



A Game of Thrones
A Song of Ice and Fire, Book 1
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4.5 • 1.3K Ratings
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- $9.99
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- $9.99
Publisher Description
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. A GAME OF THRONES is the first volume in the series.
Summers span decades. Winter can last a lifetime. And the struggle for the Iron Throne has begun.
As Warden of the north, Lord Eddard Stark counts it a curse when King Robert bestows on him the office of the Hand. His honour weighs him down at court where a true man does what he will, not what he must … and a dead enemy is a thing of beauty.
The old gods have no power in the south, Stark’s family is split and there is treachery at court. Worse, the vengeance-mad heir of the deposed Dragon King has grown to maturity in exile in the Free Cities. He claims the Iron Throne.
Reviews
‘Of those who work in the grand epic fantasy tradition, Martin is by far the best’
Time Magazine
‘Colossal, staggering… Martin captures all the intoxicating complexity of the Wars of the Roses or Imperial Rome in his imaginary world … one of the greats of fantasy literature’
SFX
‘The sheer-mind-boggling scope of this epic has sent other fantasy writers away shaking their heads … Its ambition: to construct the Twelve Caesars of fantasy fiction, with characters so venomous they could eat the Borgias’
Guardian
About the author
George R.R. Martin is the author of fourteen novels, including five volumes of A SONG OF ICE AND FIRE, several collections of short stories and numerous screen plays for television drama and feature films. He lives in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
APPLE BOOKS REVIEW
Game of Thrones is a phenomenon. One that began here, with the astonishing first book in George R. R. Martin’s A Song of Fire and Ice series. Fans of the TV show will bask in the sheer depth of Martin’s universe—his books afford each character and location a level of detail that feels like a banquet. If you’re coming into the story for the first time, prepare to have your mind blown. This is fantasy at its most darkly poetic, nihilistically violent and staggeringly addictive.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
In a world where the approaching winter will last four decades, kings and queens, knights and renegades struggle for control of a throne. Some fight with sword and mace, others with magic and poison. Beyond the Wall to the north, meanwhile, the Others are preparing their army of the dead to march south as the warmth of summer drains from the land. After more than a decade devoted primarily to TV and screen work, Martin (The Armageddon Rag, 1983) makes a triumphant return to high fantasy with this extraordinarily rich new novel, the first of a trilogy. Although conventional in form, the book stands out from similar work by Eddings, Brooks and others by virtue of its superbly developed characters, accomplished prose and sheer bloody-mindedness. Although the romance of chivalry is central to the culture of the Seven Kingdoms, and tournaments, derring-do and handsome knights abound, these trappings merely give cover to dangerous men and women who will stop at nothing to achieve their goals. When Lord Stark of Winterfell, an honest man, comes south to act as the King's chief councilor, no amount of heroism or good intentions can keep the realm under control. It is fascinating to watch Martin's characters mature and grow, particularly Stark's children, who stand at the center of the book. Martin's trophy case is already stuffed with major prizes, including Hugos, Nebulas, Locus Awards and a Bram Stoker. He's probably going to have to add another shelf, at least. Major ad/promo.
Customer Reviews
An epic story begins...
One of the greatest fantasy stories ever written. I loved Robert Jordan, until George came along and trumped him with this series. I own the books but bought the digital copies so I could carry them with me everywhere. The only disappointment for me - the number of spelling errors throughout. Unfortunately these are plentiful and continue through the rest of the series as well. Not enough to detract from the story, but enough for me to take a star off what is my all-time favourite book series. Keep writing George!
A Game of Thrones
A fantastic start to his series. Complex characters, dynamic plots, tweaking lots of the stereotypes of epic fantasy. Waiting for the TV series to start in Australia in July. Can't recommend it highly enough. Only drawback is he is slow to write the next in the series. A sad drought for the thirsty.
A happy suprise
I never thought I would find a fantasy writer as good as Raymond e Feist but I was wrong. This book is killing my social life it's so good