Book Review: A Game of Thrones by George RR Martin

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Everyone knows the HBO show Game of Thrones but not as many people are aware of the incredible writing of George RR Martin. I am a big fan of his books and have written reviews for two other books by George RR Martin that solidified my appreciation for his writing. The two books that I think everyone should check out are Fevre Dream and Tuf Voyaging. Check out my reviews or just run out and get them today. 

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Speechify is a free text-to-speech software so you can listen to your favorite books. Click this affiliate link image to download today!

I listened to A Game of Thrones on Audible many years ago, before I wrote reviews and before the show came out, and loved it. I got through about three books in the A Song of Ice and Fire series of which A Game of Thrones is the first book. I decided to listen to the large tome again recently to refamiliarize myself with the book for this review. Also, I just enjoy the medieval fiction that is on offer here. 

A Game of Thrones as a part of the A Song of Ice and Fire series is technically a Fantasy but there are almost no fantasy elements in this first book. There are allusions to magic, dragons, and supernatural abilities but these are just conjectures introduced by stories told of the past. A Game of Thrones is a long prelude that allows for elaborate world-building and foreshadowing that will entice the reader to continue the series to find out what will happen to the large set of characters that are set up as the book ends in intense cliffhangers. 

A Game of Thrones primarily follows the Stark family, the Lannister Family, and Daenerys, the last of the Targaryens. The Starks are headed for ruin when the king dies and the realm is plunged into a power struggle where the Lannister family is poised to take over. The Starks suffer loss and head to war against the Lannisters to right the wrongs that occur after the death of the fat king. Meanwhile, Daenerys is sold to a barbaric warlord a world away as she tries to survive a world that is hell-bent on making sure the Targaryen bloodline is no more. She learns lessons in power the hard way but as her confidence in the purpose of her birthright grows so does her power over others. 

That’s all I will say about the plot. The point of this review is to convey my desire for you to read the book even if you have seen the show. If you don’t want to read the book then the Audible version is excellent. It is read by a man named Roy Dotrice and he does a great job of voicing the characters and makes the entire experience highly engaging. I ingest my books mostly via the paper form but listening to a book, when it is read well, can be an equally enthralling experience. I recommend A Game of Thrones to anyone who loves medieval drama and suspenseful intrigue.

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