• 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 (144,184 ratings)

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A Game of Thrones  By  cover art

A Game of Thrones

By: George R.R. Martin
Narrated by: Roy Dotrice
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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: The Best Audiobook Series of All Time by Genre


What makes a good audiobook series? There are as many answers to this question as there are listeners. For some, it might be epic battles. For others, it might be ongoing romantic twists and tensions. For still others, it might be elongated character studies or an in-depth analysis of a particular time and place. But the universal element of a truly great series is that it sticks with you long after the last word. These are our favorites from every major genre.

What listeners say about A Game of Thrones

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I watched it on HBO

This book was great! It filled in the gaps the tv show left out and I can't wait to listen to the 2nd book.

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wonderful!

first time trying an audio book and this made me fall in love. Reading is still the best for sure but this was such a pleasure for when I do not have the time to sit and read.

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    5 out of 5 stars

Wonderful Story. Entertaining to listen to.

I picked this book based on a recommendation from a relative. I love the story and the characters. It is dramatic, heartbreaking and adventurous. The narration of this book is wonderful and entertaining.

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  • KC
  • 08-20-16

loved it

Book was well read would suggest to anyone. It was nice to listen to in the car on long rides.

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Good book. The English accent gets old.

I really enjoyed the story having watched the HBO series first. My only complaint is that every character seems to be from the U.K. It gets a little tiresome but does not overly distract.

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A good choice!

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

Top three so far.

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

Assassin's apprentice- Because there is similarity of genre and courtly intrigues.

Did the narration match the pace of the story?

Mostly. While I enjoy the narrator's voice and character stylings overall, I find that from time to time he breaks cadence a little. One niggle that prompted me to comment is that he couldn't be bothered to be consistent with character names, one time saying 'Joffrey' and another time 'Jeffery'.

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

Moved, not particularly, but I did feel a very sympathetic connection with the character of Tyrion Lannister.

Any additional comments?

Despite my small complaints, this was a very enjoyable listen. I very much recommend.

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the book is always better

Great narration.
Loved all his varied accents.
Wonderful story.
They should make a movie or something.

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wow. Awesome narrator. made the book come to life.

the narrator did a really good job bringing me into the story and helping the story come to life. the plot was awesome. I've seen the entire series but wanted more so decided to get the book. I was not disappointed. There is so much more to understand about Game of Thrones. I am eager to read the next Story

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Superb

Great characters, great story, great read. I've read it twice and watched the HBO series. With the series I've started re-reading them all.

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Perfect!

Roy Dotrice was the perfect performer for this book! Intense and engaging. I enjoyed it very much.

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