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A Song of Ice and Fire #1-2
A Game of Thrones and a Clash of Kings
2 eBooks in 1! George R. R. Martin, a writer of unsurpassed vision, power, and imagination, has created a landmark of fantasy fiction. Now his two epic works, A Game of Thrones and A Clash of Kings are combined together in this eBook edition. Sweeping from a harsh land of cold to a summertime kingdom of epicurean plenty, A Game of Thrones tells a tale of lords and ladies, soldiers and sorcerers, assassins and bastards who come together in a time of grim omens. Here, an enigmatic band of warriors bear swords of no human metal, a tribe of fierce wildings carry men off into madness, a cruel young dragon prince barters his sister to win back his throne, a child is lost in the twilight between life and death, and a determined woman undertakes a treacherous journey to protect all she holds dear. Amid plots and counterplots, tragedy and betrayal, victory and terror, allies and enemies, the fate of the Starks hangs perilously in the balance, as each side endeavors to win that deadliest of conflicts: the game of thrones. In the eagerly awaited second volume in this epic saga, he once again proves himself a master myth-maker, setting a standard against which all other fantasy novels will be measured for years to come. Time is out of joint. The summer of peace and plenty, ten years long, is drawing to a close, and the harsh, chill winter approaches like an angry beast. Two great leaders--Lord Eddard Stark and Robert Baratheon--who held sway over an age of enforced peace are dead...victims of royal treachery. Now, from the ancient citadel of Dragonstone to the forbidding shores of Winterfell, chaos reigns, as pretenders to the Iron Throne of the Seven Kingdoms prepare to stake their claims through tempest, turmoil, and war. As a prophecy of doom cuts across the sky--a comet the color of blood and flame--six factions struggle for control of a divided land. Eddard's son Robb has declared himself King in the North. In the south, Joffrey, the heir apparent, rules in name only, victim of the scheming courtiers who teem over King's Landing. Robert's two brothers each seek their own dominion, while a disfavored house turns once more to conquest. And a continent away, an exiled queen, the Mother of Dragons, risks everything to lead her precious brood across a hard hot desert to win back the crown that is rightfully hers. A Clash of Kings transports us into a magnificent, forgotten land of revelry and revenge, wizardry and warfare. It is a tale in which maidens cavort with madmen, brother plots against brother, and the dead rise to walk in the night. Here a princess masquerades as an orphan boy; a knight of the mind prepares a poison for a treacherous sorceress; and wild men descend from the Mountains of the Moon to ravage the countryside. Against a backdrop of incest and fratricide, alchemy and murder, the price of glory may be measured in blood. And the spoils of victory may just go to the men and women possessed of the coldest steel ... and the coldest hearts. For when rulers clash, all of the land feels the tremors. Audacious, inventive, brilliantly imagined, A Clash of Kings is a novel of dazzling beauty and boundless enchantment--a tale of pure excitement you will never forget.
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First published January 1, 1996
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About the author
George R.R. Martin
1,504 books118k followersGeorge Raymond Richard "R.R." Martin was born September 20, 1948, in Bayonne, New Jersey. His father was Raymond Collins Martin, a longshoreman, and his mother was Margaret Brady Martin. He has two sisters, Darleen Martin Lapinski and Janet Martin Patten.
Martin attended Mary Jane Donohoe School and Marist High School. He began writing very young, selling monster stories to other neighborhood children for pennies, dramatic readings included. Later he became a comic book fan and collector in high school, and began to write fiction for comic fanzines (amateur fan magazines). Martin's first professional sale was made in 1970 at age 21: The Hero, sold to Galaxy, published in February, 1971 issue. Other sales followed.
In 1970 Martin received a B.S. in Journalism from Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, graduating summa cum laude. He went on to complete a M.S. in Journalism in 1971, also from Northwestern.
As a conscientious objector, Martin did alternative service 1972-1974 with VISTA, attached to Cook County Legal Assistance Foundation. He also directed chess tournaments for the Continental Chess Association from 1973-1976, and was a Journalism instructor at Clarke College, Dubuque, Iowa, from 1976-1978. He wrote part-time throughout the 1970s while working as a VISTA Volunteer, chess director, and teacher.
In 1975 he married Gale Burnick. They divorced in 1979, with no children. Martin became a full-time writer in 1979. He was writer-in-residence at Clarke College from 1978-79.
Moving on to Hollywood, Martin signed on as a story editor for Twilight Zone at CBS Television in 1986. In 1987 Martin became an Executive Story Consultant for Beauty and the Beast at CBS. In 1988 he became a Producer for Beauty and the Beast, then in 1989 moved up to Co-Supervising Producer. He was Executive Producer for Doorways, a pilot which he wrote for Columbia Pictures Television, which was filmed during 1992-93.
Martin's present home is Santa Fe, New Mexico. He is a member of Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers of America (he was South-Central Regional Director 1977-1979, and Vice President 1996-1998), and of Writers' Guild of America, West.
http://us.macmillan.com/author/george...
Martin attended Mary Jane Donohoe School and Marist High School. He began writing very young, selling monster stories to other neighborhood children for pennies, dramatic readings included. Later he became a comic book fan and collector in high school, and began to write fiction for comic fanzines (amateur fan magazines). Martin's first professional sale was made in 1970 at age 21: The Hero, sold to Galaxy, published in February, 1971 issue. Other sales followed.
In 1970 Martin received a B.S. in Journalism from Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, graduating summa cum laude. He went on to complete a M.S. in Journalism in 1971, also from Northwestern.
As a conscientious objector, Martin did alternative service 1972-1974 with VISTA, attached to Cook County Legal Assistance Foundation. He also directed chess tournaments for the Continental Chess Association from 1973-1976, and was a Journalism instructor at Clarke College, Dubuque, Iowa, from 1976-1978. He wrote part-time throughout the 1970s while working as a VISTA Volunteer, chess director, and teacher.
In 1975 he married Gale Burnick. They divorced in 1979, with no children. Martin became a full-time writer in 1979. He was writer-in-residence at Clarke College from 1978-79.
Moving on to Hollywood, Martin signed on as a story editor for Twilight Zone at CBS Television in 1986. In 1987 Martin became an Executive Story Consultant for Beauty and the Beast at CBS. In 1988 he became a Producer for Beauty and the Beast, then in 1989 moved up to Co-Supervising Producer. He was Executive Producer for Doorways, a pilot which he wrote for Columbia Pictures Television, which was filmed during 1992-93.
Martin's present home is Santa Fe, New Mexico. He is a member of Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers of America (he was South-Central Regional Director 1977-1979, and Vice President 1996-1998), and of Writers' Guild of America, West.
http://us.macmillan.com/author/george...
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August 14, 2020Of course idea of reading 1700 pages long book is one of the craziest attempts in my life and I cannot believe I’m telling this but after spending two hours with audiobooks, a few naps, ew, feh,hmph moments (more interjections show my dissatisfaction) later. I stopped it and started rewatching first season, seeing younger versions of actors, chanting for Jason Momoa made my day! Does it make me superficial person? So be it!
It seems like I chose wrong day and wrong time for starting series!
It seems like I chose wrong day and wrong time for starting series!
December 16, 2008
If Mr. T threw a punch at a bunch of letters, they'd fall into place as SONG OF ICE AND FIRE.
July 31, 2011
Over 1,700 pages through the Song of Ice and Fire series, and I am genuinely addicted. Having never read true fantasy/science fiction before, I was skeptical. . . but figured NPR's list of "10 books you probably haven't read, but should" wouldn't be wrong. Then. . . half way through Game of Thrones, the series began on HBO. I can't wait to watch it after I am done reading the series. By the time I make it through the next two montster of a books, hopefully Dancing with Dragons will be in paperback....
December 8, 2009
I'm not much of a fantasy reader. Having said that, I find this series to be compelling. Dare I say I'm enjoying this more than the Lord of the Rings? I Do!! I do dare say it!!!
I'm about 2/3rds of the way through the third book and cannot put it down. I love the complexity of the characters. I like the fact that there isn't a lot of magic and crazy monsters. The people are the monsters. The "bad" people do bad things not because they are inherently evil, but because they have human flaws and weaknesses. They commit evil acts because they are jealous, lustful, fearful, etc... I find myself hating some of these characters and then a few chapters later feeling sympathy for them. I like how each chapter switches who the narrator is. It gives you a greater depth of view as to what is going on when you see it from multiple perspectives.
I also like the fact that the author pulls no punches. The "good" characters suffer. They suffer immensely. They get themselves into horrible situations and sometimes don't get out of them. The "bad" guys often win. There is seldom a deus ex machina to be found. There have been quite a few times in this series where I have been absolutely stunned by the events that have transpired. No one is held sacred. Everyone is at risk. There is a great amount of tension when you know your favorite character may very well die on the next page.
I could continue to rave about this series for hours, but will stop here. To sum up: Love it!!!!
I'm about 2/3rds of the way through the third book and cannot put it down. I love the complexity of the characters. I like the fact that there isn't a lot of magic and crazy monsters. The people are the monsters. The "bad" people do bad things not because they are inherently evil, but because they have human flaws and weaknesses. They commit evil acts because they are jealous, lustful, fearful, etc... I find myself hating some of these characters and then a few chapters later feeling sympathy for them. I like how each chapter switches who the narrator is. It gives you a greater depth of view as to what is going on when you see it from multiple perspectives.
I also like the fact that the author pulls no punches. The "good" characters suffer. They suffer immensely. They get themselves into horrible situations and sometimes don't get out of them. The "bad" guys often win. There is seldom a deus ex machina to be found. There have been quite a few times in this series where I have been absolutely stunned by the events that have transpired. No one is held sacred. Everyone is at risk. There is a great amount of tension when you know your favorite character may very well die on the next page.
I could continue to rave about this series for hours, but will stop here. To sum up: Love it!!!!
December 3, 2011
I can't believe I had never read, nor even heard of, this book until this summer! The story is somewhat like Lord of the Rings, only a thousand times more fun to read (I like the LOTR films, not so much the books). There are swords and horses and banners, murders and plots, destinies and tragedies. Delightfully strong female characters (e.g., Arya! Awesome name, too!) and a deliciously clever and rude dwarf (the human kind) add to the expected knights and whatnot. The story's main conflict has many facets, and I found myself rooting for different "sides" at different moments--the "good" and the "evil" are fairly readily recognizable, but as in life, not everyone on either side quite fits the broad-strokes label. An absolute blast to read, and reading it in late fall is highly recommended because of the many repetitions of the ominous phrase "Winter is coming"--winter being, in the world of this book, a dark season which can last a decade or more.
July 1, 2013
Rating is zero stars. So not worth it. Crass and raw don't quite cover it. Sleaze, misogyny. These are central.
I think the author lost his story after the first book. Author G.Martin wrote some excellent premises in book one. And then..... that's it. He really had no story. Only the premise for one.
Book two is 800 pages of lost, hungry, and beaten orphans, war, violence, violent rape, threats of rape, humiliation of women, drownings, kidnappings, hangings, sexual humiliation (men), and decapitation. Oh and, winter is coming. Why, really, did he bother? I won't be fooled again.
I trusted this author to have a point. Most anything would do. Author is not up to the task. The "stories" are a cover for blood lust writ large. And hating women even larger.
Further rants below.
---------------------------------
Besides above, I have a more basic objection to G. R.R. Martin. The novel is not told in the first-person but rather through an all-knowing author. Our collective POV is the following: "...at the warehouse where the lowest and dirtiest of whores will spread their legs for any passerby."
Martin could say anything here. "where the cheapest women of the night can sell their wares" gets the point across equally well doesn't it? He hardly ever fails to remind that women are whores. So are men. But we more often told of the first.
The hundreds of lines just like it grind away at one's humanity while reading this "adventure" story.
I think the author lost his story after the first book. Author G.Martin wrote some excellent premises in book one. And then..... that's it. He really had no story. Only the premise for one.
Book two is 800 pages of lost, hungry, and beaten orphans, war, violence, violent rape, threats of rape, humiliation of women, drownings, kidnappings, hangings, sexual humiliation (men), and decapitation. Oh and, winter is coming. Why, really, did he bother? I won't be fooled again.
I trusted this author to have a point. Most anything would do. Author is not up to the task. The "stories" are a cover for blood lust writ large. And hating women even larger.
Further rants below.
---------------------------------
Besides above, I have a more basic objection to G. R.R. Martin. The novel is not told in the first-person but rather through an all-knowing author. Our collective POV is the following: "...at the warehouse where the lowest and dirtiest of whores will spread their legs for any passerby."
Martin could say anything here. "where the cheapest women of the night can sell their wares" gets the point across equally well doesn't it? He hardly ever fails to remind that women are whores. So are men. But we more often told of the first.
The hundreds of lines just like it grind away at one's humanity while reading this "adventure" story.
January 7, 2014
I waited till this year to read Game of Thrones. I got tired of hearing how much better George Martins' novels are compared to J.R.R. Tolkin. I finely picked up Game of Thrones just because of all the buzz the story was causing and HBO picked it up to make a show.
Wow, I am swallowing my pride!! the man did his homework, and gave justice to the lords, knights, kings, and yes even the villain "The Spider" too. I can see why he was compared to Tolkin, what imagery, fine details, a true rich world for a n awesome story to unfold in. The characters are very well developed and all seem so real, forced to make real hard chooses, even if there are life/death consequences, which make them even more real. I have devoured t"Games of Throne" and now leapt head first into A Clash of Kings. He even added more characters, just as alluring as the first group. How I cried for Sansza when her father was beheaded!!!! Only to read that King Jeffory still has Ned's head on a spike. HE does not deserve belittling AFTER his undeserving death. I am still so worried for Arry, even if she is with the orphan boys. I worry over her getting raped. Where is her direwolf?
Anyway, these books are the boom, just wish I hadn't waited so long to read them!!!
Wow, I am swallowing my pride!! the man did his homework, and gave justice to the lords, knights, kings, and yes even the villain "The Spider" too. I can see why he was compared to Tolkin, what imagery, fine details, a true rich world for a n awesome story to unfold in. The characters are very well developed and all seem so real, forced to make real hard chooses, even if there are life/death consequences, which make them even more real. I have devoured t"Games of Throne" and now leapt head first into A Clash of Kings. He even added more characters, just as alluring as the first group. How I cried for Sansza when her father was beheaded!!!! Only to read that King Jeffory still has Ned's head on a spike. HE does not deserve belittling AFTER his undeserving death. I am still so worried for Arry, even if she is with the orphan boys. I worry over her getting raped. Where is her direwolf?
Anyway, these books are the boom, just wish I hadn't waited so long to read them!!!
February 19, 2011
Lame. Unreadable.
I question the author's interior life when he describes the orgasms of a 14 year old girl as her husband has forcible, non-consensual sex with her.
I question the author's interior life when he describes the orgasms of a 14 year old girl as her husband has forcible, non-consensual sex with her.
September 2, 2025
Does George know how to write bad books? In my experience so far I think not. Another classic. I’m gunna have to make myself wait before I read the next one
January 31, 2015
These books got worse and worse with every chapter. The second book took me over a year to finish and I am officially done with this series. Besides the fact that these books do not have any business in the fantasy section (throwing in three dragons and one pathetic life spell amongst two 600-700 page books does not make a series "fantasy") these books were disgusting. The entire society of these books is Patriarchal and raping women and children is a major theme. The author somehow thinks that throwing in a couple female heroines (some of them raped multiple times) makes the book less bigoted.
The series does not have any kind of direction. It drags on and on without any major events. In the first book, I got only that Daenarys has reached puberty. The second book... I got nothing from. I have no idea what I was supposed to pull from it.
Two stars is for mildly interesting characters, mostly lacking real character development.
The series does not have any kind of direction. It drags on and on without any major events. In the first book, I got only that Daenarys has reached puberty. The second book... I got nothing from. I have no idea what I was supposed to pull from it.
Two stars is for mildly interesting characters, mostly lacking real character development.
January 23, 2014
At first it is an interesting story and the multiple narratives are acceptable. Later in the book the author throws out an unexpected plot twist and then shifts to completely unrelated narratives for a few chapters. I ended up skipping ahead and eventually stopped reading altogether.
After reading the book for a while, I became painfully aware that the author's intent was to draw out this story as long as possible, hence the subsequent volumes. I like books with multiple volumes but only if each volume isn't a cliffhanger. This book is a blatant cliffhanger and reading it was frustrating.
The book is unnecessarily vulgar in several parts.
After reading the book for a while, I became painfully aware that the author's intent was to draw out this story as long as possible, hence the subsequent volumes. I like books with multiple volumes but only if each volume isn't a cliffhanger. This book is a blatant cliffhanger and reading it was frustrating.
The book is unnecessarily vulgar in several parts.
January 14, 2024
Great book! Bit of a slow start but the final 200 pages really picked up. Great to see the changes original content compared to the TV series, and excited to move on.
May 6, 2022
George R.R. Martin, A Game of Thrones
I assume you all know the ancient proverb, “Don't judge a book by it's ….. TV series.”
I've intentionally not watched TV series but preferred to dive into the literature world of Westeros.
Brave, brutal, beautiful and beguiling.
The epic story starts out in a difinitive locality before spreading out over many sprawling political and topographical landscapes (similar to how Tolkein began in Hobbiton before reaching to the ends of Middle Earth)
So many classy sub-quotes in this book:
“I don't even know who my mother was,” Jon said.
“Some woman, no doubt. Most of them are.” (replied Tyrion)
“... the wild track … brought home the lesson that the map was one thing and the land quite another.”
“Why is it that when one man builds a wall, the next man immediately needs to know what's on the other side?”
“Let them see that their words can cut you, and you'll never be free of the mockery. If they want to give you a name, take it, make it your own. Then they can't hurt you with it anymore.”
“Her father used to say that a lord needed to eat with his men, if he hoped to keep them. 'Know the men who follow you,' she heard him tell Robb once, 'and let them know you. Don't ask your men to die for a stranger.' At Winterfell, he always had an extra seat set at his own table, and every day a different man would be asked to join him.”
“Let me tell you something about wolves, child. When the snows fall and the white winds blow, the lone wolf dies, but the pack survives. Summer is the time for squabbles. In winter, we must protect one another, keep each other warm, share our strengths. … You need her, as she needs you … and I need both of you, gods help me.” - Ned Stark to his daughter Arya
“And I have a tender spot in my heart for cripples and bastards and broken things.”
“Most men would rather deny a hard truth than face it.”
“The world was full of cravens who pretended to be heroes; it took a queer sort of courage to admit to cowardice as Samwell Tarly had.”
“A warm rain was pelting down from a starless black sky as they walked … the (summer) rain had driven everyone under their roofs. It beat down on Ned's head, warm as blood and relentless as old guilts.”
“And Jaimie was even worse, rash and headstrong and quick to anger. His brother never untied a not when he could slash it in two with his sword.”
“Lords are gold and knights steel, but two links can't make a chain. You also need silver and iron and lead, tin and copper and bronze and all the rest, and those are farmers and smiths and merchants and the like. A chain needs all sorts of metals, and a land needs all sorts of people.” - Jon Snow
“She had been dreaming, she realized … trying to remember was like trying to catch the rain with her fingers. The dream faded ...”
“When you play the game of thrones, you win or die. There is no middle ground.” - Cersei Lannister
“A man who won't listen can't hear.”
“... only none of them seemed to recognise her. Or if they did, they shied away as if she had the grey plague. … Vainly, she searched for friendly faces. Not one of them would meet her eyes. It was as if she had become a ghost, dead before her time.”
“There is no creature on earth half so terrifying as a truly just man.” Varys to Ned Stark regarding Cersei's fear.
“The Great Shepherd sent me to earth to heal his lambs, wherever I might find them.” - Mirri Maz Duur
“The Great Shepherd guards the flock.” - Mirri Maz Duur
“What grass the horses had left was heavy with dew, as if some passing god had scattered a bag of diamonds over the earth.”
- - - - -
George R.R. Martin, A Clash of Kings
An epic achievement by GRRM to create such a rich and exhaustive compilation of characters and backstories.
Spoiler alert: I was gutted when Yoren got killed.
“Crowns do queer things to the heads beneath them.”
“There's no shame in fear, my father told me, what matters is how we face it.”
“Was there ever a war where only one side bled?”
“He was built like a keg, and had a similar capacity.”
“If every captain was a king aboard his own ship, as was often said, it was small wonder they named the islands the land of ten thousand kings. And when you have seen your kings shit over the rail and turn green in a storm, it was hard to bend the knee and pretend they were gods.”
“When you tear out a man's tongue, you are not proving him a liar, you're only telling the world that you fear what he might say.”
“The white horse and the black one wheeled like lovers at a harvest dance, the riders throwing steel in place of kisses.”
“War will make them old,” Catelyn said, “as it did us… I pity them.”
“Because it will not last... they are the knights of summer, and winter is coming.”
“He woke to the sight of his own breath misting in the cold morning air. (He) reached to pull aside the cloak he'd hung over the rock, and found it stiff and frozen. He crept beneath it and stood up in a forest turned to crystal.
The pale pink light of dawn sparkled on branch and leaf and stone. Every blade of grass was carved from emerald, every drip of water turned to diamond. Flowers and mushrooms alike wore coats of glass. Even the mud puddles had a bright brown sheen. Through the shimmering greenery, the black tents of his brothers were encased in a fine glaze of ice.”
“The guards let him out a postern gate in the north wall, and they rode down Shadowblack Lane … past rows of shuttered windows and tall timber-and-stone buildings whose upper stories leaned out so far over the street they almost kissed. The moon seemed to follow them as they went, playing peek-and-sneak among the chimneys.”
“Perhaps that is the secret. It is not what we do, so much as why we do it.”
“Sleep is good … books are better.”
“Kings have no friends,” Stannis said bluntly, “only subjects and enemies.”
To the Father she prayed for justice, the strength to seek it and the wisdom to know it... “Show me the path I must walk, and do not let me stumble in the dark places that lie ahead.”
When the wind blew, he could hear the creak and groan of branches older than he was. A thousand leaves fluttered, and for a moment the forest seemed a deep green sea, storm-tossed and heaving, eternal and unknowable.
Cersei had managed to buy herself three hollow drums; they would make all the fierce booming sounds she required, but there was nothing inside. It amused Tyrion no end.
If the fire was too hot, you could hardly keep the pudding from scorching by tossing a handful of raisins in the pot.
Stones and dung and fouler things whistled overhead. “Feed us!” a woman shrieked. “Bread!” boomed a man behind her. “We want bread, bastard!” In a heartbeat, a thousand voices took up the chant. King Joffrey and King Robb and King Stannis were forgotten, and King Bread ruled alone. “Bread,” they clamored. “Bread, bread!”
He knew as much of ships and sails and shores as any man in the Seven Kingdoms, and had fought his share of desperate fights sword to sword on a wet deck. But to this sort of battle he came a maiden, nervous and afraid. Smugglers do not sound warhorns and raise banners. When they smell danger, they raise sail and run before the wind.
- - -
I assume you all know the ancient proverb, “Don't judge a book by it's ….. TV series.”
I've intentionally not watched TV series but preferred to dive into the literature world of Westeros.
Brave, brutal, beautiful and beguiling.
The epic story starts out in a difinitive locality before spreading out over many sprawling political and topographical landscapes (similar to how Tolkein began in Hobbiton before reaching to the ends of Middle Earth)
So many classy sub-quotes in this book:
“I don't even know who my mother was,” Jon said.
“Some woman, no doubt. Most of them are.” (replied Tyrion)
“... the wild track … brought home the lesson that the map was one thing and the land quite another.”
“Why is it that when one man builds a wall, the next man immediately needs to know what's on the other side?”
“Let them see that their words can cut you, and you'll never be free of the mockery. If they want to give you a name, take it, make it your own. Then they can't hurt you with it anymore.”
“Her father used to say that a lord needed to eat with his men, if he hoped to keep them. 'Know the men who follow you,' she heard him tell Robb once, 'and let them know you. Don't ask your men to die for a stranger.' At Winterfell, he always had an extra seat set at his own table, and every day a different man would be asked to join him.”
“Let me tell you something about wolves, child. When the snows fall and the white winds blow, the lone wolf dies, but the pack survives. Summer is the time for squabbles. In winter, we must protect one another, keep each other warm, share our strengths. … You need her, as she needs you … and I need both of you, gods help me.” - Ned Stark to his daughter Arya
“And I have a tender spot in my heart for cripples and bastards and broken things.”
“Most men would rather deny a hard truth than face it.”
“The world was full of cravens who pretended to be heroes; it took a queer sort of courage to admit to cowardice as Samwell Tarly had.”
“A warm rain was pelting down from a starless black sky as they walked … the (summer) rain had driven everyone under their roofs. It beat down on Ned's head, warm as blood and relentless as old guilts.”
“And Jaimie was even worse, rash and headstrong and quick to anger. His brother never untied a not when he could slash it in two with his sword.”
“Lords are gold and knights steel, but two links can't make a chain. You also need silver and iron and lead, tin and copper and bronze and all the rest, and those are farmers and smiths and merchants and the like. A chain needs all sorts of metals, and a land needs all sorts of people.” - Jon Snow
“She had been dreaming, she realized … trying to remember was like trying to catch the rain with her fingers. The dream faded ...”
“When you play the game of thrones, you win or die. There is no middle ground.” - Cersei Lannister
“A man who won't listen can't hear.”
“... only none of them seemed to recognise her. Or if they did, they shied away as if she had the grey plague. … Vainly, she searched for friendly faces. Not one of them would meet her eyes. It was as if she had become a ghost, dead before her time.”
“There is no creature on earth half so terrifying as a truly just man.” Varys to Ned Stark regarding Cersei's fear.
“The Great Shepherd sent me to earth to heal his lambs, wherever I might find them.” - Mirri Maz Duur
“The Great Shepherd guards the flock.” - Mirri Maz Duur
“What grass the horses had left was heavy with dew, as if some passing god had scattered a bag of diamonds over the earth.”
- - - - -
George R.R. Martin, A Clash of Kings
An epic achievement by GRRM to create such a rich and exhaustive compilation of characters and backstories.
Spoiler alert: I was gutted when Yoren got killed.
“Crowns do queer things to the heads beneath them.”
“There's no shame in fear, my father told me, what matters is how we face it.”
“Was there ever a war where only one side bled?”
“He was built like a keg, and had a similar capacity.”
“If every captain was a king aboard his own ship, as was often said, it was small wonder they named the islands the land of ten thousand kings. And when you have seen your kings shit over the rail and turn green in a storm, it was hard to bend the knee and pretend they were gods.”
“When you tear out a man's tongue, you are not proving him a liar, you're only telling the world that you fear what he might say.”
“The white horse and the black one wheeled like lovers at a harvest dance, the riders throwing steel in place of kisses.”
“War will make them old,” Catelyn said, “as it did us… I pity them.”
“Because it will not last... they are the knights of summer, and winter is coming.”
“He woke to the sight of his own breath misting in the cold morning air. (He) reached to pull aside the cloak he'd hung over the rock, and found it stiff and frozen. He crept beneath it and stood up in a forest turned to crystal.
The pale pink light of dawn sparkled on branch and leaf and stone. Every blade of grass was carved from emerald, every drip of water turned to diamond. Flowers and mushrooms alike wore coats of glass. Even the mud puddles had a bright brown sheen. Through the shimmering greenery, the black tents of his brothers were encased in a fine glaze of ice.”
“The guards let him out a postern gate in the north wall, and they rode down Shadowblack Lane … past rows of shuttered windows and tall timber-and-stone buildings whose upper stories leaned out so far over the street they almost kissed. The moon seemed to follow them as they went, playing peek-and-sneak among the chimneys.”
“Perhaps that is the secret. It is not what we do, so much as why we do it.”
“Sleep is good … books are better.”
“Kings have no friends,” Stannis said bluntly, “only subjects and enemies.”
To the Father she prayed for justice, the strength to seek it and the wisdom to know it... “Show me the path I must walk, and do not let me stumble in the dark places that lie ahead.”
When the wind blew, he could hear the creak and groan of branches older than he was. A thousand leaves fluttered, and for a moment the forest seemed a deep green sea, storm-tossed and heaving, eternal and unknowable.
Cersei had managed to buy herself three hollow drums; they would make all the fierce booming sounds she required, but there was nothing inside. It amused Tyrion no end.
If the fire was too hot, you could hardly keep the pudding from scorching by tossing a handful of raisins in the pot.
Stones and dung and fouler things whistled overhead. “Feed us!” a woman shrieked. “Bread!” boomed a man behind her. “We want bread, bastard!” In a heartbeat, a thousand voices took up the chant. King Joffrey and King Robb and King Stannis were forgotten, and King Bread ruled alone. “Bread,” they clamored. “Bread, bread!”
He knew as much of ships and sails and shores as any man in the Seven Kingdoms, and had fought his share of desperate fights sword to sword on a wet deck. But to this sort of battle he came a maiden, nervous and afraid. Smugglers do not sound warhorns and raise banners. When they smell danger, they raise sail and run before the wind.
- - -
December 16, 2018
Signore, che parto! Un fantasy appassionante, anche se non per tutti, personaggi che mi fanno impazzire (in tutti i sensi), sangue, battaglie e atrocità, sesso e quant'altro. Tutto molto bello, però ho ufficialmente chiuso con le saghe/trilogie in volume unico :)
April 7, 2025
Reading Game of thrones books somehow feels both extremely tiring but also very entertaining. I definitely did preferred this to the first book (although my rating says otherwise), especially with the introduction of more characters and POVs.
Every Theon chapter was basically a sprint for me, I could not wait to finish it.
Tyrion easily had the best chapters in this book and I love the way he actually does his job as the Hand of the King.
Every Theon chapter was basically a sprint for me, I could not wait to finish it.
Tyrion easily had the best chapters in this book and I love the way he actually does his job as the Hand of the King.
September 14, 2015
"A clash of kings" by George R.R. Martine, is most lengthy book i've ever read. But is it worth the time? Yes.
The book has a lot of content to take in, but it is mainly about different houses and powerful people fighting each other to sit on the mighty throne, while other danger approaches. The story is also mixed with a fantasy element. While fighting for the throne is more based on reality, there is the undead, called night walkers, Approaching north of the wall. Oh, and did i mention, its always snowing all four seasons in the world of game of thrones, and summer actually last up to 7 years. Meaning when winter come, only those who have enough resource can survive. This is when the power of the houses really matters. And it is the coldest in the North, so people built a wall, separating the cold and the danger away from the rest. And people called the Nights watch guard to walls, form wildlings( scavengers) and others sorts of evil....
One thing i liked about the book is that theres is really a lot of take in. It feels like a living and breathing world. The story is also narrated by different peoples viewpoint, and different location, instead on focusing on one main character. And it all makes sense when you connect them together. You know exactly what a character thinks and feels.
However, the book is extremely graphic (violence, sex etc.) and i definitely will not recommend it to smaller kids.
I give this book a 5 star because i really enjoyed reading it and the story, and despite the long read, the story always gets me reading on and on. This book has great story and a huge roster of characters. I will recommend this book to all realistic fictions fans.
The book has a lot of content to take in, but it is mainly about different houses and powerful people fighting each other to sit on the mighty throne, while other danger approaches. The story is also mixed with a fantasy element. While fighting for the throne is more based on reality, there is the undead, called night walkers, Approaching north of the wall. Oh, and did i mention, its always snowing all four seasons in the world of game of thrones, and summer actually last up to 7 years. Meaning when winter come, only those who have enough resource can survive. This is when the power of the houses really matters. And it is the coldest in the North, so people built a wall, separating the cold and the danger away from the rest. And people called the Nights watch guard to walls, form wildlings( scavengers) and others sorts of evil....
One thing i liked about the book is that theres is really a lot of take in. It feels like a living and breathing world. The story is also narrated by different peoples viewpoint, and different location, instead on focusing on one main character. And it all makes sense when you connect them together. You know exactly what a character thinks and feels.
However, the book is extremely graphic (violence, sex etc.) and i definitely will not recommend it to smaller kids.
I give this book a 5 star because i really enjoyed reading it and the story, and despite the long read, the story always gets me reading on and on. This book has great story and a huge roster of characters. I will recommend this book to all realistic fictions fans.
August 29, 2010
Not as full of as many twists and turns as the previous entry in the series, but still a fantastic read. George R. R. Martin is creating a new epic, and one I did not think I would be able to get sucked into.
The characters are all growing within the confines of the story, with the exception of say Sansa and she is still my most loathed character. However, I understand that we're supposed to find fault with her and her childish views when disaster and ruin are around us.
I have every confidence that the author will redeem her in our eyes and she will grow as much as Jon, Bran and Arya have. One criticism of this book was not enough Robb and too much Theon. However, there's still plenty of novels in the series in which to correct that.
I'll be taking my sorbet of another book before launching into the next volume in this epic, but it's getting harder and harder to do so.
The characters are all growing within the confines of the story, with the exception of say Sansa and she is still my most loathed character. However, I understand that we're supposed to find fault with her and her childish views when disaster and ruin are around us.
I have every confidence that the author will redeem her in our eyes and she will grow as much as Jon, Bran and Arya have. One criticism of this book was not enough Robb and too much Theon. However, there's still plenty of novels in the series in which to correct that.
I'll be taking my sorbet of another book before launching into the next volume in this epic, but it's getting harder and harder to do so.
October 25, 2009
Fantastic! I'm already into the next one of the series. You definitely can't tell a book by its cover w/ this one. Kinda boring cover- Not so, the book. Each chapter features a character and each character is so richly portrayed. There are a wide wide range of people to fall in love with and a few despicable creeps to keep things exciting. Plus, some of the characters are neither one nor the other, but some of both. It's a combo, new to me, bringing a historical fiction feel to pure believable fantasy. I went through the whole spectrum of feelings. Did I cry? I did, and it was during a scene that was w/ people whose culture was so foreign and, in many ways, revolting to me. There were a lot of really great cultural interweaving. Fantastic!
May 27, 2013
Who? What? How? I just cannot understand how this book has received such rave reviews. It is Harlequin Romance on crack. With one exception, all the good guys are very good, all the bad guys are very bad and all the bit players are interchangeable. If you can't remember who is who among the Sers, don't worry, they all get cut down in the end. And the "love scenes"? This guys has a fetish for women taken roughly and against their will....but then some come to love it. What? Who? No. If I heard about a glistening manhood once, I heard about it 1,000 times.
Maybe it was all the hype, but if this isn't the case of the Emperor has no clothes, I don't know what is. Lemmings, step away from the cliff and from this book.
Maybe it was all the hype, but if this isn't the case of the Emperor has no clothes, I don't know what is. Lemmings, step away from the cliff and from this book.
October 19, 2014
I've been watching the TV series, and feared it would color or somehow negatively impact the reading experience. It didn't. Martin's imagination and cosmology are fascinating. Sadly, they are firmly rooted in real human behavior and politics. But that is what makes it all the more gripping. Occasionally a bit too much telling and not enough showing, but the plot twists and character development more than make up for this. Couldn't put it down.
September 1, 2017
Well done and close to the second season.
Two down, and three or five to go.
Two down, and three or five to go.
December 12, 2019
Great start to a magnificent series. Both books are sublime and set the tone for the rest to come. Definitely worth the time invested into reading these.
April 2, 2013
Quando giochi al gioco del trono, o vinci o muori
Cominciamo col parlare di questa edizione, uno dei tanti pastrocchi che la Mondadori ci ha rifilato nel proporci l’opera di zio George. Questo volumone del peso di una tonnellata circa e maneggevole quanto una palla da bowling, per arbitraria decisione di chissà quale genio dell’editoria contiene i primi quattro volumi della travagliata edizione italiana delle Cronache del Ghiaccio e del Fuoco, che poi sarebbero i primi due dell’edizione originale. Ricapitolando: per anni i fan si sono accollati romanzi spezzettati in due o addirittura tre volumi (con tanto di titoli più che fantasiosi) perché “erano troppo lunghi”, per poi subire la beffa di vederne pubblicati ben due insieme! Questa edizione, oltretutto, per qualche misteriosa ragione è priva delle indispensabili mappe del Nord e del Sud. Nelle ultime pagine è presente un glossario (alquanto confuso) che elenca tutti i personaggi divisi per case nobiliari e corti, ma impossibile da consultare durante la lettura in quanto rappresenta una specie di fiera dello spoiler. Non sono stati corretti i vari errori di traduzione (fra cui quello famoso dell’unicorno tirato fuori dal nulla). Dulcis in fundo, subito dopo l’uscita di questo primo volume della “raccolta completa”, la casa editrice ha cambiato di nuovo rotta e, sull’onda del successo della serie televisiva, ha cominciato a ripubblicare - a dimostrazione che non ci voleva poi tanto - i romanzi rispettando la scansione originale. Però in quest’ultimo caso ha pensato bene di cambiare addirittura nome alla saga, che per l’occasione (accodandosi al titolo dell’edizione italiana della serie tv) è diventato Il Trono di Spade. =_=’
Confusi? Beh, è il minimo.
Facciamo così. Io dirò di aver letto i primi due volumi della saga A Song of Ice and Fire (titolo che fra l’altro costituisce un riferimento preciso, come si scoprirà verso la fine del secondo libro), ovvero A Games of Thrones e A Clash of Kings. Che poi, a tradurli in italiano alla lettera o quasi sarebbero suonati tanto male? Qualcosa come Il Gioco dei Troni e Lo Scontro dei Re. A me sembrano abbastanza scorrevoli ed epici da poter essere usati per future edizioni, invece di continuare a propinarci assurdità come Il Grande Inverno (titolo del secondo libro dell’edizione nostrana) in un momento in cui di questo benedetto inverno ancora non si vede neppure l’ombra! Va bene che “The Winter is Coming”, però… :P
E adesso, dopo questa premessa doverosa, parliamo finalmente di questa saga (le cinque stelline si riferiscono interamente al contenuto, perché all’edizione ne avrei data mezza).
Più andavo avanti con la lettura, più mi veniva in mente l’immagine di cento cani sopra un osso. Nel caso particolare, l’osso è rappresentato dal Trono di Spade, da cui il sovrano dei Sette Regni domina il Continente Occidentale di un immaginario mondo medievaleggiante. Un mondo in cui le stagioni possono durare anni interi e dove un’impenetrabile barriera di ghiaccio separa il mondo “civilizzato” (o presunto tale) dagli orrori e dall’oscurità che dimorano nelle gelide terre dell’estremo Nord.
E questo benedetto trono (come tutti i troni) rappresenta l’occhio di un ciclone: chi c’è seduto sopra ha tutta l’intenzione di restarci, chi ritiene gli sia stato usurpato è pronto a riprenderselo a qualunque costo, chi pensa che il proprio figlio debba un giorno sedervi sopra è pronto a tutto per far sì che accada, e così via. Queste lotte di potere finiranno per coinvolgere (e travolgere) una casata in realtà molto lontana dagli intrighi di palazzo, quella degli Stark, il cui capofamiglia, Eddard, fiero Lord di Grande Inverno e Protettore del più settentrionale dei Sette Regni, verrà invitato dall’amico Re Robert Baratheon a seguirlo nella capitale e a divenire il nuovo Primo Cavaliere del Re, dopo la morte improvvisa (e sospetta) di colui che fino a poco prima aveva rivestito tale carica. Da qui prende il via una sequela impressionante di intrighi, manovre politiche, tragedie, vendette, passioni, scontri, lotte di potere e di religione, guerre. Il tutto narrato dall’ormai famoso coro di voci narranti “alla Martin”, in cui vari personaggi si alternano nel presentarci la storia in terza persona ma ognuno dal proprio punto di vista (non ci sono divisioni in capitoli, ma solo il nome del personaggio di volta in volta portatore del Point of View). In A Game of Thrones sono sicuramente gli Stark a fare la parte del leone (6 personaggi portatori di PoV su 8), ma già nel secondo volume si aggiungeranno altre interessanti prospettive.
Com’è ormai noto, nei romanzi di Martin non ci sono “buoni” o “cattivi”, ma solo persone che – come nella realtà – tirano acqua al proprio mulino e fanno i propri interessi (con qualche rarissima eccezione). Nonostante questo è impossibile non schierarsi dalla parte di alcuni e non odiarne profondamente altri (augurando loro una morte lenta e dolorosa), e questo nonostante zio George si impegni a fondo a fornire a tutti motivazioni valide per le proprie azioni, per turpi e orripilanti che siano. E’ altresì noto che il livello di realismo e di estrema violenza di questi libri non li rende certo adatti a tutti. Astenersi in particolare animi troppo sensibili, amanti del lieto fine e paladini della giustizia. I rari esempi di integrità e senso dell’onore non recano infatti grandi vantaggi a chi tenta di portare avanti questo tipo di valori (e anche questo aspetto, purtroppo, è molto verosimile). Un consiglio: non sentitevi mai al sicuro, né fate mai pensieri del tipo “questo personaggio non può morire perché: è interessante; è simpatico; ovviamente è necessario allo sviluppo della storia; è un protagonista; ecc.”. Considerazioni che andrebbero bene per il 99% dei libri, ma non per questi. A volte sembra quasi che Martin si diverta nel distruggere le aspettative del lettore e nel far accadere proprio quello che mai si vorrebbe. Ecco, se proprio si vuole fare un appunto a zio George, mi sembra che esageri un po’ in questo. Va bene il realismo, ma il mondo che ha creato è fin troppo cupo e ingiusto. Mai uno spiraglio di luce o di speranza, neppure per caso. Mai una volta che sentimenti un po’ più nobili abbiano la meglio o che una buona azione conduca a qualcosa di positivo. Nemmeno la realtà riesce a essere così brutale e disperata. :P
In compenso ci vengono presentati personaggi di grandissimo fascino (nessuno escluso, da quelli un po' più positivi fino a quelli più abietti e disumani) e una rappresentazione ahimè fin troppo vera delle logiche del potere, delle passioni umane e degli abissi a cui possono condurre.
Per quanto riguarda l’elemento fantastico, non lo definirei "poco marcato" come hanno detto in molti. Lo definirei sotterraneo, nascosto, serpeggiante. Pur nell’estremo realismo che caratterizza la vicenda, il sovrannaturale infatti è sempre lì, fra le maglie degli eventi, a suggerirci – sempre di più con l’avanzare delle pagine – che ci sono anche altre forze in gioco, sconosciute e perciò tanto più spaventose.
Un affresco incredibile, ricchissimo e che non può fare a meno di ammaliare, ma a cui bisogna accostarsi consapevoli di ciò a cui si va incontro.
Auspicando che zio George si sbrighi a concludere l’opera – che, ricordiamo, prevede altri due volumi, per un totale di sette – e che la Mondadori continui sulla strada di una ripubblicazione “sensata” dell’intera saga, attendo di leggere A Storm of Swords e i suoi seguiti. Ovviamente senza aspettarmi un lieto fine, ma solo eventi nefasti e profondamenti ingiusti! XD
Cominciamo col parlare di questa edizione, uno dei tanti pastrocchi che la Mondadori ci ha rifilato nel proporci l’opera di zio George. Questo volumone del peso di una tonnellata circa e maneggevole quanto una palla da bowling, per arbitraria decisione di chissà quale genio dell’editoria contiene i primi quattro volumi della travagliata edizione italiana delle Cronache del Ghiaccio e del Fuoco, che poi sarebbero i primi due dell’edizione originale. Ricapitolando: per anni i fan si sono accollati romanzi spezzettati in due o addirittura tre volumi (con tanto di titoli più che fantasiosi) perché “erano troppo lunghi”, per poi subire la beffa di vederne pubblicati ben due insieme! Questa edizione, oltretutto, per qualche misteriosa ragione è priva delle indispensabili mappe del Nord e del Sud. Nelle ultime pagine è presente un glossario (alquanto confuso) che elenca tutti i personaggi divisi per case nobiliari e corti, ma impossibile da consultare durante la lettura in quanto rappresenta una specie di fiera dello spoiler. Non sono stati corretti i vari errori di traduzione (fra cui quello famoso dell’unicorno tirato fuori dal nulla). Dulcis in fundo, subito dopo l’uscita di questo primo volume della “raccolta completa”, la casa editrice ha cambiato di nuovo rotta e, sull’onda del successo della serie televisiva, ha cominciato a ripubblicare - a dimostrazione che non ci voleva poi tanto - i romanzi rispettando la scansione originale. Però in quest’ultimo caso ha pensato bene di cambiare addirittura nome alla saga, che per l’occasione (accodandosi al titolo dell’edizione italiana della serie tv) è diventato Il Trono di Spade. =_=’
Confusi? Beh, è il minimo.
Facciamo così. Io dirò di aver letto i primi due volumi della saga A Song of Ice and Fire (titolo che fra l’altro costituisce un riferimento preciso, come si scoprirà verso la fine del secondo libro), ovvero A Games of Thrones e A Clash of Kings. Che poi, a tradurli in italiano alla lettera o quasi sarebbero suonati tanto male? Qualcosa come Il Gioco dei Troni e Lo Scontro dei Re. A me sembrano abbastanza scorrevoli ed epici da poter essere usati per future edizioni, invece di continuare a propinarci assurdità come Il Grande Inverno (titolo del secondo libro dell’edizione nostrana) in un momento in cui di questo benedetto inverno ancora non si vede neppure l’ombra! Va bene che “The Winter is Coming”, però… :P
E adesso, dopo questa premessa doverosa, parliamo finalmente di questa saga (le cinque stelline si riferiscono interamente al contenuto, perché all’edizione ne avrei data mezza).
Più andavo avanti con la lettura, più mi veniva in mente l’immagine di cento cani sopra un osso. Nel caso particolare, l’osso è rappresentato dal Trono di Spade, da cui il sovrano dei Sette Regni domina il Continente Occidentale di un immaginario mondo medievaleggiante. Un mondo in cui le stagioni possono durare anni interi e dove un’impenetrabile barriera di ghiaccio separa il mondo “civilizzato” (o presunto tale) dagli orrori e dall’oscurità che dimorano nelle gelide terre dell’estremo Nord.
E questo benedetto trono (come tutti i troni) rappresenta l’occhio di un ciclone: chi c’è seduto sopra ha tutta l’intenzione di restarci, chi ritiene gli sia stato usurpato è pronto a riprenderselo a qualunque costo, chi pensa che il proprio figlio debba un giorno sedervi sopra è pronto a tutto per far sì che accada, e così via. Queste lotte di potere finiranno per coinvolgere (e travolgere) una casata in realtà molto lontana dagli intrighi di palazzo, quella degli Stark, il cui capofamiglia, Eddard, fiero Lord di Grande Inverno e Protettore del più settentrionale dei Sette Regni, verrà invitato dall’amico Re Robert Baratheon a seguirlo nella capitale e a divenire il nuovo Primo Cavaliere del Re, dopo la morte improvvisa (e sospetta) di colui che fino a poco prima aveva rivestito tale carica. Da qui prende il via una sequela impressionante di intrighi, manovre politiche, tragedie, vendette, passioni, scontri, lotte di potere e di religione, guerre. Il tutto narrato dall’ormai famoso coro di voci narranti “alla Martin”, in cui vari personaggi si alternano nel presentarci la storia in terza persona ma ognuno dal proprio punto di vista (non ci sono divisioni in capitoli, ma solo il nome del personaggio di volta in volta portatore del Point of View). In A Game of Thrones sono sicuramente gli Stark a fare la parte del leone (6 personaggi portatori di PoV su 8), ma già nel secondo volume si aggiungeranno altre interessanti prospettive.
Com’è ormai noto, nei romanzi di Martin non ci sono “buoni” o “cattivi”, ma solo persone che – come nella realtà – tirano acqua al proprio mulino e fanno i propri interessi (con qualche rarissima eccezione). Nonostante questo è impossibile non schierarsi dalla parte di alcuni e non odiarne profondamente altri (augurando loro una morte lenta e dolorosa), e questo nonostante zio George si impegni a fondo a fornire a tutti motivazioni valide per le proprie azioni, per turpi e orripilanti che siano. E’ altresì noto che il livello di realismo e di estrema violenza di questi libri non li rende certo adatti a tutti. Astenersi in particolare animi troppo sensibili, amanti del lieto fine e paladini della giustizia. I rari esempi di integrità e senso dell’onore non recano infatti grandi vantaggi a chi tenta di portare avanti questo tipo di valori (e anche questo aspetto, purtroppo, è molto verosimile). Un consiglio: non sentitevi mai al sicuro, né fate mai pensieri del tipo “questo personaggio non può morire perché: è interessante; è simpatico; ovviamente è necessario allo sviluppo della storia; è un protagonista; ecc.”. Considerazioni che andrebbero bene per il 99% dei libri, ma non per questi. A volte sembra quasi che Martin si diverta nel distruggere le aspettative del lettore e nel far accadere proprio quello che mai si vorrebbe. Ecco, se proprio si vuole fare un appunto a zio George, mi sembra che esageri un po’ in questo. Va bene il realismo, ma il mondo che ha creato è fin troppo cupo e ingiusto. Mai uno spiraglio di luce o di speranza, neppure per caso. Mai una volta che sentimenti un po’ più nobili abbiano la meglio o che una buona azione conduca a qualcosa di positivo. Nemmeno la realtà riesce a essere così brutale e disperata. :P
In compenso ci vengono presentati personaggi di grandissimo fascino (nessuno escluso, da quelli un po' più positivi fino a quelli più abietti e disumani) e una rappresentazione ahimè fin troppo vera delle logiche del potere, delle passioni umane e degli abissi a cui possono condurre.
Per quanto riguarda l’elemento fantastico, non lo definirei "poco marcato" come hanno detto in molti. Lo definirei sotterraneo, nascosto, serpeggiante. Pur nell’estremo realismo che caratterizza la vicenda, il sovrannaturale infatti è sempre lì, fra le maglie degli eventi, a suggerirci – sempre di più con l’avanzare delle pagine – che ci sono anche altre forze in gioco, sconosciute e perciò tanto più spaventose.
Un affresco incredibile, ricchissimo e che non può fare a meno di ammaliare, ma a cui bisogna accostarsi consapevoli di ciò a cui si va incontro.
Auspicando che zio George si sbrighi a concludere l’opera – che, ricordiamo, prevede altri due volumi, per un totale di sette – e che la Mondadori continui sulla strada di una ripubblicazione “sensata” dell’intera saga, attendo di leggere A Storm of Swords e i suoi seguiti. Ovviamente senza aspettarmi un lieto fine, ma solo eventi nefasti e profondamenti ingiusti! XD
January 6, 2023
I started reading this 5-book series during the holidays, and the geek fest has continued to the new year. Like most, I watched the fuck out of the show. I’m not sure why I have waited this long to read the books. Usually I prefer to read books before seeing the film or TV adaptation, but it’s good to mix it up once in awhile. I’m having so much fun with this series. The dialogue is brilliant and the use of archaic words like “fortnight” or “mayhaps” or “craven” is masterful. I’m so into it that I have now demanded that my 8-year-old daughter address me as “Lord Father,” and to do so in a British accent. May as well take advantage of the time where she occasionally obliges me and before she comes to a full understanding of how big a dweeb her “lord father” actually is. Onto book three!
August 31, 2021
Began an obsession!
January 21, 2023
Watch game of thrones
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Read
May 1, 2024great book fr but everyones dying bruh
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 14, 2025
A Game of Thrones ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
A masterpiece that defined an era, and we're still waiting for the series to be completed. George, honestly... have mercy.
The first instalment of the epic series A Song of Ice and Fire by George R. R. Martin exploded onto the fantasy scene in 1996, from an author whose acclaim hitherto stemmed largely from science fiction (a shift for which he has been criticised—but we’ll leave that aside, as Martin tends to provoke grumbling regardless of his creative direction). Yet it swiftly established itself as a triumph of speculative literature. From the opening pages, the reader is immersed in a world so vividly realised, so intricately constructed, and so unflinchingly realistic, that detachment becomes nearly impossible—something one may come to regret thirty years on, as the series remains stalled at its fifth volume out of a planned seven, with little sign of imminent completion (there, I’ve joined the grumbling too).
Martin’s brilliance lies in his unparalleled gift for character creation. Every figure, from the honourable Ned Stark to the enigmatic Daenerys Targaryen, is rendered with such psychological depth and complexity that it is rare to find their like within the genre. Heroes and anti-heroes alike are not defined by simplistic notions of good or evil—they are human, real, and filled with contradictions.
The plot is unpredictable, dark, and utterly enthralling. In contrast to much of the fantasy canon—where narrative trajectories are often formulaic and virtue is predictably rewarded—Game of Thrones toys with expectation. Alliances are betrayed, beloved characters perish, and nothing is sacred. This daring narrative ethos heightens suspense and keeps the reader perpetually on edge. “What’s that? You’ve grown attached to this character? How quaint…” Martin seems to whisper, before dispatching someone you believed to be central to the story—often before the first book has even concluded. And he’ll do it again. And again. Stripping the reader of comforting certainties: everything is fluid, no character’s survival or comfort is assured in Westeros.
The world of Westeros is a masterfully constructed universe, replete with history, mythology, and political intrigue. Each kingdom, each family, each legend possesses depth and consistency, making the entire setting feel startlingly real—almost tangible. It is evident that Martin has poured decades of study and imagination into crafting such a dense and coherent world… or perhaps he found the cheat code to the Matrix and is simply downloading narratives. Though if that were the case, he might have finished the series by now. 😉
Game of Thrones is not merely a tale of kings and dragons. That would be banal, derivative, and altogether unremarkable—we wouldn’t be monitoring the author’s cholesterol levels just to divine whether he’ll live long enough to finish the sixth book (fifteen years, fifteen years!!!). The beloved "Throne-of-Thorns" (as one might affectionately misname it) is an exploration of human nature, of power, honour, and betrayal. It transcends the boundaries of fantasy to become a modern literary epic. (Homer, at least, managed to complete both the Iliad and the Odyssey, I’m just saying…)
A must-read for every lover of literature – not only of fantasy. George R. R. Martin did not merely write a book—nor even the extraordinary beginning of a singular saga: he created a legend .
Martin’s characters: vivid, human, unforgettable
One of the most striking achievements of Game of Thrones is the deep, multidimensional portrayal of its characters. In a world steeped in political manoeuvring, moral quandaries, and relentless upheaval, Martin’s creations are not caricatures or allegories—they are flesh-and-blood individuals, who breathe, rejoice, suffer, scheme, lust, possess questionable tastes, and occasionally sleep with their siblings. They are perhaps the most authentically human characters in the fantasy canon.
Ned Stark, Warden of the North, embodies honour and duty, yet his tragic arc serves as a reminder that being in the right does not necessarily ensure survival. His wife, Catelyn, both mother and fierce emotional warrior, moves through the story with strength and desperation, striving to shield her children in a world seemingly hell-bent on eliminating them—briskly or otherwise.
Daenerys Targaryen is arguably one of the most compelling figures: whether or not one sympathises with her (it matters little), she begins as a frightened girl and evolves into a symbol of power and rebirth. Her path is strewn with trials, yet her flame endures—both metaphorically and, indeed, quite literally. And by “trials”, one truly means “ordeals of mythic proportions”.
And of course, Tyrion Lannister: a phenomenon of a character, the dwarf who entered the world by killing his mother (and, in doing so, extinguished any chance of a functional relationship with his father), armed with his razor wit, biting humour, and a perpetual struggle against prejudice. He emerges as the series’ most beloved protagonist (and if not, one might assume you’re outside the target demographic of ages 15 to 60). His journey to prove his worth in a world that constantly belittles him is both moving and inspiring.
Admittedly, such emotional connection might seem obvious when it comes to the “sweethearts” and “heroes” of the tale—but even the most loathsome figures, such as Joffrey Baratheon (not so much a boy as a sentient pile of revulsion) or Cersei Lannister (rarely has a female character in fantasy so stirred within me the urge to smash her teeth in by way of morning greeting), are portrayed with such care and psychological realism that the reader cannot help but feel fascinated by their complexity. And, quite remarkably, no one is entirely good or entirely evil (except perhaps Joffrey, who is an irredeemable sadistic psychopath, full stop)—and this is Martin’s storytelling genius.
A Clash of Kings ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
It is 1998. The internet still runs on PSTN speeds, the most popular search engine is... Yahoo! (with AltaVista following close behind), and a mere two years have passed since the publication of A Game of Thrones—a blink of an eye, really, if one considers that waiting for new works by Martin feels akin to the passage of geological epochs. It is at this moment that A Clash of Kings, the second volume in the A Song of Ice and Fire series, makes its appearance. A masterful elevation of the narrative, building upon the already megalithic foundations laid by the first book. As the balance of power in Westeros collapses, Martin plunges readers into the maelstrom of a world where many kings lay claim to the same crown—and none appears even remotely inclined to yield an inch of land or authority. In short, things descend into glorious chaos, much to the reader’s benefit. I shall elaborate further in the next paragraph, as this one has aged.
The book broadens its canvas even more than its predecessor, carrying readers across frozen wildernesses, perilous seas, and ancient cities, while delving deeper into already beloved characters. The voices multiply, the narrators become more complex, and each chapter is a move in a grand, intricate game of strategy.
One of Martin’s greatest triumphs lies in his ability to sidestep the genre’s clichés. His protagonists are never one-dimensional—they are human beings facing desperate dilemmas, making sacrifices, and, often enough, paying the price for their choices. If you’re wondering what a stereotypical character with kindergarten-level dilemmas looks like, try reading Salvatore (“Should I save my mother, the purest soul to have ever walked this earth, or honour the wishes of a hellish monstrosity that wishes to devour her soul? Oh, such torment… AHHHHHHH”). Returning now to authors whose readers possess a brain cell count in the triple digits or higher, we should note that in A Clash of Kings, magic begins to reemerge—tentatively, yet relentlessly—in ways that are intriguing, beguiling, or at times grotesque (some readers have questionable tastes; no judgment here).
As with the first book in the series, this is far from a mere fantasy tale. It is a psychological drama, a political thriller, and a philosophical exploration of what power, faith, and survival truly mean. The title A Clash of Kings is no accident—it depicts an age in which every king may seem legitimate, but... none is indisputably suitable. Some are quite blatantly unsuitable. Others… less (blatantly) so.
Avoiding Manichaean binaries and simplistic moral oppositions, the novel offers a world in which notions of good and evil are murky and ever-shifting—depending on perspective and the gradual revelation of new facts. What Martin offers the reader is neither easy nor comforting. You will traverse hazy terrain—in every sense, including the ethical—and you will be accompanied by that unpleasant voice, already awakened by the first book, whispering: “this will not end well...” more often than you’d like. But ultimately, this uneasy feeling is what binds you to the narrative and leaves you wandering, glassy-eyed, once each volume ends, hoping the next one will be published soon (feel free to laugh out loud).
If I were to summarise in just a few lines: it is a captivating chapter in an epic that refuses to let go. For those who have not yet read it, A Clash of Kings promises a journey filled with twists, political gamesmanship, and characters who will linger in your mind long after the final page—just as happened with A Game of Thrones. Now, if you have NOT read A Game of Thrones...
a) PLEASE, HURRY
b) What exactly are you doing reading this review???
A masterpiece that defined an era, and we're still waiting for the series to be completed. George, honestly... have mercy.
The first instalment of the epic series A Song of Ice and Fire by George R. R. Martin exploded onto the fantasy scene in 1996, from an author whose acclaim hitherto stemmed largely from science fiction (a shift for which he has been criticised—but we’ll leave that aside, as Martin tends to provoke grumbling regardless of his creative direction). Yet it swiftly established itself as a triumph of speculative literature. From the opening pages, the reader is immersed in a world so vividly realised, so intricately constructed, and so unflinchingly realistic, that detachment becomes nearly impossible—something one may come to regret thirty years on, as the series remains stalled at its fifth volume out of a planned seven, with little sign of imminent completion (there, I’ve joined the grumbling too).
Martin’s brilliance lies in his unparalleled gift for character creation. Every figure, from the honourable Ned Stark to the enigmatic Daenerys Targaryen, is rendered with such psychological depth and complexity that it is rare to find their like within the genre. Heroes and anti-heroes alike are not defined by simplistic notions of good or evil—they are human, real, and filled with contradictions.
The plot is unpredictable, dark, and utterly enthralling. In contrast to much of the fantasy canon—where narrative trajectories are often formulaic and virtue is predictably rewarded—Game of Thrones toys with expectation. Alliances are betrayed, beloved characters perish, and nothing is sacred. This daring narrative ethos heightens suspense and keeps the reader perpetually on edge. “What’s that? You’ve grown attached to this character? How quaint…” Martin seems to whisper, before dispatching someone you believed to be central to the story—often before the first book has even concluded. And he’ll do it again. And again. Stripping the reader of comforting certainties: everything is fluid, no character’s survival or comfort is assured in Westeros.
The world of Westeros is a masterfully constructed universe, replete with history, mythology, and political intrigue. Each kingdom, each family, each legend possesses depth and consistency, making the entire setting feel startlingly real—almost tangible. It is evident that Martin has poured decades of study and imagination into crafting such a dense and coherent world… or perhaps he found the cheat code to the Matrix and is simply downloading narratives. Though if that were the case, he might have finished the series by now. 😉
Game of Thrones is not merely a tale of kings and dragons. That would be banal, derivative, and altogether unremarkable—we wouldn’t be monitoring the author’s cholesterol levels just to divine whether he’ll live long enough to finish the sixth book (fifteen years, fifteen years!!!). The beloved "Throne-of-Thorns" (as one might affectionately misname it) is an exploration of human nature, of power, honour, and betrayal. It transcends the boundaries of fantasy to become a modern literary epic. (Homer, at least, managed to complete both the Iliad and the Odyssey, I’m just saying…)
A must-read for every lover of literature – not only of fantasy. George R. R. Martin did not merely write a book—nor even the extraordinary beginning of a singular saga: he created a legend .
Martin’s characters: vivid, human, unforgettable
One of the most striking achievements of Game of Thrones is the deep, multidimensional portrayal of its characters. In a world steeped in political manoeuvring, moral quandaries, and relentless upheaval, Martin’s creations are not caricatures or allegories—they are flesh-and-blood individuals, who breathe, rejoice, suffer, scheme, lust, possess questionable tastes, and occasionally sleep with their siblings. They are perhaps the most authentically human characters in the fantasy canon.
Ned Stark, Warden of the North, embodies honour and duty, yet his tragic arc serves as a reminder that being in the right does not necessarily ensure survival. His wife, Catelyn, both mother and fierce emotional warrior, moves through the story with strength and desperation, striving to shield her children in a world seemingly hell-bent on eliminating them—briskly or otherwise.
Daenerys Targaryen is arguably one of the most compelling figures: whether or not one sympathises with her (it matters little), she begins as a frightened girl and evolves into a symbol of power and rebirth. Her path is strewn with trials, yet her flame endures—both metaphorically and, indeed, quite literally. And by “trials”, one truly means “ordeals of mythic proportions”.
And of course, Tyrion Lannister: a phenomenon of a character, the dwarf who entered the world by killing his mother (and, in doing so, extinguished any chance of a functional relationship with his father), armed with his razor wit, biting humour, and a perpetual struggle against prejudice. He emerges as the series’ most beloved protagonist (and if not, one might assume you’re outside the target demographic of ages 15 to 60). His journey to prove his worth in a world that constantly belittles him is both moving and inspiring.
Admittedly, such emotional connection might seem obvious when it comes to the “sweethearts” and “heroes” of the tale—but even the most loathsome figures, such as Joffrey Baratheon (not so much a boy as a sentient pile of revulsion) or Cersei Lannister (rarely has a female character in fantasy so stirred within me the urge to smash her teeth in by way of morning greeting), are portrayed with such care and psychological realism that the reader cannot help but feel fascinated by their complexity. And, quite remarkably, no one is entirely good or entirely evil (except perhaps Joffrey, who is an irredeemable sadistic psychopath, full stop)—and this is Martin’s storytelling genius.
A Clash of Kings ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
It is 1998. The internet still runs on PSTN speeds, the most popular search engine is... Yahoo! (with AltaVista following close behind), and a mere two years have passed since the publication of A Game of Thrones—a blink of an eye, really, if one considers that waiting for new works by Martin feels akin to the passage of geological epochs. It is at this moment that A Clash of Kings, the second volume in the A Song of Ice and Fire series, makes its appearance. A masterful elevation of the narrative, building upon the already megalithic foundations laid by the first book. As the balance of power in Westeros collapses, Martin plunges readers into the maelstrom of a world where many kings lay claim to the same crown—and none appears even remotely inclined to yield an inch of land or authority. In short, things descend into glorious chaos, much to the reader’s benefit. I shall elaborate further in the next paragraph, as this one has aged.
The book broadens its canvas even more than its predecessor, carrying readers across frozen wildernesses, perilous seas, and ancient cities, while delving deeper into already beloved characters. The voices multiply, the narrators become more complex, and each chapter is a move in a grand, intricate game of strategy.
One of Martin’s greatest triumphs lies in his ability to sidestep the genre’s clichés. His protagonists are never one-dimensional—they are human beings facing desperate dilemmas, making sacrifices, and, often enough, paying the price for their choices. If you’re wondering what a stereotypical character with kindergarten-level dilemmas looks like, try reading Salvatore (“Should I save my mother, the purest soul to have ever walked this earth, or honour the wishes of a hellish monstrosity that wishes to devour her soul? Oh, such torment… AHHHHHHH”). Returning now to authors whose readers possess a brain cell count in the triple digits or higher, we should note that in A Clash of Kings, magic begins to reemerge—tentatively, yet relentlessly—in ways that are intriguing, beguiling, or at times grotesque (some readers have questionable tastes; no judgment here).
As with the first book in the series, this is far from a mere fantasy tale. It is a psychological drama, a political thriller, and a philosophical exploration of what power, faith, and survival truly mean. The title A Clash of Kings is no accident—it depicts an age in which every king may seem legitimate, but... none is indisputably suitable. Some are quite blatantly unsuitable. Others… less (blatantly) so.
Avoiding Manichaean binaries and simplistic moral oppositions, the novel offers a world in which notions of good and evil are murky and ever-shifting—depending on perspective and the gradual revelation of new facts. What Martin offers the reader is neither easy nor comforting. You will traverse hazy terrain—in every sense, including the ethical—and you will be accompanied by that unpleasant voice, already awakened by the first book, whispering: “this will not end well...” more often than you’d like. But ultimately, this uneasy feeling is what binds you to the narrative and leaves you wandering, glassy-eyed, once each volume ends, hoping the next one will be published soon (feel free to laugh out loud).
If I were to summarise in just a few lines: it is a captivating chapter in an epic that refuses to let go. For those who have not yet read it, A Clash of Kings promises a journey filled with twists, political gamesmanship, and characters who will linger in your mind long after the final page—just as happened with A Game of Thrones. Now, if you have NOT read A Game of Thrones...
a) PLEASE, HURRY
b) What exactly are you doing reading this review???
January 11, 2018
Absolutely AMAZING. Mr Martin is a god. Read the entire book in 6 days because I couldn't put it down.
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