Product Description

Here is the first volume in George R. R. Martin’s magnificent cycle of novels that includes A Clash of Kings and A Storm of Swords. As a whole, this series comprises a genuine masterpiece of modern fantasy, bringing together the best the genre has to offer. Magic, mystery, intrigue, romance, and adventure fill these pages and transport us to a world unlike any we have ever experienced. Already hailed as a classic, George R. R. Martin’s stunning series is destined to stand as one of the great achievements of imaginative fiction.

A Game of Thrones

Long ago, in a time forgotten, a preternatural event threw the seasons out of balance. In a land where summers can last decades and winters a lifetime, trouble is brewing. The cold is returning, and in the frozen wastes to 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, here is a tale of lords and ladies, soldiers and sorcerers, assassins and bastards, who come together in a time of grim omens.

Here an enigmatic band of warriors bear swords of no human metal; a tribe of fierce wildlings carry men off into madness; a cruel young dragon prince barters his sister to win back his throne; and a determined woman undertakes the most treacherous of journeys. Amid plots and counterplots, tragedy and betrayal, victory and terror, the fate of the Starks, their allies, and their enemies hangs perilously in the balance, as each endeavors to win that deadliest of conflicts: the game of thrones.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #11154 in Books
• Published on: 2002-05-28
• Released on: 2002-05-28
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 704 pages

Amazon.com
Readers of epic fantasy series are: (1) patient--they are left in suspense between each volume, (2) persistent--they reread or at least review the previous book(s) when a new installment comes out, (3) strong--these 700-page doorstoppers are heavy, and (4) mentally agile--they follow a host of characters through a myriad of subplots. In A Game of Thrones, the first book of a projected six, George R.R. Martin rewards readers with a vividly real world, well-drawn characters, complex but coherent plotting, and beautifully constructed prose, which Locus called "well above the norms of the genre."

Martin's Seven Kingdoms resemble England during the Wars of the Roses, with the Stark and Lannister families standing in for the Yorks and Lancasters. The story of these two families and their struggle to control the Iron Throne dominates the foreground; in the background is a huge, ancient wall marking the northern border, beyond which barbarians, ice vampires, and direwolves menace the south as years-long winter advances. Abroad, a dragon princess lives among horse nomads and dreams of fiery reconquest.

There is much bloodshed, cruelty, and death, but A Game of Thrones is nevertheless compelling; it garnered a Nebula nomination and won the 1996 Locus Award for Best Fantasy Novel. So, on to A Clash of Kings! --Nona Vero

From 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.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal
The author of such sf classics as The Armageddon Rag (1983) marks the beginning of a new fantasy series about a world where the summer and winter seasons can span generations.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Customer Reviews

Love This Book! (note for Kindle owners)
I'm not going to go too deeply into a review. There are 1500+ reviews already to give you a feel for the book.

FOR KINDLE READERS

One thing that I thought I should point out since it was a little confusing for me - this version 'A Game of Thrones/A Clash of Kings' is a release of the 1st two books in the series. The page count in the product description (800 +/-) is wrong or at least misleading. It's really 1800 or so pages.

Also, at the end of the first book (around segment 14000 in the kindle) there is a 'cheat sheet' with the main characters broken down by their families. I would like to have known that before I hit the page after I had finished the book. Sorry I don't have the exact location, but maybe there's a way to track it down through the table of contents.

Arrived Late To This Party
The problem with George RR Martin's A Game of Thrones is that it is a good book. No, that's not a typo- the problem with this book is that it is genuinely different from most fantasy offerings, highly entertaining, and well developed. Of course with such achievements comes praise, hype, and hoopla. Before long the hype actually surpasses the book's merits and expectations going in are so high that no book, regardless of how good it really is, can measure up.

And that pretty much summarizes my own foray into The Song of Ice and Fire saga. 12 years and 1,500 reviews late, I've finally begun my tour of the series by ordering and reading A Game Of Thrones. With so much praise that's been heaped upon the story (and the series in general) throughout the years, my expectations were understandably high. Even still I found the first book to be enjoyable, entertaining, and definitely worthy of the attention it receives.

To begin, Bantam Spectra is only partially correct in labeling this book Fantasy. The truth of the matter is that the prose is easily as much a study in drama (and oftentimes borders on historical) as it is a fantasy effort. Sure there is mention of some mythological races, a few undead corpses, and even some baby dragons in the mix, however GRRM does not present this work in the fashion so commonly associated with the genera.

It is well documented that GRRM takes the approach of telling his tale by breaking it into chapters each focusing on a specific character somehow entwined in the greater whole. In my opinion, doing so created a double-edged sword (no pun intended). On the one hand the massive and character-riddled plot feels more personal and the different viewpoints showcase Martin's ability as a master storyteller. After all, he manages to convincingly depict an 8-year-old cripple just as well as a young woman's (oft brutal) sexual encounters. There's no question interweaving a story in this fashion is a testament of skill and confidence on the author's behalf. On the other hand, some characters just click better than others. I personally found Tyrion to be very interesting as well as Eddard Stark but they are merely a small sample of the greater whole that is the cast of A Song of Ice and Fire. As a result, readers will often find themselves slogging through chapters that deal only with lesser-liked (or hardly relevant) characters in effort to return to the story arc they are most interested in. I should note that this criticism seems to be more prevalent in the later books than this particular entry.

Overall, I found the general consensus of this book to be pretty spot-on. While I realize that being one of 1500 reviews, its unlikely my opinion will have much impact, but I did want to share my take on account of the fact that I am a fervent reader of fantasy fiction who, like many others, grew tired of the same formulaic plots that seem so common in most fantasy these days. The line between good and evil is blurred in Martin's series so effectively that it doesn't take long to start to sympathize with the goals and aspirations of each of the groups involved. I'm deeper into the series at the time of this review's writing and sometimes I still get the overwhelming feeling that perhaps I'm rooting for the wrong side!

Considering the level of expectation that the positive reviews of the past 12 years have generated, I was sure I would be let down. Yet GRRM delivered and now I too have become a member of the hordes eagerly awaiting the release of A Dance With Dragons.

Hard to follow all the plot threads, but brilliant writing
Many years ago, when this book first came out I tried to read it and was unable to get very far. Far too many characters, far too many viewpoints, far too many plotlines...I just got lost.

Just recently, desperate for something new to read in the speculative realm, I decided to give Mr. Martin another shot. Same problem, too many characters. But this time I was willing to work at it. I kept a notebook with a one-line notation about each character who seemed to be slated for significance in one of the many plot threads. By the end of the book I had two pages of them, but it was working, by gosh. Each time the author swapped me out of one head and into another, I could go back and refer to my notes and figure out whose head I was in, what they were up to, and who all these other people were.

Once I managed to keep the characters all straight, I realized that George was a bloody brilliant writer. His characters are fascinating and well constructed, both male and female. His plots are fast and evenly paced. His conflicts keep you on the edge of your seat. His descriptions are vivid and bold, and he's not afraid to let the bad happen with the good.

One of the things I particularly appreciate about his writing is the way he doesn't dwell for too long on a conflict or a villain. I've read stories where the villain goes on and on and on until you are so sick of his sneering face that when he is actually killed it's a relief, not a triumph, and it leaves you feeling rather peeved with the whole story. Not the case with Martin. He introduces you to a deliciously irritating character, and then (usually) kills them off before the end of the book. Same with his conflicts; he drags his characters into terrible peril, and then cleverly whisks them out after a few chapters, dragging them into another conflict in the process.

Reading Martin's books is a lot like riding a storm in a fleet of ships. Every time one of them goes down you are rescued by another. It's a bit awkward to get used to; you feel as if you are straddling several decks at the same time, but you always know that there's no shortage of new boats to replace the old.