Tim The Enchanter's Reviews > A Game of Thrones

Simply Masterful - 5 Stars


I don't think it is really necessary for me to do an substantial review on this volume. I will be going over well trodden ground. Instead, I have decided to tell you why you should pick this book up and read it now.

Plot

It is far too involved to provide a quick synopsis. Suffice to say there are many characters who are engaged in political intrigue, designs on the throne, ancient and preternatural rumblings and some pretty awesome dire wolves.

My Thoughts

This book has immediately vaulted in my top 10 list of all time. Looking back over what I have previously read, I see shades of this story in so many others. The difference? The author did it so much better than pretty much everyone else. The quality of writing, the tightness of the story and the continuity of the plot is so tight throughout that it is difficult to find serious fault. I won't bother to try and find fault but I will tell you what I found especially fantastic!

Characters, Characters, Characters

I often find it hard to follow a large cast of characters. I am especially good at retaining facts, but names......I can barely remember what to call my own children and my wife has long accepted that I only call her "woman". I had heard the cast was quite large and was a major concern, especially since I was listening to the audiobook. My fears were not grounded as I found it exceptionally easy to remember who was who and where everyone was. The story was told from many viewpoints but there was only one point of view per chapter and the chapters were titled for that characters point of view. Given the large number of characters, I was most impressed with the level of development that each character was afforded. Not all the characters survive to the end of the book but regardless, each was given exceptional development time. This served the next point very well...

No Fear!

Try not to get too attached characters. I felt as if the author made some very bold decisions with his characters and at some points felt like the author might kill off any character and provide excellent justification for doing so. In weaker novels, the lack of character development can be an foreshadowing of their coming demise. The author treads each character gracefully. Each character plays their role at their time and is given equal treatment to the longer lasting compatriots. I have not watched the TV show but have heard many people discuss it. As such, I did have some advanced knowledge of the plot and which characters survived. That said, I was still surprised on multiple occasions and I have to admit that I did not see many of plot twists coming.

It's a Wonderful World

Honestly, the author has created one of the best and most interesting worlds I have read in this form of fantasy. He has clearly taken the time to develop the world and the histories of its people. The result is a rich tapestry of people, cultures and lands. This first book is written in a manner that leads you to believe that there is much more to be discovered and uncovered.


Final Thoughts

This is masterpiece of fantasy. There are some unexplained and preternatural happenings in the background but it plays only a minor part of the first book. There lots of political maneuvering, backstabbing and secret dealings. Pick your favorite character, sit back for the ride and hope they survive to the end. On a final note, I listened to the audiobook version of this novel. It is quite possibly the best narration I have ever heard. The characterization was very distinct and the tone and quality was perfect. An absolute joy for the ears!


Content Advisories



Sex - 4

I had heard so many people comment on the sexual content of the TV series that I was afraid that the book may read like some medieval porn. While I would say that the sexual content is higher that most of the novels I review, that only speaks to the type of novels I read, not the general sexual content of them. There are multiple scenes of sex throughout and several are moderately graphic in nature. I have heard it jokingly said that the sexual content of the TV series makes it seem as if the show was written by a 13 year old boy. That is not the case for the novel.

Language

Mild Obscenities - 91 F-Words - 5


Violence - 3

While there is some fighting and killing, much of what happens is more political type manuvering for the throne. That said, there are some executions, deaths at the sword and death in war. Some is pushed from a high place and another is attacked with a knife. Generally, it moderately graphic.