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.