Hi Everyone! Today, I am going to be doing a beginner's discussion on
A Song Of Ice and Fire Series.
Welcome to Westeros!
This is really an introduction into the world and there will be no spoilers. If you have ever wondered what all the hype is about? Are you unsure what it is even about? Then this is for you! So let's get started!!!
What is the A Song of Ice and Fire Series?
It is an epic, high fantasy series by George RR Martin. Right now there are five books in the series and he is currently working on the sixth book.
What are they about??
Okay- let's do this!
In the first book, the plot is centered around a mystery. This is the theme that all the other sub-plots are centered around. AND the mystery is...
Who killed Jon Arryn?
Jon Arryn was the hand of the king to Robert Baratheon. He was the king's advisor and helps make political decisions for the king. He basically does all the "work" that the king does not want to do. So, that means the king needs a new hand!
 |
| King Robert Baratheon |
King Robert decides he wants Eddark Stark to be his new hand. King Robert and Eddark's history goes way back and he needs someone he can trust. Eddark Stark does not think that Jon Arryn died from natural causes, he believes that he was murdered.
 |
| Eddard Stark |
A lot of the plot is driven and centered around "who killed Jon Arryn" but there is A LOT of other things going on this book.
How is the story written??
The first book is told from eight different character perspectives. I know what you are thinking...that sounds confusing. It is not! I may explain it, and it may sound confusing. But I am not George RR Martin. George RR Martin is an amazing writing. He presents things in a way where it is easy to understand and you never forget about which character you are reading about. Here is a glimpse at the characters perspectives you follow in the first book:
Setting
The story takes places on a continent known as Westeros. Westeros is also known as the Seven Kingdoms. Throughout the first book, you adventure to different parts of the Seven Kingdoms. Here are some of the regions that you spend the most time learning about.
Winterfell
This is the House of the Stark Family
King's Landing
Capital of Westeros
and the core of the power in Westeros
The Wall
The Wall is 700 feet tall and it is protecting Westeros from the dark creatures that live beyond The Wall. The Night Watch defend the wall and protect Westeros from the horror that is beyond it.
There are many, many more regions in Westeros and also beyond Westeros that you learn about in the first book, but these are the main regions.
TMI
There is a lot of mature content in this series. There is violence, rape, murder, and even incest. If you are bothered by reading a book with these topics you may want to avoid this series.
Still Overwhelmed??
If you are worried that you are going to be too confused but really want to give the series a try, I am going to recommend something that I never do...watch the first couple of episodes (NOT the whole season) of the HBO Series AND then read the book. It will help you become familiar with the characters and the world. The HBO series does a good job of illustrating this amazing story. As the series continues, the HBO Series is less accurate with the books, but I still really enjoy it!
I will be having more posts about this series in the near-future. This is just the first part. I hope I have at least sparked your interest into this amazing world.
Please let me know what you think of this series? Have you given it a try? What are your thoughts on the book or HBO Series?
Happy Reading!!
No comments:
Post a Comment