Not for the weak willed or the impatient; A Game of Thrones
is the first mythical masterpiece in the series
This book was first brought to my attention by the smash-hit
television series HBO’s Game of Thrones.
I started watching the series earlier this year, and became completely
enveloped in the world of Westeros and its inhabitants. I wasn't surprised to
find out that it was derived from a book, as most detailed and enriching shows
and films are, and I was eager to get my hand on a copy as soon as possible.
Perfect for lovers of fantasy, A Game of Thrones captures
the very essence of creativity and detail. Every family tree that has been pored
over for hours, every exact description of every new setting -every word in the
book just spills dedication. For those of you intent of finding loopholes and
slip-ups, you won’t find any in this fastidiously written novel.
For those of you who have watched the series and think its
pointless reading the book, you are wrong. You get to know your favourite
characters more closely and you can see their motives and incentives more clearly.
As with most adaptations, there are a few things missed out in the series as
well. Also, there are small details in the book that foreshadow later events,
and it feels like you've been let in on a secret that you’re not meant to know
when you see them.
A Game of Thrones is
written from multiple view points, which personally, I tend to hate. In this
case though, the writing style works perfectly. The Game of Thrones has many
different players, and it only makes sense to see it from everybody’s point of
view. This writing style allows you transportation from King’s Landing, the
illustrious capital, to Vaes Dothrak, over the vast and torturous Dothraki Sea,
in just the turn of a page.
A Game of Thrones is by no means an easy read, but it is a
fantastic one. If you persevere until the end, I guarantee you will have an
emotional attachment to the characters that is insurmountable.
For this book, I would give it a Visionary rating, as I
believe that George R. R. Martin’s Westeros is comparable to Middle Earth in
the way it has started and will continue to revolutionise the fantasy world.
Happy Reading!
Review by Lauren Goodfellow
