A Game of Thrones

[Lox]

I just ordered the 1st 3 books from George R R Martin's series. The review I read on Amazon.com was very persuading. I heard about the book via Ctrl-Alt-Del's author who is a big fan. I need something to do on the plane ride to Jamaica next Saturday and on the way back the following Saturday (going with my church for a week to work in a deaf village and do construction and what not).

Has anyone here read any of his stuff or these in particular and what are your thoughts?

I got the 1st three and Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy so I could get free Super Saver Shipping.

[Flip]

OH YES! It is currently my favorite series! I would say the Dark Tower is my favorite of all time, but The Song of Ice and Fire Series (what you just bought) is a close close second.

Fantasy, yes, but very mature fantasy. Murder, back stabbing, rape, and even incest are frequent themes. Very well written with some awesome characters and an author who isnt afraid to do anything.

You'll love it if you do not mind the graphic sex and stuff.



EDIT: He just finished the 4th one and it is coming out soon, A Feast For Crows, hmmm.

www.georgerrmartin.com

[the Gray]

I love George R.R. Martin, really I do. But recently as I've gone back and reread the first 3, I'm not nearly as enthralled.

I can't say this next part loud enough.

If you like Fantasy, please do yourself a favour and read Steven Erikson's series 'Malazan books of the Fallen'. The latest just came out here in Canada. Unfortunately, only 1 has been released in the US that I know of. (the 1st book)

If you like it, I would willingly ship the others to you guys in the US (or abroad) that like good fantasy.

Derith, get your ass in here and agree with me.

[Ishamael]

Aaaah, A Song of Ice and Fire. I've also read the first 3 books of the Malazan book of the Fallen and am about 10 pages into the 4th.

My opinion? George R.R. Martin is currently the best fantasy author writing. I'm just about ready to elevate A Song of Ice and Fire to being the best fantasy series ever. However, I reread Jordan's series, and early on, I'd argue that his books were just as good as Martin's, though certainly less explicit. The point? Martin can still screw this up....but I get the feeling he's learned from the sins of past and won't mess this up. Books 4-5 seems like the breaking point with these guys. There's so much going on, the worlds are so rich, that it's easy lose control and have it all fall apart on you. Martin has taken like 5 *years* on his latest book (due for release later this year) to make sure he doesn't fuck it up like Jordan did. You're lucky to be getting in now as there are 4 of his books waiting on you and to avoid the wait the rest of us have had to deal with.

On the Malazan Book of the Fallen. VERY good stuff, BUT doesn't hold together as well as Martin or Jordan (at least Jordan in books 1-4). However, you still should read it. Even with questionable plot movements (The Gray and I can discuss in detail in a spoilerific thread), he gets so much right that it's easily worth the time to read. Erikson is an excellent author. I think only books 1 and 2 are available in the US. The others I had to order from England through an Amazon affiliate called Bagabook located in New York. Just search for Erikson's name on Amazon and you'll find them.

[the Gray]

For those of you that want some more of Martin's world, there is a comic mini-series out there called "The Hedge Knight".

It takes place well before A Song of Ice and Fire.

[Flip]

The comic is based off his short story of the same title that was published in that Legends compilation.

The Legends book is good, has short stories from him, Terry Goodkind, Anne Mcaffrey, etc...

[Julius Seeker]

Game of Thrones is an excellent book; I can't really say the same for the next two though the second does start off fairly decently if I am remembering correctly. The whole series seems to fall apart from there on.

In Martin's books, it seems like half the people are pedophiles, which is kind of ridiculous. A lot of the plot points seem forced from the second book on. The first book, a game of thrones, is an excellent title; one of the best fantasy books of the last 10 years. I found the next two books to be somewhat less interesting than the first and I am no longer interested in the series.

I would rank Martin up in the top 10 best fantasy authors of the last 10 years though, regardless.

The problem with fantasy lately is that authors don't care any longer about telling a good story, it is just about pumping out book after book to get more cash; it's usually the same story every time, a couple of great books at the beginning of the series, then a lot of dragged out crap.


Currently I am reading a book called "The Snow Warrior" by Don Dandrea, I just picked it up today used; it's historical fiction taking place in the Mongol Empire. It begins with the tale of how a sword, forged for royalty in Japan, and how it passed through into China and eventually finding its way North into Mongolia. I haven't read far enough as of yet to find out where things go from here. Historical fiction is currently what I enjoy the most, I find that generally the authors are a lot better than fantasy authors, they are often very similar in writing style. My favourite time period is of course the dark ages.