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A Game of Thrones: The Story Continues The Complete Box Set of All 7 Books by Martin, George R. R. ( AUTHOR ) Jul-12-2012 Paperback

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HBO's hit series A GAME OF THRONES is based on George R R Martin's internationally bestselling series A SONG OF ICE AND FIRE, the greatest fantasy epic of the modern age.

Paperback

Published July 12, 2012

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About the author

George R.R. Martin

1,504 books118k followers
George Raymond Richard "R.R." Martin was born September 20, 1948, in Bayonne, New Jersey. His father was Raymond Collins Martin, a longshoreman, and his mother was Margaret Brady Martin. He has two sisters, Darleen Martin Lapinski and Janet Martin Patten.

Martin attended Mary Jane Donohoe School and Marist High School. He began writing very young, selling monster stories to other neighborhood children for pennies, dramatic readings included. Later he became a comic book fan and collector in high school, and began to write fiction for comic fanzines (amateur fan magazines). Martin's first professional sale was made in 1970 at age 21: The Hero, sold to Galaxy, published in February, 1971 issue. Other sales followed.

In 1970 Martin received a B.S. in Journalism from Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, graduating summa cum laude. He went on to complete a M.S. in Journalism in 1971, also from Northwestern.

As a conscientious objector, Martin did alternative service 1972-1974 with VISTA, attached to Cook County Legal Assistance Foundation. He also directed chess tournaments for the Continental Chess Association from 1973-1976, and was a Journalism instructor at Clarke College, Dubuque, Iowa, from 1976-1978. He wrote part-time throughout the 1970s while working as a VISTA Volunteer, chess director, and teacher.

In 1975 he married Gale Burnick. They divorced in 1979, with no children. Martin became a full-time writer in 1979. He was writer-in-residence at Clarke College from 1978-79.

Moving on to Hollywood, Martin signed on as a story editor for Twilight Zone at CBS Television in 1986. In 1987 Martin became an Executive Story Consultant for Beauty and the Beast at CBS. In 1988 he became a Producer for Beauty and the Beast, then in 1989 moved up to Co-Supervising Producer. He was Executive Producer for Doorways, a pilot which he wrote for Columbia Pictures Television, which was filmed during 1992-93.

Martin's present home is Santa Fe, New Mexico. He is a member of Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers of America (he was South-Central Regional Director 1977-1979, and Vice President 1996-1998), and of Writers' Guild of America, West.

http://us.macmillan.com/author/george...

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5 stars
295 (74%)
4 stars
68 (17%)
3 stars
23 (5%)
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8 (2%)
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4 (1%)
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
12 reviews
February 2, 2023
If Lord of the Rings is the Grandaddy of fantasy, Game of Thrones is that cool uncle who rides a motorbike and teaches the kids swear words.

You simply cannot consider yourself a fantasy fan if you haven't read them. These books will live forever.
4 reviews
May 31, 2018
Currently on the fifth book of the set, the epic scope of the series and its themes merged with the pervasive, 'All men must die'. My nephew said, "Fabulous stories but everybody dies!" George Martin's literary descriptions of death are more powerful than the crass body count of the video nasty (archaic phrase dates me), so I am enjoying the sustained sense of mortality the book generates in me.
1 review
August 24, 2023
overly long, meandering explanations of irrelevant things (half a page to explain how a morning looks) added on top of barely relevant characters and skipping over the most interesting characters for half of a book to " " " develop context and storytelling " " "
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1 review
August 13, 2025
The first 4 or 5 books were fantastic. One of my favourite fantasy series, but then it seriously went down hill when he started concentrating on the tv series. I barely got through the last book. So sad.
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24 reviews1 follower
November 9, 2024
It was literally about a game of thrones between nations. The books are so much better than the movies because of the details and how they immerse you in the story.
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27 reviews25 followers
July 12, 2018
So gritty, you never know what youre going to get with A Game of Thrones. Word of advice before reading these books- try not to get attached to characters...they will most likely be killed off in a very gruesome, heart breaking manner.
3 reviews
November 3, 2020
It took me one year to finish all the books but it was totally worth it. Way better than the show. Very complex characters with a lot of details but that is what makes this series of books so entertaining.
Profile Image for Judith Lea.
Author 1 book
September 15, 2023
Finally I have finished Book 1, "A Game of Thrones" - I am a very slow reader - and have started Book 2, "A Clash of Kings". It had not been my intention to start the 2nd book immediately but the story is so engrossing and well written I have unwittingly changed my plan. We were avid watchers of the tv series right from episode one way back in April 2011, but the books offer so much more detail to the characters and one gets their insights as well. I have not rewatched the tv series because the story is still so vivid in my memory, but reading the book has enriched those memories: very rewarding indeed. A work colleague always told me the books were worth reading and he has proved to be right.

Update 19/6/23
I am now on book 5, which is actually book 4 (A feast for Crows) because book 3 is in 2 volumes! I know, it is confusing, but the story continues to be brilliant.

Update 20/7/23
Just started Book Five part one (pysical book 6!), A Dance with Dragons: Dreams and Dust. This one starts with the continuing stories of Tyrion and Daenerys and I'm loving it. I must add that A Feast for Crows lapsed a little in standard because I found myself skipping over some long descriptive passages so is probably only deserving of a 4 1/2.

Update 22/8/23
So.....five months after starting on this journey I have begun the final book. I am very interested to se where the story goes. Watch this space

15/9/23
That's it, I have finished the whole of "A Song of Ice and Fire". The last book, " A Dance with Dragons: After the Feast" is superbly written, a story that just kept gathering pace and boy was I frustrated when I reached the end; knowing that the next book, "Winds of Winter" is yet to be published. Not since I first read "The Clan of the Cave Bear" has my anticipation for the follow up book been so great.

Forget the unsatisfactory ending to the HBO GOT TV series and go read the books.

Philip Elliott
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Author 2 books83 followers
September 30, 2016
George is an incredible writer. I am in awe of the way he cleverly, artfully, tells this epic tale from so many perspectives. The wit and politics are masterful. Each character is relatable and you feel like you're living in the story with them. The style of fantasy is down-to-earth, fundamentally people are the same in his fiction as the ones we interact with on different levels in the present, just told in a more elaborate way. :o) I eagerly await more.
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