Bestselling American contemporary fantasy novel series: The Game of Thrones by George R. R. Martin

George R. R. Martin's series A Song of Ice and Fire are a big success worldwide. Martin started writing the books in 1991, initially he planned a trilogy of fantasy fiction. The first instalment, The Game of Thrones won Locus Award and was nominated for World Fantasy Award and Nebula Award in the nineties. The fourth part of A Song of Ice and Fire series, A Feast for Crows, got at number one on the New York Times bestseller list. A good thing that Martin did not stick to writing a trilogy. The first part, The Game of Thrones, on the other hand, became also a New York Times bestseller in 2011, and it was the most popular book on Amazon in June, 2011.

A Song of Ice and Fire

The Game of Thrones is the first instalment of A Song of Ice and Fire series. Its genre can be defined as classic fantasy or modern fantasy, its graphic world is fresh and unique, it also seems surprisingry credible and realistic. At the same time, it has the touching and legend-like atmosphere of great fantasy stories like The Lord of the Rings, and also the grimness of dark fantasy fictions.

In Martin’s medieval world the climate is changing drastically, and up in the north eerie powers ally against the kingdom. Odd creatures, soldiers, magicians, nobles, and villains fight and plot for political power, which is always a delightful subject. Perhaps there is a bit too much of sex in the book, and too less respect for females (I would not recommend A Song of Ice and Fire for those who hate to read about rape when it is mentioned negligently). However, the characters, stubborn, arrogant, and credible, are depicted brilliantly, especially villains like the clever, incestive, infidel, and power-frenzied Queen Cersei, who is the most intriguing figure of the book, and her lover and brother, the haughty and talented warriorr, Jaime Lannister.

The fifth instalment of the series, A Dance with Dragons, will be published in July, 2011.