A Song of Ice and Fire
question
should i read this book?
Prachi
Jul 03, 2012 12:28AM
I am 13 years old. I've heard that "A Game of Thrones" is a bit explicit, but I am a huge fan of novels like LOTR, Harry Potter, Twilight, Narnia, etc.`So should I read this book ??
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I would say it is definitely worth a read, but keep in mind that the books you have listed are geared toward a much younger audience. A Song of Fire and Ice is geared toward an adult audience; take that to mean what you will, but there is a lot of sex, violence, and cruelty. it is also significantly longer, and likely moves at a much slower pace than you are used to.
It is also very character driven, having a cast of nearly a thousand named characters, and focuses heavily on complex personalities. in other words, there is no true good guy or bad guy, there are only people who are themselves often a mixture of conflicting and hypocritical feelings and actions. you might find yourself liking or hating a certain character and then later on in the books changing your mind once you find out more about them. as such it isn't truly a story of good vs. evil. there are multiple "main characters" some that may seem like villians.
the plots and stories are carefully constructed, interwoven and hard to follow at times. I've read the series twice and i feel like i still could learn more from a third readthrough. i can't imagine reading it at 13, but that's just me. it reads very much like historical fiction, especially as it concerns royalty, culture and feudal politics.
honestly, i'd say read through the first five or six chapters and see if anything grabs you.
It is also very character driven, having a cast of nearly a thousand named characters, and focuses heavily on complex personalities. in other words, there is no true good guy or bad guy, there are only people who are themselves often a mixture of conflicting and hypocritical feelings and actions. you might find yourself liking or hating a certain character and then later on in the books changing your mind once you find out more about them. as such it isn't truly a story of good vs. evil. there are multiple "main characters" some that may seem like villians.
the plots and stories are carefully constructed, interwoven and hard to follow at times. I've read the series twice and i feel like i still could learn more from a third readthrough. i can't imagine reading it at 13, but that's just me. it reads very much like historical fiction, especially as it concerns royalty, culture and feudal politics.
honestly, i'd say read through the first five or six chapters and see if anything grabs you.
Prachi wrote: "I am 13 years old. I've heard that "A Game of Thrones" is a bit explicit, but I am a huge fan of novels like LOTR, Harry Potter, Twilight, Narnia, etc.`So should I read this book ??"
The first question that comes to my mind is, have you asked your parents? The next is, what is causing you to pause and ask this question before just reading it? I'm somewhat surprised with everyone answering, not one asked if you had asked your parents.
The first question that comes to my mind is, have you asked your parents? The next is, what is causing you to pause and ask this question before just reading it? I'm somewhat surprised with everyone answering, not one asked if you had asked your parents.
I wouldn't recommend it. There is a lot of death, a lot of explicit things happening, and a lot of pain.
I think you should wait a few years. The series is full of explicit themes, and relies heavily on sex, death and torture. Even though it's part of the same Fantasy genre, a Song of Ice and Fire is nothing like Lord of the Rings.
YES - love it - I read the books at the same time the TV show was on. Season 1 - book 1.. season 2 book 2. I will have the 3rd book finished by the time the 3rd season starts. love the books and the TV show. I'm giving away a copy of book 1 here on my blog - http://paradox-theangelsarehere.blogs...
It really depends on you, some people are mature enough at the age of 13-14 to handle such adult themes and some are not. My mother is a librarian at a grade school and she has a student reading at a high school level. I don't believe in age limits on books but you have to know if your ready for it.
Prachi wrote: ...novels like LOTR, Harry Potter, Twilight, Narnia, etc.`So should I read this book ??"
I love Song of Ice and Fire but it is nothing like any of the series you mentioned. I would never recommend it to anyone under 16 there are just too many explicit themes which even for me are sometimes way over done.
There are a lot of great sci/fi/fantasy series out there that you would probably enjoy more.
You might try Eon/Eona by Goodman, soulbound by brewer, Incarceron by fisher, Graceling by Cashore, Matched by condie, golden compass by pullman but i would wait a few years for SoI&F besides by then maybe he will be done and you wont have to wait to find out what happens ;)
I love Song of Ice and Fire but it is nothing like any of the series you mentioned. I would never recommend it to anyone under 16 there are just too many explicit themes which even for me are sometimes way over done.
There are a lot of great sci/fi/fantasy series out there that you would probably enjoy more.
You might try Eon/Eona by Goodman, soulbound by brewer, Incarceron by fisher, Graceling by Cashore, Matched by condie, golden compass by pullman but i would wait a few years for SoI&F besides by then maybe he will be done and you wont have to wait to find out what happens ;)
Is it an amazing series? Yes. I'm only on A Storm of Swords, personally - although I've gotten there in about four weeks. These books are as addictive as they are complex.
That being said, these are not books suitable for thirteen year olds, however condescending that may sound. Not in content, not in narrative, not in themes. Wait at least a couple of years, these books aren't going anywhere. Besides, the longer you hold out the lesser the wait for books six and seven. The wait, as it stands now, is a long one.
That being said, these are not books suitable for thirteen year olds, however condescending that may sound. Not in content, not in narrative, not in themes. Wait at least a couple of years, these books aren't going anywhere. Besides, the longer you hold out the lesser the wait for books six and seven. The wait, as it stands now, is a long one.
Brilliant book,you should read it after a couple of years. Yes, it is fantasy but trust me when I say it's nothing like the books you listed.
