A Game of Thrones first came out in the 90s, but has had a resurgence in popularity because of theHBO series based on the books. I have not seen the series yet, and have not decided if I will or not (there is some sex in the book and I do not particularly want to see those scenes play out). However this book has been on my to-read list for a few years now, and I finally got around to picking it up and reading it.A Game of Thrones is a fairly long book, but I was happy to find that it did not feel long. The book moved along at a steady pace and I did not find it overwhelmed with either dialogue or description. The part that was hardest to follow along was the lineages. There are a LOT of characters in the books that are all related to each other in some way or other. It was a little hard to keep track of who was on whose side and why, how they were related and what their purpose in the story line was. Thankfully the book had an appendix that laid out the family lineages which made everything a lot easier.
This book is the type of fictional story that I really enjoy. I love reading about other worlds with complex backstories and characters with a lot of depth. I feel that there is much more backstory than I will ever learn even if I ever do finish the series. This actually makes me happy because it makes the world feel so much more real.
For those who do not know the story line it is about this kingdom, which is made up of 7 kingdoms, each ruled by a different family. Back before the book starts the king of this world was usurped and most of his family killed. The only two remaining children were forced to leave their lands and live as paupers. This book is primarily about the Starks, the family from the north where there is snow even in the summer. Eddard Stark is best friends with the current King and there is something off in the kingdom. Stark is worried about what the Lannisters are up to, thinking they might be trying to steal the kingdom for themselves. The problem: the king's wife is a Lannister.
George R.R. Martin created a fantastical world with Kings and Queens, Knights and Dragons. A world that feels as if it could be real. Although the book was long when I finished it I wished I could start on the sequel immediately, which tells me how good the book actually is. I haven't started the second book yet, mostly because the length is a bit intimidating and I want to catch up on my goal before I start another really long book.
Overall I give Martin's novel a 4/5 stars. I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys fantasy or historical fiction. A great book. :)
Great you liked it Debbie! I liked it as well (read all the books available before HBO started airing). One thing though, can you comment on if Christians should read books with so much violence and explicit sex? I mean, one way or the other, it influences you maybe. Do you see this as a dilemma or no problem at all?
ReplyDeleteHey Benjamin! Sorry I'm so late getting back to you.
DeleteThere really is no clear answer to the question of how much sex or violence should be in what we read. That is you can't really draw a line and say "This much violence is okay, but this is too much." I truly believe it depends on the individual. I will say, however, that books which glorify violence are not that great.
The Bible has both a lot of violence and a lot of sex, or at least mature themes. So I do not believe that you can say what you read must contain none.
Personally I will stop reading a book that contains too much sex (and Game of Thrones definitely pushed that limit), and I stay well clear or erotica, whether it's pop lit or not. I do tend to read books with more violence, than some people would, but I don't believe any of the books I read particularly glorifies violence.
Overall I believe it's a personal choice that must be made based one what the reader can handle and what they will tolerate, while keeping in mind areas that they struggle in and books that could be a trigger for them.