Rating: 
Summary: A very fine pulp fantasy of our age.
Review: "The Song of Fire and Ice" series is not for everyone, especially those who cling to the Tolkien model as the only appropriate approach to the genre. Nor will it do much for the Salvatore set, or the frothing hoards of Robert Jordan devotees. Martin takes a very different approach here, one that relies on the reader wanting to be defied and challenged by events and characters and on the reader's indulgence for moral ambiguity.There are very few characters in this book who can be called objectively evil. No evil sorcerers in black towers wringing their hands and enslaving his subjects. No glittering pure heroes destined to triumph. And absolutely no status quo. Characters speak and act like real people, with conflicting motivations and subjective morality, and without the common deux ex machina overtly saving the day. The books are also very heavy on court politics and intruige, very light on outright action. Readers should know that going in. Most of the violence is closely tied to the politics, with large-scale battles ocurring offscreen. Readers who thrive on books that move from battle to battle might be put off. In sum, these are fantasy books like no other. This is not to disparage other pulp fantasy writers, like Salvatore and Jordan, who have great chops and excel at their own version of the craft. I also don't want to draw the usual comparisons to Tolkien, which isn't really accurate at all. Martin and Tolkien have almost nothing in common apart from the fact that they are both writers. Their styles couldn't be more different, and the stories they both tell have almost nothing in common. Middle Earth is a world of absolutes, of identifiable good vs. identifiable evil, whereas Martin's is a place where there are no easily pegged absolutes. That said, Martin is a master stylist, with a firm grip on his characters and a great story to tell. The only downside to jumping on the train is the 2-3 year wait in between books. The quality of the books, however, make the wait worthwhile.
Rating: 
Summary: Draws you in but doesn't satisfy
Review: Beware of this book, and the series beyond it! I was drawn in by the richly drawn world and characters that seemed interesting. Although events didn't seem to be unfolding as I had hoped, I kept reading, hoping that something would turn out right in the end. Midway through the third book in the series, I wish I had never started. Basically, the books are no fun to read because the good guys get the stuffing kicked out of them. Several major characters that one has grown fond of die to no purpose, and nobody avenges them. Worse, they die stupidly, from things they should have seen coming. I don't read books like this to end up feeling bad, and I hope you don't either.
Rating:
Summary: Easily the greatest fantasy book ever written!
Review: Let me begin by saying that A Game of Thrones is the best fantasy book to every grace the genre and A Song of Ice and Fire is the best fantasy series ever, easily surpassing Lord of the Rings. What makes this series so good is that Martin combines fantastic world-building with grity realism of both plot and human nature. This is not a simple tale of sword and socery, and it doesn't have the heroic flare like the story of Frodo. It is an incredible tapestry of jealousy and hatred, incest and murder, knights and ladies, kings and soldiers. And instead of focusing on seperation of good and evil like many fantasy series, there are no black and white characters, only grays. Each character is so fully developed, it pulls you into their world never let you go. The dialouges are some of the best ever as well as the usage of the English language. By the time you finish this book, you will realize how realistic it is. In this book, there are no exaggerations. There are no magical ring that corrupts you, no evil wizards, no ... characters created just to force the meaning of evil upon you. None of that exists. The only evil is the human heart. The malice of it, and its the will to suceed no matter what. And if you think good guys win in real life, Martin brings you back to the terrifying reality that victory goes to those who is sly, cunning, and sometimes those that possesses the coldest of hearts. Honesty and trust does not always brings you happiness, but sometimes acts as your grim reaper. This is a direct parallel to world we live in. Every teenager should read this book. Through it, they will see what the real world is like, especially in a age where kids uses taunts and punches more than their brain. A masterpiece for the ages.
Rating: 
Summary: Good, but not quite fantasy
Review: What this novel lacks, that most fantasy novels have, is the sense of Romantic fiction. Romantic fiction tries to present a world, and characters, that are more pure, larger, and more dramatic, than the real world. You have villains that are worse than realistic, and heroes that might have flaws, but still with stronger motivations, and more passion, than you find in the real world. It's an entire way of writing, it's called Romantic fiction, and that's what nearly all fantasy delivers. Then, of course, fantasy adds in dragons and magic, and things like that, in some degree, to be called "fantasy". But it's the Romantic aspect I come to fantasy for. I don't want realistic. I know the real medieval period had plenty of incest, marriages at the age of 13, rape, gang rape, wanton death, gore, etc. I don't care about the real medieval period. It's gross, and I'm plenty glad I don't live then, and I don't want to read about it. It's like reading about cancer. Cancer is realistic, but it's still gross and no one wants to curl up with a big book about cancer. Ditto for Martin's "fantasy" world. As a critic, I'm still giving it 4 stars. If you're forewarned, and know you're going to read a quasi-realistic medieval "historical fiction", basically earth with the names changed and a dash of magic coming someday, there's some stuff here to appreciate. Also, be warned that a lot in here is disgusting, and the only excuse going is that it's realistic. It is, but be warned. If you know all that, and the book sounds like something you want, go ahead. But it is not fantasy, and it should not be billed as fantasy. I came to it looking for "the next big thing" in fantasy, and I was basically lied to.
Rating:
Summary: Not that the book needs another positive review...
Review: It took me three attempts to get through Game of Thrones. I'd heard enough compelling reviews that I felt like I should read it, but it does take some time before the plot starts unfolding and truly engaging the reader. On my third attempt, I was totally in love with the atypical fantasy world that Martin had created. He seems to have taken some cues from Asian "fantasy" writers (e.g., Romance of the Three Kingdoms and The Water Margin/Outlaws of the Marsh) in structuring the scope of his story, but has brilliantly succeeded not only at constructing an epic among epics in terms of plotting and ingenious plot twists, but also depth of characterization, and readability-- the series staunchly avoids repetition or 'recaps,' and the characters are without excpetion dynamic. Throughout the series, the story shifts between more than a dozen narrators, man and woman, young and old. And almost without exception, they have intriguing tales to tell. That in itself is an enormous accomplishment, as most other contemporary fantasy novels tend to have both compelling narrators and some who simply get on readers' nerves-- Robert Jordan springs to mind, as he long since seems to have lacked anything new to say. Having read the first three installments (around three thousand pages), I've been impressed by the lack of dull moments in the course of the series. I'm always excited to pick up the narrators' stories, yet always disappointed when a chapter ends. The only exception is the tale of an exile princess attempting to build an army on another continent-- the only character not in the immediate fray, and whose story is more in a stereotypically fantasy mode. The world Martin has constructed is not your usual fantasy world. Although populated by people who love idealistic tales of heroism and valor, just like the rest of us, they find the reality to be far different, and far more brutal. And perhaps most importantly, the line between heroism and villainy is never as clear-cut as anyone would hope. Best of all, Martin has an incredible gift for turning the tables on the reader without ever seeming manipulative, and for developing characters to the point where the reader is forced to rethink his own opinion of each individual. The series might not mean that the genre finally earns the attention it deserves, but I'm confident that there are many readers out there who will be spellbound by the author's magnificent achievement. And rightly so.
Rating:
Summary: Please don't listen to the moron who hates this book.
Review: This series is incredible! Contrary to what that other person thinks, the characters are beliveable, and the violence is not horror movie-ish. Martin has created a fully realized universe that makes Jordan look like Danielle Steel. The use of magic is not outrageous or overdone, it actually seems quite plausible. Yes there are dragons, but they don't speak, and are not an essential element to the story. (at least not in this book!) To summarize, please don't let that other review sway your opinion. Give this series a shot, I promise it's worth it.
Rating:
Summary: Highly recommended fantasy series
Review: This is easily among the better series on the market. More detailed and grittier than Terry Brooks (who I also generally recommend) and far more multi-dimensional than Jordan's typical fare (which gets a lower recommendation for one-dimensional characters). Martin's characters are believable and well-developed, his world here has a sense of impending danger that builds masterfully, and his writing keeps you guessing...and surprises you in ways that you may not always like. There is no formula here. The only things that irk me just a little are the lack of an alpahbetic glossary (the listings he includes are not alphabetical and not particularly helpful), and his tendency to end every book with a "to be continued" ending. Since it's taken him four years to produce his fourth installment (judging from the copyright date of the third), I would appreciate a conclusion to the current storylines. The good news, if you're just picking up the first, is that there are some 4,000 pages of story waiting for you, including the soon-to-be-released fourth novel. I highly recommend this to anyone who is a fan of fantasy novels.
Rating:
Summary: The best of the best!
Review: Out of the blue I picked up this novel. I had no expectations and wasn't familiar with the author. This book blew me away! I don't like long epic series that read like the author is being paid by the word. This novel, the enitre series in fact, is incredibly intricate and very well written. The characters are complex and easy to identify with, the plot is deep and very well thought out, and you just can't put the thing down. I have lent this book to friends and family who don't usually read the Fantasy genre, who prefer Sci-Fi or Fiction, and every one of them has agreed that this is an excellent series and has thouroughly enjoyed it. I would put Martin up there with Frank Herbert. This book/series tops my list.....You'd be a fool to pass it by.
Rating:
Summary: The Best Epic Fantasy Series Out There!!
Review: This is the best epic serious fantasy series out there by far. Gets away from the cookie-cutter books of Brooks, Eddings and Goodkind, which are quick fun reads. Martin keeps your intrest unlike the endless Jordan Wheel of Time series, which I have temporarily given up on. This series is very original. And each book is better than the last. Lots of political intrique where the magic is very little at first, increasing as the books go on. Great characters and multi-storylines merging into one big showdown. Only problem is the series is not comlete. Only 3 of 6 are written, book 4 A Feast For Crows constantly being delayed. Mr. Martins website does update and has a sample Arya chapter from book 4. READ IT. In the meantime if you want a series that is complete and very good. I reccomend Memory Sorrw and Thorn trilogy by Tad Williams. Book one being The DragonBone Chair. Not quite on par with Martin. But very enjoyable none the less. Martin is gritty, graphic and realistic.Major characters do die! You will loathe villains in one chapter and be cheering for them in the next. I.E Tyrion and Jamie. Two of my favorites. Please read you will love!
Rating:
Summary: WOW!
Review: oh my gosh, this book couldn't have been any better. A little much on the whore aspect of the world, but over all I simply couldn't put it down. I've personally just finished the third in this series about 5 min ago. I am torn into 10 different people trying to understand motives, feeling sorrow for the Stark family, and joy for the few characters whose lives aren't being turned into horror and terror. I love the way Martin creates the world through the character's eyes. Each chapter is in the view of one of the characters and you really feel like you are those characters and learn the most of the world through this strategy. It's simply amazing.
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