Rating: 
Summary: So glad I found it
Review: Sometimes you read so many books that you consider to be good that you forget the feeling that overwhelms you when you read one that is truly wonderful. And then, when you find a wonderful one, you wonder what makes it so, what sets it apart from those that are just "good." I wasn't more than fifty or so pages into *A Game of Thrones* when I started wondering that very thing.And then I got to a certain chapter and fully realized why. In this case there are so many components. The most important one, however, is that it makes you feel. Strongly. I was reading the aforementioned chapter and it occurred to me that my stomach was tense, that I was grinding my teeth, that I hated a character so passionately that I could physically feel it. That this novel had roused such an emotion, well, suffice it to say, I hadn't felt that for quite some time with the novels I had been reading. I loved it. The next component is one of equal importance. Martin is admirably adept at handling language. His prose is beautiful and evocative and always right on. This novel is one even a discriminating "literary" reader could pick up and find him or herself awed by. So many times I found myself almost unwilling to go on with my reading. I was afraid to find out what was going to happen next. Nothing is as it should be or even how you imagine it could be. And yet it is completely unimaginable to stop. I just had to know what was going to happen next. I have to say, I had been disappointed by some of the fantasy recommended on this site before, but this one makes up for them all.
Rating:
Summary: Quite Possibly the Best Novel that I've ever Read
Review: "A Game of Thrones" is a book that makes you realize why you read fiction in the first place. This is not only what is probably the best fantasy novel that I've ever read but one of the greatest novels in fiction. This is the first book in "A Song of Ice and Fire" series, a projected six book epic fantasy. This awesome fantasy has absolutely no quests and the plot doesn't center around magic. If that's the case, why is it a fantasy novel? Aren't fantasy novels supposed to center around quests and magic? The answer for the latter is the that that was true until George R.R. Martin came around. George R.R. Martin is an author of many books, a lot which are unfortunately out of print. "A Game of Thrones" is, as said above, unlike any normal fantasy novel. It centers around politics and war these two components to this extoadinary novel make for tons and tons of suspense. The plot of his fantasy novel is awesome. The Seven Kingdoms of Westeros has many big houses, or families, and man are rivals against the Lannisters. After an opening of some strange events, the Lannisters are on the brink of war mainly with the Tullys and the Starks (probably the msot loved house). Across the sea Viserys Targaryen, a direct descendant from Aerys, who lost his throne to Robert Baratheon, has his sister Daenerys wed Khal Drogo so he can get an army and win back the throne for himself. Oh, and may I add that these events only take place in oh, the first 100- 150 pages!? Never have I read a novel that has made keep flipping and flipping pages non-stop. Martin's characters are so believable and you can relate to them so well. It is easy to love the wonderful characters and to loathe the bad ones. Martin has a tendency to make characters reveal the true side to themselves, which makes this novel even more riveting. My favorite character is Lord Eddard Stark's bastard son Jon Snow. I relate to Jon so much and relations with characters like these makes this novel seem very real. George R.R. Martin has a gift to write beautifully and to tell awesome stories. His writing skill will make you turn pages in addition to the plot. "A Game of Thrones" is a fantasy novel that is like no other. I centers on things that make this novl more enjoyable than the regular "sword and sorcery" type fantasy. I recommend this novel to a fantasy fan that is looking for a great new voice in the genre. This is absolutely recommeded. Happy Reading!
Rating: 
Summary: It's okay, but not much more
Review: Let me start of by saying the following: I have read Tolkein, I have read War & Peace, I have read Goblet of Fire, I have read the entire Patrick O'Brien Aubrey/Mataurin series. In other words, big books don't scare me, nor do long tales. This said, I doubt I will follow up this series. There is not inherently bad to AGOT. The writing is decent, if not exciting (don't worry -- you will NEVER need a dictionary for this book). The characters are fine as far as they go, but they tend to be archtypical rather than fully-drawn. There are a LOT of characters, probably on par with a Charles Dickens novel, though none are as memorable with the possible exception of The Imp. There is a grittiness to the book that is good in a world where we have had too many happy fantasy novels, but I'm not sure the author has done anything with this world /besides/ making it gritty. The book (and probably the series) seems to be inspired by the Wars of the Roses. Stark = York, Lannister = Lancaster, a shaky crown in jeopardy, arguements that go back over generations supposedly, but are primarily based on who-killed-whom-recently. This is fine turf to start with. G.G. Kay has done wonders with the history-disguised-as-fantasy style of writing; this book in no way compares, however, to Tigana or Lions of al-Rassan. There is a lot of background history to AGOT, but it is handled in a clumsy manner -- a common ploy is to have two characters will suddenly start talking about past events even though the conversation has nothing to do with their previous conversation or actions. AGOT is not bad. It is far from brilliant. It is an average book, just there is a lot to it. This is a trend with a lot of fantasy (see Jordan & Rawn for other examples of more-must-be-better). A long book can be a good book; so too can a short book. There are a lot of /details/ in this book, but very little insight or weeding. It is a long history...-soap-opera plot that says nothing higher than people can be very nasty to each other; in the end whoever wins the throne at the end of this series will be no better and no worse than those in the past, if the books background history is to be believed. For all that it is a long book, it is an easy read and not unpleasant. I can't say "stay away", but I can't get worked up over it either, thus the 3 stars. Read it. Or not. Your call.
Rating:
Summary: A Game of Thrones
Review: This is the beginning of a wonderful totally thought out series of adventures. I fell in love with House Stark and have suffered painfully along with the various members of the family. I also look forward for the further happenings to Daenerys. I really care for some of the series going down right now. For this particular Song of Fire and Ice...I hope it does not end soon.
Rating:
Summary: Well done
Review: This is a well written work of Epic fantasy that I enjoyed very much. I have yet to move on to the second and third installments, but I plan to. I know some will complain about this and that, but overall I think its a tribute to the genre.
Rating:
Summary: If you are New to Fantasy READ THIS
Review: I have been reading fantasy for over 10 years and this series is the best I have ever read. If you are new to fantasy, or you are trying to recommend a book for a friend...this book is it. Martin has a knack for mystery, the subplots leave you dazzled and wondering and the intensity of the book is relentless. This is the kind of book you skip class to continue reading. There is one Danger, it is better than Wheel of Time series, and Goodkinds epic. Raymond Feists'and Janny Wurts "Servant of the Empire" have the intensity, but not the mystery. Michelle West's books have the mystery, but no where near the depth (and I love her books) so this book might set your expectations really high. You have been warned.
Rating: 
Summary: Beware....Unreadable
Review: I read this because of the glowing reviews. It took me 3 months to get through this garbage mascarading as book. Not because it's 1,000 pages but because of mindnumbingly boring. In hands of a real writer this would have been 500 page book and possible good. As written it isn't even readable. Nothing happens for hundreds of pages. The only thing to keep you turning pages is the thought something must happen. Characters like Eddard Stark are so one sided they are a joke. Everything that happens is forced. Characters are never rational. Most of the scenes are contrived. The whole off with his head thing is so pathetic. Then I am left wondering what third grader edited the book. Does Martin know how to say anything without thirty layers of nonsense surrounding it? Doubtful...No, oops that's he said doubtfully, anxiously, darkly...Oops no, I meant he spit or should I have said. No Martin wouldn't have. His characters don't say. They swear, admit, spit, snort, echo but they do it quietly, bitterly, sourly, softly, respectfully, happily, breathlessly, calmly, and that's only in the first few pages. Imagines the joyfully, tearfully, fitfully wondrous things to come.
Rating:
Summary: LOL to the people who hate this book!
Review: I think its funny that some of the people who have claimed to read this book and than say like they "heard it all before," etc. To me I think you should read the book before you jump to conclusions about it because first off it tends to make you [look foolish] when you do a review about a book you havn't read. Also if the people who gave this book a bad review could explain exactly why they didn't like it and have it make since. For instance one person said that he couldn't stand all the politics in the book. Well first off I get kind of sick and tired of books that are just sword and sorcery without any form of intellictual thought. Besides this series is more than just about politics, (yet more people that hate this series that need to pick it up). The characters are very realistic as well as the fighting and the knights are much more realistic than the Arthurian legends. Almost all of the knights are the exact oppisite infact which was something that bothered me about Arthurian fantasy litature. I recommend this series to those who are tired of the Sword And Sorcery [stuff] or good always winning.
Rating:
Summary: I've seen it all before...
Review: Perhaps I'll try again, because I've always loved Martin's SF, but when I got bogged down in Chapter 2 of the 700-odd page book, which is itself the first of a series of four, I knew it was time to cut my losses and quit. I just don't have the patience to wade through another multi-volume magnum opus of great families slugging it out as foretold by prophecy. For me, it was a real letdown, yet friends swear by it. I'll give it a neutral 3 stars, as it's unfair to do otherwise for a book I really haven't read.
Rating:
Summary: You will wish this book was longer.
Review: Since it is no longer legal to write a review of any fantasy novel without mentioning him, I'll get it over with... Tolkien. There. I'm done. And I'd just as soon not mention him again, because this is better. Martin takes all the things he did well (Vast, detailed setting, compelling plot, interesting premise), sees them, and raises them the things he did not do so well at all (complex, three-dimensional characters, subtle and realistic antagonists, complex psychological and social interplay). The real strength of this story lies in the depth and richness of its characters. Martin switches viewpoints more frequently than a senator in an election year, but each individual he follows is so interesting and distinct that this habit is pleasant rather than irksome. One certainly has no trouble at all keeping them straight. Each thread-switch is, in fact, greeted with the pleasurable anticipation that we will now find out what happened to so-and-so next. Martin's characters are not only interesting but, rarely enough for this genre, highly believable. Martin has shunned the easy and unrewarding path, so common in fantasy writing, of separating the world into lily-white heroes (yay!) and evil nasty villains (boo!hiss!). Instead, characters behave in believeable ways, for believeable reasons, and it is up to the reader to decide whether we love or hate them. Sometimes, with his most memorable creations, we find ourselves doing both. After following memorable individuals through original and entertaining plot twists over some five hundred pages, one may find that the best thing about this book is that there are currently two sequels, with more on the way. Now why are you still reading this?
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