can safely say that Martin's A Song of Fire and Ice series is the best fantasy literature I've ever read, and the three (so far) novels in the series are some of the best-plotted novels I've ever read in any genre. I hope to eventually add reviews of all the novels in the series, but for now I've only reviewed the first one, A Game of Thrones. I'll add reviews of the 2nd and 3rd books in the series when I reread them before the much-delayed 4th book is released.

I first became aware of George Martin when I saw his name listed as editor for the anthology series, Wild Cards. I didn't pay him much attention though, since after all, he was just the editor of a series of pulpy, comic book-styled adventure novels I read very quickly in the early 90s. After that point, GRRM was lost to my knowledge for over a decade.  He reappeared on October 21, 2002, when in response to me blogging that "there are no 'great' fantasy writers" a reader strongly suggested I check out Martin's Song of Fire and Ice series.

That reader rave, and the others on Amazon.com got me curious about the series, but it wasn't until months later that I found a copy of the first book at the library. I was impressed by it, but not blown away, and I reviewed it on March 22, 2003. It was well-written, well-plotted, and filled with interesting characters. However it was almost historical fiction, rather than fantasy, with no magic or monsters or anything of that nature, other than a very brief bit at the beginning, and at the end. Also, the first novel isn't really a novel. It's just the first 800 pages of a 2000+ page story, with 6 or 8 plot threads running along, none of which are resolved or intertwined in book 1. Oh, it's a very good book, lots of stuff happens and the characters and events are fascinating, but it's not "great."

However, books 2 and 3 in Martin's series are much, much better. The plot thickens, characters grow more interesting, magic and magical creatures appear, and at the time of this writing (Summer 2004) I'm eagerly awaiting book 4, which was due in early 2004, was backed up to the fall, and will likely slip into 2005, since Martin is still busy writing.  Since the whole series is going to go 7 or 8 books, you can safely not get involved in this for a good 5 years yet, and perhaps save yourself a lot of waiting.  Though I would ask that you join Malaya and myself in fervently wishing that Martin doesn't get hit by a minivan, or choke on a fish bone. And that if he does, he's left extensive notes about how all of the plot threads tie up, and what happens to the land and the main characters.

October 21, 2002

This was my first introduction to George R. R. Martin's fantasy series, courtesy of a reader mail.

After yesterday's semi-article about how there aren't any "great" fantasy authors, I got an interesting email, recommending a fantasy series by an author he thinks fits the bill.  You can read it below.

I had a reader recommendation for Brian Lumley some months ago, and thus directed, I checked out a few of his novels.  They weren't great, but it wasn't like I wanted to claw my brain out after reading them.  Follow the link for some more commentary on them and yes, I'll add my comments on him to the horror novelist review page at some point.

Hi!
In response to your blog about what makes a good novel, I have the perfect series for you. The series "A Song of Ice and Fire" by George R.R. Martin, beginning with "A Game of Thrones". It is to be a 6 book series and unfortunately only 3 have been released so far, but just the first three are well worth the read even if the last leaves you hanging. The characters are the most well rounded you'll ever find in a series and as the series progresses, it's hard to say who the antagonists or protagonists are because you get to see the story from nearly every side.

As you get farther into the series, the author doesn't really play "favorites" with anyone and doesn't hesitate to put the axe (literally) to your favorite characters, so don't too attached to anyone! And what a story! It was roughly inspired by The War of the Roses with major families all vying for a throne and there is much double crossing and backstabbing to be had. Often times a situation will be resolved in a very unexpected way (whether good or bad for the characters involved), but whether you liked the outcome or not, you have to admire it. Also, even though it's a fantasy, it doesn't follow any fantasy formula and especially in the beginning of the series, it might as well just be a medieval fiction because of the lack of real use of the fantasy aspects (although the fantasy does pick up as the series progresses); it's nice to see a fantasy that doesn't use fantasy to drive the plot. This author uses human nature and reality. I can honestly say these are the best books I've ever read and if you need more convincing, read the reviews on Amazon.com or something. Reading from your complaints (I agree with them all), I really think you'd like these books, try them out! Enjoy!

-Brian

I have not read anything by George R R Martin, but I did read the first dozen or so books in the Wild Cards series, which he edited. I'll put the recommended novel on my list and try to grab one next time I'm at the library, to see what I think.  

March 12, 2003

I've finally begun reading A Game of Thrones, and it is indeed fantasy, and it's not bad, but it isn't anywhere near "great", at least not yet.  Martin is a good writer, organized and all, but I don't really like how the book is arranged. The start was way too "Fantasy Novel 101" with a supernatural opening action sequence, and then a bunch of short scenes with all of the various main characters introduced.  It's continued in that vein (though without any further action or supernatural stuff) for 300 pages since then, with every chapter from the PoV of one of the characters.  There aren't any unique chapter titles, they are just named for whichever character is the main one in that chapter.  Several of the main characters never get their own chapters, they are just seen by other chars in their chapters, and might even get more screen time than the chapter named character.  I think the cuts are too quick back and forth, with a lot of chapters being like 5 or 6 pages.  I'd rather they went in 30 or 40 page blocks to get more involved in a particular narrative; as it is I feel like I'm skimming along constantly, and there is very little depth given to any of the individual scenes.

Given that the book is in a small type face, hard cover, and something like 800 pages long, and it's the first in a trilogy (I think) it's probably good that it skims and skips around, or else it would be a 7 book series, ala Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time. And curiously enough, a big quote about how good it is features prominently on the front cover.  A quote by.... Robert Jordan.

Two things about the fantasy world differentiate it a lot from other fantasy novels/series.

For one thing, it's very modern.  Lots of modern language, including occasional profanity, and it's somewhat jarring to hear characters saying "shit" or "fuck" or "cunt".  I'm all for verisimilitude, and I tend to dislike the overly-flowery language in most fantasy, but I don't think the modern vulgarity works that well.  Something for me to think about in my own supposed fantasy novel.

The other odd thing I miss, and it's a total lack of sorcery or magic of any kind.  There have been mentions of dragons and their eggs and bones are seen sometimes, but they are said to all be dead.  And the opening supernatural sequence had some ghosts or ghouls or something like that, but that was just the first 10 pages, and has never been returned to, and there isn't any real promise or hint that it will be, other than maybe in the same area by the great Northern wall.

There is a lot of conflict and occasional action scenes, but they are usually very short fights told in a summary style. The conflict is almost entirely interpersonal, in the form of scheming royals and nobles and mysterious plots galore.  Which is enough to keep my interest, since the characters are relatively well drawn and distinct, but the entire thing could be taking place in Germany and Poland 500 years ago for all the fantasy elements of it.  It's just any medieval land with castles and mountains and squabbling kings. There are a couple of direwolves, but they are just big dogs, and as they are still puppies they aren't any bigger than a normal wolf, so they're just smart dogs.  That ain't exactly fantasy.

I'm sure that element will pick up later in the series, but as no one has breathed a peep about any sorcery or magic, other than in old legends, I'm not really expecting anything more than some mysterious undead monsters from the wicked Northlands.  Which is sort of disappointing; I want something more than the real world in my fantasy.

But it's keeping my interest, so I'll finish it in another 2 or 3 days probably, and then look for the second book in the series.  At least that's my current plan.

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