Why it's essential
It goes without saying that ’s fantasy epic is nothing short of a generation-defining work. This book is the one that started it all and makes for a perfect entry point into the series.
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What is A Game of Thrones about?
takes place in a medieval fantasy world and mostly deals with the bitter rivalry between House Lannister and House Stark, two noble families that find themselves at opposing ends of the king’s line of succession. While tension mounts in the royal capital, a third contender begins consolidating power. Will the throne be claimed by a girl named Daenerys Targaryen?
Editor's review
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.It can be argued that A Song of Ice and Fire and its HBO adaptation were the most impactful pieces of media through the 2010s. Despite Martin’s style of subversion and shock, this series reached as wide of an audience as juggernauts like and . Despite the tragic fact that the book series may never be finished, will always be an essential piece of the fantasy genre.
