A Game of Thrones (A Song of Ice and Fire, Book 1) Book

A Game of Thrones is the first book in George R. R. Martin's epic fantasy series, A Song of Ice and Fire. Martin actually began the series back in 1996 and has published five novels in the saga so far, but A Song of Ice and Fire is experiencing a surge in popularity at the moment as Sky TV have begun showing the HBO adaptation of A Game of Thrones. I'm stuck with pauper TV unfortunately but was intrigued by the trailers for the show and so decided to read the books.

The plot of A Game of Thrones in particular, and the overarching story of A Song of Ice and Fire as a whole, is incredibly detailed and involved but, by way of extreme summary, it is a tragic tale of treachery, greed and war that threatens the unity of the Seven Kingdoms south of the wall. Set in a fabulous world scarred by battle and catastrophe during over 8000 years of recorded history, A Game of Thrones tells of the deeds of men and women locked in the deadliest conflicts and the terrible legacy that will ultimately be left for their children. As a terrible winter swirls in the lands beyond the wall, the undead and the neverborn prepare to invade the realms of men...

This is an absolutely staggering book. There is so much detail as to character and plot that I had to almost battle to keep it straight in my head - the genius and creativity of George R. R. Martin astounds me. A Game of Thrones is a fairly epic book at well over 800 pages, but it grabbed me from the very beginning and I absolutely raced through it as I got swept along by the battle and intrigue. This is a fantasy novel clearly but it is still dark and gritty and Martin manages to keep a chilly, melancholic tone hovering over the characters as they make decisions which threaten the very balance of their world. While the fantasy staples of dragons, monsters and magic are present in this world, Martin keeps them very much in the background as he concentrates on the human relationships and interactions between his sprawling cast of characters.

A Game of Thrones is perhaps not the best read for the faint-hearted or for those with weak stomachs but I absolutely loved it and believe that George R. R. Martin has now taken over from Raymond Feist as the benchmark by which I will judge fantasy writers. If you're after an intelligent fantasy novel that is rather light on magic but brim full of murder, mayhem, warfare and political intrigue then A Game of Thrones is an absolute must-read.

I should warn you: don't make the same mistake I did and buy only the first book in the series - after finishing A Game of Thrones I can pretty much guarantee you that you'll want to race straight on into A Clash of Kings!

The first volume in the A Song of Ice and Fire trilogy which tells of the treachery greed and war threatening the Seven Kingdoms south of the Wall. In a world scarred by battle and catastrophe it describes the deeds of a people locked in conflict and the legacy they will leave their children.

The first volume in the hugely popular and highly acclaimed epic fantasy. There is passion here, and misery and charm, grandeur and squalor, tragedy, nobility and courage. Now a major HBO series starring Sean Bean and a stellar cast.