice and Fire series is watching the Game of Thrones show before I read the books. If you have already seen the show and are deciding whether or not to read the books, I would highly recommend doing so! The original perspective that you receive from reading A Game of Thrones and the other books in the series and the details given in the books keeps them from being too boring if you have already seen the show. The care that George R. R. Martin has taken to connect stories and tie characters together is fascinating and the plot moves along at a brisk clip, aided by the change in narrator for each chapter. Readers will quickly find themselves looking forward to the chapters narrated by their favorite characters. One of the best parts of this book in particular is that, although it is part of a "fantasy" series, the fantastical elements are kept to a minimum, making the story nearly believable and a historically accurate portrayal of the Middle Ages in its own way. It is true that readers need to be prepared for a fair amount of violence and that A Game of Thrones and the subsequent novels are not for the faint of heart. Favorite characters and/or those who seem to act with honor and goodness do not necessarily survive. Good and bad things happen to everyone involved in these books, which can be challenging to accept. Indeed, this book is a great companion to the HBO series if you have seen it and want more details and a fresh perspective but, if possible, I would encourage those interested to try reading A Game of Thrones and the sequels before watching the show. The creation of your own visualizations of the characters and the places that George R. R. Martin describes so well is something that I wish I had not missed out on.

violent submitted by suttonp on June 20, 2014, 3:58pm This was an involved, fantasy story that had plenty of violence. The violence was justified by the storyline, but the graphic descriptions are gratuitous. This author writes as if this is a screenplay.

Intriguing submitted by cpaskus on June 24, 2014, 2:28pm This book makes you want more form the very beginning. It is over the top action, drama, sex and gore. Its a bit like the Netflix series House of Cards, if it took place in the fictional land of Westeros instead of Washington D.C. The land of Westeros is brutal, and it soon becomes clear that only those who posses superior strength or wit will get ahead. Those without either are extremely unlucky, because in the Game of Thrones, you win, or you die.

Good submitted by POOF on August 3, 2014, 12:46pm Good

More submitted by Fevvers - STAR473 on August 8, 2014, 1:05am Game of Thrones kicks off the series A Song of Ice and Fire (ASOIAF) in magnificent fashion. There are enough recognizable fantasy (and general storytelling) tropes to make a reader immediately comfortable with this new world. And then Martin quickly begins skewering those familiar standards and twisting the characters in interesting and often brutal ways. Shades of gray are developed for both the "good guys" and "bad guys." From kings to whores, an exiled princess who struggles for her own power in various ways; a drunkard dwarfism-struck intellectual; a king who sucessfully led a rebellion which deposed a violently insane ruler but who turned out to have been a much better leader during war than after he won the throne.... Epic fantasy which deserves all the attention it gets, and a book which rewards re-readings with new insights gained and secrets puzzled out.

Epic fantasy submitted by kittenkat101 on July 28, 2015, 9:26am I struggled to get into this book until I watched the first few episodes of the HBO series. Once I had an idea of who these characters were, the book became so much more interesting. This is one of my favorite newer fantasy books because it is so intense and the word is so realistic. Trigger warnings though: rape, brutality, incest. Definitely not for children or young teenagers.

Most relatable epic fantasy books written submitted by katarina on August 12, 2015, 2:41pm So far after having read four out of the five books out now, I have to say that the very best part of his writing how well the narration makes livable interesting characters in a fantasy novel. Not generally a reader of fantasy, I have thoroughly enjoyed the series.

Also, the books are far better than the series. If you occasionally get lost in the myriad of characters, I recommend google and the songs of ice and fire wikipedia.

Valar Morghulis submitted by allishaklausch on August 27, 2015, 9:13pm The political intrigue in these books is amazing. George R. R. Martin is a gifted writer who knows how to make you care about characters he writes about. It's not for the faint of heart, though.

Awesome submitted by ECReader on June 17, 2016, 8:45pm This book was really good but very long. It was well written and I enjoyed reading the whole series!

This is definitely a world builder submitted by heibaiwow on June 29, 2016, 10:45am When you start this series, you won't want to stop, so a warning for those who don't want to take too much on their plate. The world is very immersive and immense, with very little plot holes (or none, we don't know yet, the series isn't done yet).

AMAZING submitted by aavincent on July 10, 2017, 9:53pm IM on the 3rd book now and it just gets better and better. More action, more sex, more conspiracy. Everyone should read this.

"Adult book." they say. "Teen book." I reply. submitted by Midna on July 5, 2018, 9:16am There are a lot of people out there, who seem to think that this book is only for the faint of heart, you can't read it unless your an older teenager, there's too much plot complexity and sex and death and violence, ect.

Some of those things are true. There is A LOT of death and violence. When I started reading this book I expected Martin to give me sex from the first page to the last, but he really doesn't like to put sex in his books very much.

You could say that this book is not for the faint of heart. I disagree. You could tell your children that it's only for the faint of heart and you would be somewhat correct. HOWEVER! This opinion is just like the plot. It has twists and it doubles back on itself and it ties itself into complex and intricate knots. You might not be faint of heart and you could still blanch at the PROLOGUE of this book. It really depends on what you've read before. If you're reading this book after reading, say, 'Garfield' or 'Harry Potter' or some other books, you're not ready for 'A Game of Thrones'. But if you read this book after reading 'LOTR' or 'Not if I Save You First' or 'The Ever Afters' or some other book that's nearer the mark for it's readers, you'll be able to handle it a lot better.

Third and lastly. THERE ISN'T REALLY AN AGE LIMIT ON THIS BOOK! I am positively furious that people think this book is only for the adults. It's not! I am 13 and I'm reading it! I started it not too long ago, beginning of June, end of May. I've taken breaks, BUT NOT BECAUSE I NEED THEM! I want to read through all of the books and just a little while ago it had to go back! Besides, this book has 807 pages not including the Appendix. That's not an easy read!

Okay. So there's my opinion of 'A Game of Thrones'. Not as much sex as everyone says, just as much gruesome death, murder and violence, but if you're mature enough and you've read these kinds of books before I'd totally recommend it. WARNING! This book, whatever I may have said about it not having an age limit, should be restricted to children under the age of 11. 5th graders and up is who I am recommending this to.

A Modern Fantasy Classic submitted by timdufresne on July 13, 2018, 9:00am This work is a classic for a reason. Martin brings the world of Westros alive and builds something remarkable. Very little early installment weirdness for a work like this (written over decades). Looking forward to the rest of the series being published.

Trust Nothing submitted by Kenziezaitzeff on July 26, 2018, 6:36pm This book is unpredictable, and enjoyable. If you are into political intrigue I would highly recommend the book. There are many different characters to keep ahold of. One thing I enjoy is that you only see one scene from a single character's perspective. You do not get to see how each character witnessed every event. Time moves on within the book, and there is no looking back.

I have listened to this book on cd while I have been driving. I would highly recommend.

Grand submitted by c_zhang on June 26, 2019, 7:11pm This book is long, but it captures your attention early on. The atmosphere it creates is fascinating.

A Game of Thrones submitted by avrogers1 on July 12, 2019, 10:57am This is a wonderful series. Its really well written, but there are a lot if character to try and connect. Overall I really liked it.

Very readable submitted by andreynolds19 on July 22, 2019, 8:18pm This book was way more readable than I thought it would be. It reallly holds your attention throughout.

Dense submitted by Aimless on July 24, 2019, 2:34pm This book was too dense for me to get into

book that started it all. submitted by AGAPHD on June 25, 2020, 9:15am i really enjoyed this. not a genre that usually gets me, but this created an expansive world with interesting characters. a fun read.

No need to think about it! submitted by mshivaprasad on July 22, 2020, 3:23pm If you're wondering if it's worth the hype, then the answer is a big fat YES!

bedt submitted by I love to drink a hot drink called tea latte on August 26, 2020, 4:57pm This is the best

of submitted by smr on June 20, 2021, 11:51am of game

Better than I thought submitted by Edigaet1 on August 15, 2021, 12:36pm Years ago when I first read this book, I was skeptical that it could hold my interest, but happily I was wrong. There's a wide enough cast of characters that things don't get stale, with plenty of intrigue. The youngest I would recommend this too (depending on maturity) is someone in their mid-to-late teens.

classic. submitted by graytabby on August 7, 2022, 8:12pm a lot of people told me I was too young to read this at thirteen, but I think it's perfectly for a teenager, interesting even. cannot wait to watch the televised version!

Good submitted by mansi on June 9, 2023, 5:28pm This book is a good read

Why did I wait? submitted by Susan4Pax -prev. sueij- on August 25, 2023, 6:55pm This could be subtitled “People With Trauma Do Shitty Things To Each Other,” but having skipped the fervor over “A Song of Ice and Fire” in the original round of the book and TV events, I finally read the first book… and it’s amazing. Violent as anything, but amazing. Martin lushly describes the people, places, and relationships of a mythical land in the midst of political turmoil. He does an equally brilliant job of both the action and relationship stories. Chapters alternate between the perspectives of a handful of significant characters, and this helps both with moving the story between places in Westeros and between different houses/communities and viewpoints. My only problem now is deciding if/how I want to move forward. Do I really want to read 4 more 1000 page books in this universe?

Cover image for A game of thrones

SERIES
A song of ice and fire
1.



PUBLISHED
New York : Bantam Books, 1996.
Year Published: 1996
Description: 835 p.
Language: English
Format: Book

ISBN/STANDARD NUMBER
0553386794
0553593714
0553381687 :
0553573403 (pbk.)
0553103547 :
9780553386790

SUBJECTS
Seven kingdoms (Imaginary place).
Epic fiction.
Fantasy fiction.