From the Bookshelf of 2025 Reading Challenge…

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

George R.R. Martin

Start date: June 1, 2022

Finish date: June 30, 2022

Why we're reading this: Featured Buddy Read for June
[close] Featured Buddy Read for June

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What Members Thought

May 27, 2012 Jessica rated it it was amazing

Shelves: favorites, fantasy, five-stars

I will tell you all the truth: I do not like fantasy. Truly. I don't know if I'm still scarred by the summer I forced my way through all of Tolkien, but I do know that the barest mention of elves or knights or fair maidens will send me scurrying away. In addition, I'm not a fan of political intrigue, nor of really long books that start really long series. So why did I try this one?

I don't like the feeling of dismissing an entire genre based on a few bad apples, so I was looking for some good fan I will tell you all the truth: I do not like fantasy. Truly. I don't know if I'm still scarred by the summer I forced my way through all of Tolkien, but I do know that the barest mention of elves or knights or fair maidens will send me scurrying away. In addition, I'm not a fan of political intrigue, nor of really long books that start really long series. So why did I try this one?

I don't like the feeling of dismissing an entire genre based on a few bad apples, so I was looking for some good fantasy. I knew about Game of Thrones from the tv show (which I haven't seen) so I clicked on the page. I read the first few reviews and noted a few others like me - not fans of fantasy - who had liked the book. I took it with me out of town and gave it a try (this may or may not have led to me reading at 3 am in a hotel bathroom so I wouldn't wake my husband... I'm not saying!)

Simply put, this is a great book. It isn't without flaws, but none of those flaws bothered me in the least while I was reading. I loved all the characters, even the ones who seemed unloveable at first(Sansa!) The female characters were well drawn - not just for a fantasy, but in general. Martin chooses to tell the story POV style, with each chapter a different character. I loved that because it allowed the characters to feel real.

The plotline is interesting - political intrigue with some light fantasy (there is magic and fantastic creatures, but they aren't the focus of the story, nor do they solve all the problems/cause all the wars.) The politics did not bore me, though I confess by the end I was forgetting who belonged to which house (there are too many names that begin with T!)

My favorite character, without a doubt, was the dwarf Tyrion. He was wonderfully grey (neither evil nor good) and his dialogue felt more real than any of the other characters (they were not bad, but occasionally trended towards the overly formal language often used in these novels.)

I'm looking forward to the next in the series - and I'm thinking of trying some other fantasy novels soon! ...more

3 likes · Like · see review

Apr 07, 2013 FlowerFairy rated it it was amazing

Audiobook. Revisiting old friends.

2 likes · Like · see review

May 01, 2012 Martha rated it it was amazing

It was such a pleasure to return to the written version of A Game of Thrones. I liked it better the second time through and I'm looking forward to a leisurely pace through the rest of the series. ...more

1 like · Like · see review

Dec 19, 2013 Mirliz rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, series-to-read, books-to-reread, fiction

This is a great book! Loved the story, loved the intrigues, loved the characters. The descriptions of everything - places and events - are written so that I could see it all in front of me. Writing each chapter from a different character's viewpoint is something that I both love and hate, because at the end of each chapter I really just wanted to know more about that specific character's story! Can't wait to read the rest of the series. ...more

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Jan 20, 2017 Mickey added it

I am so glad I read the book before seeing the seriies. I mean I have seen bits and pieces of the series, but that's about it. I loved the book so much going on, but if your a fan of fantasy then you'll follow with no problem at all. Such a great book. ...more

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Apr 13, 2018 Willy rated it really liked it

May 28, 2012 maris rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Oct 20, 2012 Hans rated it it was amazing

Dec 31, 2012 SibylM rated it really liked it

Shelves: i-own-it, fiction, i-own-ebook, fantasy

Jan 31, 2013 Kim DeCina rated it it was amazing

Shelves: favorites, fantasy, amazing-characters, magic, dark, characters-of-color, fantastic-worldbuilding, beautiful-language, speculative-fiction, drama