Rating: 
Summary: Fantasy simply at it's best
Review: I can understand why people don't like these books. Oh my gosh, are they graphic. Women are raped constantly, men are tortured without mercy, the innocent are put to the sword, and the bad guys seem to always win. And do you know what? Its totally awesome. Yes, you're lulled into thinking that the Starks will win eventually, and you're baited into thinking that it'll be like all the other fantasy that you've read where you're taken to the point of defeat and - behold...from the sky...a harbinger of hope has arrived! But it doesn't happen. And that's what makes it so great. You're fooled, and you'll hate it, but you won't stop reading it. Regardless, even though Martin is not sentimental about his characters (although you may be, sheep that you are), there remains the hope that everything will be okay, so you keep reading. Don't be fooled by other reviews. Not that many major characters get killed here, 2 at the most. You'll get over it and love it. You'll only not like it if you're offended by graphic violence and swear words. And if you are, please read Harry Potter. I hear he always comes out on top, his friends never die, and the magic of love prevails always. The rest of us will revel in the sweet subtely of Martin's writing. And let's not forget The Imp. Always The Imp.
Rating:
Summary: Simply the Best....
Review: There is not much I can say about Game of Thrones other than that it was one of the best books I have ever written. I do not read much Fantasy. I love Lord of the Rings and the first Six Dragon's Lance. I enjoyed Wheel of Time up until the 4 book, but gave up on it...too long without an end in site. With that in mind, again Game of Thrones was an awesome read. I recommend this book highly, and I can not wait to finish the series
Rating:
Summary: Redefining Epic Fantasy
Review: Before I read this book, I thought Terry Goodkind's Sword of Truth and Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time were the best epic fantasy got. When my friend told me to read this, he told me it was not what I would expect. He was right. Mr. Martin's masterpiece is set in a world much like our own. People with all powerful magic, that can do anything they want do not dominate the scene. Instead, realistic characters combine with events and ideas just slightly impossible to create a truly unique and amazing piece of literature. The result truly does redefine Epic Fantasy. Instead of one strong main character, who is more powerful than anyone else and tries to save the world, this book has people fighting other people, no different from them, for dominance of there world. His multitude of main characters enables him to tell the story from the view points of many different people, each with a different take on a situation.
Once I started reading this book I literally could not put it down. The size of the book may lead potential readers to believe there is a lot of fluff in this book. They are dead wrong. This book is action packed from start to finish, and leaves you waiting for more. Though some may complain Mr. Martin does not have enough imagination to create a fantasy world that seems real, I believe his world requires MORE imagination than those of Mr. Goodkind or Mr. Jordan. In Mr. Martin's world, nothing can be explained as happening by magic. Everything must be well thought out and planned. It is this precision that makes this book what it is. Mr. Martin truly does return epic fantasy to the level of J.R.R. Tolkein, a feat long thought impossible.
Rating:
Summary: Applause for A GAME OF THRONES
Review: I was pretty blown away by this book. A wonderful book filled with reality mixed with fantasy. Some parts in this book are crudely real as to how the kingdoms were ran and the game of thrones was played. Each character is not all good or all bad, they have a collage of both, like most people do. Magic and fantasy creatures do not play as much of a part in the first two books. The third book has more fantasy, however the reality in this book and the second one is gripping. I COULD NOT PUT THIS BOOK DOWN! It takes alot to capture and hold my attention. You never know what is going to happen. If you have read and enjoyed the "Wheel of Time" you most likely will enjoy this series.
Rating:
Summary: A different kind of Fantasy
Review: Having brushed into this universe with the the prologal story
"The Hedge Knight" from the Legends compilation volume, I had different expectations about this book than what I actually encountered. This does not mean I was disappointed. The ruling house that we encountered in "The Hedge Knight" has been deposed with extreme predjudice, and is now all but extinct, fifteen years after the overthrow. The steward of the new king has died, and he comes north to ask his best friend to become the new steward. After an intense prologue where we are introduced to the NightWatch (and some of the reasons why they have to watch) we are then lead into the main body of the story, which starts off with a nightwatch Deserter being beheaded.
What is interesting about this book and hopefully its successors, is that there is no quest. The author is merely telling a story. There is no predictable goal that will lead us to the "good-guys win/bad-guys lose" conclusion. The story is made of more mundane challenges and intrigues. This gives it an element of realism that makes it almost drama instead of fantasy. I do not think that the author could have pulled it off, if he had not written each chapter as the point of view of an individual character, each chapter having the view-point of a different character. The only thing that I did not care for was the emphasis that he placed on sex. The story has that through out. Most of the fantasy that I like places little emphasis upon that aspect of human life. However, Mr. Martin does this in a realistic fashion, and the manner in which he describes sex fits the story and makes the characters more realistic. They way he brings mating into the story adds an Arthurian element to the tale. The only complaint left to me then is the number of characters from whose point of view he tells the story. Given that this shift is essential to the way the story is written, that is a small complaint. This story is overall an excellent departure from the quest based fantasy with which I am more familiar. Mr. Martin said that he wanted to write this as historical fiction of a fictious fantasy world. He has done that in this book.
Rating:
Summary: In a class by itself
Review: I've read a few reviews comparing this series to Goodkind and Jordan's and to be quite honest - there really is no comparison. I've read (and enjoyed) books from both these authors, but quite frankly Martin blows these guys away. In fact I'm having quite a hard time finding something to read while I await the next book in this series. In my opinion, Martin has really raised the bar as to what an epic fantasy series should be.
Don't let the size of these books lead you into believing that there is a lot of fluff. As you come to the end of one of these books you'll be wishing for a few hundred more pages.
Buy these books and enyoy - just make sure you read the other books on your list first because this is a tough act to follow.
Rating:
Summary: Not your average fantasy series...not by far!!!!
Review: Martin Surpasses ALL fantasy writers I have read (and I've read a LOT, including the Big Three: Tolkien, Jordan, and Goodkind...)This series is the tightest, most intelligent and captivating I have ever read. Martin breathes a new sense of literary integrity into what had become a dry and predictible genre. If you love great plots, multi-dimentional and unconventional characters, realistic imagery and dialog, and seamless storytelling, READ THIS SERIES! I don't care what "genre" you like, this will make a fan out of you. It's not just great fantasy... it's great Writing, period.
This books sets the stage for what becomes a whirlwind of factions, intrigues, and betrayals. The characters are mostly shades of grey, there is no real "hero" and characters are developed regardless of which side of the fence they're on (actually, there are many sides, and they keep changing!) And don't get too attached, 'cause Martin has no qualms in dispatching characters, even main ones, for the sake of the story. The great thing about this series is that you know that no matter what, the story always takes precedence over the characters, and that's what makes him a truly great story-teller.
Another refreshing aspect of this series is the limited and subtle use of magic and "supernatural' elements. Magic, or the ability to weild it, is not thrown about like some "sixth sense" or cure all. It retains its mystery, and because of that is saved from becoming mundane. There are some dragons, but the entire aproach to this typical fantasy staple is unique and in keeping with the reality of the world Martin has created.
I think fantasy authors everywhere have a new benchmark to work up to, and I hope this will raise the standard of fantasy writing for a long while. Does it get any better than this? I almost feel guilty reading this series, it's so good. I am wringing my hands in anticipation of the next installment!
(One word of caution to those with more prudish sensibilities. The second and third of the series does contain a lot of explicit sex and language. Some think it is in keeping with the integrity of the stories, some believe it is gratuitous and uneccessary. I personaly do not care for explicit scenes in any story, but I feel that it is worth wading through a little mud to get to the gem of a story told in this series.)
Rating:
Summary: My new #1 FAVORITE book!!!!
Review: Ok...first of all, I hate "Fantasy" books. I read The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings when I was 7, loved them, have re-read them numerous times, and that was enough Fantasy for me. I cringe at the mention of Elves, Fairys, Trolls, etc. Harry Potter gave me my fill of that stuff. (I love the Potter books, so there ARE exceptions.....). I was pretty much dared to read A Game of Thrones after I posted a review of Legends, an anthology that had a short story by George R.R. Martin. I loved that story, but wrote that I wouldn't try his Song of Ice & Fire books because I hate Fantasy. I received an e-mail urging me to give it a try, so I did (Thanks Buddy, wherever you are!), and here I am.....I have to re-write my "About Myself" profile to include the fact that A Game of Thrones is (my new) all-time favorite book! Martin sets his story in the Seven Kingdoms, which are ruled by one King, but have many different Lords and Houses; all of which dwell under a very fragile peace. Needless to say, that peace doesn't last long, and betrayal, incest, murder, and revenge become the orders of the day. The narrative unfolds from numerous perspectives, among them: Lord Eddard Stark, Lord of Winterfell, who is pressed into
service as the Hand of the King, who he helped win the
crown.
His Wife, The Lady Catelyn Stark; who proves herself to be
every bit as tough and resourceful as her Husband.
Their Children Bran, Arya, and Sansa, as well as Eddard's
Bastard son, Jon Snow- The children all have their own
stories to tell, as tragic, and often horrific, events
send them in their own seperate directions, to face
their own destinies.
Daenyris Stormborn, the last heir of the former king; we
follow her truly tragic quest as she transforms from a
sad little girl who just wants to go home into a
steely-willed young woman, determined to become a
Queen. The book is populated by, literally, HUNDREDS of characters. I admit that, at first, it was somewhat hard to keep track of who was who. But Martin's writing is so brilliant that after a while you can rattle off these characters and their histories without missing a beat. It takes a truly gifted writer to craft an epic, and Martin is one of those who has pulled it off. There were moments where I wanted to cry, or cheer, or yell "look out!!" The plot twists were truly TWISTS; I didn't see them coming a mile off, as in most stories. I can practically guarantee that if you give this book a try, you'll love it. I'm already well into Book Two, A Clash of Kings.
And it's looking like it'll top book one......
Rating:
Summary: A book definitely worth your time!!
Review: I had never read any fantasy before until a friend of mine got me hooked on this series. All I can say is that since 1996 I have been waiting patiently for each book to come out. It is great to see how everything comes together in the later two books. Goerge R. R. Martin is an innovater in Fastasy novels. I have read others since then and none of the others compare.
Rating:
Summary: Get ready to get involved!
Review: First of all, I can't believe the number of poor reviews this book, or the series for that matter, has received. I recently finished the third book in the series, "Storm of Swords", and can't wait for the next installment.
That said, "Game of Thrones" re-introduced me to the fantasy genre. The writing style is superb, if a little non-linear. You really have to pay attention to what's going on since each chapter is written from a different character's perspective, as well as at somewhat different points in the timeline. But, I find that as part of the draw of the books for me. Also, don't get too attached to any one character, they tend do die with swift brutality and without warning (for the most part).
This, the first installment of the Song of Ice and Fire, reads as almost purely midevil, yet it foreshadows the wild magics to come.
Comparisons to Tolkien? I think not. But I think this series has the potential for greatness in its own right. At three installments (some reviewers have stated there will be six?) it's been a great ride so far; but, the proof will be in the reading, que no?
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