Book Review: A Game of Thrones (A Song of Ice and Fire, Book 1) by George R. R. Martin

 

A Game of Thrones 

(A Song of Ice and Fire, Book 1) 

By George R. R. Martin 

• Publisher : Bantam (January 1, 2003)

Winter is coming. Such is the stern motto of House Stark, the northernmost of the fiefdoms that owe allegiance to King Robert Baratheon in far-off King’s Landing. There Eddard Stark of Winterfell rules in Robert’s name. There his family dwells in peace and comfort: his proud wife, Catelyn; his sons Robb, Brandon, and Rickon; his daughters Sansa and Arya; and his bastard son, Jon Snow. Far to the north, behind the towering Wall, lie savage Wildings and worse—unnatural things relegated to myth during the centuries-long summer, but proving all too real and all too deadly in the turning of the season.
 
Yet a more immediate threat lurks to the south, where Jon Arryn, the Hand of the King, has died under mysterious circumstances. Now Robert is riding north to Winterfell, bringing his queen, the lovely but cold Cersei, his son, the cruel, vainglorious Prince Joffrey, and the queen’s brothers Jaime and Tyrion of the powerful and wealthy House Lannister—the first a swordsman without equal, the second a dwarf whose stunted stature belies a brilliant mind. All are heading for Winterfell and a fateful encounter that will change the course of kingdoms.
 
Meanwhile, across the Narrow Sea, Prince Viserys, heir of the fallen House Targaryen, which once ruled all of Westeros, schemes to reclaim the throne with an army of barbarian Dothraki—whose loyalty he will purchase in the only coin left to him: his beautiful yet innocent sister, Daenerys.

 Book Rating:

📚📚📚📚📚 = I could not put this book down. I Highly Recommend.

📚📚📚📚 = A really great read.

📚📚📚 = It was enjoyable.

📚📚 = It was okay.

📚 = Um...! 😕

My Review 

Game of Thrones

📚

I know I am going to be in the minority, but for the life of me I cannot see what the appeal of this story is. There is horrific acts of child abuse, rape, incest, revenge, cruel and unnecessary acts of evil. I could go on. The only character I liked was Jon Snow.

At times this novel really made my stomach turn - it is a horrific story from beginning to end and I certainly will not be reading on. Winter is coming - for me it has come and gone. An absolutely terrible story. And I do not see what all the fuss it about. I have seen some reviewers comparing it to J. R. R. Tolkien and I am left wondering if they have ever read one of Tolkien's books. it is nothing like Tolkien and it is a sacrilege to compare the two.

I just wish I had not spent so much time reading it, when I could have been reading something much better, like The Hobbit.