I’ve been thinking of starting Martin’s series(started with Game of Throne), but I wanted to hear what people on here think of it.
Tell me anything you like or dislike. I’m genuinely interested in your opinion.
The first book is excellent. Great plot, cool subplots, excellent fight scenes. Also, Martin throws some decent twists into the mix, and lets it be known that even the major characters aren’t safe.
The second book was enjoyable as well, but not quite as much (No surprise there). I’m waiting for the third book to come out in paperback.
One of the things I really enjoy about this series is that it’s not like mainstream fantasy, but rather a dark tale of unavoidable doom (Winter is coming, and it’s going to last for generations), as well as plenty of intrigue and backstabbing.
It’s really good. I’m halfway through the 3rd book right now and am amazed at the number of plot threads and characters the author is able to maintain.
One thing I like about these books is that there isn’t just 1 protagonist…it’s more about the Stark family as a whole.
There’s a bunch of reviews at http://www.sffworld.com. Check 'em out.
Very good. Very VERY good.
With a few ifs.
If 1) The characters are all architypes. No getting around this. With one exception, but he’s a minor character who didn’t even apear in the third book. (Well, a little peice of him did . . .)
If 2) It’s fairly dark and “realistic,” in that people get maimed, women are raped, kids get killed, women are raped, minor wounds fester and require amputations, and women are raped. A lot. This really bothers some people, understandably. This is because of . . .
If 3) “Fantasy” is a bit of an over-simplication. It’s really about half fantasy, half “speculative fiction” about the War of the Roses. (I love that euphamism. Because everyone knows “fantasy” and “science fiction” are crap)
If 4) The story stops dead every five chapters or so to deal with what seems to all apperances to be a character visiting another, not nearly as sophisticated, fantasy series. One would expect these to get better as the series progresses. They don’t, they actually get worse, as it becomes more and more apparent that the two “worlds” fit together like pieces from different puzzles. This is, to my mind, the series’ only real flaw.
All that being said, if you think you can deal with #2, and won’t be totally turned off by #3, I’d say go for it. It’s very good. Even the bad parts about #4 are still “good” judged against other available fantasy books. And the good parts are just off the scale.
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“I HATE magical lands!”
They’re great. Definitely in the top two or three current series. My dad didn’t like them that much because they are very dark. If you do decide to read them, try not to get too attached to anyone. And I mean anyone. What I like about it is how he leads you in one direction, then suddenly takes a left turn. For instance, there’s a part where a guy you like is in trouble. He foreshadows and foreshadows a couple of ways he could escape this trouble, so you’re certain things will turn out OK, then, BANG! - they don’t. It’s great that way, though disturbing.
Also, I understand Ura’s fourth point, but I disagree. I think the “secondary” story is becoming more and more interesting, and I can’t wait to see how the two collide.
Finally, I have to say that I am extremely curious to see how it’s going to end. I can’t explain why, really, without giving too much away, but it should be very interesting.
Yes, the series is very good.
The chapters are from different points of view, and I think this technique (if that’s what it is) really adds to the tension. There’s no all-knowing narrator voice, and that puts me in the story, not just listening to someone tell it.
Most of the characters are evolving, some more quickly than others, but none of it feels contrived.
There are a lot of characters, and Martin does a good job (very unobtrusive) reminding the reader of what’s gone before. No boring recaps, just hints that help jog your memory.
I don’t read much fantasy, but I’m not sure that these books belong in that genre anyway. They’re more like a medieval historical, but that genre has a rotten reputation too. 
Yes, It’s great. I consider Martin to be the best fantasist currently writing (except for Terry Pratchett, who’s in a class by himself). Better than Robert Jordan, who badly needs an editor, better than Tad Williams, Lackey, McCaffrey, Weiss & Hickman, etc. Just my opinion, but he’s one of the few remaining authors that can keep me up late at night reading 'cuz I just can’t put it down!
I just finished book two a week ago. It’s a great series so far. I would highly recommend it.
It’s amazing the way he can switch between characters so simply. It’s fantastic how he can breathe life into so many fictional beings and you get a sense of the world from page one. There’s Tyrion who uses humor and wit to talk his way out of situations, Eddard who plays a “Hamlet” character, wanting to do well but wanting to be honorable at the same time, and Sansa who lets the world happen around her as she blindly follows. Different styles, different people, and they all work.
But more bad things about the series:
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Soooooooo many characters. You can keep track of a number of them if you pay attention, but it soon becomes almost overwhelming for anyone. 95% of them are secondary characters, but you still need to recognize their names and their relationships to the main characters or you will be completely lost.
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This could be considered a spoiler, so I’ll put a warning here. OK, there are three books (one of which I still haven’t read), but if you’re looking for three complete stories all set in one world, you’d best look elsewhere. At the end of book 1, and the end of book 2, almost NOTHING gets resolved. I can only assume the same for book 3. It’s one complete tale and book 2 begins almost exactly where number 1 left off.
It is a very intelligent series. R.R. Martin doesn’t pander to the reader, but forces us to rise up to meet his expectations of what a story should be.
If you like his writings, may I suggest the novella Sandkings?
I’m on page 90 of the first book and, while it’s good, I can’t really say it’s grabbed my attention like the WOT series did. So far I’d say it’s somewhat interesting but slow. I can only assume from all the good stuff I’ve heard that it gets better.
True, Flyboy. WOT grabbed my attention, built me up, and is now a bit disappointing. I read the latest WOT book just before A Storm of Swords, and SOS was like a breath of fresh air after all the turgid prose of Jordan. Ye gods, can noone edit that man?
And EnderW the fact that nothing gets resolved (and yes, it holds true for the 3rd book) I now consider to be a positive. So much more like real life! SPOILERSPOILERSPOILER…He spends hundreds of pages developing a complex character, and then just kills them! How original! How true to reality!
Flyboy88,
I wasn’t that into book one by page 90 either. It took until about page 200 to 250. The time when Eddard’s tournament took place. I don’t know why, but something just clicked and I was hooked through the rest of the book.
I do have some questions about book two though. Rather than completely hijack this thread and inject “SPOILER!” every other sentence, come here and we’ll discuss.