Product ReviewsA Song of Ice and Fire Ser.: A Game of Thrones : A Song of Ice and Fire: Book One by George R. R. Martin (1997, Mass Market)

Good but not a masterpiece

When I read that Martin's Song of Ice and Fire was even better than the "Sword of Truth" and "Wheel of Time" Series, I was certainly intrigued.

I must say that the first book was enjoyable, but in comparison to the first volumes of the other two series: "Wizard's First Rule" and "Eye of the World", a Game of Thrones was a bit tedious to me.

The characters really didn't seem overly inspired. I did really enjoy the children, especially Arya and Sansa's stories. The villains were a bit enjoyable too. Especially the Hound.
But the other adults seemed almost cookie cutter fantasy roles. And while enjoyable, did not really interest me.

The series is better written than Goodkind's Sword of Truth and a bit less descriptive than Jordan's Wheel of Time, but the author seemed to rely too heavily on shock value than good dialogue.
And call me old fashioned, but I can do without the filth and bad language in my fantasy stories.
The constant child rape, incest and pedophile like view of many of Martin's characters is also disgusting to me.
While it may portray a more realistic fantasy world, it was not fun reading about it.Read full review...

Excellente novel. Great product.

George Martin bring us a complete experience with this series of books called the A Song of Fire and Ice. His first book, Games of Thrones is well written and an excellent start for this saga. Is easy to read because Martin focuses in how situation are observed under different characters across the book. This makes even easier to read because you don't have to read like 30 pages to finish the chapter, just read until one of the characters finished his/her point of view (POW). Epic fantasy is subtle, but is there to the joy of those who like it. Maybe Martin is the modern Tolkein, because he gives to the reader exactly what we want: a detailed story about a kingdom, their lineage and a complete world to explore and live the fantasy.

Excellent purchase. Don't expect less from Martin or this book. You will definetively like it.Read full review...

intelligent but gratuitous

Bring a notebook to keep track of your theories of where the plot is going -- it'll be worth it. Bring a shovel to dig through all the stupidity -- you'll need it.

Martin falls into a trap in his Song of Ice and Fire series. At first, the brutality -- both in actions and in choice of words -- makes the war seem real. Yes, midieval-fantasy-world soldiers would use words like cock and shit and piss and cunt all the time. However, when I see the queen talking the same way, it shows me that the whole thing is a trick. Yes, soldiers will act like soldiers, but this series makes it look like all most men ever want to do is loot villages and rape women, whether they're in the middle of a war or not.

Now I'm as big a fan of sex and violence as the next person, but Martin seems to think that I won't be interested in his story if he doesn't lace it with big globs of brutality, and that's a bit insulting.

However, the story is there. The court intrigues, the laws of the world itself are all laid down in careful rows that appear at first to be random. Clues put into place in the first hundred pages reach fruition down the line. Magic makes sense and follows rules; it's not just a deus ex machina disguised as a dragon. This is an enticing read.Read full review...

A Song of Ice and Fire Game of Thrones Book 1

This book is only the beginning. I have watched the HBO Series and have loved every minute of it. I wanted to know more details of these character so I began reading the books. The characters and story line are wonderful. And the heart-wrenching deaths of some of the most beloved will keep you on edge. Do you mourn? Do you plot revenge? Do you begin to feel something dark festering within and are you shocked you could feel such a way?
Must read series.Read full review...

Verified purchase:  Yes | Condition: pre-owned | Sold by: betterworldbooks

Awesome in every way

George R. R. Martin's "Song of Ice and Fire" series is about the best fantasy series I have ever read, and I have read a lot of books in this category. The characters are very well developed, complex and believable. It makes you wish you could meet them (some because you hate them and others because you love them.)
The way he describes the environment, the customs of the people, all of it seems exactly as if he looked back in time to a medieval period and just described what he saw. There are a lot of gruesome descriptions of war and killing and all that, but also a lot of humor mixed in. Everyone should read all the books in the series... each one is better than the last, and personally I can't wait for the next one to be published!Read full review...

A mostly sometimes k(nightly) tale where summers and winters are long.

The author is able to weave interesting multiple subplots, using character development and 'cliff-hanging' moments. (Sometimes literally.)

Verified purchase:  Yes | Condition: pre-owned | Sold by: second.sale

Game of Thrones is this generation's Lord of the Rings

When I first heard about the Game of Thrones, I really didn't pay it much attention, because there's always overhype and not really much into this type of fantasy. But the series is epic. George R.R. Martin does tend to get wordy and some chapters do require patience, but he sucks you into this world and makes you care about the characters, even the minor characters. The characters aren't entirely good or evil, and the story lines do end up as you have thought they would. George R.R. Martin has drawn upon real history as part inspiration for this epic combining it with a twist of Fantasy.Read full review...

A very good book thats worth it to read!

I love to read fiction. I usually stick to horror, but I liked the show and decided to buy the first book in the series. I can honestly say that this book is worth the time and money I spent on it.>A Game of Thrones is the kind of book that once you open the cover you will not notice the time go by until you look up and it's somehow two in the morning. The characters are relatable, likable or dislikable depending on which one you are talking about.
I cannot think of anything I didn't like about this book. In fact I bought the next three in the series. My book case is pretty full, but I’m making room on it for these books.Read full review...

Fantastic Book

George R. R. Martin does an amazing job with the opening book in his A Song of Ice and Fire series.

In A Game of Thrones, the first book of a projected six, he rewards fantasy-fans with a vividly real world (Martin is a history aficionado and draws heavily on Midieval vassalage, chivalry, and honor), well-drawn characters, complex but coherent plotting, and beautiful prose. This is easily much better written than many other fantasy series. There is no writing for the sake of filling space. The way in which he tells the story is also unique - each chapter is written from the perspective of one of the characters in the book. Each chapter has the title as the name of that character. Martin is also not afraid to kill off his main characters - even though the readers often become very attached to them. There is no political drivel or commentary from the author injected into a character's words which so often can ruin a series (a la Terry Goodkind). Martin is just telling a story - he is not judging his characters or saying what is right and what is wrong. The action also occurs at a healthy pace. There are rarely any lulls to plod through. Definitely one of the cleaner, better fantasy books that I have ever read.

This book is also for mature audiences only. It is graphic in many cases. Martin portrays reality. Happy reading!Read full review...

Best Fantasy series I've ever read

George R.R. Martin is absolutely among the best Fantasy genre authors I've read. The story of each character grabs you and haunts you long after you've finished the books. His storytelling is masterful, the events and relationships require you to follow along and pay attention to what your reading or you find yourself flipping back a few chapters. The Song of Ice and Fire series is one of the few series I've read more than once and enjoyed equally each time.Read full review...