Review Wednesday: A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin

Title: A Game of Thrones (A Song of Fire and Ice #1)

Author: George R.R. Martin
1st Date of Publication: August 6, 1996

ISBN: 9780553103540
# of Pages: 694

Genre: Adult Fantasy

Age Rating: 17+

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Book Description:
Summers span decades. Winter can last a lifetime. And the struggle for the Iron Throne has begun.

As Warden of the north, Lord Eddard Stark counts it a curse when King Robert bestows on him the office of the Hand. His honour weighs him down at court where a true man does what he will, not what he must ...and a dead enemy is a thing of beauty.

The old gods have no power in the south, Stark's family is split and there is treachery at court. Worse, the vengeance-mad heir of the deposed Dragon King has grown to maturity in exile in the Free Cities. He claims the Iron Throne.

Setting: Medieval era, Westeros
Point of View: 3rd person- Many characters

Goodreads Rating: 4.44

My Rating: 4.75

 

Part of the Book that Caught My Attention: Both

View on the Cover: The sword's handle looks really cool with its intricate design and the blue background sets a somber or cold tone.
View on Title: Who doesn't like to play games? Or being royal? It made me think of a game of wits.

Pros:

• It's a whole new world. It is a more modern version of Lord of the Rings without the elves and hobbits, but there are dragons.
• This book is full of knights, kings, and dragons. It makes the story more interesting as it develops and the characters cross paths.
• I liked how it didn't show the world as glorified, which made it more believable.
• There is a lot of character development and the reader can understand the motives of a character because there is several different chapters dedicated to different characters.
• There is a very distinguishable line between good and evil for many characters but there are others that seem to see actions and morals as bendable.
• There is not a clear line of power and politics because those who may be in political power may not actually have power at all.

Cons:

• There are so many characters with odd names that it's a little difficult to keep track of everyone in the beginning.
• It's in third person, which I'm not a fan of, but it is necessary for the story.

Critics' Reviews
"The major fantasy of the decade . . . compulsively readable."—Denver Post
"We have been invited to a grand feast and pageant: George R.R. Martin has unveiled for us an intensely realized, romantic but realistic world."—Chicago Sun-Times
"A Best Book of 1996: Martin makes a triumphant return to high fantasy . . . [with] superbly developed characters, accomplished prose, and sheer bloodymindedness."—Publishers Weekly
"A splendid saga . . . . Inventive and intricately plotted."—BookPage

George R.R. Martin's Website:
http://www.georgerrmartin.com/

Other Recommendations:

Lord of the Rings by J.R.R Tolkien
Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis