GAME OF THRONES (A SONG OF ICE AND FIRE #1).

GAME OF THRONES by GEORGE R.R. MARTIN.

BACK COVER BLURB: Summers span decades. Winter can last a lifetime. And the struggle for the Iron Throne has begun. It will stretch from the south, where heat breeds plot, lusts and intrigues; to the vast frozen north, where a 700-foot wall of ice protects the kingdom from the dark forces that lie beyond.

FIRST SENTENCE {Prologue}: "We should start back," Gared urged as the woods began to grow dark around them. "The wildlings are dead."

MEMORABLE MOMENT {Page 295}: In the pale dawn light, the young knight looked as though he were sleeping. He had not been handsome, but death had smoothed his rough-hewn features and the silent sisters had dressed him in his best velvet tunic, with a high collar to cover the ruin the lance had made of his throat.

SOURCE: A charity shop buy from Mr T.

MY THOUGHTS: The book(s) that spawned the hit television series. This is the first in what I believe to be a set of five books with two more yet to come.

An epic fantasy, dense in mythology and complex world-building but never at the cost of the characters. To me Game Of Thrones has what I can only describe as a sort of alternative medieval/viking feel about it. 

Following the story as told from the point of view of several very different characters (each chapter bearing the name of the protagonist it features), I found myself enjoying some portions of the book - in particular Daenerys' story (Oh my goodness, how profound is hers and Khal Drogo's love story?)  - a lot more than others. 

A format, knowing all too well how quickly details can be forgotten as the plot jumps from one character to another (to say nothing of the cliffhanger on which almost every chapter ends), I admit to initially having reservations. However,  perhaps due to the richness of the storytelling, perhaps due to how well (and quickly) I came to know the characters, not once did I lose track of events.

Despite my promise to myself not to begin any more books that formed a series and the fact that I'm not usually that big on fantasy fiction A Song Of Ice And Fire is one series that I simply can't let pass me by.

Read for the ...
What's In A Name? 2016 challenge: 'A book with a piece of furniture in the title'.
The 2016 Reading Challenge: 'A book that intimidates you' category.
Kelly's The Tome Challenge: Reading Books of 600+ Pages.