Reader reviews

• joeeasterly

  (2/5)

  it's a little too toxic and cruel for me.
• castlelass

  (3/5)

  Action-oriented dark fantasy about a patriarchal society of the seven kingdoms of Westeros. The focus of this first book is on the Stark family: Lord Eddard Stark, his wife Catelyn, their five children and Eddard's illegitimate son Jon. They live in Winterfell, a cold land of the north, and march under the banner of the direwolf, a fantasy creature larger and more ferocious than a wolf. Their relatively peaceful life is interrupted by a visit from Eddard’s close friend, King Robert Baratheon. He asks Eddard to serve as “The Hand of the King,” which involves relocating to the King’s castle. The previous “Hand” has died under questionable circumstances. It is an enthralling tale of honor, lies, deception, conspiracies, liaisons, treachery, and intrigue.
  
  I have not seen the HBO series, so I felt I had missed out on this cultural phenomenon. I decided to rectify this situation by reading this first of a seven-book epic series comprising A Song of Ice and Fire. I came away understanding how the lands and characters have captured the imagination of many. The world-building is elaborate and detailed. The sights, sounds, smells, textures, tastes are vivid. It reminded me of medieval times, where male dominance takes center stage. The author spends a great deal of time laying the foundation for what is to come. For example, a significant portion of the story revolves around the Stark children. They are told stories of wars, previous kings, old lands, and how their world came to be, which informs the reader as well.
  
  I enjoyed the structure of the book, related in alternating perspectives of representatives of the Stark, Lannister, and Targaryen families. It made it easy to digest the narrative in manageable chunks. I read it slowly in order to fully immerse myself into this fantasy world, where the current summer and coming winter will last for many years. It does not contain much in the way of magic or mythic beasts, though there are a few. Some of the characters’ storylines (Jon, Tyrion, Daenerys) are more interesting than others (Sansa, Bran), but all shed light on the complexities and layers of this fantasy world.
  
  My primary disappointment with this book is in its treatment of women. The female characters in the book are wives, mothers, children, sex objects, prostitutes, or pawns to be used in marrying into a prestigious family. Females in this book are given very little agency. Even the queens are subservient to male authority. Extremely young girls are the preferred sexual partners (as young as twelve). Women are primarily used to set up scenes for the men to engage in action. I thought the author missed an opportunity to establish a strong female character in a primary role. I have not yet read the sequels so perhaps this comes later (Daenerys shows promise). I haven’t decided whether to continue the series. On the one hand, I’ve spent many hours with this 800 page book, learning the world, the houses, and characters, which are numerous and hard to keep straight at times. (The author provides a helpful list of family members in the Appendix.) On the other hand, it is filled with such constant violence and gruesome scenes that it gets tiresome. I am not sure if I am too keen to read about more heads on spikes or another gang rape justified as “the spoils of war.” There are too many content warnings for sensitive readers to list them all but suffice it to say this book is intended for a mature audience and is not a young adult fantasy.
  
  I have heard this book compared to Lord of the Rings, but to me, it’s does not even come close to the magnificence of the Tolkien masterpiece. To be fair, I have not read the entire series of A Song of Ice and Fire, so it’s a bit premature for me to draw such a conclusion. I liked parts of it but didn’t love it. Recommended to fans of dark fantasy, or those, like me, that want to keep up with culturally relevant works.
  
• philsyphe

  (5/5)

  As a latecomer to 'Game of Thrones' the TV series, having watched the lot in 2021, I'm therefore only now getting into the books.As for this first installment, I was most impressed. It hooked me from the get-go. Despite knowing in many situations what the outcome would be (because the first TV series is very faithful to this novel), this didn't lessen the intrigue, drama, or excitement.The characters are vivid, the plot threads engrossing. Jon Snow's character and storyline is particularly strong.I can't pick any faults with the story, but did find several style aspects annoying. For instance, 'Joffrey looked annoyed' and 'looked pleased' is blatant 'telling'. With small effort, these could've been revised to 'show' the emotion.This is one of many books I've read in recent years in which phrases like 'more tightly', 'more slowly', etc., are used instead of 'tighter', 'slower', etc. Unless the authors in question are paid by the word, I don't get the reason for it.We also get a lot of 'Tyrion could see' and 'Bran could hear' sentence openers. It's obvious in most cases that the characters in question can see and/or hear what's going on, so to inform the reader that someone 'can see/hear' something is a waste of words.One element that felt out of place was the occasional Americanism. The story is, of course, set in another world to ours, but it has a strong medieval English vibe to it, as does the TV series, which features no Americanisms. This book, however, at times uses 'pants' instead of 'trousers' (though it does use 'trousers' as well), 'ass' instead of 'arse', and 'butt' instead of 'bum'. Each time one of these terms pop up, they sound odd within the overall context of the language.My biggest criticism is the overuse of 'had'. The frequent use of ‘had’ in the past perfect tense is something all authors should avoid. It reports on the scene as opposed to taking the reader into the action as it unfolds. For example, when Tyrian is in sky cell and we're told how Robert had said this, and Tyrion had said that, etc. Why not show it linear and keep the drama and suspense in the story and the prose active?Despite the highlighted style criticisms, this novel kept me engrossed too much for me to rate it below five stars. I've come across few authors with an imagination as great as George R. R. Martin. The only other that I can compare him with is the late, great Robert E. Howard.A magical read.
• jonez-6

  (4/5)

  4.0
  
  Long Winded which made it a tad bit of a slog, but still a well written piece of Grimdark.
• mjwebb-1

  (4/5)

  I think it's rare for me to have the enjoyment of a novel ruined by prior knowledge, but in this case it is exactly what happened. Having seen the TV series I think I was expecting more; more interaction with the characters, to feel a definite connection with them?
  Perhaps it's just me, after all this is a hugely successful novel and the beginnings of a wonderful adventure. However, try as I did, I just didn't fall in love with it as I was hoping to. I also had a problem with the fact that Danaerys is only 14. I know it's fiction/fantasy but it did not sit comfortably with me.
  That said, the writing is flawless, the concept and storytelling extraordinary, there is action and adventure, mystery and intrigue, shocks, twists and turns.... And yet, something was missing? It was very good stuff and George is a genius, but I'm also reading Azincourt, a far simpler novel but somehow more enjoyable for me?
  Doh! I think I may have just found the secret; I like my novels simple, like me.
  So, would I rec this book? Hell yeah. 4 stars is really good and my personal opinion should not sway you in any way. It is a fantastic fantasy adventure by probably the greatest modern writer in the genre. I'm just not sure that I'll read the sequels as there are other books I am itching to get my teeth into first.
• agentx216

  (5/5)

  I have a hard time reading fantasy at times. It seems like the story is always the same. The farm boy who has a prophecy that he needs to fulfill (who wrote the prophecy is never clear) and he meets a princess, an old wizard, and a brash rouge. They fight a bad king who has a minion who is powerfully magical. They fight in a rebellion where no one believes the farm boy is the "choosen one" until he proves himself and seems to pretty much take out the bad guys by himself. Yep, most fantasy is "Star Wars" (or name your fantasy novel - you know I'm right).
  
  Martin kicks the crap out of this old trope! The world and characters he creats are believable, interesting, and diverse. You have characters you root for, characters you hate, and characters you're not sure what to do with. The revelation of storyline is well paced - being neither took quick or so slow you loose interest. Another great thing that Martin isn't afraid to do - kill main characters. Don't think anyone is safe, don't think that good will always prevail. If you need happy endings, skip this series.
  
  I would suggest that you read up to Tyrion's character if you're having trouble getting into the book right away. Reading his character alone is worth it. I also liked the way Martin writes from several main characters and gives their point of view on the situation they are witnessing. It breaks up the reading and doesn't have an an all knowing 3rd person point of view. It really helps to get to know the characters and even change your perception about them. Final Grade - A
• amcheri-1

  (4/5)

  I very much liked it. I admit do zoning out during much of the extra long descriptions of scenery but I loved the characters and the depth they were given.
  
  The last 1/3 or so of the book was just fantastic. Once things start moving, they really go and I couldn't stop listening.
• marklacy-355086

  (2/5)

  My most recent attempt to engage with the story of "A Game of Thrones" (August 2016) has failed, like previous attempts. I accept that I am in the minority when it comes to appreciating this book. In no particular order, here is what I didn't care for: (1) political intrigue and backstabbing, (2) too many characters to keep up with, (3) too many relationships to keep up with, (4) not enough of the supernatural/sorcerous, (5) recognizing that reading this book was a hefty 835-page commitment and knowing that I would have to read more books to learn the outcome of various plot points, (6) too much similarity to medieval Europe, and (7) too few characters I could really care about.
• swbesecker

  (5/5)

  Fantastic. 'nuf said.
• catherine_dilts

  (5/5)

  A fun read. At first the dozens of characters were difficult to absorb. I have started book 2 - the richness of the characters keeps me going. I need to find out what happens to each. Even the most villainous bad guys and girls have depth. Sure, the idea of a ten year long winter seems absurd, but I'm willing to keep reading to find out how they deal with issues like food and fuel. This is fantasy, after all.
• bardbooks

  (4/5)

  Surprisingly good fun.
• completely_melanie

  (3/5)

  I give this 3.5 stars. I will definitely continue with the series. I read this because I wanted to read it before watching the show. It got a bit confusing from time to time trying to keep everyone straight. I think this is something I would probably enjoy watching more than reading simply because of that. There are characters that I really like such as Arya and Tyrion. Arya is a strong, smart, and fierce little girl. Tyrion is such a fun and interesting character. I do look forward to seeing what happens with Dani in the next book. That poor girl just could not catch a break!
• sunyidean

  (4/5)

  I read GoT about fifteen years ago, and my feelings on it have evolved over the years.
  
  For me, Game of Thrones is like a bad-boy romance you had in your teens: exciting, thrilling, and edgy at the time, but a little bit cringe in hindsight. GoT wears cool clothes and swears a lot, and you've never met anybody so different from your usual. Awesome, you think, as he sweeps you off your feet and tells you he's better than the rest.
  
  But as time goes on, he doesn't progress or mature--and you do. All that cocky behaviour starts to get irritating, and as you meet more and more people (books), you start to realise poor old GoT isn't that special. He's all promise and no pay-off. He can't give you what you need so, eventually, you just move on.
  
  Every now and then you check up on him, like FB stalking an old ex, only to confirm that nothing's changed: he's still turning circles, not progressing, not doing anything, not going anywhere.
  
  Good riddance, and cheers to better lovers (books).
  
  
  (Nota bene: For all that, I do think the first book in this series is very, very good for a variety of reasons. But it's all downhill from Book 2 onwards.)
• teezie-968389

  (5/5)

  Of course the book is better than the show. I feel like I now have some clarity to some things I had questions about.
• luzestrella-1

  (3/5)

  I'm not a fantasy genre fan. Yet I found the book entertaining. My curiosity about the whole A-game-of-throne phenomenon was satisfied so I'll move on and maybe watch a few HBO episodes of the tv show adaptation and tease die hard game of thrones tv show watchers about how things are different in the book.
• wishanem

  (5/5)

  After the gigantic cultural impact of the Game of Thrones television series, what more could be said to convince someone to read the book? It has more depth and detail than the show, as one might expect. The book’s heroes are more troubled, their villains are more nuanced, and the plots are more layed. But the book also has some rough edges that the show addresses. For instance, the book depicts children talking and acting in ways that don’t mesh with their stated ages, which the show addressed by aging them up a bit.
• danjlaf

  (4/5)

  Re-Reading GOT... Good again as it was before... always like to Re-read a book or series after some time when its a good one
• sjh4255

  (5/5)

  Amazing story of how the Stark family was thrown into a situation they had no interest in being in, and their lives changed for ever because of it. Follows a number of storylines that merge and separate at different times. Some characters you are rooting for, others you can't wait till they are done with.
• kittycunningh-815148

  (3/5)

  Rereading, following watching the HBO series. It's fun to see variations after watching, rather than being annoyed because I remember the book too clearly.
• ssperson_1

  (3/5)

  Through the whole 32-odd hours listening to this book, I went back and forth about how I felt about it. What I came to by the end was that, while well-written, it's just not my cup of tea.
  
  There were things that happened and characters that I liked very much. I pretty much liked all of the Starks, including John Snow (who really is a Stark). I also liked Tyrion Lannister, perhaps because I tend to root for the underdog, but I think that his underdog status gave him a much clearer understanding of reality than many of the other characters had. I had mixed emotions about Daenerys Targaryen, but, in the end, skewed more positive than negative about her. I had to remind myself of how young she is, and how little control she has over her life.
  
  I did not like the violence, the treatment of women, any of the Lannisters other than Tyrion, and the whole "playing the game of thrones" thing. Hence, my decision that this genre is not my thing, since those things I didn't like are kind of de rigueur for the genre.
  
  If you like all the knights/lords/kings/battles/power stuff, this book (and series) will make you happy. If not, stay away. Needless to say, I won't be reading any more of Mr. Martin's work. I may still get the DVDs of the show from the library, just to see if I like them better.
• sarahlh-41506

  (5/5)

  That. Was. Awesome. Enough said.
• sarah220-732610

  (4/5)

  Really compelling story and the HBO series was a great adaptation. The only things that knocked it down a star was the painfully slow/ boring beginning and it's length. Not to be a wimp but it is LONG!
• ma_washigeri

  (3/5)

  And a half star. I'm not sure whether I would have liked the book as much if I hadn't seen the TV series. And I'll never know! However if I hadn't seen the series I would never have started the book - too many pages and too many books to follow. And I'm definitely not going to read part 2.
• octoberdad

  (5/5)

  This was good. Really good. Better than I expected, frankly.
  
  My initial thought is that if it's about anything, A Game of Thrones is about how the folly of youth becomes the folly of adulthood. The sins of the father (and mother and siblings and distant cousins, bastard or otherwise) are visited upon the son (etc.), and all that.
  
  My first favorite character is Arya. Arya reminds me of my younger daughter, who at the age of six leapt out of a tree and beat down a boy larger than her as he was hitting her repeatedly with a stick. (Thankfully, my daughter has not learned how to use a sword.) Arya is courageous, not just because she's a tomboy who prefers gauntlets to thimbles, but because she makes no bones about it. She is the most interesting of the Stark children. I will admit I was much dismayed when there was like 200 pages where she didn't appear. I actually flipped ahead to make sure there was at least one more section/chapter focusing on her. And I never flip ahead in books (well, almost never, apparently...).
  
  My second favorite character is Tyrion. His clarity and candor are awesome, and I think both of those characteristics point to a deeper genuineness that nobody else in the book — even Eddard, perhaps especially Eddard — seems to possess. In Tyrion I see not only an earnest enjoyment of life ("I like living" he tells Bronn, perhaps the most honest statement uttered by a character in the book), but a desire to actually make life better — and not only for himself. Yes, Tyrion is an ardent opportunist, and he does not shy from any opportunity to better his situation; however, he is also an ardent supporter of the win-win situation. The other Lannisters only want to win. Furthermore, Tyrion's design for Bran's saddle is perhaps the only truly selfless act in the entire book.
  
  I was pleasantly surprised by Eddard at the end, although obviously disappointed by the outcome. His willingness to recognize the situation and do the distasteful thing shows his humanness. To avoid spoilers for that one person who hasn't read it (you know who you are), that's all I'll say about that.
• naleagdeco

  (5/5)

  I was intimidated by its size, but it ended up being surprisingly digestible. Each chapter is incredibly short and indicate a POV switch, which makes for a very well-regulated pacing.
  
  I really enjoyed the variety of characters, and how they were all complex with their own motivations and agendas. For a book that is so heavy in death, it isn't as cheap as a lot of other fantasy where deaths serve only to move the plot forward. That being said, there were a lot of forms of violence that only existed to describe the grittiness of the world, but that's a trope in dark fantasy.
• fliss88_1

  (5/5)

  I took my time reading this, didn't want to rush anything! Must admit, I've already watched the complete series, however this hasn't taken anything away for the book, nor I should think, will it detract from the other books in the series. I actually feel that by knowing the storyline, I've been able to keep track of the large number of characters better.
• arewenotben

  (5/5)

  Interesting to read this after watching the TV series, with a mental picture of all the characters and secnes. The books do add meat to the bones of some of the relationships and drama with a couple of interesting asides and there's plenty of dramatic foreshadowing that would be missed if you weren't aware of the future story.
  
  I don't normally do long books (or the fantasy genre, for that matter) but I couldn't put this down. Looking forward to getting started on the next one shortly.
• artdamnit_reads

  (5/5)

  I finished the book and started the second one immediately after. I am very angry at myself for getting sucked into an epic series with pretty much no end in sight (there are 7 books! 7! and only four out with a 5th one out soon..it’s like Harry Potter and the Dark Tower series all over again!! ahhhhh!)
  
  but
  
  it was sooooooo good. As i said early i tend to hop on the bandwagon late, i didn’t get into Harry Potter until the 4th book was about to come out when i was in 6th grade. I got into the Dark Tower series after the 4th book came out (granted i was a little young for those to begin with, i think i was 12 when i read the first 4) and it took 9 books before i started to read the Sookie Stackhouse series last year.
  
  but
  
  I loved A Game of Thrones. I warmed toward Sansa ( a little) towards the end. Tyrion and Arya are my favorites, Littlefinger is an uber creep and pretty much every one but Tyrion and the Starks are insane. I love it. And that final chapter on Daenerys was AMAZING!! The writing and the visuals were breathtaking!
  
  I’m sooo excited to keep reading!!
  
  and on that note…i’m gonna go and read! lol
  
  Happy Readings
  
  <3 The Book Worm
• billycongo

  (4/5)

  Saw the show, then read the book, and then it was no longer necessary to see the show. The show is not really adding anything other than lots of nudity. The book is really good despite all the hype.
• martensgirl

  (4/5)

  Having avoided the TV series, I finally got round to reading the book in order to see what all the fuss is about. Martin's endless list of characters and depth of the world he has created is both a blessing and a curse. Everything is described in such detail the book is truly immersive, yet even with the appendix I found it difficult to keep track of all the people and found the geography would have been assisted with a map.