This may be the best Fantasy I've read since J.R.R. Tolkien. I highly recommend it to any fans of the Lord of the Rings series who have been disappointed by the other supposed epics that have shown up since.

Martin has created a sprawling world, full of intrigue and potential. He has populated it with characters who can carry out interesting conflicts within it. His prose is far more readable than the average Fantasy writer. It is capable of beautiful phrases and sweeping passages, but also excellent at carrying out action and expressing mindsets.

In good characters, a good world and a good grasp of English, he certainly has more of the ingredients for great Fantasy than I've seen in a long time.

Now that I've put my best praise up front, I can talk about the weaknesses. Specifically: the beginning. The first hundred pages are a chore. You would be well-served bringing a notebook to keep track of all the names and characters Martin throws at you.

The names might not be such an issue if the characters stood out more. But aside from remembering that Bran likes to climb and Jon Snow is a bastard who angsts about his father, there really isn't much to hang onto.

The second hundred pages improve by starting to jam the characters into personal plots. But reading is still slow and grim for much of it. Only Tyrion Lannister stands out as having a particularly unique voice.

Lastly, the sexuality is pretty thick and jarring in those 200 pages. Martin is not particularly entertaining, arousing, endearing or interesting in his descriptions.

If you should make it beyond that gap, brave reader, you've got something great ahead of you. The situations of the many characters form and get direction. The book bounces between a dozen characters in their attempts to grow up, start lives, start families, run kingdoms, search for doomed heroes, protect the king, train in the way of the sword, play the politics of the court.

I can't praise the momentum enough. Beyond the portion I've already criticized, Martin builds momentum like no prose writer I've read in quite some time. One character's actions will have ramifications for another. One battle means another. One curious detail reveals a large plan.

Martin makes many of his influences quite obvious. He has borrowed from Mervyn Peake, J.R.R. Tolkien, the Nibelungenlied and classics like Shakespeare. Similarly, most of the elements of classic sprawling storytelling are here.

That's the last thing I really need to praise. Martin's is a world haunted by Fantasy. It's fascinating. You don't see the dragons; they're supposed to be dead. The gods don't appear. There's a mention of manticores, but that's it. This world seems to have descended into realism out of a mythical past.

Erata:

I’m doing this as much for me as anyone else:

Eddard/Ned Stark: Badass of Winterfell. Lord and executioner.

Catelyn Stark: Eddard’s wife, mother of Robb and Brandon. As a child she was betrothed to Brandon Stark, Eddard’s brother. Now one of her sons is named “Brandon.” Yeah, that’s not going to be an issue.

Brandon/Bran: Eddard’s wussier son, likes animals, used to like to climb.

Robb Stark: Eddard and Catelyn’s son. Older than Bran. Kind of a prick.

King Robert: Here to hang out with Eddard, get drunk and make you confused as to what Robb is doing in camp.

Jon Snow: Eddard’s bastard son. Catelyn hates him. Socializes to some level with Bran and Robb. Totally rocking the “outsider” vibe.

Tyrion: A "dwarf," which I guess means a deformed midget, though he's clearly capable of physical feats that even perfectly healthy people can't do. He debuts by somersaulting out of a window and landing in a handstand. Fun dialogue.

Jaime: Cheeky bastard. Incestuous, murderous - really, going to be fun to see him die eventually, and it'll be fun until then, too.

Circe: "Cersei." Uh-huh. I'm waiting for her to turn someone into a pig.

The Mountain: Big mean guy

Arya: The girl with the sword

Sansa: The girl with romance

Dani: The girl with the huge husband

So Jon Snow hangs out with Pip and Sam on the Night's Watch? That's worse than "Circe." I love it.

I had initially given this book 2 stars. However, as I was writing this review, I came to the realization that although the book managed to hold my attention to some extent, I truly despised it.

Goodreads describes "A Game of Thrones" as follows: "In a land where summers can last decades and winters a lifetime, trouble is brewing. The cold is returning, and in the frozen wastes of the north of Winterfell, sinister and supernatural forces are massing beyond the kingdom's protective Wall. At the center of the conflict lie the Starks of Winterfell, a family as harsh and unyielding as the land they were born to. Sweeping from a land of brutal cold to a distant summertime kingdom of epicurean plenty."

The Song of Ice and Fire series is supposed to be outstanding. Most of my friends gave it high ratings, and many more did the same. I was extremely eager to read it, but it ended up being a letdown for me. I have a passion for high fantasy like "The Lord of the Rings" and others, and I really wanted to take on the challenge of reading this series. But now, I'm not sure if I will or not.

The book managed to keep my attention throughout the reading process, and I was curious to find out what happened to some of the characters. However, others were either boring or just too unbelievable. I liked the fact that each chapter was from a different point of view, and I often found myself skipping ahead to read about a particular character and then coming back to the beginning of the book.

Although I enjoy fiction and science fiction that deal with the evils of society such as rape, evil, betrayal, murder, or horror, like "The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant, the Unbeliever," horror books like "The Tommyknockers," suspense like "Odd Thomas" or Dean Koontz's "Frankenstein" series, or "The Lord of the Rings" and non-fiction books like the Holy Bible, I just couldn't bring myself to like this book. There seemed to be no redeeming qualities in some of the characters, and Martin had no rhyme or reason for killing off the characters he did. Some scenes were even nauseating to me. For example, Jaime pushing a 7-year-old child out of a window on purpose or Catelyn's sister breastfeeding her son who isn't a baby. Another issue for me in this book is Martin's fetish-like fascination with women's body parts, rape, sexual abuse of all kinds, incest, and bigotry. Granted, these may not be Martin's idea of good things, but he describes them in excruciating detail. He definitely didn't want you to miss what women's breasts are called or other body parts.

Finally, George R.R. Martin, in an interview on the program Q from Canada, stated that his intention was "to take epic fantasy, which I love, and combine it with some of the gritty realism and ambiguous morality of, I think, the best historical fiction, with layers of complexity, and real human characters, sexuality, violence, all of that good stuff." The Q fill-in host, Brent Bambury, suggested that Martin might indeed outstrip J.R.R. Tolkien. Bambury repeated the claim of Time magazine that Martin is the American Tolkien but made it even more provocative by saying, "Many feel it's an accurate comparison. Others say no, it's not accurate because he's better." Although Martin went on to spend a good deal of time recalling his reading of "The Lord of the Rings" as a young man, maintaining that "the books had a profound effect on me," he did not demur.

I really don't think I like the author's idea that this is a realistic view of society. To be honest, he even made me feel biased against him by basically saying that his book was on par with or even better than J.R.R. Tolkien's books. As a friend on Goodreads noted about me, my problems may be because of the "vast difference between glorying in violence... and using it as a device." This explains it perfectly! One last question to consider: A commenter named Mary of the previously mentioned article had this to say: "Do you want your fantasy to inspire you, or to drag you down into the dirt with it?... From LOTR to Narnia to Star Trek, all of these worlds provided me with a sense of hope. [me too]... [after reading 3 of the books in the series; she said that she] was left feeling disgusted with humanity (men in particular). There may be more cruel people in the world today, but that's not a reality that I'm willing to accept as unchangeable." I personally want my fantasy to inspire me in the end.

When the King arrives at Winterfell, Ned Stark quickly discovers that he has been appointed as the Hand to the King by King Robert. However, all is not peaceful in Winterfell. Stark's son sustains a severe injury, and the evidence points towards the King's wife's family, the Lannisters. Stark will soon realize that in the Game of Thrones, there is no middle ground - you either emerge victorious or perish.

To be honest, the story is far more intricate than this brief summary suggests. It's extremely challenging to create a teaser for a book as substantial as this, which consists of over 800 pages.

I was initially resolute in my decision not to read the Song of Ice and Fire for several reasons. Firstly, I'm not a huge enthusiast of contemporary fantasy novels, especially those that seem to be never-ending doorstop series. Secondly, the series remains unfinished, and I'm reluctant to be left in a situation similar to that of the Dark Tower, waiting for years between book releases or fearing that Martin might follow in Robert Jordan's footsteps and pass away before completing the series. Thirdly, there's the issue of hype. Whenever someone tells me that I must read a particular book, I almost always dig in my heels and resist. One day, perhaps, I'll overcome this stubbornness when people recommend books to me. After all, although most of them probably read only about 20% as much as I do in a year, there are valid reasons why certain books sell thousands upon thousands of copies.

After my girlfriend and I binge-watched the first season of Game of Thrones over a weekend, I decided it was time to cave in and give the book a try. To my relief, my fears were unfounded. While reading Game of Thrones, it completely consumed my life. Even after watching the first season of the TV series, I found myself neglecting tasks such as cleaning the house and eating properly. I was utterly captivated by the tales of the Lannisters, the Starks, the Targaryens, and the other characters.

I came across an interview with George R.R. Martin in which he mentioned his fondness for historical fiction but his aversion to knowing the ending before he begins. Game of Thrones feels much more like historical fiction than traditional fantasy. Although there are magical elements present, they do not overshadow the story. Instead, the focus is on the battle for the throne of the seven kingdoms and the intrigues that unfold behind the scenes among various factions. It reminds me more of Pillars of the Earth than epic fantasy.

For me, the primary strengths of Game of Thrones lie in its characters and GRRM's boldness in subjecting them to terrible fates. In traditional fantasy, it's often a straightforward battle between good and evil, but in Game of Thrones, nothing is so clear-cut. King Robert struggles with alcoholism and womanizing. Ned Stark fathers a child out of wedlock. The Lannisters are a group of seemingly well-intentioned scoundrels. And Jon Snow looks down on his companions due to his noble upbringing.

As for GRRM's willingness to do horrible things to his characters? Well, let's just say you shouldn't get too attached to anyone. There were several shocking deaths in Game of Thrones, and I've been told that it only gets worse from here. I can't wait to see someone finally put an end to Joffrey Lannister's reign of terror!

For me, one of the hallmarks of a great book is if it inspires me to rush out and write something similar. This has happened with books like the Dark Tower, Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser, Elric, Hyperion, Amber, and now Game of Thrones. Speaking of Amber, Martin acknowledges Roger Zelazny in the acknowledgments. I was already aware of their close relationship. Now, I'm left wondering if the machinations in Game of Thrones were in any way influenced by those of the family in Amber.

The differences between the book and the first season of the show are relatively minor. One aspect that really stood out was that many of the characters were younger in the book. Additionally, there were fewer scenes of women being roughly taken from behind in Martin's text. Other than that, it was mainly a matter of chronology and the omission of a few minor scenes.

That's about all I can say without giving away too much. This book is a hefty volume, but it doesn't feel that way while you're reading it. There's always something happening, and everyone had better watch their backs. After all, Winter is Coming...

Minimalist magic for maximum character badassery.

Letting the story unfold without much caring about establishing complex magic or fantasy fraction constellations. Martin does what's the possibly hardest thing. He writes suspenseful and credible characters, dialogues, and power struggles without wasting too much time with elves, dwarfs, or wizards, just some dragons, and ice zombies. His writing is so incredibly absorbing that I'm close to saying that he's the best at blending characters with plot, but at the same time circumventing the problem of implementing too complex hard magic systems. That's kind of unique to the genre.

Most fantasy lives from showing how the magic characters deal with the pros and cons of their talents, abilities, and ethical dilemmas that come with throwing fireballs and mind controlling friends and foes. It's also possible that I simply still haven't read enough genre fiction, but from what I've seen in the most first few volumes of series I tend to read before losing momentum and stopping the journey, no big one in the game dared to go full medieval warfare mode with just some grains of magic.

Brutal, barbaric, and thereby totally realistic. This series is just badass as heck. Martin Chuck Norrises each atrocity thinkable throughout the series, and it starts wonderfully bloody, perverted, and disturbing. Definitely, a bit too extreme for some readers, especially because his writing is so realistic.

Not just too much to handle for the audience, but the author too. I guess a reason for the time it takes to continue the series lies in the sheer complexity of this thing. In fan wikis and wikipedia one can see the number of protagonists exploding with each part of the series, which makes it impossible to read with big breaks in between the parts, and is even sometimes confusing while reading the series at once. Maybe it's not just laziness or the attempt to become a legendary master procrastinator, but simply the fact that Martin doesn't know how to handle the beast he unleashed. But it's the final consequence of incredible characterization.

Hardly ever reached in the genre. Just a total genius level how Martin creates such inner introspections and monologues, dialogues, and character evolution. It's a bit like with the Stephen King magic, one just can't understand how it's possible to be such a brilliant artist. There are long passages without much action, plot, or any other dynamic, just character evolving and struggling with life and there isn't a nanosecond of problems with suspension of disbelief or boredom. And it's also never bad to be a total medieval nerd.

Without that second, important ingredient, Martin's knowledge about and fascination for these disturbingly primitive and crazy times, he couldn't have come up with this worldbuilding. What good luck for readers that prodigy writing skills met nerdgasmic knight overkills.

Tropes show how literature is conceptualized and created and which mixture of elements makes works and genres unique: https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.ph...

Currently-reading review:

I don't know when I will return to finish it, as I encountered a problem with the narration again. The author was a TV writer and then turned to writing a novel, saying things in it that he couldn't say in a TV episode. Unfortunately, the author brought to the novel a narrative style that suits a TV episode script more than it suits the pages of a novel. So the author might have adopted the cinematic shot style to define the novel for us. And each shot contained a simple definition of a situation regarding one character after another, and one family after another. And these numerous details about the characters are the core of the problem for me; because the details were scattered and intertwined in a bad and chaotic mess. Perhaps this might be good for a TV series because the cinematic shots are enhanced with the voices and images of the actors, which distinguishes the characters and defines them better. But in the novel, the situation is different and more confusing for me.

Maybe that's not an obstacle for everyone, but in my personal introverted nature that is not inclined to socialize with people and hates human gatherings, I have never liked this crowded gathering of characters at the beginning of the novel as if it were a popular festival in one of the neighborhoods of Cairo.

To-read review:

Fantasy on historical conflicts, in which George Martin retells the events of the world, its first battles between tribes of humans.

A realistic novel; where there is no good and evil fighting each other, but rather interests that change and compete for resources. And from the strife come deaths, a lot of deaths because there are a lot of the weak in this world.

A novel that represents sex as one of the main driving forces for the heroes, just like the real world!.

Is there more excitement than reading the first step of the seven "A Song of Ice and Fire"?!.

First off, I'm an extremely passionate fan of GRRM. Over the years, I've delved into the works of more than 100 different fantasy authors. I even took a hiatus of about 5 years from the genre because I felt it had become too formulaic and cliched. When I finally returned to the world of fantasy, I read the usual suspects like Goodkind and Jordan. Then, someone introduced me to GRRM, and that was truly a game-changer.

Here are the reasons to choose GRRM. I've also listed the reasons not to choose him to be fair, as I'm aware that certain personalities might not like this series.

WHY TO READ GRRM

(1) If you're tired of formulaic fantasy where the good lad always defeats the dark lord against all odds, the boy is the epitome of good, and he and his friends never die despite facing great dangers, then GRRM is for you. After reading this kind of story over and over, it can get quite tiresome.

(2) Are you tired of all the heroes miraculously staying alive even when they're constantly in danger? This can be even more frustrating when the author kills off a main hero only to bring them back later in the story or when magic resurrects them.

(3) If you're a medieval history buff, you'll love that this story is influenced by historical events like the WARS OF THE ROSES and THE HUNDRED YEARS WAR.

(4) Do you enjoy serious intrigue without stupid opponents? GRRM's world is filled with layering, intrigue, and clever players in the game of thrones. Unlike other fantasy novels where one side, usually the villain, is portrayed as stupid or not very bright.

(5) Are you interested in biased opinions and different truths? GRRM has structured the story so that each chapter is titled with a character's name, and the entire chapter is told from their viewpoint. This allows you to get their perception of events or truths. However, if you pay close attention, you'll notice that someone else might mention a different angle of truth in the story, something we rarely see in other novels. Most importantly, GRRM purposely leaves it vague, keeping us guessing.

(6) The legends in this series are some of the most interesting aspects. Some of the most captivating characters are those who are long gone or dead. We only get bits and pieces of their stories, which heightens the suspense. Additionally, because the points of view are not congruent, we sometimes get different opinions about these legends.

(7) If you're a fan of wordplay, metaphors, and vivid descriptions, GRRM is your guy. His writing has an almost flawless flow.

(8) There's no shortage of conflict in this series, and it comes in all types, not just fighting but also through threats and intrigue between characters.

(9) The multilayered plotting and abundance of subplots are another亮点. Each character has their own separate storyline, especially as the story progresses and everyone gets scattered. This is one of the reasons why each novel is between 700-900 pages.

(10) The characters in this series are superlative and varied. They're not the typical archetypes we're used to in most fantasy. Some are gritty, and few are completely evil or good. GRRM does an excellent job of changing our opinions of characters as the series unfolds, especially in the case of Jaime in book three.

(11) The realistic medieval dialogue is well done, not to the point where it's difficult to understand but still adds authenticity to the story.

(12) There's heaps of symbolism and prophecy in the series, which will appeal to those who are into that kind of thing.

(13) The excellent mysteries in the story are very hard to solve. GRRM must have read a lot of mystery novels to be able to create such captivating and complex mysteries.

(14) The female characters in this series are richly textured. GRRM is the best male author I've read when it comes to portraying female characters realistically, including how they think.

(15) The world of this series has a low magic level. Magic is used sparingly and not in an over-the-top way, so heroes can't rely on it to get out of every jam.

REASONS TO NOT READ GRRM

(1) If you're someone who really likes their main characters and can't handle them being killed off, then this series might not be for you. GRRM is known for killing off several main characters, not just one, so be warned.

(2) If you don't care for gritty, gray characters and prefer more straightforward stories with strong archetypes, then you might want to consider other authors like Feist, Goodkind, or Dragonlance.

(3) If multiple points of view turn you off and you prefer that the POVs only go to a few characters, then this series might be a bit confusing for you.

(4) There's a fair amount of swearing and sex in this book, just as there is in real life. If this kind of content makes you uncomfortable, then you might want to think twice before reading.

(5) If you demand closure at the end of every book, then this series might not meet your expectations. Some storylines are still ongoing, some have been resolved, and others are just beginning to develop.

(6) If you're looking for a target or someone to blame in the story, you might be disappointed. GRRM doesn't try to make anyone necessarily good or evil, which can make it difficult to find a clear villain or hero.

(7) Some readers like archetypal characters because they're comfortable and familiar. If you're one of those readers and you like to pretend you're the upcoming, great hero, then you might not find much of that in GRRM's series, with the exception of one or two characters.

(8) The length of this series might be a deterrent for some readers. If you don't want to commit to a long fantasy epic, then you might want to look for shorter works instead.

(9) The series is dominated by male characters with a lot of power, with only one female exception. If you're looking for a more balanced portrayal of gender in fantasy, then this series might not be the best choice for you.

STORY/PLOTTING: A minus; CHARACTER/DIALOGUE: A minus to A; LEGENDS/WORLD BUILDING: A plus; FANTASY FOCUSES: A; OVERALL GRADE: A; WHEN READ LAST: 2009 (5 readings) (revised review April 2012; more pics added August 2013)

**"A Masterpiece of Fantasy Literature"**

De los mejores libros de fantasía de la historia

Giving five stars to this story is simply not enough. In my experience, the only downside has been the HBO series. I wish I hadn't watched it. I would have had no problem watching the series knowing what the book tells, but since my situation was the opposite, the experience fell short and ruined the satisfaction I should have enjoyed.

As a book, you become attached to the characters more quickly, and above all, you take sides immediately. And because it's a book, the trauma is even greater in the brutality of the narration. The characters are practically children at this point in the story, younger than in the TV series for obvious reasons.

One day I will finish the entire saga, especially now that it has diverged from the series. I think every lover of fantasy literature must read this work and learn about the exquisite prose and ingenuity of GRR Martin. The fact that it is low fantasy makes it even more intriguing. Magic appears at crucial moments, and I presume it will be what resolves the entire plot in the end, but we still don't know.

The passions, betrayals, jealousies, and ambitions of the characters make you not even know where you stand. You think for a moment... "I don't think he'll dare to do that" and it happens! The author has no mercy on the reader and no considerations for the supposed heroes. In "A Song of Ice and Fire," the story takes precedence over the characters.

We won't see a Frodo carrying a ring and saving himself from giant spiders. Instead, we'll see people driven by their sense of good or what is right, or by their own selfishness in pursuit of a throne that will place them above the rest of the world. It is this obsession with the throne, this greed shared equally by all the houses, that makes this world so unpredictable. At this point, anyone can seize it, and that's what makes this story so exciting, especially for those who haven't spoiled their experience with the series.

I give five stars for the impact of this story on world culture. Just as Tolkien did with his ring, Martin now does the same, bringing the reader who is alien to fantasy and even to literature itself closer to reading. In my opinion, this is the greatest merit of the author, regardless of whether one surpasses or equals the other.

***5/5***

In the hall of fame of the best books I have ever read in my life.

It is truly an arduous task to comprehensively describe an epic, meticulously planned, exquisitely crafted, superbly written, captivating, thrilling, rewarding, and potentially life-altering fantasy series penned by a genuine genius in a single review. However, I am determined to attempt it, as this is one of my all-time favorite series and I feel a moral obligation to pen at least one love letter to each of my beloved series. So, here goes.

As a child, I had a penchant for devouring hefty tomes. I delved into most of the classic literature at a tender age. Regrettably, my literary tastes evolved as I matured, and I found myself burdened by the pressures of daily life, ensnared in the web of politics that infiltrated my daily existence and seemed impervious to change or improvement. I lost my patience for poring over weighty books that could double as lethal weapons. I grew weary of reading about grief, sorrow, and tragedy. Books were my source of joy, my escape from reality! In a nutshell, I developed a fondness for light reads with happy endings. My friends are well aware that I shy away from character deaths as if they were a virulent plague. If I absolutely must read a particular book that features character deaths, my friends are kind enough to forewarn me about who meets their demise and prepare me in general. This way, I can approach the story without becoming overly attached to the fated characters.

Now, this book clocks in at over 800 pages, and the subsequent installments are even longer, exceeding 1000 pages. This series is rife with character deaths. Characters drop like flies, left and right. Even the heroes are not immune.

And yet... I am reading this series! I have fallen head over heels in love with it! I have actually become emotionally invested in these hapless, doomed characters, despite explicitly告诫 myself not to! Have I gone mad? Probably. Most likely. Definitely. And I am relishing every single moment of this newfound insanity.

It didn't happen overnight. I initially attempted to read the first chapter, but I quickly grew bored. I struggled to distinguish the main character from the rest. None of the characters held any significance for me at the outset, and there were simply too many of them, overwhelming my senses! So many names! So many minute details! I tried to skip over some of the lines, but it was to no avail. Amidst this confusion, the point of view had the audacity to jump from one character to multiple others, even those who were geographically dispersed across this astonishingly complex world. I threw in the towel.

It took me half a year to return to the book. Watching seasons 1 - 3 of the TV show proved to be immensely helpful. I gradually became acquainted with the characters, and slowly but surely, this unique and unpredictable universe began to grow on me. I thought that perhaps now that I knew who was who, I could summon the patience to tackle something of this magnitude. I dove back in and completed the first book. I liked it well enough and was sufficiently curious to embark on the second one after some time had elapsed. Mind you, I wasn't yet痴迷 with this series! Once again, it took me a while to finish the second book, but when I did, something had changed. Something that would alter my life. I had become completely immersed in the world of Ice and Fire. I picked up the third book on the very day I finished the second one and began to devour every single word. I was in a rush to complete the book, and yet I wanted to savor every precious moment. I yearned to read all the other books that were seemingly winking at me innocently, and yet I couldn't bring myself to risk detaching from this multi-layered universe. I was simply intoxicated by this series!

And now, I am penning this review after finishing the fifth book. I am officially addicted. Now, I find the books to be infinitely superior to the show, to the extent that I can hardly watch the latest season (Season 5) without flying into a rage! I have been rereading certain chapters throughout the entire series to better understand all the analyses and essays that abound online. I am devouring the graphic novels and the companion book, which is essentially a fully illustrated "history compendium" of Martin's fictional universe! Crazy? You bet! And I am loving every minute of it!

This series has actually reignited my passion for reading heavy, complex books. What if they are as good as the ASOIAF series and I am missing out on them?? So, dear readers... don't give up! Persevere through the tedious parts at the beginning. Drag yourselves through all these places and names that initially seem meaningless. If you have a penchant for fantasy, you simply MUST give this series a try. What if you are overlooking something truly amazing? Ponder upon it and invest some genuine effort into reading this.

★★★★½ /5

It took me an eternity to read this book, but it is without a doubt worth your time.

Undoubtedly, it is extremely well-written, filled with a plethora of vivid descriptions. At times, wading through all that detail could be a bit of a challenge, yet it didn't spoil the overall experience. The story itself is multi-layered and complex. You really have to be fully engaged and along for the ride to fully savor it. After all, it's a huge series and this first book is merely the foundation for a much greater narrative. However, in this book, you can get a solid understanding of the story and form a good mental picture of the plot and characters.

This book presents a multitude of points of view, and at times, it can feel a bit excessive. I didn't relish reading from every single character's perspective. Nevertheless, these various viewpoints did assist in better comprehending the story. A large number of side characters were introduced, and sometimes it was difficult to keep track of all of them.

I had watched the TV show prior to commencing this book, and that provided a slight advantage in reading the novel. It wasn't as overwhelming, and that prior knowledge enabled me to better remember the side characters and other crucial details that I might otherwise have forgotten.

All in all, it's a great first book in the series, and I will most definitely read the other installments.

WE MADE IT!!!! WE HAVE EMERGED VICTORIOUS!!!!

This book was truly exhausting. The thought of all the other books being even bigger terrifies me. However, the writing and world building in this book are so vivid. I quickly chose my favorite characters, but even the ones I initially thought less interesting had very important story lines. Every character has a distinct and well-written personality. Basically, I am in love with Daenerys, and I also adore Jon, Arya, Sansa, and even Tyrion. Reading this has made me super interested in the TV show. I've heard so many people telling me to watch it, and as soon as I have the time (which might not be for a while lol), I will definitely look into it! At this point, I'm too exhausted to even consider reading the sequels. I'm giving myself a break after reading this hahaha. Geez Louise, it's a commitment, but it was worth it.

Also, a sidenote - the audiobook is great. I'd say I listened to 3/4th of this. You can find the entire series on audiobook on Scribd.com. I have a promo code for you ;) "WhittyNovelsOnScribd" at www.scribd.com/promo gets you two free months!! So, if you're looking for an engaging way to experience this amazing story, give the audiobook a try!

I've DNFed this one a few times in the past (many years ago).

However, for years, I've been making a promise to myself that I would give it another try once the show ended.

Since the finale just wrapped up a little while ago, I wasted no time in grabbing a kindle copy.

I then added it back to my TBR shelf, filled with anticipation.

I'm really looking forward to starting it soon!

Last year, I borrowed the show from the library and began watching. It immediately hooked me.

It's fair to say that the showrunners should have let someone take over the last 2 - 3 seasons. However, it starts out as a masterpiece of a story, brutal, grim, and barbaric, yet the story is top-notch. I completed it all during the Covid times.

This year, I bought the used book and have been waiting to start reading.

I was a fan of the Wheel of Time and started that series in 2001. I had to wait yearly for the books to come out, and then Jordan died. I love the series, but I don't like having to wait for a series to end if it seems like an author might have issues writing or aging out of a series.

I've wanted to read A Song of Ice and Fire since around 2006 and have been waiting for the series to be completed. Martin still isn't close to finishing it. I wonder if the pressure is too much for him at this point. I thought he might complete it before the show ran out, and when he didn't, I was worried.

I know he is about to finish book 6 soonish, but I don't think he will ever complete book 7. It took 11 years to get this close to having book 6 done. I simply don't think he can finish it. It's sad, but I decided to start this series anyway. The show might have a terrible last season, but it does have an ending. It wasn't well executed, but it wrapped up things enough for me to be okay with starting this. So, I willingly decided to start this series knowing it would never be finished, and I'm okay with that.

I want to talk about the book, so I'm giving a Spoiler warning.

Spoilers:

The prologue opens the book, and we have no real idea what is happening. Then in Chapter 1, Bran is our narrator. This made me understand that from the beginning, George had set up Bran to be the winner of the crown. It's such symmetry. I think how George gets there will be better than the show as he is a capable writer.

This sets up his world amazingly. It's a huge world with thousands of characters, and so many things are mentioned, like the Faceless Men and other areas like Dorne that we meet later. He makes mention of them, but until you know more, they don't really mean anything.

This book seems very close to the show. The show really did lift most scenes from the book and put them on screen. They rearranged a few things and added more character work to fill out the show, but otherwise, major dialogue is simply taken from the page.

George has a great writing style. It's easy to read. I don't know how difficult it would be to follow without the show, but I feel it would be easy to understand how he creates this world.

I love the story happening in so many places. We have the Wall, the North, the middle of the country or the Neck, King's Landing, and then to the east with Dany.

I know how much more brutal this series gets, but when Ned was beheaded, it still sent chills down my spine. Ned felt like the main character, and it's so gutsy to kill off our main character.

Most of the Stark children get a point of view chapter. In this story, Sansa is 11 and Joffery is 12. In the show, they are older. It's understandable for Sansa to be so boy crazy and want pretty things. She ends up being 12 and seeing her father beheaded. She's just a spoiled kid. In the show, it's easy to forget how young Sansa is, and her behavior makes more sense.

Tyrion is the best character. I just love him and Arya. Her character arc is set up so well. The show did her so well.

I think this book is worth the read. Reading it made me feel like I was watching the show all over again. I want to see it again to compare the differences.

I wish Martin could finish this series. Maybe he will live another 10 - 15 years and actually give us an ending, but I'm not holding my breath. It should be completed, and it would be a shame for his ego to prevent another author from finishing it after he dies.

I think this will be a classic in fantasy literature, up there with the Lord of the Rings.