This is the first installment of "Book Reports," where I will give a quick recap of the book I most recently read. Today's book is A Game of Thrones, the first novel in George R.R. Martin's "Fire & Ice" series.
What it's about: It's a story of political machinations and war among the ruling nobles of the Seven Kingdoms. It is the first of seven planned novels (four have been completed) in the series.
Why I read it: It was recommended by Big Jim.
What I thought: Like most fantasy series, the developments are slow in coming. The first few chapters didn't really engage my interest; indeed, I almost gave up reading it a few times. However, Martin constantly did just enough to keep me reading until about halfway through the book, at which point I was fully hooked.
Two things I really enjoyed about A Game of Thrones were the complex characters and the sense that anything could happen. The personalities are realistic, rich, and complicated. No major character is a monolithic bore. On the second point, nothing is off limits in this book. I honestly didn't know what was going to happen each time I turned the page, and I can't say that about many books I've read.
It was also a fairly quick read, once I got into it. I suppose the best recommendation I can give is that I will certainly read the next book in the series.
What I'm reading next: Twilight in the Desert, by Matthew Simmons. It's a book questioning the present state and future viability of Saudi Arabian oil.
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