A Song of Ice and Fire by George R.R. Martin is a massively popular books series currently with five books – A Game of Thrones, A Clash of Kings, A Storm of Swords, A Feast for Crows, and A Dance with Dragons – as well as a collection of short or one-shot stories published on their own or as part of collections of works. The first book, A Game of Thrones, was first published in 1996, the second in 1999, the third in 2000. After an extended break the forth novel, A Feast for Crows, was released in 2005. It was again a long wait for readers as the fifth book was published six years later in 2011. Martin is planning to write at least two more books in the series, The Winds of Winter and A Dream of Spring, however with no release date set it is unknown when or if these books will ever be published.  While the first three books were popular within the genre the fourth and fifth were released to mass success landing on the NYT Bestseller list.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

              

 

 

 

 

A Song of Ice and Fire has inspired the HBO TV show Game of Thrones which premiered in April 2011. The TV show is a mass hit and has had a significant impact of popular culture in the last four years. The television show has also massively increased the sale of the novels while ironically slowing the writing of them because Martin has become so overwhelmingly busy with interviews, tours and convention appearances as well as directing and writing for the TV show.

The World of Ice and Fire

 

 

 

 

            

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

          A Song of Ice and Fire is based in a fictional world which has long seasons that are unpredictable in length. The world of ASoIaF consists of two continents, Essos and Westeros, which are separate by The Narrow Sea. Hundreds of years before the events of the first book the Kingdoms of Westeros were conquered and united by the Targaryen family who came from Essos in the east on the backs of dragons. The Targaryen dynasty ruled the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros until a rebellion, 15 years before the events of the first novel, led to them being overthrown, as well as murdered or exiled to Essos, and Robert Baratheon becoming King of the Seven Kingdoms, sitting on the Iron Throne. Most of the plot in the first few books occurs in Westeros with attention shifting to Essos in the later books.

 

 

               

               

        

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                        The main storyline of the series is the chronicling of the power struggle and struggle for the Iron Throne between the noble families of Westeros after King Robert dies. These families are: Baratheon, Stark, Arryn, Lannister, Martell, Tyrell, Tully and Greyjoy. The power struggle occurs mainly because Eddard Stark, who was Robert’s ‘Hand’, or second in command, discovers that Robert’s children including Joffrey who has ascended the throne are not legitimate children but rather the product of Queen Cersei’s relationship with her brother Jaime Lannister. Eddard sends letters across the Seven Kingdoms about what he has found out and confronts Joffrey. Joffrey has Eddard executed for treason. The letter Eddard has sent out as well as his execution are the catalyst for others to lay claim to the throne. Both of Robert’s brothers, Stannis and Renly, separately lay claims to the throne. The region of the North attempts to separate from the Iron Throne by claiming Robb Stark as King of the North and fighting for the freedom while on the Iron Islands the Greyjoys also lead their people, the Iron Born, into war in an attempt to expand their lands and gain their freedom back from the Iron Throne.

 

 

 

 

                

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                There are two other storylines focused on in the beginning of the series. The first is about Jon Snow and the Night’s Watch. Jon Snow is Eddard’s Stark illegitimate son who join the Night’s Watch and travels to the Wall. The Wall is an 8000 year old wall of ice that spans thousands of miles separating the Seven Kingdoms from the people and creatures who are north of the wall. The Night’s Watch is charged with protecting the Seven Kingdoms from what is beyond the wall. In the beginning of the series it seems like this means the “Free Folk” or people who live beyond the wall but it is soon clear that the Seven Kingdoms needs protecting from a much worse threat – the Others or White Walkers – an army of ice humanoids who attack men and turn them into the walking undead called wights.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                   The last storyline in the beginning of the books is about Daenerys Targaryen who is the daughter of the last Targaryen King. Daenerys escaped as a baby to Essos with her brother. The story follows Daenerys rise to power in Essos from a beggar to a ruler of an army and a city all with the goal of returning to and ruling the Seven Kingdoms. Along the way Daenerys finds a way to give life to three dragon eggs she received as wedding gifts. Her dragons are the first dragons to be seen in the world for hundreds of years.

 

As the series moves forward more charcters, places and stories are added until a universe is created that is brimming so full of stories and fully developed characters that it seems like it could almost be a retelling of a true story.