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

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)

Amazing

I am at a loss for words. This is on par with Tolkien. I bought the next two books after hearing this one.

narration decent

overall good narration but too many characters sounded like old trolls, i know there are a great number of characters but didn't seem like voices matched that well.

AMAZING

What did you love best about A Game of Thrones?

I absolutely love everything about this story. I wasn't sure at first because I heard that the story was complex and there were 1,000,000 characters (of which I thought I would loose interest after the first chapter). But, not true at all. The story IS complex but is engaging. I don't think I have ever loved a story so much that entails so many spiteful and easily hate-able characters. But their stories keep you going and rooting for the under dog. The narrator is the icing on the cake - he brings the characters to life and makes you believe the story is real. Five stars for the narrator. Actually TEN stars. He does a superb job - probably the best I have ever heard. I would recommend this book to anyone trying to decide what to spend their credit on. Its a long read but keeps your attention the whole way. Definitely worth your credit!

Game on!

Where does A Game of Thrones rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

This book rates up in my top ten of the audiobooks that I have listened to, and I've listened to a great many to date.

What did you like best about this story?

I have to admit that I kind of did an end around on this book in that it first came onto my radar screen in having watched the HBO series on TV. I was sucked in whole heartedly by the series and thought "if the tv series is this good, then the book must be even better". I was not mistaken. This is the first book in a five book series and they are all as good, if not better, than this one, and this one is phenomenal.

Have you listened to any of Roy Dotrice’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

I have not listened to any of Roy Dotrice's other performances prior to this one, though I have listened to the other books in this series that are also performed by him. I find that he does an amazing job and has distinct and wonderful voices and portrayals of all of the characters within the book. I would gladly purchase other books narrated by him. There are a handful of narrators of the audiobooks I have listened to that I feel to be masters of their craft. I count Roy Dotrice among their number.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

There are actually several but I don't wish to list them for they would be spoilers for those who have yet to read the book!

Fantastic narration

Great book, but it's really the narration that makes it come alive. The reader is superb - pitch-perfect for the epic scope of this series, giving each of the large cast of characters their own unique voice. Highly recommended.

Awesome

The narrator is brilliant! I am a busy lady and don't have time to sit and re read these wonderful books. Roy does a wonderful job reading and voicing the characters so I can enjoy the books on the go.

Amazing Story, Complimented By Amazing Narration

Would you consider the audio edition of A Game of Thrones to be better than the print version?

The voices Roy Dotrice has for each character are incredible. This book definitely made my long commutes bearable.

What was one of the most memorable moments of A Game of Thrones?

I've seen the whole tv series before I started listening to the books (I know so shameful), however I did enjoy getting inside the minds of the characters, and hearing what they were thinking in certain moments. The story was just as fun the second time around, and hearing the details Martin include only made the world that much more believable.

Any additional comments?

I do wish there was more chapters that focused on different POVs, perhaps in the next books. There is definitely a more whimsical aspect of the stories that even the TV show cannot capture. If you love the show I definitely suggest reading the novels. Some people are mentioning that the editing is poor, however I did not notice any issues.

loved it.

I'm behind on the Game of Thrones band wagon, but books come first and its ( it being the HBO series) is worth the wait.

A great "read"

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

The narrator's ability to portray the many characters' voices so that the listener may distinguish one from others.

What other book might you compare A Game of Thrones to and why?

Steven King's The Stand, because of the character diversity and how all they become inter-related.

What does Roy Dotrice bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Name pronunciation, and a voice to the characters.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

NO! too long for one sitting. Good for a long drive, while you are cleaning the house or gardening, or other activity where your hands are free but when your mind may wander.

Gripping story

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Several story lines are running through the book, and they are all interwoven and interesting. It's one of those books that only disappoints when it ends because it is such a good story. It is very intense, with a lot of violence and sex - not for children at all. But the story is about a fantastic place where amazing things happen. This is a fantasy that doesn't feature a lot of magic and silliness. The fantasy works because of the setting, and it is never overdone. This is a world where life is hard, and many epic characters bring it to life.

Who was your favorite character and why?

I love the Daenerys character's story. She starts out as a bullied girl and develops into a satisfying player in the book.

What did you like about the performance? What did you dislike?

Although many reviewers gush over how great the narration is, I found it to be the worst part of the book. The narrator makes little girls sound like old leprechauns, and seems to think the words, "murmur" and "mutter" mean shout. Not the worst narration in the world, but it could have been better.A LOT of repetitions of sentences and paragraphs, as if the director couldn't be bothered to keep track of where the reader left off. This makes this performance very choppy in places.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

No, it is way too long, and so intense that sometimes the listener needs to stop and process. But the different story lines made for natural stopping places.