Review: A Game of Thrones

A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Since the final season of the HBO Game of Thrones series is being aired, I decided it was time to get on the bandwagon and read the books and watch the series. A Game of Thrones takes place in medieval times and centers around the fictional continents of Westeros and Essos. It centers around several warring families including the Starks, Baratheons, Lannisters, and the Targaryens. Each family either has designs to rule the lands of these continents or have a hand in helping someone out, ergo, it is a "game of thrones" between these families to see who will take the throne as King. The Starks are generally the good guys who butt heads with the Lannisters who are trying to gain the throne through their marriage into the Baratheon family.

As the series begins, Robert Baratheon is King of the realm and his wife (evil) Cersis Lannister is Queen. King Robert's "right hand" man Lord Jon Arryn suddenly dies, and the good King selects Lord Eddard Stark as his new right hand. Although he doesn't want the job, he takes it to hopefully keep peace in the land and to keep the evil Lannisters from taking over the kingdom. Lord Ed and his wife Lady Catelyn suspect the Lannisters of killing King Robert's hand Lord Jon. Taking the job is King Roberts new hand, Lord Ed can hopefully find out if their suspicions are correct. Then there are the Targaryens who have their own little plot to take over. Well, this leads to all kinds of scheming, colluding, and downright evilness. Many are killed and many end up in bad places.

I have enjoyed this first book in the series and will continue on. It is very well crafted with a little humor sprinkled among the dark and incestuous scenes throughout the book.

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