I liked the cover art, so I picked it up. George Martin writes quite well, and the first volume seemed to be about a feud between the Starks and the Lannisters. Now, well I have a "Tyrion For King", Tee-shirt. Write, George, Write like the Wind! ( )

Wow. I cannot believe I waited this long to read this book. It thrusts you into such a convincing world and story line rich with deep characters. I had a very hard time putting it down.

I immediately ordered the television series and now have the second book in hand. I cannot wait to start it! ( )

This #1 (Game of Thrones) is the best one of the series. #3 (A Storm of Swords) comes in second place for me. The others get wearisome because there is just so much information, so many despicable, vile people, etc. I'm hoping #6 has some sort of pleasant ending. Good grief, Mr. Martin, PLEASE find at least one redeemable character to finish off the series...and don't murder them off. : ) ( )

I had started reading this book after watching the first two seasons of HBO’s A Game of Thrones and had high hopes for this book. It did not let me down in the slightest. And, in my opinion, the TV series kept quite close to the book in many aspects. I have been an avid fantasy readers for many years but I have missed the epic tales like the ones from The Lord of the Rings. The creation of a new universe with kings and queens and knights; far off lands of mysteries and folk lore; and of course dragons. DRAGONS! The plotting and scheming, the adventures, the romance, the suspense of this story just swept me off my feet to the land of the Seven Kingdoms and the far off lands across the seas. I fell in love with the characters as I read their lives fold throughout the pages and just had to know what sort of drama or new twist George R. R. Martin had in store for them. While it was daunting at first with all the different characters and names to keep track of who was who, having watched the show prior definitely help put a face to the name for me.

Full Review: http://thebignerdofthree.wordpress.com/2012/11/01/book-review-a-game-of-thrones/ ( )

George R. R. Martin's "A Game of Thrones" has one him much popularity in recent years, but is this all just blown up publicity? No. A Song of Ice and Fire may be the most well executed fantasy novel of this century, rivaling those of Tolkien and the Grimm brothers.

What makes a Song of Ice and Fire different is that it is not a traditional fantasy, it is something very different which re-defines the genre. Your average amateur writer when writing a fantasy will throw in wizards and dragon and make that the established norm, George R. R. Martin doesn't do this. He takes an entirely different approach. Martin builds a continent, he puts in terrain features, THEN he adds the people. He thinks and researches how everything comes to impact the culture, the people. He thinks what living in the freezing north will do to a personality, to myths, and he integrates it into this world with so many layers. The other thing that makes this series different is that it does not revolve around magic, it revolves around the people. Magic in this continent of Westorus is a think of myth for the most part, there are no dragons swooping over head plucking up villages, just skeletons and legend. When you read A Game of Thrones you will not just be getting another fantasy, you will be getting a world.

The first novel predominantly revolves around House Stark, lead by Lord Eddard Stark. The Starks are a norther house, residing in the castle of Winterfell. Through the use of eight perspective characters we are able to view this fantastic world through many eyes, Lords, children, women, exiled princesses. Each character brings their own views of their world, their biases, their naivety, their arrogance. Through this we are not limited to just one way of seeing things, just one perspective of what is good. This world they live in is as intricate and diverse as our own and rarely do either have just one set of truths.

This is a wonderfully written and thought out series, one that I recommend to every one I meet. You are honestly missing out on so much if you opt out of reading this; mystery, war, romance, philosophy. One can take so much out of this book their is no reason you should not read this. If you read only one novel in your life it really should be this. ( )