A Game of Thrones

First volume of a brilliant new fantasy trilogy: the most powerful, original and absorbing new epic since Stephen Donaldson's Chro­nicles of Thomas Covenant. The first volume of George R R Martin's glorious high fantasy tells the tragic story of treachery, greed and war that threatens the unity of the Seven Kingdoms south of the Wall.

Martin unfolds with astonishing skill a tale of truly epic dimensions, thronged with memorable characters, a story of treachery and ambition, love and magic. Set in a fabulous world scarred by battle and catastrophe over 8000 years of recorded history, it tells of the deeds of men and women locked in the deadliest of conflicts and the terrible legacy they will leave their children. In the game of thrones, you win or you die. And in the bitter-cold, unliving lands beyond the Wall, a terrible winter gathers and the others – the undead, the neverborn, wildlings to whom the threat of the sword is nothing – make ready to descend on the realms of men. A Game of Thrones begins the most imaginative, ambitious and compelling fantasy epic since The Lord of the Rings.

Thronged with memorable characters, it unfolds with astonishing skill a tale of truly epic dimensions. There have been many pretenders to the throne of Tolkien: now at last he has a true heir.

Accolades

Locus Award Winner 1997.

Reviews for Song of Ice & Fire series

‘In the grand epic fantasy tradition, Martin is by far the best. Tense, surging, insomnia-inflicting.’ Time Magazine

‘Destined to be one of the greatest fantasy series ever written.’ Denver Post

‘Truly epic! With its magnificent action-filled climax, it provides a banquet for fantasy lovers with large appetites.’ Publishers Weekly

‘I always expect the best from George R.R. Martin and he always delivers. A Game of Thrones grabs hold and won’t let go. It's brilliant.' Robert Jordan

‘George R.R. Martin is one of our very best writers, and this is one of his very best books.’ Raymond E. Feist

‘Colossal, staggering! Martin captures all the intoxicating complexity of the Wars of the Roses or Imperial Rome in his imaginary world ! The writing is always powerful.’ SFX

‘Fantasy literature has never shied away from grandeur, but the sheer mind-boggling scope of this epic has sent other fantasy writers away shaking their heads!’ Its ambition: to construct the Twelve Caesars of fantasy fiction, with characters so venomous they could eat the Borgias.' Guardian

‘Such a splendid tale. I read my eyes out – I couldn’t stop till I'd finished and it was dawn' Anne McCaffrey

‘A Game of Thrones offers the rich tapestry that the very best fantasy demands: iron and steel within the silk, grandeur within the wonder, and charactrs torn between deep love and loyalty. Few created worlds are as imaginative and diverse.’ Janny Wurts

Author Biography

George R.R. Martin is the author of Fevre Dream, the ultimate science fiction horror novel, several collections of short stories and numerous scripts for television drama. He lives in Santa Fe, New Mexico.