A Song of Ice & Fire – Book 1 of 7
A Game of Thrones – Front Cover
Goodreads rating: 4.42 (286,190 ratings)
My rating: 9/10
Why it’s on the list: Because it’s AWESOME, that’s why… No, it’s on there because I wanted to read the books before watching the TV show. I like to visualise the characters and the settings without the influence of a TV show.
First published: August 6th, 1996 by Bantan Spectra
Genre: Fantasy/Epic
Where do I begin? A Game of Thrones is set in a fantasy world, where seasons can last years, and there are continuing feuds between the Noble Houses of Westeros (family dynasties) – of which there are 9, the guards on The Wall in the North called the Night’s Watch who protect the seven kingdoms from the mystery and terror further North, and the Free City of Pentos in the East. Winterfell, in the North, is where it begins, and throughout the book it switches from different perspectives of different characters. I was as confused as I’m sure you are. Thankfully, in the edition of the book I had, there were maps in the opening pages, and in the back pages were summaries of all the Noble Houses, as well as the sub-houses, and who was who in each.
The North & The South
The Land Beyond the Wall & The Land in the Eas
Houses Appendix
Each chapter is from the perspective of a different character. There are 8 characters whose point of view we get to see, the majority of them part of the Stark family, who rule the North and are based in Winterfell. I found this the best (and only plausible) way that this book could have been written. With the sheer amount of Lords, Ladies, Kings, Queen, Knights (or Sers as they’re called), servants, Maesters and children, it’s hard enough as is to keep up with who’s who and who hates/loves who, that the separation makes it much easier.
A Game of Thrones is such an epic book, that there is no simple way to explain the story without giving too much away, or confusing you into not wanting to read it, but the main themes in it are betrayal, power, family, class systems, coming of age, justice, & gender. Women’s roles in this world are medieval to me, although when I was writing this, I realised that there are plenty of similar goings on in the 21st Century. Girls are betrothed to men they don’t know, baby girls are seen as a disability – boys are the desired child, and so on. However, Catelyn Stark, and her daughter Arya, defy these traditional roles – of course, making them (particularly Arya ) my favourite characters (as you can see by her prominence in the quotes I chose below!). Well, apart from the direwolves, which in my mind are THE CUTEST THINGS EVER!
I will warn you though, there are some disturbing moments in the book, especially some passages involving rape. However, I believe these parts are necessary in the story to give you a sense of a woman’s worth in some of the lands, particularly those to the East.
Notable quotes
“I’m Arya Stark of Winterfell, and if you lay a hand on me my lord father will have both your heads on spikes. If you don’t believe me, fetch Jory Cassel or Vayon Poole from the Tower of the Hand.” She put her hands on her hips. “Now are you going to open the gate, or do you need a clout on the ear to help your hearing?” – Arya Stark
“My words lied. My eyes and my arm shouted out the truth, but you were not seeing.” – Syrio, Arya Stark’s Sword Teacher
“The Night’s Watch is a sworn brotherhood. We have no families. None of us will ever father sons. Our wife is duty. Our mistress is honor.” – Benjen Stark
“Your crimes will be washed away, your debts forgiven. So too you must wash away your former loyalties, put aside your grudges, forget old wrongs and old loves alike. Here you begin anew.” – Lord Commander Mormont
“My mind is my weapon. My brother has his sword, King Robert has his warhammer, and I have my mind… and a mind needs books as a sword needs a whetstone, if it is to keep its edge.” – Tyrion Lannister
If she choked on the blood or retched up the flesh, the omens were less favorable; the child might be stillborn, or come forth weak, deformed, or female. – Passage from Daenerys’ chapter
Past reviews
“an absorbing combination of the mythic, the sweepingly historical, and the intensely personal.” – Phyllis Eisenstein, Chicago Sun-Times
Bits & pieces
- Took Martin 5 years to write A Game of Thrones
- The series ideas began when Martin was a child, and involved a Turtle kingdom, with Lords, Kings & Knights.
-H-
Source
Tags: epic, fantasy, game of thrones, george r r martin, HBO, song of ice and fire
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