A Game of Thrones by George R. R. Martin

[Carraka]

The Targaryens first landed in Westeros to conquer, and since they were in possession of the world's only living dragons, bringing seven lands and seven kings to kneel before one throne was relatively easy. But after three centuries, the dragons have died out, and magic in Westeros is largely forgotten. The Targaryens have finally been dethroned, and Robert Baratheon sits on the Iron Throne as the new king.

Lord Eddard Stark helped Baratheon destroy the Targaryens, but fifteen years later, he is living peacefully as a high lord in northern Westeros, teaching a family of five the responsibilities of the noble class in respectful interaction with both commonfolk and criminals. Then comes news: the Hand of the King, Baratheon's closest adviser has died, and there are whispers that the death was not a natural one. Soon Baratheon himself arrives in Ned's lands and asks his childhood friend to accompany him back south as the new adviser. Ned is thrust into a world of suspicion and backstabbing, and he must pit his honesty and integrity against corrupted politics as Westeros again prepares for war.

But the novel is not entirely about Ned, political intrigue, and the craftiness involved in playing the game of thrones. George R. R. Martin ingeniously adds in the point of views of Stark's wife, children, and enemies. Their stories are not so much subplots as individual plots that wind together to create a complex, human story. Each of the eight viewpoint characters has a distinct voice. Martin can convey with equal success the thoughts of a loving and religious mother, a coming-of-age bastard, or a disfigured and stunted man dealing with the rejection of society. This variety of perspectives can shed light on all sides of one argument, adding moral ambiguity, and making it possible for a reader to cheer simultaneously for opposing sides.

The Song of Ice and Fire is shelved and marketed as fantasy, but it also belongs in historical fiction. The series is based loosely on events of medieval history, primarily the War of Roses. Medieval history buffs may find the fictional account fascinating, or become disappointed when they realize that to them, the plot twists will not be twists. I am not a history buff, so I do not know actual extent to which these books are loyal to history.

Martin also makes an effort to be loyal to the way of life in the time period. The medieval times were unforgiving, and this is reflected in Martin's gritty realism. His characters have no qualms stabbing, swearing, urinating, or making love in front of the reader. There is little Tolkienesque mysticality and honor in Westeros, and the book is unabashedly low fantasy. In fact, the only magic in the first book arguably comes at the very beginning and the very end. There are no heroes or villains driven by prophecy. The characters drive themselves, motivated by their needs for survival and power. Readers hoping to escape into a happy world where the main characters use their magical powers to defeat Ultimate Evil can be vastly disappointed. Just as in real life, the characters of Martin's world die, and none of them, even the ones with viewpoints, are protected from the chopping block.

Despite the singing prose, the ambitious worldbuilding of The Game of Thrones makes the first thirty pages difficult to move through. The book sports an appendix with the hundreds of characters that make up the world, but these lists are more useful for leisurely perusal than for helping a reader understand basic relationships. The richness and depth of background story make it necessary to barrage the reader with overwhelming information in the opening chapters. In the beginning, the book may be easy to put down, but once it hooks, it hooks deeply.

So far, only the first four books of George R. R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire have been published--there is a planned total of seven. But this isn't saying much, since the series was first conceived as a trilogy. It has since expanded to epic proportions, and is not immune from the disease of length. The third book was delayed for five years. The fourth book was split into two books, and the fifth book, though promised within the same year as the fourth, at this moment seems to be nowhere near completion. Hard-core fans pray for George R. R. Martin to not go the way of Robert Jordan, and discussion of when the next book will be finished has become a sensitive topic on the author's website. If you don't like to wait for books, don't begin this series until the last one is published.

But I think waiting is half the fun.

So ....

-begin blatant, biased opinion-

If I were to rate all the novels I've ever read on a scale of one to ten, ten being the highest, this series would receive a twenty. Twenty! 20! XX! My second favorite series/book could barely achieve an eight (ten being the best). You've probably heard of my obsession with this series. GRRM is now synonymous with God, and I take every insult against him with unrealistic offense. And if you genuinely dislike these books (after having read them), I cry for two hours and reconsider our relationship. This series justifies the existence of the fantasy genre, and it should be made a mandatory read for every fantasy reader.