Rating: 
Summary: One of the Best Fantasy Novels in the World
Review: "Winter is coming."
And indeed it is, like it has always done so for eons come and gone. But this time there is a bitter and threatening note in the air after the ruling king of the Seven Kingdoms dies suddenly from a hunting accident. Whether his death was intended or naught, suspicions begin to arise, treason is called for, loyalties are broken, heads roll, and the game of thrones is set into motion. But the oncoming slaughter of winter also heralds another cry among the chaos. It is a deeper, more sinister threat, and has only just begun to rise from the frozen wastes of the north.
Meanwhile, far in the southlands, a brother and sister of the last Targaryens, late heirs to the throne and in exile, make their way slowly northward, bringing with them an army of hundreds and thousands of savages called the Dothrakis. Their goal: to take back the throne of the Seven Kingdoms.
One of the many things I admire and like about Martin is that he is not afraid to kill off his characters, whether main or minor, unlike many authors who often saves the hero who will predictably conquer the darkness and annihilate evil doers.
In A Game of Thrones, George R.R. Martin weaves an intricate tale of court intrigues, treachery, betrayal, and of kings and thrones. There is no such thing as a goody two shoes character or a malevolent lord whose goal is to take over the world in Martin's creation, but only flaws. Flaws and amibition which have shaped and bent his characters into their mold, and ultimately their role in the grand tapestry in the game of thrones.
I thoroughly enjoyed the book A Game of Thrones. George R.R. Martin has an originality and uniqueness that sets him apart from all the authors I have known. I was suspended in awe and anxiety at the end of not just a few chapters, and the intrigues and betrayals kept me unearthing the truth behind lies. A Game of Thrones is a book which will make you say, `Wow. That was brilliant!' when you finish the last page
Rating: 
Summary: Where's the action!!!!1
Review: 1) I like books that have some action in them, If you want to read action you better just skip to the 2nd book.
2) If you like to read about wizards buy a different book.
3) If you like any fantasy buy a different book.
Rating:
Summary: Great Read
Review: After both reading this book and the it's detracting reviews, I was quite surpirsed. The majority of people who gave the book three or more stars seemed to enjoy the pace of the book and it's characters. However, those who strongly disliked the book seemed to have the same arguements (1)Too much gratuitous sex (2)Sex with minors (3) Incest (4) No driving protagonist (5) No clear plot resolution (6) Too Boring
While all of these seem valid arguements, they seem to disreguard the very motive of Martin's work. I don't mean to speak for him, but I also feel that those who speak against his work have the wrong idea. For example, if anyone has ever picked up a history book, they would've realized that SEX HAPPENS! It was (and is) a fundemental part of society. During the middle ages it was all the more important because sex meant heirs and laborers. While this seems *ghasp* awful to some people, the truth is that it happened, and at the time the reasons seemed completely plausable. I am in no way excusing this behavior, but I think it is important to note the fact that Martin's world in many ways, mirrors the Medieval world. By the same token I also beleive that this book isn't for kids, and agree with the fact that some of the scenes might be a bit too descriptive. But Martin is a writer, it's his job to describe things to us, it's not his fault because he did a good job.
Speaking about lack of a clear protagonist I would say IT'S ABOUT TIME! All those who detract from this book claim that you can't root for either side because each is as bad as the other. Well WELCOME TO REALITY! For once their is no brawny knight on a white steed to save the day. Martin's characters are REAL. They fight for their own gain, for revenge, and for lust of power...*surprise* just like real people!!!
And as to those who say it's boring...that may be, but sometimes I like to watch a game of political chess than see two huge armies hack each other to pieces, but hey, that's just me.
So to all those who didn't like A Game of Thrones, I understand that not all books are not for everyone, and maybe I'm even caught up in the book's mass populartiy, but I think you should still critique a book based on it's merit as a work on it's own, and not judge it by other means. So, if you want to read a real novel about psuedo-medieval times and political intrigue, then by all means read this book. If not you can read a romance novel, where there is a clear protagonist and you can feel closure when the book ends by the brawny man sweeping the little innocent woman onto a white horse and riding off into the sunset to live happily ever after.
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Summary: what else can I say?
Review: First off, I have never felt so strongly about a fantasy book to write a review. As many people here can relate, I was becomming tired of the predictable fantasy crap comming out that was just clones of eachother. But people kept telling me to read this series, but I put it off. And finally I picked up "A Game Of Thrones." Ok, at first, I didn't like the book. With so many names and houses and kingdoms, it was kinda confusing. It was alot to take in at first, but after maby 100 pages I was hooked and can now say that this is, by far, the best fantasy series I have ever read. The book is a rare gem and you are truly missing out if you don't read this. Pick it up, you will NOT be sorry.
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Summary: Fantasy literature evolves....
Review: Honestly, I think I've identified those readers that may not like this series. If you're exclusively into adventure fantasy or those stories where heavy emphasis is set on the bad guy getting his while the good guy prevails, then you might not like A Song of Ice and Fire. If you're a fantasy action buff, and must read about characters getting their asses handed to them or killed in virtually every chapter, then this series might not be for you.
There's fighting in these books. There's conflict and war. But all of it is precipitated by clever, underhanded, and somewhat complicated family and courtroom politics. In a Song of Ice and Fire - and unlike some other fantasy novels - war isn't provoked by a mad man's irrational desire for global conquest and potential heroes aren't molded as a result of this.
There are no great, flashy heroes or fantastic villains. What you have are gray pieces set on one big game board; pieces that move in subtle fashion according to the whims of their masters and conspirators. These moves are planned surreptitiously, leaving the reader wondering what will happen next. That's one of the reasons why some people may find the books to be boring --- because the schemes orchestrated by the characters in the book intentionally leave their reader's, as well as the other characters in the story, in the dark until it's almost too late. If you want to read a book where you know everything that's going to happen next, where you can pat yourself on the back for being able to understand/realize examples of cunning that any 12-year-old can decipher beforehand, then skip this series.
If you want to appreciate true levels of canniness, subtlety, and wit that would make any drow of Menzoberranzan blush, then pick these books up.
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Summary: Not the same old Fantasy Story
Review: If you are worn out with the typical fantasy story, but find yourself going back to the genre because you like the whole good vs evil thing, this book will be a pleasant suprise for you!. If however you are easily offended, some of the laguage and sexual content may put you off. Let me reiterate, this is not a book for your kids. This is a book that keeps you guessing, people die, good guys, bad guys and pets. This is just the begginning of a very long and uncompleted story, but a very rewarding read.If you want something different,that still has swords, horses, politics, love, hate and hope, try this one on for size!
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Summary: Best series ever!
Review: Ive read hundreds of fantasy books and A game of Thrones is my favorite series ever. Characters are complex and unpredictable. Rich and believable world. Wonderful!
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Summary: Excellent Adult Fantasy
Review: Let me offer a sort of meta-review.
A lot of the reviews offered here are of course quite glowing. GRRM is doing something very right for a large number of readers.
And of course there are dissenters. Which isn't really a bad thing. GRRM by, creating a novel that bucks many trends of the genre, will of course turn off a number of readers. Reading the many good reviews here will probably give you a good idea of whether you will be among those turned off.
I think some of the negative opinions go a bit too far however. Some people find it hard to just say that they didn't like something and instead have to wrap things up as somehow being categorically or definitionally wrong. For example some might claim that this is just erotica or that the author is trying to shock us with gratuitious sex. Given the number of people who found a lot more than sex (I barely noticed what offended quite a number of people for example) I think it's safe to say that this is a taste issue, not a fundamental flaw.
There are some reviews saying that little happens in this book. That can be said of all fiction however. Authors are forced to create subconflicts that only result in greater subconflicts before getting to true resolutions in a climax. Look at the LotR too closely and you might just notice that the whole story can be summed up: two hobbits take a ring from point A to point B (the whole Aragorn thing is just a ruse TBH, at least if you want to look at the story from a very critical angle). It's the details that make epic fantasy work and IMO GRRM pulls these off fantastically -- others just disagree.
Some will claim that the characters are not sympathetic or are stupid. Certainly that will be an issue for some. In deciding to buy this book or not you will have to juxtapose that with those reviews written by many who enjoyed more ambiguous chracterization. Some like it, some don't. Others claim that the characters are rip-offs of other work. I find that hard to justify but maybe that is true for some people. If you read enough stories you'll almost always find a character that looks like any given other character. I've read a lot of fiction and I have to say that I didn't feel that was an issue at all.
You can't read reviews, especially for a unique series like this, just to see if people or like or dislike the book. Moreover it's important to see why people do and don't like this series.
-Do you mind sex in your fiction? Sex that is considered immoral? Graphic descriptions of sex?
-Do you find it difficult to identify with characters who screw up and aren't easy to qualify as good or bad?
-Would the death of a character you really liked upset you too much to enjoy a novel?
-Is the destination of a novel more important to you than the journey? Would you find it hard to enjoy a book that doesn't provide a strong resolution? Is waiting 5+ years for the next book in a series too long for you?
-Do you greatly prefer fantasy that is chock full of the fantastic?
-Do you prefer heroic acts to intrigue, subterfuge, etc.?
-Do you prefer a single or only a few points of view? Would having dozens of active characters distract you too much to enjoy a book?
If you answer yes to those then this may not be the series for you. And that's fine.
However I suspect that a lot of us read a laundry list like this and get excited. And even more of us find that they really like the invigoration that such changes can bring. I wouldn't have thought that I would like a series that was willing to kill off characters so easily and I was happy to find out just how wrong I was. So if you the list above doesn't turn you completely off -- then I'd heartily reccommend this series.
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Summary: A True Masterpiece!
Review: Mr. Martin has woven an unforgettable tale of political intrigue and military action that had me clamoring for more at its conclusion. To say that this book is a great fantasy novel is an injustice: Game of Thrones is one of the tightest and most rewarding stories I have read in any genre in many years.The story, in brief, focuses on different ruling houses, most notably the Starks who rule in the ever-winter North. Through some wonderful prose, Martin fills in the reader on the history of the Starks as the book's story unfolds. Each of Martin's chapters are named for a character and the perspective shifts from character to character as the chapters shift. Martin does this, however, while advancing the story at a great lively pace. You might think that a book from different perspectives (by perspective I still mean the third person, its just that the chapter looks at events through a certain person's eyes) would be slow and repeat events. Martin is too craftly to slow his story one bit. And what a story it is! Here you have it all! Intrigue, battles, a foreboding of evil to come, magic, and best of all: Characters that are real! No cookie cutter characters in this book. Characters are complex and show many different sides. The bad guys (and its not that easy to pick them out) are smart and anticipate. (some writers, Martin not one of them, can't write villians without making it clear that the person isn't just bad, he's "evil" No such clear lines in this one, folks.)This one is a true masterpiece of the genre. A Must Read for those of you yearning for a challenging, well plotted tale of the grasp for the throne and for survival.
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Summary: Fantasy for the non-fantasy reader
Review: My husband, an avid fantasy reader, has tried for years to get me interested in the genre. One evening when I was desperate for something to read, he handed me this book and begged me to give it a chance. I was hooked from page one! The writing is exceptional, and the characters--especially the women--are well developed. What strikes me most about Martin's work is that it is brutally honest and the characters act and think like real people...they don't seem at all like the stereotypical "heroes" I've encountered in other books. One word of caution to those who don't read a lot of fantasy, be sure to give yourself a few chapters to get into this book. Until I figured out how this world worked I found myself confused a lot, and I kept having to ask my husband to clarify certain points. Once I "got it" though, I had no trouble reading. This book (and entire series) is so amazing it transcends genre and can appeal to any reader.
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