George R. R. Martin: A Game of Thrones

Hi

Well, I finally gave in to peer pressure; I read A Game of Thrones by George R. R. Martin.
My fiancé owns the whole A Song of Ice and Fire series and he’s a big fan.
This copy has 780 pages.

“Kings and queens, knights and renegades, liars, lords and honest men. All will play the Game of Thrones.

Summers span decades.Winter can last a lifetime.And the struggle for the Iron Throne has begun.It will stretch from the south where heat breeds plot,lusts and intrigues to the vast frozen north,where a 700-foot wall of ice protects the kingdom from the dark forces that lie beyond. The Game of Thrones. You win,or you die.”

I enjoyed the book but I definitely didn't love it.

Martin’s characters are underdeveloped, they have about three emotions or character traits and most characters feel one-dimensional. Every character reads the same; Bran sounds the same as Ned, John, Catelyn or Tyrion. That’s especially a problem in the minor characters like Tommen and Old Nan who don’t have a defining trait. The mayor characters are mostly distinguishable by their clichéd and simplistic characteristics like stupid but beautiful Sansa, the drunkard and whoring king and the loving but unforgiving Catelyn.
Because there's so much going on and there are so many characters, the multiple POV's were a great idea and I liked reading from different people's perspective. But I did not like the big leaps in time. We go from Ned in his cell, to Arya viewing his execution, from Daenerys hating Khal Drogo to her being deliriously in love with him.
Martin's writing is ok, it does the job but it's definitely not a joy to read his prose.

The story is great though. Told from multiple points of view, and with a focus on politics and the dynamics in the kingdom, it certainly is an entertaining and interesting read.

3 stars

How did you like this novel?

Happy reading.
Helena

Relaxing after my fabulous bachelorette party!