A Game of Thrones - George R.R. Martin
After a long hiatus, this first volume of Martin's dramatic fantasy saga has inspired me to write about my literary conquests once again. Looking back, I'm surprised that the acquisition of an e-reader last Christmas didn't bring this on sooner. It's been an interesting year, but the book is the thing, so I'll get to it.
I was daunted at first by the sheer length of this book, especially since it's part of a series and not a stand-alone novel. A single book of 800 pages is one thing, but a whole series of them can make me a little wary. Luckily, Martin writes well but not dense. My only technical gripe is the perspective changing with each chapter. It was frustrating in the first few chapters, and it might have turned off a less enthusiastic reader. It does reflect the convoluted connections of the large cast of characters, which appear to confuse even the ones in charge.
After a slightly rocky start, I could see why Martin has been frequently compared to Tolkien, which is no small thing. There is a depth to the world he has created, and you get the sense that there are hundreds - or even thousands - of years of history behind the story being told on the pages. I could enumerate the similarites and differences, but that wouldn't be true to my own experience of the book. I don't recall comparing the two as I was reading it, and Martin's work deserves to be its own entity.
Given the length of the book, and the fact that I'm a little rusty, I don't think I'm up to the task of dissecting the plot (or should I say plots?), but there are a few highlights. One thing that really resonated with me was the strength and diversity of the female characters. Several of them appear to be just courtly ladies on the surface, but harbor darkness and complexity to rival any of the scheming lords. With few exceptions, the women in this book have difficult decisions placed before them, and a large part of the conflict is driven by the paths they choose.
I was also struck by how prominent the younger characters were, since anyone under the age of sixteen is usually just a stock character in adult novels. There are a number of children and teens that have their own goals and plans, and they help drive the plot in more than a few instances. In the same vein, I was surprised to find physically challenged characters (most notably Tyrion, a dwarf) that were more than a king's fool or a sad sidenote. They have their own agendas, and often are integral players in the titular "game".
The plot itself is suspenseful, intriguing, and not without a little humor. There are power struggles, sibling rivalries, love stories, and a few thrilling battle scenes that don't necessarily end in predictable ways. Martin fills the nearly 800 pages with more than just fancy prose, and I am looking forward to putting a dent in the next volume. Bring on A Clash of Kings...
Oh, and no I have not seen the series, but it's definitely on my radar.
I was daunted at first by the sheer length of this book, especially since it's part of a series and not a stand-alone novel. A single book of 800 pages is one thing, but a whole series of them can make me a little wary. Luckily, Martin writes well but not dense. My only technical gripe is the perspective changing with each chapter. It was frustrating in the first few chapters, and it might have turned off a less enthusiastic reader. It does reflect the convoluted connections of the large cast of characters, which appear to confuse even the ones in charge.
After a slightly rocky start, I could see why Martin has been frequently compared to Tolkien, which is no small thing. There is a depth to the world he has created, and you get the sense that there are hundreds - or even thousands - of years of history behind the story being told on the pages. I could enumerate the similarites and differences, but that wouldn't be true to my own experience of the book. I don't recall comparing the two as I was reading it, and Martin's work deserves to be its own entity.
Given the length of the book, and the fact that I'm a little rusty, I don't think I'm up to the task of dissecting the plot (or should I say plots?), but there are a few highlights. One thing that really resonated with me was the strength and diversity of the female characters. Several of them appear to be just courtly ladies on the surface, but harbor darkness and complexity to rival any of the scheming lords. With few exceptions, the women in this book have difficult decisions placed before them, and a large part of the conflict is driven by the paths they choose.
I was also struck by how prominent the younger characters were, since anyone under the age of sixteen is usually just a stock character in adult novels. There are a number of children and teens that have their own goals and plans, and they help drive the plot in more than a few instances. In the same vein, I was surprised to find physically challenged characters (most notably Tyrion, a dwarf) that were more than a king's fool or a sad sidenote. They have their own agendas, and often are integral players in the titular "game".
The plot itself is suspenseful, intriguing, and not without a little humor. There are power struggles, sibling rivalries, love stories, and a few thrilling battle scenes that don't necessarily end in predictable ways. Martin fills the nearly 800 pages with more than just fancy prose, and I am looking forward to putting a dent in the next volume. Bring on A Clash of Kings...
Oh, and no I have not seen the series, but it's definitely on my radar.