Game of Thrones

I just read 118 pages of George R.R. Martin's Game of Thrones (or is it A Game of Thrones?) and I am loving it. The first book in his A Song of Ice and Fire series, (A) Game of Thrones introduces readers to the Stark family and the people around them. So many characters are introduced and so many strange connections exist between them that I actually started drawing up family trees for this extensive cast of of characters. My husband thinks I'm nuts. I think I'm hooked.

After a mere 118 pages in a series with more than 4000 total pages, my horribly simplistic summation is this: the throne - the Iron Throne - is at risk with the Lannister family fighting to take over and the Starks fighting to save the kingdom. The exiled children of the ruler overrun by Stark and company prior to the start of the book are also a player in the game (the Targaryen family). And then there are the dozens (probably to reach 100s) of other characters who are rotating around these central forces. That's my guess as to the main plotline of the series.

But then we have to throw in The Others, who are, as far as I can tell, a contemporary bogeyman type who are based in solid fact. Outside of some basic "aren't they scary" stuff, I don't know much about them quite yet.

So much is happening, so much depth and intrigue is right there on the page, that I know I will never be able to properly review these books. Instead of trying and failing, I figure I will do something a bit different, keep it a bit more simple. So I am going to talk about the books here on the blog whenever the mood strikes me, and I'm going to do so in whatever way I feel like. Without further ado, my reaction to the first 118 pages:

My Favorite Character: Arya
The youngest daughter and fourth child of Lord Eddard (Ned) Stark, Arya is one awesome 9 year old. She's the girl rebel of the story so far. She sucks at sewing, wants a sword, is loyal to a fault, a mischief maker, and stuck with a perfectly feminine and perfectly perfect older sister Sansa. When the boys in the family brought back some very unexpected direwolf pups, Sansa names hers Lady; Arya, on the other hand, names hers Nymeria after an ancient witch mentioned in songs. That's my girl.

My Least Favorite Character: Tyrion
Tyrion is the brother of Cersei Lannister, the woman who became queen upon marrying Robert Baratheon. I do not think he is the most evil in the story. Right now, his sister and her twin Jaime are in the running for that title. Their actions are horrid, their plans devious. Viserys, a Targaryen, may actually be even worse than Cersei and Jaime; he's an abusive, narcissistic, violent, arrogant asshat. Tyrion, on the other hand, has done nothing wrong and doesn't seem to be planning anything. But. He is the type to walk the sidelines, manipulate the players, and watch the chaos. He knows the evil lurking in others' hearts and does nothing to stop it; he plays on the emotions of others to encourage evil. Bad Tyrion.

My Holy Shit Moment: Bran
Oh my beejeesus Bran. I will not say anymore for those who haven't read the story.

My Favorite Moment: Dany and Drogo (minor plot spoiler)
Dany, short for Daenerys, is the daughter of the assassinated King Targaryen. In exile with her only surviving relative, her brother Viserys, Dany's only ambition is to lead a normal life. She doesn't care about winning back the throne. Viserys is determined, however, and his path to the throne requires Dany. He forces her to marry Khal Drogo, a man who appears vicious. When he's not, I got happy.

What I Want to Happen by the End: A Victorious Jon
Jon is the bastard son of Lord Stark, accepted by his father and brother, but totally rejected by Catelyn, Stark's wife (for obvious reasons). Despite his relative acceptance, Jon is always relegated to a lower role, especially in light of Catelyn's rejection. At page 118, Jon is off with his uncle Benjen, who seems to be a very cool man, to join the Night Watch. A group of unmarried, dedicated warriors who keep the uncivilized, criminal, and possibly otherworldly outsides at bay. I really hope he comes into his own by the end; although part of me worries he may go dark side.

Final Thoughts: Immersion
This is the type of series I can really get involved in. (Sorry about ending in a preposition). I'm already feeling like the characters are real people, that the story is a historical account of a real time. And then there's the clincher: I'm dreaming about the story. I always know I am in love with a story when the characters and setting start permeating my dream worlds. Love it!

And on a side note: No, I have  never seen the HBO series. I'm too poor to afford HBO. :) And yes I will probably ask for the first season on DVD for Christmas, but I won't start watching until I've read the entire book series.

For Those Who Have Read It: Is it as awesome as I think it is going to be?