(A Song of Ice and Fire #1)
My Rating:
Plot Tease
Long ago, in a time forgotten, a preternatural event threw the seasons out of balance. In a land where summers can last decades and winters a lifetime, trouble is brewing. The cold is returning and in the frozen wastes to the north of Winterfell, sinister and supernatural forces are massing beyond the kingdom's protective Wall.
At the center of the conflict lie the Starks of Winterfell, a family as harsh and unyielding as the land they were born to. Sweeping from a land of brutal cold to a distant summertime kingdom of epicurean plenty, here is a tale of lords and ladies, soldiers and sorcerers, assassins and bastards, who come together in a time of grim omens.
FAIR WARNING: This book is not for children. I would not recommend anyone under 18 read this without great discretion. It deals with many adult themes and Martin is graphic.
Book Review
This book - this series - is seriously a character gold mine in fantasy. There are 10+ main characters, and Martin is a master. This mix of viewpoints never feels clumsy or overwhelming. I've found that the characters are varied enought to each appeal to a different sort of reader, which is brilliant. Backstabbing and betrayal abound and you're left wondering if anyone really has integrity in this world. (In humanity?) No one is safe.
Jon Snow is particularly intriguing. As the bastard of Eddard Stark, a significant lord in Westeros, he is an outsider in his own family, and struggles how he can make his father proud while remaining in his 'place'. From the outset he is well-developed: strong, faithful, courageous, considerate. He is a good teacher and a willing defender of the Starks.
But Martin surprised me. He took this character posessing great maturity and virtue and placed him in such difficult situations that Jon Sow had to break and grow. He develops into a different, equally impressive character as he overcomes. Which is fantastic considering this is only the first book.
His half-sister, Arya, definitely makes the 'Best Characters' list also. In fantasy, it is rare to find a realistic girl that is not an overexposed warrior-princess or demure lady. Which, I have to say, is a personal let-down for me as a tomboy. Arya fills that space perfectly. She is a 'boy' in girl's form, and allowed to be so.
At the start she is an over-zealous and naive character that is very lovable. Especially in stark contrast to her older sister Sansa, who is the quintessential demure lady figure. Eager to see the world with her father, she convinces him to take her to the royal city. Arya is faced with great difficulty, and we see her grow into a young woman poised on the edge of great danger.
Of course, the 'evil' characters in this book are also fantastic. Cersei Lannister, queen of Westeros, officially has my pure and abiding hatred. She's regal, rich, disgustingly selfish and untrustworthy. It's hard to ever know where to begin. She is the cause of so much intrigue it's ridiculous.
But even she has a convincing character arch. As a mother, she looks out for her children in her own twisted way. Readers get to see her slowly losing control of her son. I am left wondering whether that frightens or angers her. Her relationship with her family is definitely worth talking about; but to do so I would have to ruin one of the best, earliest shocks in the book, so I'll leave it alone.
Suffice to say that Martin is not afraid of anything, and takes us on some truly surprising turns. I have no doubt that this will become another classic fantasy series that will be part of the cannon for years to come. Read it! I gaurantee you'll be sucked in just like I was.
What Do You Think?
If you've read Game of Thrones, which character was your favorite? Why?
Which is better: to win with betrayal or loose with integrity?
Do you enjoy evil/bad characters? What appeals to you about them?
What is your favorite fantasy character archetype?
"Never forget what you are, for surely the world will not. Make it your strength. Then it can never be your weakness. Armor yourself in it, and it will never be used to hurt you." - Game of ThronesCost: New $11.56/Used $1.00 (Available on Kindle and Nook.)
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Great review. I love the character of Jon Snow. It really appeals to me that out of all the "legitimate" children of Eddard Stark the bastard is the most like him in every way. Although we lose Eddard, also one of my favorite characters, I feel as though he lives on in Snow. I really feel as though this character's development is the most whole because you journey with him through adolescence into manhood.
ReplyDeleteDefinitely. I also really appreciate that as an illegitimate child, Jon has a freedom that Eddard doesn't. But he chooses to stay connected to the family all the same. The dynamics that deal with what these two can and can't do are interesting. Definitely one of my favorite relationships in the series.
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