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A Game of Thrones: Song of Ice and Fire 1

by George R R Martin
A Game of Thrones: Song of Ice and Fire 1

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ISBN13: 9780553386790
ISBN10: 0553386794
Condition: Standard


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Synopses & Reviews

Publisher Comments

A NEW ORIGINAL SERIES, NOW ON HBO.

Here is the first volume in George R. R. Martin’s magnificent cycle of novels that includes A Clash of Kings and A Storm of Swords. As a whole, this series comprises a genuine masterpiece of modern fantasy, bringing together the best the genre has to offer. Magic, mystery, intrigue, romance, and adventure fill these pages and transport us to a world unlike any we have ever experienced. Already hailed as a classic, George R. R. Martin’s stunning series is destined to stand as one of the great achievements of imaginative fiction.

A GAME OF THRONES

Long ago, in a time forgotten, a preternatural event threw the seasons out of balance. In a land where summers can last decades and winters a lifetime, trouble is brewing. The cold is returning, and in the frozen wastes to the north of Winterfell, sinister and supernatural forces are massing beyond the kingdom’s protective Wall. At the center of the conflict lie the Starks of Winterfell, a family as harsh and unyielding as the land they were born to. Sweeping from a land of brutal cold to a distant summertime kingdom of epicurean plenty, here is a tale of lords and ladies, soldiers and sorcerers, assassins and bastards, who come together in a time of grim omens.

Here an enigmatic band of warriors bear swords of no human metal; a tribe of fierce wildlings carry men off into madness; a cruel young dragon prince barters his sister to win back his throne; and a determined woman undertakes the most treacherous of journeys. Amid plots and counterplots, tragedy and betrayal, victory and terror, the fate of the Starks, their allies, and their enemies hangs perilously in the balance, as each endeavors to win that deadliest of conflicts: the game of thrones.

From the Paperback edition.

Review

"The major fantasy of the decade...compulsively readable." Denver Post

Review

"We have been invited to a grand feast and pageant: George R.R. Martin has unveiled for us an intensely realized, romantic but realistic world." Chicago Sun-Times

Review

"A splendid saga....Inventive and intricately plotted." BookPage

Review

"Magic...George R.R.Martin's first fantasy epic [is set] well above the norms of the genre." Locus

Review

"Such a splendid tale and such a fantasticorical! I read my eyes out and couldn't stop 'til I finished and it was dawn." Anne McCaffrey

Synopsis

Now available in a specially priced edition — the first volume in an epic series by a master of contemporary fantasy, filled with mystery, intrigue, romance, and adventure.

Synopsis

NOW THE ACCLAIMED HBO SERIES GAME OF THRONES
From a master of contemporary fantasy comes the first novel of a landmark series unlike any you've ever read before. With A Game of Thrones, George R. R. Martin has launched a genuine masterpiece, bringing together the best the genre has to offer. Mystery, intrigue, romance, and adventure fill the pages of this magnificent saga, the first volume in an epic series sure to delight fantasy fans everywhere.

A GAME OF THRONES
A SONG OF ICE AND FIRE: BOOK ONE
Long ago, in a time forgotten, a preternatural event threw the seasons out of balance. In a land where summers can last decades and winters a lifetime, trouble is brewing. The cold is returning, and in the frozen wastes to the north of Winterfell, sinister forces are massing beyond the kingdom's protective Wall. To the south, the king's powers are failing--his most trusted adviser dead under mysterious circumstances and his enemies emerging from the shadows of the throne. At the center of the conflict lie the Starks of Winterfell, a family as harsh and unyielding as the frozen land they were born to. Now Lord Eddard Stark is reluctantly summoned to serve as the king's new Hand, an appointment that threatens to sunder not only his family but the kingdom itself.
Sweeping from a harsh land of cold to a summertime kingdom of epicurean plenty, A Game of Thrones tells a tale of lords and ladies, soldiers and sorcerers, assassins and bastards, who come together in a time of grim omens. Here an enigmatic band of warriors bear swords of no human metal; a tribe of fierce wildlings carry men off into madness; a cruel young dragon prince barters his sister to win back his throne; a child is lost in the twilight between life and death; and a determined woman undertakes a treacherous journey to protect all she holds dear. Amid plots and counter-plots, tragedy and betrayal, victory and terror, allies and enemies, the fate of the Starks hangs perilously in the balance, as each side endeavors to win that deadliest of conflicts: the game of thrones.
Unparalleled in scope and execution, A Game of Thrones is one of those rare reading experiences that catch you up from the opening pages, won't let you go until the end, and leave you yearning for more.

From the Hardcover edition.

Synopsis

NOW THE ACCLAIMED HBO SERIES GAME OF THRONES

Nominated as one of America's best-loved novels by PBS's The Great American Read

From a master of contemporary fantasy comes the first novel of a landmark series unlike any you've ever read before. With A Game of Thrones, George R. R. Martin has launched a genuine masterpiece, bringing together the best the genre has to offer. Mystery, intrigue, romance, and adventure fill the pages of this magnificent saga, the first volume in an epic series sure to delight fantasy fans everywhere.

A GAME OF THRONES
A SONG OF ICE AND FIRE: BOOK ONE

Long ago, in a time forgotten, a preternatural event threw the seasons out of balance. In a land where summers can last decades and winters a lifetime, trouble is brewing. The cold is returning, and in the frozen wastes to the north of Winterfell, sinister forces are massing beyond the kingdom's protective Wall. To the south, the king's powers are failing--his most trusted adviser dead under mysterious circumstances and his enemies emerging from the shadows of the throne. At the center of the conflict lie the Starks of Winterfell, a family as harsh and unyielding as the frozen land they were born to. Now Lord Eddard Stark is reluctantly summoned to serve as the king's new Hand, an appointment that threatens to sunder not only his family but the kingdom itself.

Sweeping from a harsh land of cold to a summertime kingdom of epicurean plenty, A Game of Thrones tells a tale of lords and ladies, soldiers and sorcerers, assassins and bastards, who come together in a time of grim omens. Here an enigmatic band of warriors bear swords of no human metal; a tribe of fierce wildlings carry men off into madness; a cruel young dragon prince barters his sister to win back his throne; a child is lost in the twilight between life and death; and a determined woman undertakes a treacherous journey to protect all she holds dear. Amid plots and counter-plots, tragedy and betrayal, victory and terror, allies and enemies, the fate of the Starks hangs perilously in the balance, as each side endeavors to win that deadliest of conflicts: the game of thrones.

Unparalleled in scope and execution, A Game of Thrones is one of those rare reading experiences that catch you up from the opening pages, won't let you go until the end, and leave you yearning for more.


About the Author

George R.R. Martin sold his first story in 1971 and has been writing professionally ever since. He has written fantasy, horror, and science fiction, and for his sins spent ten years in Hollywood as a writer/producer, working on Twilight Zone, Beauty and the Beast, and various feature films and television pilots that were never made. In the mid 90s he returned to prose, his first love, and began work on his epic fantasy series A Song of Ice and Fire. He has been in the Seven Kingdoms ever since. Whenever he's allowed to leave, he returns to Santa Fe, New Mexico, where he lives with the lovely Parris, a big white dog called Mischa, and two cats named Augustus and Caligula who think they run the place.

4.9 13

What Our Readers Are Saying

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Average customer rating 4.9 (13 comments)

`
jtokio , March 07, 2012 (view all comments by jtokio)
Stop me if you have heard this one before, A dwarf, a knight and a king walk into a bar...The world of Westeros is a world of adult desires and blood curdling screams as people are run through with blades and fury - You never know who will get there throat slit or who may just get a simple push out of a window - The drama that flows through this book will keep your hands gripped to it like a racers hands to the wheel, you will NOT want to let go!

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Rakoz , January 19, 2012
Complete character development: Check. Courtly intrigue: Check. Massively epic storyline: check. Still manages to be a page turner: check. If Lord of the Rings had this pacing it would be the most widely read book ever. Don't let the "Fantasy" tag fool you; this series has more realism to it than most romantic comedies and historical re-tellings. The magic in this series enhances but does not distract nor is it even vital to the story, but it makes it better. Highly recommended for anyone who as ever picked up a sword... or even thought about it once and felt foolish for doing so. Martin will not disappoint.

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catmama3 , January 02, 2012
I read this after seeing the television series, and even though I knew the general outline of what was going to happen, I was absolutely riveted. Martin creates fabulous characters in whom the reader becomes completely invested.

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graywolf60_78 , January 01, 2012
I had never been a reader of fantasy novels nor was I familiar with George R. R. Martin, but when I began hearing the buzz about a new show on HBO and the novel it was based on my curiosity was aroused. And boy am I glad that I gave in to that curiosity. A Game of Thrones drew me into a world that was fantasy but felt as though it could have based in history. Each of the characters were memorable and fascinating with their own complex storylines allowing them to become personal to the reader. It was truly one of the best books that I read this past year.

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brook.hogan , January 01, 2012
I wasn't looking forward to this book, as it was a bookclub pick. I ended up enjoying it a lot. I like books with solid characters and good dialog--this had both. The story was great, and had a few surprises. Highly recommend.

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JT.sbikermama , January 01, 2012 (view all comments by JT.sbikermama)
This book is one of the best ever! A land of knights their ladies and their conquests, their wins and their losses. if you love fantasy tales this one will keep you on the edge of your seat and you wont be able to put the book down!

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Mary Jo Iriarte-Casselman , September 20, 2011
Reads like history that it is hard to believe it is fantasy!

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jewelsk1231 , September 18, 2011 (view all comments by jewelsk1231)
I cannot put George Martin's books down. Everywere I go I either meet fans or tell people to read his book. It is well written and one of the best science-fiction/fantasy books I have read.

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Cynthia Burmester , September 06, 2011 (view all comments by Cynthia Burmester)
Read this. Read it now. Then read the next three books. I really don't need to tell you that you need to read the rest ASAP because as the guy that played Khal Drogo in the HBO series said at San Diego Comic Con, "It's crack on paper."

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Wylis , September 01, 2011 (view all comments by Wylis)
This is a wonderful fantasy novel for those of us who aren't usually fans of fantasy. The depth and breadth of the story Martin unfolds is astounding. Rich settings and heartfelt characters held me rapt for the entire length of the story and I couldn't wait to pick up the next book in the series, A Clash of Kings.

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RThorne , September 01, 2011
The incredible beginning to a fantasy series in which knights wear shining armor to cover the nasty things they do, where fair ladies might stab you in the back or feed you poison, and where the real enemy isn't necessarily a faceless monster or a great all-seeing eye, but might just be the pleasant-faced man you've known since childhood. Martin's series is notable for the realism of its politics and its depiction of war, and for its many well-rounded, nuanced and fascinating characters - love or hate them, it's hard to be indifferent to any of them.

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crowyhead , July 28, 2011 (view all comments by crowyhead)
One of my friends just described this as "alternative medieval universe soap opera," and that's fairly accurate. Like a soap opera, you know it's not Great Literature, but like a good soap opera, that doesn't keep you from getting sucked in and enjoying it mightily. Martin is a fairly pedestrian writer, but he manages to create a pack of characters you love to hate (or hate to love), and really it's kind of a ridiculous blast. I'd meant to wait until he'd actually finished the series before I started reading it, but I got drawn in by the TV show and that piqued my curiosity. I'm sure I'll be reading the rest of the series (at least, as much as currently exists) soon enough.

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catfish , July 10, 2011 (view all comments by catfish)
This book has been kicking around the library where I work for several years and apparently has had a fantasy cult following for years as well. Needing a good escape book after recent surgery, I picked this up to read, having heard good things about the HBO adaptatin. Boy was I blown away beyond my expectations. In addition to being instantly gripping, Martin creates a comlex medieval-style world with multitudes of fascinating characters, intrigues, humor, lust, loyalty, ...and not a dull moment. I never thought any fantasy could top Lord of the Rings for me but this might-- the 800 pages flew by and now can't wait to get my hands on book 2. Glad to hear the 5th is coming out soon because I would not be able to wait the five years it took him to write it...

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Product Details

ISBN:
9780553386790
Binding:
Trade Paperback
Publication date:
03/22/2011
Publisher:
PENGUIN RANDOM HOUSE
Language:
English
Pages:
720
Height:
1.20IN
Width:
6.10IN
Thickness:
1.25
Series:
Song of Ice and Fire 01
Series Number:
1
UPC Code:
4294967295
Author:
George R R Martin
Author:
George R. R. Martin
Subject:
Science Fiction and Fantasy-Fantasy-Epic

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