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A Game of Thrones
(A Song of Ice and Fire #1)
by
A NEW ORIGINAL SERIES, NOW ON HBO.
Here is the first volume in George R. R. Martin’s magnificent cycle of novels that includes A Clash of Kings and A Storm of Swords. As a whole, this series comprises a genuine masterpiece of modern fantasy, bringing together the best the genre has to offer. Magic, mystery, intrigue, romance, and adventure fill these pages and transport us ...more
Here is the first volume in George R. R. Martin’s magnificent cycle of novels that includes A Clash of Kings and A Storm of Swords. As a whole, this series comprises a genuine masterpiece of modern fantasy, bringing together the best the genre has to offer. Magic, mystery, intrigue, romance, and adventure fill these pages and transport us ...more
Paperback, 695 pages
Published
May 28th 2002
by Bantam Books
(first published August 6th 1996)
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LMW
She will be 45 by the time the 6th book is released.
Community Reviews
Showing 1-30
Start your review of A Game of Thrones (A Song of Ice and Fire, #1)
There are plenty of fantasy authors who claim to be doing something different with the genre. Ironically, they often write the most predictable books of all, as evidenced by Goodkind and Paolini. Though I'm not sure why they protest so much--predictability is hardly a death sentence in genre fantasy.
The archetypal story of a hero, a villain, a profound love, and a world to be saved never seems to get old--it's a great story when it's told well. At the best, it's exciting, exotic, and builds to a ...more
The archetypal story of a hero, a villain, a profound love, and a world to be saved never seems to get old--it's a great story when it's told well. At the best, it's exciting, exotic, and builds to a ...more
I really feel the necessity of a bit of personal backstory here, before I start the review. Back in 1996 when this book first came out, and I was about 14 or 16 years old, I saw the hardcover on a sale table for about $5 and couldn't resist a bargain (still can't, though I'm more cautious these days). So I started reading this book with the vague idea that it was a flop, and that may not have helped, but I got through 100 pages of it before feeling so crapped off with it that I shoved it in my c
...more
Ten years and five hundred comments later and men still think I care if they disagree with me.
WARNING: If you enjoyed this book, even a little bit, you may not want to read this review. It will probably make you angry. Heaven knows that the book made me furious, and I intend to turn every bit of that wrath back on it.
Instead, I suggest you read karen's review, Brigid's review, Joyzi's review, or any other of the gushing four and five-star reviews here. If video reviews are more your style, I sug ...more
WARNING: If you enjoyed this book, even a little bit, you may not want to read this review. It will probably make you angry. Heaven knows that the book made me furious, and I intend to turn every bit of that wrath back on it.
Instead, I suggest you read karen's review, Brigid's review, Joyzi's review, or any other of the gushing four and five-star reviews here. If video reviews are more your style, I sug ...more
yup.
nerds, now i am among you.
this is going to be a review where i just prattle on and on about meee meee meee, because let's face it - there are a million reviews of this puppy out there so i don't have to worry about doing a disservice to the book. you'll either read the book or you won't. but you should: it's got direwolves.
i wasn't going to read this. after years of watching hordes of desperate sad-eyed nerds coming up to me, asking "any news on the george r.r. martin release??" (like the bn ...more
nerds, now i am among you.
this is going to be a review where i just prattle on and on about meee meee meee, because let's face it - there are a million reviews of this puppy out there so i don't have to worry about doing a disservice to the book. you'll either read the book or you won't. but you should: it's got direwolves.
i wasn't going to read this. after years of watching hordes of desperate sad-eyed nerds coming up to me, asking "any news on the george r.r. martin release??" (like the bn ...more
I rated this in 2010. In 2017 it's time I actually use my words.
Here's my long overdue review of A Game of Thrones. I was looking at the current reviews. Here you have a book with a ridiculously high average rating, vast sales, and … the most liked reviews are three 1*s and an unrated comedy piece.
Do we love to hate *that* much? Apparently we do. Not only is knocking down easier than building, it’s also more fun to watch.
Well, sadly all I have to offer here is a less exciting set of praise fo ...more
Here's my long overdue review of A Game of Thrones. I was looking at the current reviews. Here you have a book with a ridiculously high average rating, vast sales, and … the most liked reviews are three 1*s and an unrated comedy piece.
Do we love to hate *that* much? Apparently we do. Not only is knocking down easier than building, it’s also more fun to watch.
Well, sadly all I have to offer here is a less exciting set of praise fo ...more
Okay - I am SO incredibly late to this party but hey, I made it! And the hype was real!
Winter is coming.Lord Eddard "Ned" Stark lives with his family in a world where the seasons are thrown completely off - summers last decades, and winters are equally long.
His five children, plus his bastard son (Jon Snow) are on the way back to their home, Winterfell, when they stumble upon and subsequently adopt six direwolf pups (the symbol of the Starks), with the albino runt going to John.
When th...more
"When you play the game of thrones, you win or you die. There is no middle ground."
3 1/2 stars. So in one weekend I finally finished the book I picked up and put down about ten years ago, and watched the final episode of the TV series I have loved for eight years. How odd that the book ended up better than I expected, and the TV show, um... didn't. Warning: I will be talking about the depiction of rape in this review.
I think I was more ready to commit this time around. I'd already watched th ...more
Reader Logic:
I HATE this book.
I HATE it so much I had to get a new hardback copy to read so I could underline all the parts I HATE about it so much and post them on Goodreads.
I HATE it with such a passion I also bought copies for all my friends and family, also in new hardback editions, so they could HATE it along with me.
When the TV series came on I was so fuming with rage I watched the entire season twice and bought six copies of the DVD, because I could not believe how much I could HATE somet ...more
I HATE this book.
I HATE it so much I had to get a new hardback copy to read so I could underline all the parts I HATE about it so much and post them on Goodreads.
I HATE it with such a passion I also bought copies for all my friends and family, also in new hardback editions, so they could HATE it along with me.
When the TV series came on I was so fuming with rage I watched the entire season twice and bought six copies of the DVD, because I could not believe how much I could HATE somet ...more
I tried reading this a long time ago and gave up very quickly. I know many love it but I think from the start I knew it wasn't for me. Looooong fantasy series never have been, for some reason. HOWEVER, I have to confess that the TV series is such a guilty pleasure of mine. And, even though I will never return to this series, can we all just take a minute to admit that how I spent my weekend is kinda cool...
And a sneaky bonus for Torchwood fans!
Just so you know, all the cool people totally close ...more
And a sneaky bonus for Torchwood fans!
Just so you know, all the cool people totally close ...more
Nov 17, 2011
Shannon
rated it
it was amazing
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
Tim Janke
First off, I'm a heavy duty fan of GRRM. I've read over a 100 different fantasy authors in my time. Took about 5 years off from the genre b/c I felt it was all getting too formulaic and cliched. So, when I came back to fantasy I read the usual: Goodkind, Jordan, etc. and then someone told me about GRRM and man, that was the kicker!
Here are the reasons to choose GRRM. I've also listed the reasons not to choose him to make it fair b/c I know their are certain personalities who won't like this ...more
Here are the reasons to choose GRRM. I've also listed the reasons not to choose him to make it fair b/c I know their are certain personalities who won't like this ...more
You can find the full review and more about this book on my blog!
GEORGE R.R. MARTIN,YOU FREAKING GENIUS!
To be honest,I never thought I would read this,not because it is something I don't like(it is something I most like),but it is so huge.But now I thank the gods and the kings for making me read this.I can't explain how much I admire this book.It has been a part of my geeky life and I am proud for that.I am a fan,an ultimate true fan!
These are some things you get from reading this book:
Smart ...more
(A-) 81% | Very Good
Notes: A shocking story that breaks fantasy conventions, it's seven hundred pages of realpolitik and character development.
Notes: A shocking story that breaks fantasy conventions, it's seven hundred pages of realpolitik and character development.
Okay so I read it again. I didn’t quite get chance to last year, so I squeezed it in right at the start of this one. Plus, it gives me chance to share this review once more and tell my personal reading journey to any followers I might have picked up since 2015.
Original Review
A Game of Thrones changed my life. I know that may sound sad, but it’s true. Prior to reading it I had no interest in books whatsoever. I was on course to be a forensic psychologist; however, I began reading this wonderful s ...more
Original Review
A Game of Thrones changed my life. I know that may sound sad, but it’s true. Prior to reading it I had no interest in books whatsoever. I was on course to be a forensic psychologist; however, I began reading this wonderful s ...more
Even for someone who has watched the HBO series, George R.R. Martin’s Game of Thrones is an engaging and enjoyable read! The strength of Martin’s writing shines through in these pages. Each chapter is well-crafted. You know exactly how to picture the setting and you feel the desires and discontent of each chapter’s (POV) character. Watching how Martin develops characters, with all their flaws, keeps the story going as much or more than the ‘game of thrones.’ If you’re looking for new information
...more
May 25, 2014
Melissa ♥ Dog/Wolf Lover ♥ Martin
rated it
it was amazing
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
fantasy-all,
own
And thus I'm back to the beginning and hating and loving people all over again!
And the dumbass King ruins it all by having a wicked witch for a wife, but if not then it would just be some other wickedness to get the party started.
There are so many characters I love in these books and the wolves of course. And all who kill wolves can have their head on a pike!
And the dumbass King ruins it all by having a wicked witch for a wife, but if not then it would just be some other wickedness to get the party started.
There are so many characters I love in these books and the wolves of course. And all who kill wolves can have their head on a pike!
"He must have crawled away away from the others," Jon said....more
"Or been driven away," their father said, looking at the sixth pup. His f
Jan 24, 2018
Matthew
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Recommended to Matthew by:
Abram
I have finally done it! I have joined in on the fun that is A Game of Thrones. It is 2018 and I managed to make it all the way here without reading a page or watching a minute of the show. Now, it is the nature of the internet to keep me from being completely in the dark on this one, but I think I did a pretty good job of avoiding hearing or seeing too much about it.
Is this a great fantasy book? It really is quite good. The plot and the characters are well thought out. Comparing it to other fan ...more
Is this a great fantasy book? It really is quite good. The plot and the characters are well thought out. Comparing it to other fan ...more
(A-) 81% | Very Good
Notes: A slow parade of entropy, it’s a panoply of pain: a delicate sweater, knit finely together, unraveled to a tangled skein.
Notes: A slow parade of entropy, it’s a panoply of pain: a delicate sweater, knit finely together, unraveled to a tangled skein.
May 05, 2011
Martha
rated it
did not like it
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
no one
Recommended to Martha by:
a stupid internet search I shouldn't have trusted
Shelves:
reviewed,
read-as-much-as-i-plan-to
I am on page 470, and although it pains me to put a book down unfinished, it is simply time for me to quit.
A Song of Ice and Fire is the Grey's Anatomy of fantasy. It isn't perfect in the beginning (it's pretty flawed, actually), but you think "That's okay, the premise is good! It will improve!" And then before you know it, everyone is having everyone else's baby and murdering their mother (who is also their sister, and a schizophrenic) and traveling around on horseback setting things on fire fo ...more
A Song of Ice and Fire is the Grey's Anatomy of fantasy. It isn't perfect in the beginning (it's pretty flawed, actually), but you think "That's okay, the premise is good! It will improve!" And then before you know it, everyone is having everyone else's baby and murdering their mother (who is also their sister, and a schizophrenic) and traveling around on horseback setting things on fire fo ...more
Jun 15, 2007
Jesse
rated it
it was amazing
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
anyone who likes anything epic and historical
Recommended to Jesse by:
William
Shelves:
jesse-s-all-time-favorite-authors,
fantasy
I know no one reading this knows me much (well some of you may) but I DON'T reread books. I usually read a book once and its quite well locked into my brain. As much as I've enjoyed many books I've read, they just don't require a second read for me. I read them, now its time to move on. "A Game of Thrones" is different. I loved this book and its characters so much, and crave the world and narrative so much that I couldn't wait for Martin to get the newest installment out. So I started rereading
...more
Oct 23, 2010
mark monday
rated it
it was amazing
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
fantasy-modern,
alpha-team
there are about a billion reviews of this one so i doubt i have anything to add. the only thing i feel truly compelled to say is TYRION THE DWARF IS AWESOME! my God, i haven't read a character who is so different and so enjoyable in years. many-layered and consistently surprising, hero & antihero, generous & spiteful in equal amounts, as capable of high-handed miscalculation as he is of clever deduction, brave & loyal & vindictive... just overall a superb creation. Tyrion, you are the tops! and
...more
Jan 11, 2019
Petrik
rated it
it was amazing
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
Epic fantasy fans
Shelves:
favorites
If you love watching Game of Thrones, you’re most likely going to love reading A Game of Thrones.
Like countless readers around the world, I probably wouldn’t have known about A Song of Ice and Fire without its TV series adaptation, Game of Thrones. I’ve been following the TV series ever since the release of its first episode, I was completely captivated by the originality of the storyline and characters. Upon finishing the first season of the TV show, I immediately picked up this book and honest ...more
Like countless readers around the world, I probably wouldn’t have known about A Song of Ice and Fire without its TV series adaptation, Game of Thrones. I’ve been following the TV series ever since the release of its first episode, I was completely captivated by the originality of the storyline and characters. Upon finishing the first season of the TV show, I immediately picked up this book and honest ...more
Sep 19, 2015
Whitney Atkinson
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
read-in-2015,
audiobook
WE MADE IT!!!! WE HAVE EMERGED VICTORIOUS!!!!
this book was exhausting and knowing that all the other books are bigger terrifies me but the writing and world building in this book is so vivid and even though I chose favorite characters quickly, the ones that I thought less interesting still had very important story lines and every character has a distinct, well-written personality. Basically I am in love with Daenerys, and I also adore Jon and Arya and Sansa, and even Tyrion. Reading this makes ...more
this book was exhausting and knowing that all the other books are bigger terrifies me but the writing and world building in this book is so vivid and even though I chose favorite characters quickly, the ones that I thought less interesting still had very important story lines and every character has a distinct, well-written personality. Basically I am in love with Daenerys, and I also adore Jon and Arya and Sansa, and even Tyrion. Reading this makes ...more
So glad I reread this! I loved it even more this time and it just reaffirmed that this is my favorite series
“When the snows fall and the white winds blow, the lone wolf dies but the pack survives.”
This took me quite a while. First, because I already knew what happened from the show, second because I guess you just cannot rush through this book that fast, and third because I dreaded all the horrible things and painful deaths that were going to happen.
Sometimes I wish I could forget everything I knew about a book/show and just start anew. Maybe I would have read this novel faster if I hadn't known every ...more
This took me quite a while. First, because I already knew what happened from the show, second because I guess you just cannot rush through this book that fast, and third because I dreaded all the horrible things and painful deaths that were going to happen.
Sometimes I wish I could forget everything I knew about a book/show and just start anew. Maybe I would have read this novel faster if I hadn't known every ...more
HOLY HELL.
I really can't review this, the story is way to complicated to even begin to do that.
I really can't review this, the story is way to complicated to even begin to do that.
How is one supposed to review a book like this?! HOW. I ASK THAT.
THE ONLY THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT A GAME OF THRONES:
a) It's truly incredible.
b) It's really really big.
c) The story is no where NEAR completed, dangit, I need book 2 asap.
d) There are truckloads of winning adorable characters.
e) But even the villains are human (sometimes) and have sorrowful backstories.
f) Although ^^ that saying ^^ there are several people I would like TO DIE. Of course, they survived.
g) It made me angry and ...more
THE ONLY THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT A GAME OF THRONES:
a) It's truly incredible.
b) It's really really big.
c) The story is no where NEAR completed, dangit, I need book 2 asap.
d) There are truckloads of winning adorable characters.
e) But even the villains are human (sometimes) and have sorrowful backstories.
f) Although ^^ that saying ^^ there are several people I would like TO DIE. Of course, they survived.
g) It made me angry and ...more
This book was raw, gritty, barbaric and downright crass at times...and I loved every damn minute! This was an ancient, epic adventure that consumed my thoughts. In fact, I just spent $100 to download seasons 1-5 of the HBO series after finishing this audiobook because I loved it so much.
I'm still trying to wrap my mind around everything that took place and who everyone is. This book had an extremely robust cast of characters and a complex, multifaceted storyline. Don't get too attached to anyone ...more
I'm still trying to wrap my mind around everything that took place and who everyone is. This book had an extremely robust cast of characters and a complex, multifaceted storyline. Don't get too attached to anyone ...more
Well, I made it friends. This made for one of the most odd reading experiences I've ever encountered. I was completely enamored with the story, as the world building and intricate detailing into the politics of the seven kingdoms is exquisite, yet every time I picked up this book it felt like a chore to read. This could be perhaps due to the fact that, after waiting 900 years to read these books I've already encountered most of the twists and spoilers, which takes away some of the anticipation.
...more
EDIT 14/4/2015: And now my fourth watch reread had ended. Still as good as I remembered and I can finally see the depth of foreshadowing GRRM put in.
Also, R+L=J for sure.
A Guide to Reading A Game of Thrones:
Step 1: Find a comfortable place with lots of light
This is a hefty book, ladies and gentlemen. Standing at 835 pages, it will take you more than a few hours to tear through. So get your bathroom breaks in, have a cool drink and a platter of cookies by your side and bar your doors in case of ...more
Also, R+L=J for sure.
A Guide to Reading A Game of Thrones:
Step 1: Find a comfortable place with lots of light
This is a hefty book, ladies and gentlemen. Standing at 835 pages, it will take you more than a few hours to tear through. So get your bathroom breaks in, have a cool drink and a platter of cookies by your side and bar your doors in case of ...more
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George 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, ...more
Martin attended Mary Jane Donohoe School and Marist High School. He began writing very young, selling monster stories to other neighborhood children for pennies, ...more
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