Winter is Coming

Symbols and Hidden Meanings in A Game of Thrones

By: Valerie Estelle Frankel

Narrated by: Oliver Wyman

Length: 3 hrs and 27 mins

Publisher's summary

Game of Thrones fans watch in delight as the epic battle of Lannister and Stark entangles the Seven Kingdoms. But only the sharpest notice how these houses echo Lancaster and York in the War of the Roses. Druids, Catholics, and even Zoroastrians wander through Westeros, reframing their religions for a new world of fantasy. But how medieval is Westeros? Did lady knights and pirates really battle across Europe? The audiobook Winter is Coming: Symbols and Hidden Meanings in A Game of Thrones explores all this and more, from the echoes of history to the symbols and omens our beloved characters.

Who is Jon Snow's mother and why is she a secret? What is Daenerys's real power, unknown even to her? Will these two characters share a destiny? Where is the red priestess's real Light bringer and when will it arrive? Through dreams and prophecies, imagery and allegory, the deepest secrets of the series unfold, in an exploration friendly to watchers and listeners alike.

©2013 Valerie Estelle Frankel (P)2014 Audible Inc.

Loved the analysis

Great analysis of themes and symbols. It really enhances the whole saga and makes the story resonate with meaning.

GOOD DIAGNOSIS

I loved the explanation of George rr Martin 'S books on the game of thrones . I only wish that it was longer and in more deep examination.

Think r/asoiaf on audible

Fantastic audiobook.
If reddit r/asoiaf was mixed with conspiracy tv shows from the 50's and put in a nice little bow of audiobook form.
Thanks audible and keep it up

It's like bible study for G.O.T.

This is perfect for G.O.T. fans who want a little more detailed information about the characters in the book. Once you finish listening to the book you are just amazed how much detail goes into George R R Martins books. The author of Winter is Coming gives reference to pages, chapters and show episodes to give merit to her theory as well as ties historical fact that has some parallel relations to G.O.T. Yes you can get this information on line and blogs for the show however the narrator is excellent and all the information is right here in this book.

GOT fans & history buffs should read!

As the title states, if you are a fan of the GOT series and have a soft spot for medieval history - you will enjoy this book!

not what I expected

I thought the book would be more about parallels with European or English history. There was some of that but it was more about the specific characters in Game of Thrones. It did help with my understanding of the series.

Cheat Sheet to AGOT

"Winter is Coming" is pretty much an overview for the first three season of "Game of Thrones" and a synopsis for the books for "A Song of Ice and Fire." There is nothing much that we don't know already. If you already caught up with the books and the show, you already know what is going on. This book is just speculation with no explanation. It's like reading the Cliff Notes instead of reading the book and you wonder why you failed on the term paper.

Cash Grab

Winter is Coming sort of felt like a cash grab. I'd consider myself a fan of the series but not nearly as hardcore into Game of Thrones as many. Like most I read the books and am now thoroughly enjoying the HBO series. After receiving a credit on Audible I purchased Winter is Coming: Symbols and Hidden Meanings in A Game of Thrones to try and get a better idea of what is to come for the rest of the series.

The first half of Winter is Coming is far more interesting then the second. More then anything it focuses in on Jon Snow and Daenerys Targareyen and their importance to the series. There was some interesting pieces pulled from both the show and books that I overlooked but that do point to the two connecting at the end of the series. Where this book lost me is its parallels to real-life history and religion. I'm sure George R. R. Martin used things from this world to influence his novels but that was far less interesting to me then the predictions for the end.

Even for the couple of dollars the book costs, I'd rather have read Game of Thornes message boards then read this one again.

Nothing new

Hard to follow, poorly laid out, and doesn't actually tell you much about the history inspiring the story. Just seems to jump from random fan theory to random character or event and mention very briefly (and only sometimes) an historical counterpart. I would say it's worth the $2 but you can get most of this info or more from reading Wikipedia.

Reference book, not for listening to

Would you try another book from Valerie Estelle Frankel and/or Oliver Wyman?

This book is for reference while you look at the books in the series. It is not for listening to, there is no flow. Page numbers are given for reference, but it jumps around from story to story, book to book. It also references the television shows as frequently as it does the books. It tells which episode, in which season, to refer to.

How could the performance have been better?

He read well enough. It wasn't his fault that it wasn't a flowing story.

You didn’t love this book... but did it have any redeeming qualities?

I think I would enjoy a hard copy, it had interesting points, but there was no continuation of the points. No discussion. There was a short reference sentence, then on to an unrelated topic.