By George RR Martin
Narrated by Roy Dotrice
Reviewed by Gabby
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A Game of Thrones Overview:
Summers span decades. Winter can last a lifetime. And the struggle for the Iron Throne has begun. It will stretch from the south, where heat breeds plot, lusts and intrigues; to the vast and savage eastern lands; all the way to the frozen north, where an 800-foot wall of ice protects the kingdom from the dark forces that lie beyond. Kings and queens, knights and renegades, liars, lords and honest men… all will play the Game of Thrones. Winter is coming…
A Game of Thrones Audiobook Review:
STORY
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The Good:
Ok, before I review this book, I’m just going to have a little rant. So one thing people have been complaining about is that Game of Thrones is inherently sexist and misogynistic. According to some reviewers, women are consistently degraded and men occupy all the positions of power. This is true. For the first book in the series! I won’t elaborate anymore, in case someone out there doesn’t know the plot. What I really wanted to say was: who cares if this audiobook is a bit sexist and misogynistic? IT’S A FANTASY BOOK. Martin is a writer. Not a preacher. So all you reviewers who claim to hate the book because of the rape scenes and the weak women, get off your high horse. The book is set in medieval times and this is how Martin decided to portray Westeros. Martin didn’t write the story this way to give it a more authentic feel or because a patriarchal society is the only one we can recognise. Game of Thrones is sexist because it’s part of how he imagined the story and world to be. So stop whining about it. Rant over. On to the review!
I really loved the Game of Thrones audiobook. Lots of people did. Of course epic fantasy will never be a ‘one size fits all’ genre, but there is no harm in at least giving this audiobook a try.
The twists and turns in the storyline, even though I knew what was going to happen, that didn’t stop the plot twists having any effect! People will often listen to their favourite audiobooks over and over again because they continue to have an effect on them. Game of Thrones is like that, knowing the plot doesn’t take any of the excitement away.
There are only little hints of magic in Game of Thrones which adds flavor to the story and reminds us that this is in fact a fantasy novel. The dire-wolves I especially liked, although Johns albino wolf is slightly too convenient. The hints of prophecy and visions are interesting too, but the presence of magic in the story is so slight it can’t be easily used to help a struggling character out.
The opening is also great. Personally I really love it when an author drops in a little ‘prologue’ just to give you a taste of what’s in store. Well thought out and beautifully read by Roy Dotrice, the scenes and characters are incredibly easy to visualize. Not to mention the opening is a tad creepy, so bonus points there.
[/span6][span6]The Bad:
Beware, it’s slow going. But the pace is essential at times to set the scene and let you get to know the characters. It can be a bit of a trial keeping up with all the characters, the twists and the turns, but as the book progresses you’ll become more familiar with the world and the people in it.
If you’re more interested in fantasy that only focuses on one perspective (which can get awfully dull) and a nice simple storyline, then perhaps this isn’t for you. On the other hand, if you do want to branch out a little bit then Game of Thrones is full of interesting characters and sub-plots that will be worth your time. But beware, there are many characters and random sub-plots to keep track of. So don’t worry if you forget a few things.
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CHARACTERS
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The Good:
A character to like is definitely Tyrion Lannister. He’s witty, despises his sister, his father and himself. Much like the modern day human, Tyrion drowns his feelings out with sex and drink. Despite his deformities, Tyrion is the most wholesome character in the series, injecting some much needed humour in the more depressing scenes. It’s also very entertaining listening to him mock the other characters.
[/span6][span6]The Bad:
CONTENT
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NARRATOR
[columns] [span6] The Good:
Dotrice’s narration is excellently paced and each character is easily distinguishable. The way he has portrayed all the characters make them so much easier to visualize and love (or despise).
[/span6][span6] The Bad:CONTENT
[/span6][/columns]I hope you enjoyed our Game of Thrones Audiobook Review, come back soon!