The Game of Thrones....the book

first off beware....Possible spoilers ( as I don’t know what Im truly going to write yet)

Fueled by my love of the HBO series based on it, I purchased the audio book for George Martin’s “Game of Thrones”. 44 hours of book, in 4 8 plus hour sections appeared to be a daunting listen but with time while I waited for Kevin to finish he track practices...I had at.

I don’t normally go gaga over popular fantasy, sure I love me some Tolkien and I read the “Lord Foul’s Bane” series, but besides that I steer clear of the like...with that said, I loved every second of GOT.

I mistakenly began liking some characters in the book only to have the author gleeful slay them in the festering pit of deceit that is Kings landing and the 7 kingdoms. I am thankful that Jon Snow made the cut and remained true to his oath but now I am wary that he may have his dark day ahead.

The book is full of so many great Characters, both good, bad and undetermined that at times you can’t wait for the narrative to return to them. The Mormounts became a favorite of mine, the father, the Son and the sister all coming together to paint the portrait of a minor noble house, though only in the background, richly alive with the Father who was forced to take the black, the son who fled into exile and the Warrior sister who’s daughters carry on the name with the smashing of the morning stars.

The author seems to happily build of the Stark family then takes fiendish delight as he suffers them to all sorts of hardships. I like the Starks and the northern families, the author makes me think of the northern english folk of the border with his descriptions... and their stalwart honorable streak.... a benefit in the north.... that turns out to be their glass jaw in the Machiavellian towers of the capital.

Even the battles come to life with a rich history as the author describes the various bannermen and lords that flock to battle under their various sigels, each appear to be unique and many seem to be dual edged blades ready to cut both sides like the Frey’s and Grayjoys. The battles them selves are bloody and believable.

Tyrion Lannister, the dwarf son of the lord of Casterly Rock is a wonderful character, though he tells you that if he wasnt the son of a lord he probably would have been killed as a newborn, his short comings (forgive the pun) make him more and more a giant in the book as he endeavors to out smart his opponents instead of out fight, but we must say that when push comes to shove....his little body houses bear size courage.

The book is wonderful as it follows the fall of Robert Beratheon, the usurper King and the rise of his son Geof. The secrets that end up killing two “Hands of the king” and the crowning of the kings younger brother Renley towards the end of the book and leaves the 7 kingdoms on the edge of being ripped apart.

With all that happening....we are told the tale of the last of the Targaryen, Daenery, who finds love married to a horse lord and the tragedy that follows.... but in the end, for the child she losses she gains 3.... the first in 100’s of years and we are led to believe the Dragon of House Targaryen is turning its eye once more to the “Iron Throne”.

Though some of the readers voices annoyed me to no end, I have to say I loved the book more then any Fantasy book that I have read in a long time. If you have not read it, I encourage you to pick it up.....the only problem you’ll have is putting it it down.