A song of ice and fire (1)

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IS A SONG OF ICE AND FIRE BY GEORGE R. R. MARTIN
FOR YOU?
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Warning while there are no real spoilers,
there are basic details about the series, to help
you make a choice on whether or not it is for
you.
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The hit television series Game of Thrones was
derived from a series of novels by George R.R.
Martin, who has created a world of high fantasy
and excitement that remains unrivaled in the
world of both reading and television. The series
of novels, entitled collectively A Song of Ice
and Fire, was originally planned to extend to
three volumes, yet the success of the series, and
the sheer breadth of the cast of characters
involved, has seen the author extend the series
to a planned seven volumes, five of which have so
far been published to great acclaim.
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The world in which the novels are set is
inspired greatly by medieval European history
indeed, Martin traveled the many ancient sites of
Europe especially those in Great Britain and
studied historical events carefully to lay the
groundwork for the books. The detail is
impressive, and scholars of English history will
notice that the main plot lines are very much
drawn from the Wars of the Roses, which took
place between the feuding houses of York and
Lancaster.
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The novels mainly cover the ongoing feudal
battles and intricacies of the great noble houses
Westeros, the Wall, and the Targaryens. The many
threads that link these three have their roots in
genuine events from history, and the wonderfully
rendered descriptions of the continent on which
they live Westeros and Essos paint a picture
of a time very different to today. Writing in an
engaging and fast paced style, yet managing to
keep us informed as to the minute details that
make the land so real, the books add an aura of
sense and understanding that is sometimes lost in
the necessarily compacted world of the TV series.
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BOOK 1 A GAME OF THRONES
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The first book in the series, A Game of Thrones
introduces the reader to the main characters and
branches out across three central plot lines In
the Seven Kingdoms tells the tale of the Lord of
Winterfell, Eddard Stark, and his convoluted and
troubled family. Eddard has six children five
legitimate, one not and the plot involves
incest, murder, and a clutch of Direwolf puppies,
which are central to the story. As with all good
yarns, the battle for the head of the house is
the central point.
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On the Wall makes up the entrance to the novel,
and introduces us to the wonders of the magical,
300 mile long wall of ice and stone that protects
the Seven Kingdoms from the wilderness beyond,
and the Night Watch, who are detailed to man the
defense. Eddards bastard son, Jon, joins the
Night Watch, which allows the reader to see its
many flaws.
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The third thread is In the East which is set in
the Free City of Pentos, and covers the initial
story of the Targaryen. It also introduces us to
one of the most important figures in the whole
series, Daenerys, sister of mad king Viserys,
who uses her to secure an army intended to
overthrow the throne of Westeros. Other themes
include magical treasures, execution and, as is
the norm, a battle for the crown.
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It is notable that the book differs from the
television series in its approach, with the plot
lines delivered in a less detailed manner and the
entire story contracted for television also,
elements of the first book spread beyond the
first series of the TV series, while there are
other elements that we have not yet read they
appear in later volumes woven into the opening
series. Overall, the books give a better
depiction of the timeline.
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BOOK 2 A CLASH OF KINGS
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As with the first novel, the second A Clash
of Kings takes us through the three main plot
lines of the Seven Kingdoms, the Wall and the
East. In the former, a civil war rages with the
North and South at loggerheads Rob Stark son
of the now dead Eddard is declared King of the
North, while three of the Baratheon family all
have designs on the throne of Westeros. The war
that ensues is bloody and tireless, and results
in many changes in the family hierarchy.
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At the Wall, the Night Watch has embarked upon
a mission to investigate the mysterious peoples
known as the Wildings' they discover that they
have a fortress, and decide to advance. However,
the Wildings are too fierce and the Night Watch
face defeat. The result is a failed infiltration
attempt, and it is eventually discovered that the
Wall is to be attacked by tens of thousands of
Wildings, along with their collection of magical
beings.
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In the East Daenerys has gained a gang of
followers and a degree of power as well as some
baby dragons, which ensure her notoriety and is
set upon the throne of Westeros herself however,
assassination attempts, dragon battles and
mysterious happenings prevail, and Daenerys is
ultimately unsuccessful.
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While the second series of the TV adaptation
does follow the book more closely than the first,
it is arguable that, again, it moves forward too
quickly and leaves behind some of the more
intricate detailed plots from the novel.
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BOOK 3 A STORM OF SWORDS
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The third book in the series, A Storm of
Swords, picks up the story where we left it at
the end of the previous book the War of the Five
Kings still rages in Westeros, the Wall is under
threat from the advance of the Wildings and their
motley army, and Daenerys, defeated so far, is
returning to Pentos.
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In the Seven Kingdoms the action is split into
the North and South regions, with several
significant events taking place in each, not to
mention a series of fierce and bloody battles.
The novel introduces the Brotherhood without
Banners, a revolutionary group hell bent on
revenge and power, and central to the plot in the
north is the Red Wedding. Opposed by many of
the families involved, and further enraging the
battles that are taking place, the wedding is the
central theme around which the plot unravels.
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At the Wall the threat of attack by the
Wildings is looming, and the small army of the
Night Watch can do little but wait. Murder and
fighting are prevalent, but through it all Jon
Snow is offered the title of Lord of Winterfell
by the surviving and yet week King Stannis
thanks to a mystical appearance of the ghost of
his dead direwolf, Jon refuses. He instead
returns as the new commander of the Night Watch.
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In the East Daenerys is becoming more unhinged
and, with the gift of a dragon, secures the
services of a slave army to overthrow and ransack
the city of Meeren. However, she discovers
traitors in her midst, yet offers them a deal.
They take up her offer and, with the help of
others, successfully overthrow the city. The rule
of Meeros, she sees as a precursor to her rule at
Westeros.
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THE INTERIM It is at this point that the author
came upon a problem his next book had originally
intended to be set five years after the end of
the third novel this, he believed, would allow
him to concentrate on younger characters who had
no yet had time to develop. However, Martin also
faced the problem that his characters and there
are great many more than the few central ones we
have mentioned so far were not flung far and
wide across the continent. Hence, he decided
eventually to split the next two books to cover
different regions and characters, rather than the
three-viewpoint approach of the first two novels.
The result is that readers are able to
concentrate on the engaging action in two
different novels, set concurrently at the same
time.
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BOOK 4 A FEAST FOR CROWS
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A Feast for Crows, the fourth of the series,
covers the happenings in the Seven Kingdoms and
the East the concurrent book, A Dance with
Dragons, focuses on the goings-on at the Wall and
elsewhere. We begin in the Seven Kingdoms with
the approaching end of the War of the Five Kings
however, the prologue introduces an intriguing
character, Pate, who is quickly poisoned, and yet
his place n the tale is as yet unresolved.
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Other central plot themes include the crumbling
reign of Queen Cersei, who routinely ignores good
advice the increasingly powerful Tyrell family,
and major battles in the closing stages of the
war. An important section deals with the Iron
Islands, which are central to the theme and to
the Daenerys character in this section, as well
as many other running themes of family feuds that
have certain consequences.
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In the East, Jon Snow and his Night Watch make
an appearance with a story about assassinations,
growing dissent and the importance of the dragons
owned by Daenerys, while things are complicated
again by mysterious dreams and odd creatures with
magical powers. It is notable that, at this point
in the TV series, the two final books become
entwined, although not to a point where they are
complicated to follow.
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BOOK 5 A DANCE WITH DRAGONS
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The fifth book in the series, and so far the
final one published, A Dance with Dragons begins
with Jon Snows election as the commander of the
Nights Watch however, other factions refuse to
acknowledge this, resulting in the beheading of
one of his main rivals. A reinforcement of the
Wall ensues, as well as battles involving the
remaining Wildings and others, and the hunt for a
mysterious Three Eyed Crow is also central to the
plot here.
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In Pentos, the Free City, much is happening,
with Daenerys still the focus of attention she
remains in Meeren, as ruler, still hoping this is
the precursor to her tenure as the ruler of
Westeros. Her Dragons also play a prominent part
in this section of the story, and Drogon the
senior is important to the plot, as is a
marriage plan intended to bring her to the side
of an opposing family. The main plot theme
surrounds the ongoing downfall at Westeros where
incompetence and family feuds rule, as well as
the many threads involving Jon Snow and his
ruling of the Wildings.
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The television series is now up to date with
the story, but it has to be said that, although
the on-screen version features a wealth of
characters, it cannot be as diverse as the books,
therefore several important incidences are
omitted. The best way to immerse oneself in the
world of Westeros and Essos is to take time with
Martins books.
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• The overall sales figures vary. In April 2011,
  The New Yorker reposted that more than 15 million
  of books had been sold worldwide. In May the same
  year , The Wall Street Journal reported that 6
  million copies had been sold in North America. In
  July 2011, USA Today reported that 8.5 million of
  copies (including digital copies) had been sold.

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• In December the same year, 12 million. In
  September 2013, Reuters reported than 24 million
  of copies (including digital and audio copies)
  had been sold in North America alone.
• The series has been translated in more than 20
  languages. The 5th book of the series A Dance
  with Dragons in more than 40 languages,
  according to USA Today.

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CONCLUSION In writing the series of books that
make up A Song of Ice and Fire George R.R. Martin
has created a fantasy world as real as any that
preceded his indeed, his works have been likened
to Tolkien, but with a more involving and less
fantastical bent. That his main characters are
clearly influenced by and based upon real
historical figures, particularly those from
British medieval history, makes the whole
seemingly believable, and enables the reader to
become more immersed in the world of the many
characters who are well drawn and engaging.
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Far more than in the television series, which
is necessarily abridged in order to fit some very
complex and interesting plot lines into the short
screen time, the novels allow for the imagination
to get to grips with the plot, and for the
characters to come to life. It is to the authors
credit that he has managed to carry his
characters through, so far, five volumes, without
once losing the readers attention.
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That he needs at least two more novels to
apparently conclude the story shows just how much
is going on here, and it must be said that the
above plot summaries are brief and by no means
comprehensive. One can only get a true feel of
the majesty of Martins writing, and of the world
he has created, by reading these wonderful
stories.