• A Game of Thrones

  • A Song of Ice and Fire, Book 1
  • By: George R.R. Martin
  • Narrated by: Roy Dotrice
  • Length: 33 hrs and 46 mins
  • 4.8 out of 5 stars (144,282 ratings)

Prime logo Prime members: New to Audible?
Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
Premium Plus auto-renews for $14.95/mo after 30 days. Cancel anytime.
A Game of Thrones  By  cover art

A Game of Thrones

By: George R.R. Martin
Narrated by: Roy Dotrice
Try for $0.00

$14.95/month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $38.88

Buy for $38.88

Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.

Editorial review


By Seth Hartman, Audible Editor

A GAME OF THRONES IS A MASTERFUL START TO AN EPIC DARK FANTASY

I wasn’t properly introduced to A Song of Ice and Fire until my freshman year in college. My roommate at the time was a bona fide superfan of the series—when I told him that I hadn’t yet given it a try, he could barely contain his excitement. A week after this discovery, I had already watched the first season of the television series and was hungry for more. Instead of binging the remaining seasons, I elected to crack open the first book in order to get the "definitive" experience. Even at the time, I could already tell that this series would leave a strong impact on me.

A Game of Thrones mostly follows House Stark, a noble family controlling the northern portion of the great kingdom of Westeros. Ned, the Lord of House Stark, is asked to join his old friend King Robert Baratheon in court as his new right-hand man. Shortly after arriving in the royal capital, Ned begins to unravel a conspiracy involving Queen Cersei Lannister and her family. Far to the North, Ned’s bastard son Jon Snow joins the Night’s Watch, a group of banished soldiers tasked with defending The Wall, a massive chunk of ice that keeps the mysterious White Walkers confined. To the East, a young girl named Daenerys Targaryen, the last of her line and heir to the previous regime, begins her bid for the throne with little more than a couple of dragon eggs.

While this series becomes increasingly complex book to book, the first entry is delightfully streamlined. Rather than introducing a million characters and locations, A Game of Thrones focuses on the three major families in the series, devoting a lot of time to fleshing out the main cast. On my first read, I was struck by the subversive nature of Thrones. Despite its setting, this is not a triumphant tale of knights and dragons. Rather, George R.R. Martin has created a world of betrayals and backstabs, one that values information and subterfuge far more than swords and shining armor. Veteran voice actor Roy Dotrice brings his highly adaptable voice to the audiobook, giving even more color to Martin's writing.

Continue reading Seth's review >

Publisher's summary

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.

©1996 George R.R. Martin, (P)2003 Books On Tape, Inc., published in arrangement with Random House Audio Group,a division of Random House, Inc.

Critic reviews

  • Locus Award, 1997

"Martin's trophy case is already stuffed with major prizes...He's probably going to have to add another shelf, at least." (Publishers Weekly)

"The first volume in Martin's first fantasy saga combines intrigue, action, romance, and mystery in a family saga." (Booklist)

"Grabs hold and won't let go. It's brilliant." (Robert Jordan)

"This novel is an absorbing combination of the mythic, the sweepingly historical, and the intensely personal." (Chicago Sun-Times)

Featured Article: An Essential Guide to the Characters of The Sandman Universe


Nerds of the world, rejoice: It has been a great year for awesome news about older favorite books and comics! Looking for a refresher on the major players in The Sandman? Maybe you're new to the Sandman comics, or maybe—gasp!—you've never even heard of them. Read ahead for details on Neil Gaiman's Sandman, the important characters in the series, and what to expect from the Netflix series. Be prepared: the article ahead may contain some spoilers.

What listeners say about A Game of Thrones

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    121,749
  • 4 Stars
    16,292
  • 3 Stars
    3,452
  • 2 Stars
    1,270
  • 1 Stars
    1,519
Performance
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    96,055
  • 4 Stars
    19,071
  • 3 Stars
    6,519
  • 2 Stars
    1,804
  • 1 Stars
    1,782
Story
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    110,378
  • 4 Stars
    10,646
  • 3 Stars
    2,248
  • 2 Stars
    756
  • 1 Stars
    952

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Wow!

I loved the book better than the show...by far. The narrator was amazing. Get it!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Spectacular audio version of the book. Riveting.

The imagination soars while following the exciting plot line and sub-plots. This is a "must listen to" series of books. If you've been watching the series on HBO, you'll enjoy the story even more. I am going to listen to the remaining books as soon as possible.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Great narrator

While the story itself is good, it's Roy's voice that really makes this book a great listen! I just love the voices he does and the way he breathes life into that characters.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Amazing!!

The book was amazing if I’ve read it before and I watch the show and the narrator does such a great job and all the different voices and characters if you like Game of Thrones you will love this book

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

A Great Start to a Saga, Bogged Down By Inconsistent Narration

The book itself is fantastic; a great way to get into the show.

Roy Dotrice, the narrator, is an old man who plays every character as such. Some people are fine, but others sound the exact same as previous ones, and it’s just all very odd.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Best performance ever.

This was a wonderful and engaging reading. Every voice was unique. I dont know how he did it.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

It lit!

Long time ASOIF reader and audiobook doesn’t disappoint! Bought the complete audiobook series can’t wait to get rolling on book 2!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Most AMAZING series I've discovered in over 10 yrs

The first few hours/chapters are fairly slow in the build up, but once this story starts unfolding, it truly takes hold and keeps you interested for days and days of enjoyment. The first three books in this series are fantastically narrated by Roy Dotrice, he does an AMAZING JOB at giving each character a unique voice that helps to enrich the story. The story itself, is indescribable. I'm blown away that such an awesome series isn't as well known or as popular as the J.R.R. Tolkien or Harry Potter books. Please give this book a try, it's a fantastic read.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

A very good listen

What made the experience of listening to A Game of Thrones the most enjoyable?

Roy Detrice is amazing in his reading of this vast tale. His reading voice is perfect for a series such as this.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
  • BS
  • 02-22-15

better than the show

the books are always better than the t shows, but here you can tell who is who which is hard sometimes when there are many characters to remember... making the audiable even better

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!