The words "Winter is coming" may strike a lot of readers with a wide string of emotions and for a few different reasons. Perhaps some of you feel that it is impossible for winter to be so near when, at the date of writing this article, it is over eighty degrees in the heart of June. These people, I fear, are not part of the culture aware of George R.R. Martin's popular series A Game of Thrones. Indeed, this is not an article discussing the season, but a book review of the first book of the series. As a note, this review will be based on the book and not the HBO series, and will be spoiler-free.
On the surface, A Game of Thrones is everything we hope a medieval fantasy series could be. There are kings, castles, and knights aplenty spread throughout the 800-page first installment. For those who are unfamiliar, as background, the series primarily takes place in the Kingdom of Westeros where the majority of the characters reside. Throughout the pages, the reader is introduced to many separate families, each with their own motivations, desires, and views of what is and what should be. As it turns out, it is, indeed, a game in how power is divided, gained, and lost between these powerful families dating back to the beginning of Westeros.
Martin's ability to create a full cast of characters and their individual viewpoints throughout the novel to piece together his story is impressive, and earns positive points for the introductory novel to the series. Westeros, as it turns out, is filled to the brim with characters, each of whom stands out by their own accord through the strength of the writing. For this, I commend Martin for allowing a reader to be able to distinguish one king from another in a piece of writing often confusing and bogged down with characters for some. Martin earns respect and applause for bringing so many characters into the spotlight and giving each of them chapters because, as ambitious as it is, it serves to ensure that the kingdom feels just as large as it's meant to be.
The strength of the writing aside, it should be noted that this book is not for the faint of heart. If the illustration of swords isn't enough of a hint, this book does contain themes of war, death, and general violence. While it is not an exaggerated media of blood and gore, details are not spared for the sake of a less-than-mature audience. Furthermore, it's possible that those with a tendency to space out their leisure reading over a long period of time may not find this series as enjoyable as others for the fact that it is chock full of different characters, similar names, and small details that could easily be mixed up or forgotten. In so many pages, a lot happens, and a reader needs to keep up with Martin's pace, or will begin wondering who is who and what is happening in any given chapter.
In respect to the HBO series, I can vouch from personal experience that there is worth in reading the book as well as watching the TV show unfold. While the plot follows the same general storyline, the details are what make them differ so. The HBO series is not a carbon copy of the novel, and they each have respectable worth for those fans who know one and wish to see the other.
Finally, Martin's novel should not be confused with something parallel to the universe of The Lord of the Rings. Though it might be easy to think that they must be the same--surely any media from what appears to be within the same confides of time containing kings must be a like pair--this is simply not the case. A Game of Thrones is far different. I'm not going to say if you should pick up one over the other because that is for the individual reader to decide, but it is important to note that The Lord of the Rings could be classified as a pure adventure story, whereas A Game of Thrones does contain an aspect of a grand adventure, but with a greater focus on politics than a large scale trip.
Personally, A Game of Thrones has to be one of the more enjoyable read I've had. It stands out as different, and I think that it deserves all of the praise and attention that it has gained since Martin wrote it. The way characters are handled, fleshed out and carry their own sympathies and motives are some of the best traits of the book. In fact, it's an easy argument that no character is completely good or evil within their own right and the way the world is built. It fills the scale of the maps provided in the first several pages. However, readers may find the switching of so many viewpoints to be confusing, and is not a read for the faint of heart as there are many matures scenes. I do recommend this novel very highly, particularly with fans who know the television series and wish to read the print material while waiting for the next season.
