A Game of Thrones ~George R. R. Martin
–published 1996
–Bantam Books
–807 pages
–1997 Locus Award Winner, 1997 Hugo Winner, best novella, for Daenerys portions of the novel.
–5/5 stars
It doesn’t take much to get me to read your favorite book. Really, it is pretty simple. First you simply buy me the book and tell me several times how much you enjoy it. Then you wait…for years. When a goodly amount of time has passed, you take me to a convention to hear the author speak and read a chapter from his forthcoming book in the same series…a mere week before your latest birthday celebration. Like I said, simple.
While this may sound facetious, this is a fairly accurate portrayal of the events that had to come together before I began reading the first book in George R. R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire series, A Game of Thrones. Once I started in earnest, Mr. Martin’s storytelling took over and in a mere three days I finished this enormous volume. It wasn’t just the fact that I couldn’t put it down, it was that I did not want to put it down. For anything.
I am an avowed chunkster hater. I have also been quite vocal in the past about my dislike of long, drawn out book series, particularly ones that have yet to be finished. And now, The Others take me, I’m hooked!
A Game of Thrones is a sweeping high fantasy, filled with kings and queens, lords and ladies, bastard sons and noble knights. This is not a paint-by-numbers, cookie-cutter high fantasy, by any means. Though all the trappings that come along with the genre are present and accounted for, what George R. R. Martin does with them is the reason he has made a name for himself. The story starts out focusing on the Starks, a noble family who live in the cold north at Winterfell. When King Robert Baratheon travels north to ask Eddard ‘Ned’ Stark for assistance, the Stark family (along with the reader) are drawn into a larger world filled with danger and suspicion and intrigue. The characters in A Game of Thrones, and there are many, are by no means predictable or one dimensional. Instead they are all part of a vast, lively novel chock full of political intrigue, unseen dangers, and deep mysteries. Characters grow and change before your eyes as their stories are revealed.
Martin writes each chapter with the focus on a specific character. These chapters are generally short, allowing the reader to get to know various characters and their relationship to each other in easily digestible, high entertaining sections. You find yourself leaving a chapter hoping that you will soon get back to this character (and more than once I found myself turning ahead to get an idea of when I would see this character again), only to get swept up in the action surrounding the character in the next chapter. Martin’s characters are rich and diverse. By the end of the novel I found that there were characters that I had initially despised that I ended up feeling some emotional connection to. I found characters that I thought I liked make decisions that made me question my devotion to them, and I learned that Martin has no problem killing characters when it serves the story. And let me assure you, this is not an A-Team/G.I. Joe approach to storytelling (if you’ll forgive the bizarre 80’s tv references), bad things happen to characters and sometimes they do not live to tell about it. I say that hoping it will not turn you off to the book but will instead turn you on to it. This book generates real emotion, from joy and laughter to anger and frustration to sadness, to hope. It is an engaging, turbulent story that promises to grow in each subsequent book from the tremendous foundation laid here.
Though the first in a series, A Game of Thrones does not suffer from the feeling that it is a ‘set up’ novel. From page one of the prologue you are put smack dab in the story. There are no long info dumps setting up the world or its inhabitants. Instead that is revealed as you watch the adventures of the various featured characters unfold. The story starts out intense and quite frankly does not let up until the final page, despite the fact that the story ebbs and flows, weaving in childhood adventures, familial bonds, romance, adventure, and some delicious sounding meals. The world building is solid and handled with a deft touch. The plot is filled with unexpected twists and turns. But it is the characters who ultimately keep you turning the pages. Martin plays on the readers emotions like a master, through the course of reading the novel he will wring out a variety of emotional responses from the reader. So many of these men and women, and children, are so interesting that I cannot help but want to rush out and dive into the next book in the series. If I’m not careful, I may soon find my way into the pack of fans who are all caught up with the current books and are harassing Mr. Martin for the next in the series!
These books are decidedly adult. There are moments of darkness and cruelty, befitting a time when life was more savage than it is at present. Anyone with a penchant for wanting to write off fantasy literature, for any of a number of reasons, should find A Game of Thrones a worthy contender to change their minds. There is a grit and realism in this book that gives it an authenticity that I feel is hard to achieve in this genre. Well done Mr. Martin.
Though trusted friends both here and in the blogging community have raved about this book, I still found myself surprised at how quickly George R. R. Martin’s writing style enveloped me in this world of his creation. Thank you Jeff for the gift given long ago and I hope you can find it in yourself to overlook the time it took to unwrap it. Time and growing expectations certainly didn’t ruin anything. If anything it made my joy in discovering such a well written story that much greater.
A Game of Thrones is a novel that can easily be spoiled if too much is said. Suffice it to say that I highly recommend it. I would love nothing more than to talk about specifics with those who have read the book, so if you would like to do so, please put “SPOILER” at the beginning of your comment, that way others can avoid the spoiler comments if they so choose. My advice: don’t get spoiled, go read the book!
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This book is a selection for the Once Upon a Time IV Challenge.
I’ve been reading rave reviews of this novel for years, but I’ve avoided it because I don’t like reading long books. And I hate series, because it feels like I’m never going to finish with the story. But your review has convinced me to give The Game of Thrones a try. By the way, HBO is making a series out of the book, so maybe George R. R. Martin will become the next Charlaine Harris.
Ha, Jim, I hope not! 😉 Having read the book I am happy with some of the casting choices in the show. I don’t have HBO, so I’ll probably be stuck watching it after it comes out on DVD, unless they show the episodes online on Hulu or on the HBO site.
I feel exactly the same way you do about large books and series. I nearly cried when I checked the bookstore yesterday and saw that the second book is 300 pages longer than this one, and Jeff tells me book 3 is even longer!
But, having (finally) decided that I would read one of my best friend’s favorite books (after all I convinced him to give Gaiman a try several years back and he didn’t wait forever to do so), I have to admit that I am pretty hooked on it.
Add to that the fact that this type of fantasy (excepting Lord of the Rings) isn’t a genre that I read very often (I like it, but my reading preferences generally lie elsewhere) and I think it is pretty high personal praise from me to have been so sucked into this.
I am so glad you read – and loved! – this book! It’s one of my favorites, too, and I find myself recommending it left and right. I read it years and years ago, but it could have been yesterday the way the characters have stuck with me (and one scene, which literally made me gasp when I read it, though technically it’s not the worse of what happened and…look at me ramble!) Anyway, glad you enjoyed it! 🙂
I still have my copy sitting here, with that bookmark about 20 pages in. It’s been that way for a decade, I guess. I do like it’s cover better than the one you show, and one of these days I guess I’ll get around to reading it…
I thoroughly enjoyed this one myself. And yes, once I sat down to read it, didn’t want to put it down. The length is daunting at first, but once you get into the story, it doesn’t matter. I loved the flow and each chapter following a certain character. Great book and looking forward to reading the next one. It is well worth the read. Trying to clear the decks and get through my tbr pile first.
Love this series – have read it multiple times and am one of those people that wants to tie Martin to a desk to finish the next one which is way overdue (like all of them have been). One of my best times reading the series was when my husband and I were in Jamaica for a week. I read the first one before we went so I was ahead of him and we read them all together and spent an inordinate amount of time discussing. Awesome, wonderful, great books.
A good friend and I did a swap several months ago. I gave him my copy of Anne Bishop’s Black Jewels trilogy, which he is well and truly immersed in now! And he gave me this. To my shame, I still have not gotten around to reading it….
I have been trying to decide whether to delve into this one or not. It sounds like something I would love, but before I commit to something so lengthy I have to be a little more sure. Your stamp of approval helps! Hopefully I can stomach the “darkness and cruelty.” Sometime I can, and sometimes I can’t.
Shelly: It isn’t all dark and cruel, there is a good balance of romance and humor and adventure here. The difference between this and say, Lord of the Rings, (and this is no criticism because I LOVE Lord of the Rings) is that the characters are by no means black and white and at times they act very selfish and very human. I don’t know how much historical context is used by Martin, but it reminds me of the way that I felt when reading I, Claudius by Robert Graves in that it takes into account the harshness and cruel manipulation that was a part of political life in that time period.
Mariel: Well then, you can identify with me entirely. I’m enjoying it now but I have no doubt I’ll be cursing my friend Jeff when I come to the end of what is printed and have to wait around years between books.
Caitlin: That is so much fun. I’ve read books in tandem with my wife and in tandem with friends before and being able to delve into discussions about a book with people while you are all reading it together is so much fun. Hey, I’m new to the party, but I’ll bring the rope. Perhaps we can visit Neil Gaiman and John Scalzi on that desk-tying tour.
Robin: His shorter chapter breaks with the story shifting to another character certainly make this much less daunting, to be sure. Had this had much longer chapters it would have been much harder to tear through it so quickly. I know that sounds silly, but there is a definite psychological aspect to this, in my layman’s opinion.
Richard: I had read the prologue only the first time and went on to something else and I too had the bookmark in it. I went ahead and re-read the prologue when I picked it up again on Wed. The covers for Martin’s books are just plain awful. These are like the Danielle Steele of fantasy book covers. So ugly. I’ve seen some Komarck art based on this series that is great, seen a Jeff Jones cover for a small press run of this that is fantastic and some of the Subterranean Press limited editions are also beautiful….the problem is that they are way too expensive. If I am happy with the overall story once the series ends, I hope they re-release them in a nice hardback collection format and give them some covers worthy of the story. These suck.
Chelle: Me too. It would have been awful to have a so-so or, worse yet, bad experience with the book after delaying reading it so long. I realize that all good friends have books they love that the other friend does not, but when it is one of your favorites it would be quite awful to not have it be a good reading experience.
Imagine if you will Snoppy of Charlie Brown fame doing his happy dance !!! That’s how I felt when Carl told me last night he was almost done with this book, which he was reading in secret. Truly a wonderful birthday gift my friend. I’m still grinning with joy.
This series is one of my all time favorites and I’m so glad you enjoyed it as well. It’s always scary recommending a book you love. There’s that joy and excitement of wanting to share something you treasure so much with someone else mixed the fear of, what if they don’t love it?!!! I’m glad my fears can now be squashed and I can’t wait to talk about this series with you.
It’s funny but I was just thinking about my favorite authors and how I found them. I realize that they were all through recommendations.
JRR Tolkien – English teacher in middle school.
George RR Martin recommeded to me by Mark Roth.
Neil Gaiman and John Scalzi – Carl V Anderson
Robert Heinlein and Robert E Howard – Jerry Schattenberg
Firefly tv series – Ben Orell
There’s a blog post idea. Who are you’re favorite authors and how did you discover them?
“Reading in secret”…is that code for reading in the bathroom? 😉
It is truly a pleasure to give you this gift for your birthday, and it didn’t cost me anything except several late nights, lots of reading in snatches for 3 days whenever I could get time, and the inability to think about much else all week!
I’m glad I can talk to you about this one as well. I should probably pick up Name of the Wind sometime and read that one since it is fresh in your mind.
That is a blog post idea, and a good one. I’ll work on that one tonight while I’m at work. There will be no royalties, so don’t even ask! I think I might make it a double question, who are your favorites that were recommended, and by whom, and also who are favorites that you just discovered on your own. Odd, I know a guy with the same name as the guy who recommended Martin to you. I know it isn’t the same guy, but that is an odd coincidence anyway.
I picked up Clash of Kings at Borders today, by the way. So much for trying to save all my blow money this month! Tried the library and every audio and book copy of Martin’s books are either checked out or are on hold for someone. Guess that is a good sign for his popularity.
We can talk about Name of the Wind tomorrow. It’s more of a traditional fantasy novel not like Martin’s but very fun.
Sounds like a fun post and I look forward to it.
Glad to see you already have a copy of Clash of Kings. You could always have borrowed mine though and saved the money. All you have to do is ask. You know that!!!
I think ALL of us hard core readers know about the reading code. 🙂
I’m not sure I would have been comfortable borrowing your worship copies! 😉 Just kidding. I could have also waited and tried half price. I’ll have to look for reading copies of the next two there sometime soon. You can also keep your eyes peeled for me if you don’t mind.
SO glad to hear you loved it Carl!! Just saw your comment over on my blog on this one too. I can’t believe you read this book in 3 days!!! I think it took me two weeks to read it. Not because it wasn’t catching though. I really REALLY miss this series after reading your review. I have A Storm of Swords sitting here staring at me from my shelf right now and I’m sort of craving it now…may have to jump into it!
While Robert Jordan got me back into fantasy, George RR Martin was a revelation. He took fantasy to another level that few current authors even approach. I hope he finishes his series, but in the meantime, it’s so much fun to re-read the books that are already and see how much I missed the first time or two around! Glad you enjoyed it. The next two are even better.
Jonathan: That is great to know! I was thinking about GRRM today and had forgotten that I had kind of read one of his novels before. I say ‘kind of’ because it was actually a three author collaboration, Hunter’s Run, but my did I enjoy it. Great sci fi adventure novel.
Chris: I had forgotten that you had read A Clash of Kings, Chris. You’re one book ahead of me. I started it tonight…haven’t gotten out of the prologue yet. I’ll hopefully have a little time to get started in earnest this weekend, but I doubt I’ll be tearing through it quite as quickly as the first one. I had birthday party motivation helping me out this past week. I can’t believe I got through it so quickly either. I’ll be checking out your Clash review after I’ve finished it.
You don’t want George R. R. Martin to have the success Charlaine Harris has had, and have 7 of his books on the NY Times Bestseller list in one week? It’s the kiss of wealth for a writer to have their book produced by HBO or Showtime. And have you read the Charlaine Harris Stookie Stackhouse mysteries. They are fun.
I’ve had this one my shelves for two or three years now. Still waiting to get started on the series though
Fence: I beat you there, mine was on the shelf for much longer than that I am ashamed to say.
Jim Harris: I haven’t read any of Charlaine Harris. I’ve always assumed hers was a series of formulaic chick-lit vampire books so I have to admit to turning up a bit of a snobbish nose to them. My bad, I shouldn’t do what I preach against. I’m happy for Martin getting the money, I will be more happy if he manages to finish the series while both he, and I, are still alive to enjoy the finale! 😉
*SPOILER* I started reading GRRM because of the particular warnings that characters would die and that no one would be safe. Curious, I opened up A Game of Thrones a few years back and fell in love with the series. I remember reading the scene when Eddard was executed over and over again, thinking how in the world did they just kill him like that? Not Eddard!
Now I’ve read all four books that are out, and they only get better with each installment. Martin knows exactly how to tell a story. Enjoy the rest of the books whenever you get to them. This is certainly a series I’ll need to reread before its concluded, due to the time between installments, but I believe the reread will be just as fun as the first time.
I read this last year and was blown away! I’ve got the second and third volume sitting on my TBR pile. I’m so looking forward to the tv adaptation too – can’t wait.
Sakura: It is safe to say that I was blown away as well. I am about 50 pages in to the second book, A Clash of Kings, and I am putting the third book on my father’s day wish list.
Logan: GRRM definitely does deliver on the promise that characters you get attached to will have bad things happen to them, possibly even death.
You’ve just answered my question, in saying that you’re already reading the second volume: if you manage the remaining volumes in such short order, too, I might just have to block out a section of my reading calendar and commit! Funny how sometimes the longest books, the ones we spend so much time avoiding, can turn out to be surprisingly quick reads when you’re so happily and wholly engaged.
Buried: You are right about that. While I only managed 50 pages this weekend I really didn’t have any significant time at all, we were booked with fun activities all weekend. Those 50 pages flew by. As I said, I also think books like this that are broken up in easy to read chunks makes getting through the whole a lot more natural.
I just discovered A Song Of Fire And Ice as well. I was blown away by A Game of Thrones….loved it! I have now read the first three books and plan to read the fourth book within this month. GRRM has made his way onto my favorites list. I think the man is brilliant with his writing…he created a palatable world that completely captured me. Not only is his storyline beyond fabulous, he did not loose sight of his characters. Yeah, I am with you in that ones that I thought I did not like, eventually won me over to their side and vice versa. All his character are fantastic…truly they are. I also found myself in shock over one character’s path. Yep, GRRM is not above switching things up.
Loved your review, it is fabulous. You did a far better job pointing out the intricacies of the book than I did.
I hope you continue to like the rest of the books as much as you liked this one.
I do as well. So far so good with book two. He is brilliant. I can’t see how he can keep such a great handle on so many characters and stay so true to who they are even when they are changing things up.
Spoiler! So glad you liked it. I hadn’t heard of the series when i picked up the first one back in 2006. It’s going to sound weird but what hooked me was the part where Jaime Lannister tosses Bran Stark out of the tower. An author that’s willing to maim a little boy just a couple chapters in! what ELSE is he going to do? I had to find out and tore through the first 2 books very quickly. I also imagine he must have big charts and maps to keep up with who’s alive, dead and where they are!
Melanie: (Spoiler)
that surprised me as well. I didn’t see that coming and it does set up very early that no one is safe, anything can happen…which just makes you want to read the next chapter, and then the next chapter…
I imagine he has some method to keep track of things, as you say. It would be fun to see.
Carl…you said, ” I can’t see how he can keep such a great handle on so many characters and stay so true to who they are even when they are changing things up.”
And, yes…that is one aspect of his writing that I do find brilliant. With each book, there is more going on, more layers are added with the characters…even with the ones that I do not like, I like because they are so well written. Does that make sense? It so so true with GRRM…anything can happen with his characters, not one character is off limits for a change up.
I am currently finishing up a couple other reads and then will plunge into the fourth book. I really can see myself re-reading these books, finding more things about the story that I overlooked with my first read. He is an author that I would love to meet, for sure.
ibeeg: Yes, it makes perfect sense, and I agree. His being able to keep up with so many characters and situations so well is one of the big strengths of what I’ve read so far.
I’m not sure if I’ll plunge right into book 3 after I finish 2 or if I will take a brief break. It all depends on the addiction factor, I would imagine! I have several books queued up that I really want to read, but my attention has been hijacked, in a good way, by A Song of Ice and Fire.
So glad to hear you are reading and enjoying this series. So far I’ve read the first two and am looking forward to the last two. I really like what you said about Game of Thrones not being a set up novel. I appreciate that the author reveals the world he creates as you read. And I just loved the opening! It creeped me out (in a really good way) :o)
Terri: After waiting so long to try it I couldn’t be more pleased that I have become so attached to it. It is never a guarantee that one will like something after lots of hype and suspense. The opening creeped me out in a good way as well. It was a great way to get me hooked and keep me turning pages.
Hi Carl. I’m not a big fan of fantasy but I started reading A Game of Thrones sometime last year (because my friends were raving about it to no end) and I absolutely love it. I’ve read the 2nd book and hope to start on the 3rd soon. Glad you liked it as much as I did.
Ms Ulat Buku: I am always excited when I hear from someone who does not particularly love a genre like fantasy or sci fi who finds some book that they get hooked on. Now that I’ve read this I can easily understand why Martin’s prose would be one that would hook you. Whenever I am reading I find myself thinking, “oh, I can probably fit in one more quick chapter”, and then hours have passed!
I am considering joining the Once Upon a Time V Challenge for 2011 (I’m wavering simply because I’m failing miserably thus far in my other challenges this year!), but I’ve had my eye out for George R.R. Martin since coming across the compliments of his work from so many bloggers! I’m glad to see that this is in fact, fantasy, and would then be in consideration for your challenge this year. I’ve not read a lot of fantasy books before, so I’m really intrigued. I happened to purchase Game of Thrones recently and the first few pages did suck me in already!
It is such a good book, I think you’ll really enjoy it if you are liking it already. Definitely counts for the challenge, please join us! 🙂
I’m looking forward to reading this, and I’m heartened by your description of the writing style. I attempt to read a lot of fantasy series, but then get put off by bad writing before I even get through the first book. I’m hoping this will be better. =D