NOW THE ACCLAIMED HBO SERIES GAME OF THRONES—THE MASTERPIECE THAT BECAME A CULTURAL PHENOMENON
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.
Usually I am all about the books before I venture into the TV shows or movies, but this time the show came first. This is an all-time favorite series of my husband that he insisted I read and I am so glad that he did!
Having seen the show first, the actors have become the faces of the characters in the book. With few exceptions, that works just fine. With such a long book, I was expecting some times when the pace would drag, but I did not find that at all. The changing story lines from one to another with each chapter kept the story moving and absolutely enthralling.
One of my favorite aspects to the book is that there is usually no clear line between good and evil. Instead, that line is constantly shifting, changing the dynamics of the characters as their stories unfold. The story is rich and intriguing. There are no sugar-coated happy endings or neatly resolved situations. It is raw and it is often violent, but full of fabulous characters and a strong story!
Things to love...
--The multiple story lines. It kept the story moving and kept it intriguing.
--The characters. Whether you loved them or hated them, they were absolutely fascinating!
My Recommendation: It is a heavy read, an epic worthy of the name! But it is one that I HIGHLY recommend!
Reading updates
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Started reading
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26 May, 2014:
Finished reading
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26 May, 2014:
Reviewed
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Started reading
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Finished reading
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26 May, 2014:
Reviewed