A Game of Thrones

A Song of Ice and Fire, Book 1

By: George R. R. Martin

Narrated by: Roy Dotrice

NOW THE ACCLAIMED HBO SERIES GAME OF THRONES—THE MASTERPIECE THAT BECAME A CULTURAL PHENOMENON

Here is the first book in the landmark series that has redefined imaginative fiction and become a modern masterpiece.

A GAME OF THRONES

In a land where summers can last decades and winters a lifetime, trouble is brewing. The cold is returning, and in the frozen wastes to the North of Winterfell, sinister and supernatural forces are massing beyond the kingdom’s protective Wall. At the center of the conflict lie the Starks of Winterfell, a family as harsh and unyielding as the land they were born to. Sweeping from a land of brutal cold to a distant summertime kingdom of epicurean plenty, here is a tale of lords and ladies, soldiers and sorcerers, assassins and bastards, who come together in a time of grim omens. Amid plots and counterplots, tragedy and betrayal, victory and terror, the fate of the Starks, their allies, and their enemies hangs perilously in the balance, as each endeavors to win that deadliest of conflicts: the game of thrones.

A GAME OF THRONES • A CLASH OF KINGS • A STORM OF SWORDS • A FEAST FOR CROWS • A DANCE WITH DRAGONS©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

“I always expect the best from George R. R. Martin, and he always delivers.”—Robert Jordan

“Reminiscent of T. H. White’s The Once and Future King, this novel is an absorbing combination of the mythic, the sweepingly historical, and the intensely personal.”—Chicago Sun-Times

“A vast, rich saga, with splendid characters and an intricate plot flawlessly articulated against a backdrop of real depth and texture.”—Kirkus Reviews

“Martin makes a triumphant return to high fantasy . . . [with] superbly developed characters, accomplished prose, and sheer bloodymindedness.”—Publishers Weekly, starred review

“A splendid saga . . . . Inventive and intricately plotted.”—BookPage

“Such a splendid tale and such a fantasticorical! I read my eyes out and couldn't stop ‘til I finished and it was dawn.”—Anne McCaffrey

it just goes on forever...

Would you listen to A Game of Thrones again? Why?

No. Here's the thing. The story never ends. It just goes on and on and on. There's no pay off.

Would you recommend A Game of Thrones to your friends? Why or why not?

Doubtful. The story is okay, but he never wraps anything up.

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

Roy is great with male voices, but struggles with female voices. I might have suggested 2 actors, one for each gender, otherwise, he's very good.

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

Good grief no. It's 30 hours long.

Any additional comments?

You might spend your time more efficiently reading a 3 or 4 page summary of each book.

An expensive song of politics and power.

This is neither "The Oddesy", "LOTR" nor is it "Harry Potter" This is good old political intrigue. There is no hero. There is the story.

Characters one really cares for die. Characters one wants to like do truly horrible things. There is incest. There is cold blooded murder. There is war. Parents should read (listen) to this with their teens. (Note: a previous reviewer objected to the multitude of sexual perversions described. Well, I don't remember much of that: certainly there is nothing to compare to Diana Gabaldon.) I would recommend "Eragon" or "Harry Potter" for most younger children. Children may like this book because there are seven and ten year olds in it, but I think most will find this a tough book. It is written for adults.

Also, because there is no hero, there is little to make me want to read the sequels. I may, but at 2 credits per book there are many other things to read. Maybe they'll drop the price.

A Game of Thrones

I am hurredly downloading the next book.
Roy Dotrice is a fabulous reader, making the book reading come across like a BBC radio play.
The story is well written, the plot nicely laced with interesting characters.
Well done.

Absolutely incredible

This is one of the best series of books I have had the pleasure of reading. It is entirely riveting and engaging, masterfully plotted, and the narration is fantastic. I cannot remember the last time I was so engrossed in a book and so caught up in the lives of the characters in the story. The author's ability to tell a real story with real consequences rather than feel-good fairy tales is both refreshing and utterly astonishing.

There are not enough superlatives for these books. They are glorious.

Excellent storytelling. Superb narration.

Being fairly new to Audible, I trusted the reviews that were out there for this one, and they were spot on. I had not read Game of Thrones before listening to the Audible version, but Roy Dotrice does such an excellent job as narrator, that I had no issues following the story or keeping track of the characters. This book has not only helped me pass 1 and 1/2 hours a day of commute time but has actually made me look forward to the commute. I would highly recommend it to any, especially those with even a slight interest in the genre.