A Game of Thrones, by George R.R. Martin, Reviewed.

A Game of Thrones, fantasy in thestyle of swords and dragons, transcends the genre on a number of levels. Imaginativeuse of the conventions allows aficionados to appreciate the set pieces, whilstgiving rein to a wider range of events than is commonly the case in such works.The cast of characters is extensive and the names link well with the feel ofthe novel: that feel is mediaeval, without being specific to any country'shistory. This is a tale of knights, jousting,battles, tourneys, sword play and courtly honour in all its variety. But themany 'Houses' of power and influence that drive the various story themes ofintrigue, plotting, ambition and duty, are each representative of the majorcharacteristic of their 'heads'. So, the Starks are as much driven by duty asthe Lannisters are impelled by ambition.Behind and beneath the layers ofstory that pit knight against knight, King against usurper, is a greater andvery much older power. As petulant youth defies wise maje, the power gameproceeds, teaching lessons to those with the humility to learn.This book is the first in a seriesand cleverly ends by bringing several climaxes together, whilst introducing anelement that lets the reader know there is much more to come. The denouement,whilst inevitable, comes at a pace that takes away the breath. I look forwardto the sequels.I read this novel on holiday inCrete, on my Kindle. The one missing element that would have made the read moreinteresting and rendered the plot easier to follow, was a map of the fantasyworld. I can only hope that Amazon get their act together and make thepublishing and viewing of such maps easy in the near future.