Books
George R.R. Martin’s ‘A Song of Ice and Fire’ series — review
There is no shying away from the presence of death in this cynical, horrible but engaging world of his.
“There is so much in George R.R. Martin’s saga that follows the path of a typical fantasy story, ranging from the lives of royalty, dragons, knights and even zombies. But Martin also offers much that is unorthodox, twisting familiar cliché into a new form of adrenaline for the readers, he won’t fail to surprise you in every phase of the series.” ★★★★☆ — By JP Garrido
Six decades since Tolkien captivated young and adult readers alike with the Middle-Earth saga centered on a ring of power, the epic fantasy genre makes a comeback to mainstream pop culture with George R.R. Martin’s bloodier and darker saga of quest for power, this time for the so-called ‘Iron Throne.’
The cries of laughter, courage, prudence, betrayal, and fear filled the throne room of a king. Bodies were seen, gyrating from one post to another, from one life to another, with their swords pervaded with blood. The king was guarded by a bloc of armor, continued to set fire among the wolves of the north. But despite the protection, a mighty cry of defeat was heard and it was from the fallen king, bitten by his lion behind his back.
The saga of A Song of Ice and Fire begins with the fall of a king, the conclusion and a new beginning of a so called “game of thrones,” trembling the noble houses and the people in the fictional lands of Westeros. The series chronicles the struggle for power among several aristocratic houses in the Seven Kingdoms, an imaginary medieval nation that somehow resembles a part of our reality. As the inspiration behind HBO’s hit TV show, Game of Thrones, which thrust the novels to popularity almost a decade now since the first book came out in 1996, Martin’s saga tells readers to expect the unpredictable.
The plot is really convoluted. But the story focuses on the monstrous zombie-like creatures called White Walkers from the north that are moving towards the ice wall that protects the kingdom of Westeros. Despite of the dangers it could bring, the whole kingdom shatters as different appellants to the throne compete and no one has time to listen to warnings about threats known from ancient stories. Meanwhile, the last heir to the fallen dynasty that had ruled Westeros for three hundred years, rises to avenge her family name, equipped with newly bred dragons, is wandering around the continent planning for her revenge.
There is so much in George R.R. Martin’s saga that follows the path of a typical fantasy story, ranging from the lives of royalty, dragons, knights and even zombies. But Martin also offers much that is unorthodox, twisting familiar cliché into a new form of adrenaline for the readers, he won’t fail to surprise you in every phase of the series. Despite the fact that many fantasy novels nowadays present an idealized “middle ages” setting unrecognizable to historians, he understands the limitations of history as a source for fiction. His world is tenacious, with rough edges for blazing swords, shades of blood, grey tears, and a world full of complexities and adversities.
The battles and campaigns that hold the story conveys something of the chaotic and repugnant nature of medieval combat, ranging from feuds, rapes, mutilations, treachery, and casual slaughter. Although majority of his central characters are from the ruling elite, he emanates the effects of warfare on the ordinary people, without glamorizing it. And the political tactics are similarly enthralling.
But despite the clever touch of reality to the story, not everything is so convincing. Westeros is filled with a bunch of various religions, the jumble of which doesn’t seem sociologically believable and the religious beliefs and practices aren’t always convincing. Martin is also clever in handling the existence of magic and prophecy in the story, avoiding pointless explanations of the unexplainable, making readers think about possible answers to the mysteries behind. Although these are inevitably less coherent to the idea of a typical medieval reality like: a priestess giving birth to a demon, resurrecting decaying corpses and seducing boys for rituals, the very plausibility of the rest of Martin’s creation makes them stand out.
Martin tells the story by shifting the point of view around a number of characters, introducing new voices as the saga progresses, with hidden surprises in every chapter. The switch in perspective makes the figures who had previously seemed unlikable appear in a new light. And a number of times a character is introduced and given enough time and form that we feel we know them that we grew into liking them, only to die out of the blue. There is no shying away from the presence of death in this cynical, horrible but engaging world of his.
The ‘Game of Thrones’ bandwagon is traveling around the world, and many people are leaping on in order to know the fate of their favorite characters. As of the moment, the saga is still ongoing, with five volumes of a planned seven out so far. It is already a notable masterpiece to be added to the cluster of fantasy literature, but its longevity will depend on how Martin brings it to the end. ■ By John Paul B. Garrido
(Editor’s Note: This review was first published in AH Vol. IV, Issue 1 in July 2015)
