A Song of Ice and Fire is one of the best fantasy series I've ever read. Martin's work breaks the traditional mold of "good guys" vs "bad guys" and the good always winning. Martin makes you care about a character, then pulls the rug out from under him. None of his characters are perfect. Obviously, some are more prone to evil, but even in these cases, bits of character are revealed that casts an otherwise dark character in a shade of gray.
Setting is strong as well. In A Game of Thrones, you really believe in this medieval world Martin has created. Its political system, history, and mythology are important to the plot. The jousting is a particularly memorable scene. I felt that I was right there watching the action. All in all, the story reads almost like historical fiction. Magic plays a relatively small role in this novel, which adds to the historical feel.
The plot is exellent. Conflicts are intertwined on all levels of the story. Political machinations, personal and family crises, age-old hatreds all make for a complex plot. Martin does a masterful job of stringing the reader along, doling out enough bits of information to keep the reader interested and preserve a sense of mystery.
Some people might be put off by some of the graphic content of the book. Martin uses coarse language and frank description of sexual content. The other element that will be negative to some is that Martin has no qualms about killing off a favorite main character.
Overall, A Game of Thrones is an engaging introduction to gritty, complex fantasy.
Setting is strong as well. In A Game of Thrones, you really believe in this medieval world Martin has created. Its political system, history, and mythology are important to the plot. The jousting is a particularly memorable scene. I felt that I was right there watching the action. All in all, the story reads almost like historical fiction. Magic plays a relatively small role in this novel, which adds to the historical feel.
The plot is exellent. Conflicts are intertwined on all levels of the story. Political machinations, personal and family crises, age-old hatreds all make for a complex plot. Martin does a masterful job of stringing the reader along, doling out enough bits of information to keep the reader interested and preserve a sense of mystery.
Some people might be put off by some of the graphic content of the book. Martin uses coarse language and frank description of sexual content. The other element that will be negative to some is that Martin has no qualms about killing off a favorite main character.
Overall, A Game of Thrones is an engaging introduction to gritty, complex fantasy.
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