What I Didn't Like:

- The writing style. The author did a massive info-dump in this book. I think there are better ways to provide information about the world, the characters, etc. It made the reading experience quite cumbersome and less engaging.

- How boring the book was. It was really difficult for me to stay interested. In fact, it took me more than a month to finish it. The idea was good, but in my opinion, it was poorly executed. The pacing was slow, and there wasn't enough action or excitement to keep me hooked.

- That I didn't care about any of the characters. Honestly, they could all have died, and I wouldn't have minded. There was no emotional connection for me, and I found it hard to root for any of them.

- Having to deal with Sansa and Danaerys. I don't know what others see in those girls. Their storylines didn't appeal to me at all, and I often found myself skimming through their parts.

- Having spent money on the boxset. It was a waste of money, in my opinion. I wish I had known better before making the purchase.

What I Liked:

- That I managed to resell the boxset lololol. At least I got some of my money back. It was the only positive thing that came out of this whole experience.

**"A Song of Ice and Fire: The Game of Thrones"**

When the game of thrones is played, one either wins or dies. This is the essence of the song, "A Song of Ice and Fire", and the first installment, the epic "Game of Thrones". The king's throne is surrounded by treason and conspiracies, and as the rulers play their game of thrones, only the nobles pay the price.

The activities of the lords and ladies bring forth lurking dangers that threaten their world. The threat of the wildlings creeping in from the frozen north, and the return of the dragons and their fires from the east, thus begins the song of ice and fire.

It is a complete world created by the brilliant author George R. R. Martin, with its own history, beliefs, geography, and myths. Its lords and kings, and the iron throne. The series of novels is a song about human injustice and justice, about the struggles for power and rule, the misuses of force and religion, about songs of bravery and chivalry, about songs of dreamy romantic love, about songs of horror and the fires of dragons, and about songs of the long, harsh winter.

Each chapter is told from the perspective of completely different characters. They have their flaws but also much more depth. The game of thrones decides to separate and unite them. You won't read from the perspective of kings, lords, and rulers or superhuman heroes, but of completely ordinary and relatable human characters.

For example, a father and a loyal friend who fears for his family and his king in the dangerous game of thrones. A mother and wife who tries to warn her husband of the impending danger of the game of thrones to their family. A young boy whose closeness to one of the secrets of the game of thrones handicaps him for life. A young girl who dreams of romantic love songs, unaware that she too is part of the game of thrones. Her younger sister who loves battles and adventures, not knowing that her small sword, "Needle", is no match for the game of thrones. An illegitimate son of a great family who feels outcast and shamed, yet despite his strong attachment to them, he distances himself to face greater dangers than the game of thrones. A deformed dwarf from a wealthy and power-hungry family, but his wit and honor surpass those of his family, and his father pits him in the game of thrones despite the danger it poses to someone like him. A deceived girl who is sold by her brother to a tribal leader to form an army to play the game of thrones.

Don't I tell you that they are truly ordinary and exciting characters? Although they may be completely fictional, some of the events are similar to those of ancient or medieval times and their politics. You may find some of today's politics in them, or see them in the struggles of great and even ordinary families.

The author himself admits to borrowing some events from historical events and other heroic myths, just like Tolkien did in creating a vast world. And this is why the final result is an outstanding heroic story, exciting, with dimensions and depth, and a unique and powerful idea.

You will feel as if it is like travel literature, wandering in its map between the north, south, east, and west, with different cultures, customs, and places until you memorize its map. "Perhaps you have always postponed reading it because of your hesitation about entering such a vast world with its maps, but believe me, it is worth it, and at the end of the first book, you will find that you have memorized the map of that world like the back of your hand." The language is not difficult, but you may worry if you encounter difficulties at first, but after that, you will find that you have become accustomed to its terms. The author also invented different terms for it to make you feel as if you have left your world completely and entered another world, the world of "A Song of Ice and Fire".

However, it is also a thrilling novel, told from the perspectives of 8 completely different characters, and each chapter is unique to a character with its own style and tone, sometimes making you feel as if it is not written by the same author. Thrilling battles and unseemly struggles, mysteries and puzzles, dreamy love stories, and family ties torn apart by wars and conspiracies.

These characters may all be exciting and deep, but there are other exciting characters who do not have their own chapters, and you will love them despite their cruelty. And before we start evaluating the events with the eight main characters ourselves - to reduce the length of the review - here is an article on how to enjoy reading the novel. I will only mention a brief "!!!\\" about the plot and events of the story for those who have not followed it before, to serve as the basis for the following reviews. After all, it is such a huge novel that it is difficult to mention a brief about all its plots in one review.

EDIT 14/4/2015: And now my fourth reread had ended. It was still as good as I remembered, and I could finally see the depth of foreshadowing that 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 make sure to take your bathroom breaks, have a cool drink and a platter of cookies by your side, and bar your doors in case of unwelcome distractions.

Step 2: Resist the urge to give up in the middle of the prologue. It's tedious, I know. Things only start getting interesting after the Starks find the direwolves, which thankfully, is in the very next chapter. But unlike certain prologues *cough*Twilight*cough*, this one plays a purpose.

Step 3: Don't panic at the enormous array of characters. Don't try to commit everyone's name to memory. Seriously, don't. All those titles... It has little use (all men must die) and will only trip up your enjoyment of the book. Go at your own pace and soon, they will all feel like old friends.

Step 4: Let go of all grand morals and social conventions. This is no fancy world of noble knights and swooning princesses. This is a startling realistic fantasy land of rape, misogyny, incest, murder, and above all, political scheming. And you will sympathize with them. Or at the very least, understand them.

Warning Step 5: Do not get attached to any of the characters. I believe that line speaks for itself.

Step 6 (because you will most certainly not obey step 5): Save your tears. There are six books to go.

Step 7: Rinse and repeat for A Clash of Kings.

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 fantasy books I have read, it is right up there or better. The detailed world-building and complex web of relationships add depth and intrigue.

Yeah, but since this has been taking the world by storm it must have blown your socks off!? Um, no, not really. It was good, but not, "OMG THIS IS THE BEST THING EVER!" good. There were moments that were exciting and engaging, but it didn't have that wow factor that made me completely obsessed.

How about mainstream interest? So many people say they are not fantasy fans but they love this series. This has to be 95% because of the show. This book is SOOOOOOO fantasy, if it wasn't already popular I would never recommend it to anyone except a diehard fantasy fan. In fact, it isn't even really "fun" fantasy - it is dark with lots of politics and plotting. Some of my Goodreads friends said that historical fiction fans get a kick out of it, too, and it is loosely based on the War of the Roses.

Do I want to watch the show now? Yeah, I think I will check it out. I'm curious to see how they bring the story to life on screen and if they can capture the essence of the book.

Sex and violence? I have seen some people wary of this book because of sex and violence. Internet spoilers, SNL skits, etc. sure do make it sound pretty vicious and risque. However, compared to other fantasy novels, it is pretty normal. In fact, the depiction of sex is pretty tame. Violence is maybe a little more intense, but nothing that made me feel the book was too extremely brutal. Perhaps these things get amped up in future books?

EVERONE DIES! One thing that seemed to leak through the internet and my friends talking about the book was to not get too attached to a character because they will probably die. So far, only one death was kind of shocking to me. I expect the death count and the shock value to go up as the books progress.

I think that covers the main points.
- I liked it, but wasn't completely blown away.
- I have no idea how HBO managed to get a bunch of non-fantasy fans into this.
- I cannot wait to check out the next one to see what happens!

I'd heard a plethora of bad things about this book long before I even began it.

I evaded reading it for a considerable time due to the discussions regarding misogyny and white males prevailing. I have an aversion to those kinds of books. Away with the evil white male power historical fantasy books!

*Hisses*

This, however, is not what I discovered here. Do I prefer a universe where characters are equally esteemed and have equal opportunities regardless of gender? Indeed. Do I prefer a bevy of naked men and women on my bed at this very moment ready for a traditional orgy?

...We'll return to that visual later.

What I'm attempting to convey is that it's the characters that most other authors are inclined to dismiss as lackeys and side characters that evolve into main characters, and their realistic, fatally-flawed, and compassionate creation is what rendered this book outstanding.

That, along with the remarkable writing, the breathtaking setting, and the narration which, for an audiobook, is of utmost importance.

You see, a book itself is somewhat like a group of naked people on your bed ready for an orgy. Not everyone has to be super beautiful and attractive because, truth be told, who's looking at faces?

I digress.

Actually, what was my point?

I'm not sure. Orgies are enjoyable and so is this book. Although thus far there have been no orgies. But this book is very much like an orgy.

I trust that clarifies matters.

This review is about a fantasy Machiavellian soap-opera that took the reviewer on an intense emotional roller-coaster ride. The reviewer loved it, hated it, couldn't put it down, and yet vowed never to pick it up and read another chapter. It had such a hold on the reviewer that even when they pleaded for mercy, it wouldn't let go. The reviewer wonders what non-readers are doing while waiting for the next installment of this series to come out on HBO.

The reviewer also mentions that they may commiserate with non-readers when they finish book #5, as books #6 and #7 are still unwritten. Despite the uncertainty, the reviewer found it a compelling read, with fascinating characters and a convoluted story. They are glad they did it as a buddy read in the Nothing But Reading Challenges Group, as they were able to discuss and figure out things together with others.

However, the reviewer warns that there is no telling who lives, who dies, or who gets away with murder in this book. It includes beloved characters, despised ones, bad men, good men, women, children, animals, and the innocent. All the reviewer can say is, "Winter is coming."

Warning: Don’t expect Donna Reed to show up in this one.


  


★★★★★


  



  


Warning: There is no telling who lives, who dies, or who gets away with murder in this book: beloved characters, despised ones, bad men, good men, women, children, animals and the innocent. **sigh**

All I can say is, "Winter
  is
coming." **sigh**

4/8/19 - I truly want to believe that the moment GoT Season 8 concludes, GRRM will make the exciting announcement that The Winds of Winter is finally set to be released. The probability might be a mere 0.06%, but I'm re-reading just in case. And you know what? I'm picking up so many more hints this time around compared to the first. Next on my list is A Clash of Kings!

5/7/18 Re-read. Yay!

7/29/17 - *BEWARE OF SPOILERS THROUGHOUT* I'll do my best not to disclose any major plot points, but to be honest, I don't really know what qualifies as a major plot point at this moment.

I have a plan to write a few mini-reviews every ten chapters or so and then combine them all when I'm done. Please bear with me! What you see here is a work in progress, but I hope it'll be entertaining.

I had never read the books before, nor had I seen the television show. Literally, I knew nothing about A Game of Thrones before starting it, except for what my boss described it as: "choose your favorite mafia movie, add dragons, swords, and incest." When the hype for the new season reached a fever pitch a few days ago, I finally decided to pick it up and see what all the fuss was about.

Thoughts on Prologue through Chapter 9

1.) Ice zombies seem to be lurking around, although they're being super stealthy. They're out there murdering people and turning them into ice zombies. It's a good start.

2.) I already have strong feelings of love and hate for several characters. They're written so well that I feel like I have a bit of an understanding of them.

3.) No dragons yet, but the incest is right there from the beginning.

4.) Apparently, I'm a big fan of underdogs. COME TO ME ALL YE ILLEGITIMATE CHILDREN AND DREAMERS! I immediately liked one character when I found out he was a reader. That's all it took. He just had to be an avid book reader. I'm sure he can't be a bad person. This is quite insightful; I probably should call my therapist.

5.) I love how each chapter so far is from the perspective of one of the characters. I really hope this continues. With what I've heard is a massive character list, this helps a lot in keeping them all straight.

6.) The dude at lunch today who tried his best to scream spoilers at me while I ran away with my hands over my ears can seriously fall in a hole and disappear. Those people are the worst kind. DONT BE ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE.

UPDATE: Thoughts on Chapters 10-19

1.) Overlooking all the rape that's going on, and the fact that it seems to be okay if you're rich and powerful but definitely not if you're not, things are starting to come together. Arya is the tomboy bad girl that I'm in love with, Sansa might be the one who will betray her family, Jon is the insecure one who has to overcome his insecurities to become someone amazing, and Tyrion will help Jon because he's had to do it himself.

2.) Okay, what's on the other side of the wall?

3.) What the hell is wrong with Catelyn? As a fan of underdogs and illegitimates, she just can't seem to stop pissing me off.

4.) Bran, and I hope I'm not wrong here, might be crippled but has a gift? That might be important later? That was by far my favorite chapter.

5.) I'm stating for the record now that Arya and Tyrion are my favorites. Please don't let them die. And if they do, don't let it be in this book.

I'm now reading this almost non-stop. It's as addictive as Harry Potter, and that's the biggest compliment I can give at this point.

UPDATE: Thoughts on Chapters 20-29

I don't have a whole lot to write here. I think this is the part of the book where the plots are developing. Quite nicely, I might add. I do have two thoughts, though.

1.) The best quote in the book so far is by Tyrion. "I have a tender spot in my heart for cripples and bastards and broken things." Me too. I think I said that earlier in my review. The imp is now my soulmate.

2.) But also Arya might be my soulmate.

3.) Or the dude who is teaching her sword fighting. He was awesome, wasn't he?

Okay, I'm going to dig into the next 10 chapters or so, and I should be at about the halfway point next time I report. I'm loving this book, you guys!

UPDATE: Thoughts on Chapters 30-49

1.) Umm hmmm okay.

2.) Sure, I see what's going on here.

3.) What?

4.) A horse's heart?

5.) Yes yes yes yes that needed to happen 10 chapters ago.

5.) Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

6.) *runs around with arms flailing in the air*

At the 63% mark, things are really starting to happen. Things are happening hard and fast, and I'm scared.

CONCLUSION: Thoughts on Finishing the Book

Well, it's over. I finished this last night and I'm completely flabbergasted. I'm not sure if I've ever read another book that was so obviously written to be the first in a series, where nothing at all has been resolved. It's frustrating, and now I understand everyone's angst.

This isn't a perfect novel. There are plenty of problems and issues, but I still wanted to keep reading. The author completely颠覆了 all the things that fantasy books have always included. In this book, the good guys don't always win, the bad guys might not be so bad, the good guys might not be so good, and no one's life is safe. Jaw-dropping things happen that I never expected or even dreamed of. Once the hook is in, it's hard to put it down no matter how many problems there are.

I'm so glad I read it and I'm looking forward to reading the other books. I get the hype now, and I'm ready for some sort of resolution for these characters, all of whom I love and hate at different times.

4 - 4.5 stars, and even 5 stars at some points.

3.5 stars

As the end of the show draws near, I find myself with several pressing questions that I believe only reading the books can answer.

1) Why is the writing so subpar in the last couple of seasons?

2) Whose bright idea was it to incorporate so much of the cringe-worthy sexposition?

3) WHY ON EARTH ARE THEY PORTRAYING DANY'S RELATIONSHIP WITH HER RAPIST KHAL DROGO AS SOME KIND OF EPIC ROMANCE????!

I have my own thoughts on these matters.

While I承认 Martin and the TV show runners Benioff and Weiss are talented individuals, they seem unable to shed their own misogynistic tendencies. I'm not just referring to things like the rapes of women by invaders and arranged marriages, which unfortunately occur in real life. But it seems they lack an essential understanding that when a man marries a young girl and rapes her, it's highly improbable that what she feels for him, even after she manages to get him to treat her a bit better, is anything but love. And when viewers complain about sexposition, it's not because we're prudish (after all, who didn't enjoy a glimpse of Robb's posterior when he was with Talisa?), but the constant perpetuation of the "happy whore" fantasy is infuriating, exploitative, and downright disgusting.

However, going back to my questions.

1) Benioff and Weiss are decent show makers, but Martin deserves the most credit for the quality of this story. The best dialogues on the show almost always come from him. B/W's main contribution, in my opinion, is giving Cersei her own point of view. They made her a real, complex human, whereas in the book she's just a one-dimensional evil harpy. Another positive aspect of the TV show is the aging up of Robb, Dany, Jon, and some other older characters. A 15-year-old leading an army is simply... too much. And Dany... ugh.

2) The blame for sexposition lies squarely with the Benioff and Weiss team. They inserted sex scenes at every possible opportunity, even when Martin didn't hint at anything of the sort. There are probably at least three extra sex scenes in each episode. But Martin may have paved the way for this trend with the way he wrote Tyrion and Shae. Oh, she's always so happy and willing.

3) I'm not sure who botched the Dany/Drogo "romance" worse - Martin, who wrote erotica between a 13-year-old girl and a 30-year-old behemoth? Or Benioff and Weiss with their over-the-top Sun/Moon nonsense. If I ever had the chance to meet Martin, I would recommend he watch "The Tale" to get a better understanding of what such a "relationship" truly looks like. As for Benioff and Weiss, while it's understandable that a young girl might find a way to escape total abuse by learning to manipulate her much older owner/husband with sex (which she does throughout the book), let's not romanticize it just because Jason Mamoa is good-looking, okay?

Anyway, what about the book? I liked it. I did skim through some parts, just like I fast forward through all the Wall, wildlings, and battle scenes when watching the show. But I was truly impressed by the depth of Martin's world-building. The show is a fairly close interpretation of the first book, but it omits a lot of the history that I probably enjoyed the most about GOT.

P.S. I have a hazy memory of attempting to read GOT a decade ago. I don't think I got very far and I definitely wasn't motivated to finish. I'm not sure what's changed now and why I'm not as bored by it as I was before. Maybe I'm just getting older.

I attempted to read this quite a while ago and promptly gave up. I'm aware that numerous individuals adore it, but I think from the very beginning, I was certain it wasn't meant for me. For some reason, long fantasy series have never appealed to me.

HOWEVER, I must confess that the TV series is an indulgence that I can't resist. And, even though I will never go back to this series, can't we all just take a moment to admit that the way I spent my weekend was rather cool?

Here are some pictures.

And a little treat for Torchwood fans!

Just so you're aware, all the cool people definitely close their eyes in at least one photo. #truefact

\\n  

\\"When playing the game of thrones, you win or you die.\\"

\\n
\\n  \\n

I read it for the first time 3 years ago, and I didn't think I would read it again until certain circumstances pushed me to do so. And I'm glad I read it again.
This is not just an ordinary novel, but a world of its own, a world that combines imagination and magic with excitement, mystery, adventure, and romance. And thank God I'm not a fan of the TV series, so I enjoyed the novel even more.

The novel is of a very high level of professionalism and distinction. It takes you to the continent of Westeros, to the Seven Kingdoms, to the old families, to the ancient castles, to the Wall, to the Iron Throne... the throne of glory... and death...
A world of conspiracies, secrets, betrayals, intrigues, ambitions, wars, and battles.

The charm of Game of Thrones lies in its ability to take you into its own world, so that you feel nothing but being imprisoned in its pages, and you are charmed by its magic and surprises... Its characters are drawn with a very high degree of precision to the point that you feel they are real. They make you laugh with them, and you scream out loud in astonishment, and you only feel your tears flowing in moments of pain and death!

It's the wonderful thing I've been looking for for a long time. It's the wonderful thing that captured my heart and broke it with the death of my beloved characters in it. It's wonderful among all the wonderful things and magical among all the magical things...
I thought the second reading would reduce the magic of the novel, but no, on the contrary, some things and secrets became clearer and more connected to the following parts.
If you haven't read it yet, I advise you to leave everything and start reading it now, because winter is coming... and it's harsh!

It's Game of Thrones... the game of death...

You're a genius, George R. R. Martin.

And of course, all thanks to the wonderful translator Hisham Fahmy for his translation of this wonderful work and presenting it to the Arab reader.

\\n  

\\"Truly, the difference between defeat and victory, between death and life, is very thin.\\"

\\n
\\n  \\n

Ask me what kind of imagination a person has who creates a universe in its entirety from nothing, with its gods, its horrors, and its inhabitants?


How do we classify George R. R. Martin among writers?



Also tell me how there can be so many Hashim Fahmy.


How do we enjoy translations of such high quality and elegance?



And tell me how you can bear the anticipation of the last season of Game of Thrones...?


At least there is an answer to this question.

:

Read the seven books and immerse yourself in this world again.