Preview
  • A Game of Thrones

  • A Song of Ice and Fire, Book 1
  • By: George R.R. Martin
  • Narrated by: Roy Dotrice
  • Length: 33 hrs and 46 mins
  • 4.8 out of 5 stars (146,158 ratings)

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A Game of Thrones

By: George R.R. Martin
Narrated by: Roy Dotrice
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Publisher's summary

Now the acclaimed HBO series Game of Thrones - the masterpiece that became a cultural phenomenon

Winter is coming. Such is the stern motto of House Stark, the northernmost of the fiefdoms that owe allegiance to King Robert Baratheon in far-off King's Landing. There Eddard Stark of Winterfell rules in Robert's name. There his family dwells in peace and comfort: his proud wife, Catelyn; his sons Robb, Brandon, and Rickon; his daughters Sansa and Arya; and his bastard son, Jon Snow. Far to the north, behind the towering Wall, lie savage Wildings and worse - unnatural things relegated to myth during the centuries-long summer, but proving all too real and all too deadly in the turning of the season. Yet a more immediate threat lurks to the south, where Jon Arryn, the Hand of the King, has died under mysterious circumstances. Now Robert is riding north to Winterfell, bringing his queen, the lovely but cold Cersei, his son, the cruel, vainglorious Prince Joffrey, and the queen's brothers Jaime and Tyrion of the powerful and wealthy House Lannister - the first a swordsman without equal, the second a dwarf whose stunted stature belies a brilliant mind.

All are heading for Winterfell and a fateful encounter that will change the course of kingdoms. Meanwhile, across the Narrow Sea, Prince Viserys, heir of the fallen House Targaryen, which once ruled all of Westeros, schemes to reclaim the throne with an army of barbarian Dothraki - whose loyalty he will purchase in the only coin left to him: his beautiful yet innocent sister, Daenerys.

©1996 George R.R. Martin, (P)2003 Books On Tape, Inc., published in arrangement with Random House Audio Group,a division of Random House, Inc.
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Editorial review


By Seth Hartman, Audible Editor

A GAME OF THRONES IS A MASTERFUL START TO AN EPIC DARK FANTASY

I wasn’t properly introduced to A Song of Ice and Fire until my freshman year in college. My roommate at the time was a bona fide superfan of the series—when I told him that I hadn’t yet given it a try, he could barely contain his excitement. A week after this discovery, I had already watched the first season of the television series and was hungry for more. Instead of binging the remaining seasons, I elected to crack open the first book in order to get the "definitive" experience. Even at the time, I could already tell that this series would leave a strong impact on me.

A Game of Thrones mostly follows House Stark, a noble family controlling the northern portion of the great kingdom of Westeros. Ned, the Lord of House Stark, is asked to join his old friend King Robert Baratheon in court as his new right-hand man. Shortly after arriving in the royal capital, Ned begins to unravel a conspiracy involving Queen Cersei Lannister and her family. Far to the North, Ned’s bastard son Jon Snow joins the Night’s Watch, a group of banished soldiers tasked with defending The Wall, a massive chunk of ice that keeps the mysterious White Walkers confined. To the East, a young girl named Daenerys Targaryen, the last of her line and heir to the previous regime, begins her bid for the throne with little more than a couple of dragon eggs.

While this series becomes increasingly complex book to book, the first entry is delightfully streamlined. Rather than introducing a million characters and locations, A Game of Thrones focuses on the three major families in the series, devoting a lot of time to fleshing out the main cast. On my first read, I was struck by the subversive nature of Thrones. Despite its setting, this is not a triumphant tale of knights and dragons. Rather, George R.R. Martin has created a world of betrayals and backstabs, one that values information and subterfuge far more than swords and shining armor. Veteran voice actor Roy Dotrice brings his highly adaptable voice to the audiobook, giving even more color to Martin's writing.

Continue reading Seth's review >

Critic reviews

  • Locus Award, 1997

"Martin's trophy case is already stuffed with major prizes...He's probably going to have to add another shelf, at least." (Publishers Weekly)

"The first volume in Martin's first fantasy saga combines intrigue, action, romance, and mystery in a family saga." (Booklist)

"Grabs hold and won't let go. It's brilliant." (Robert Jordan)

"This novel is an absorbing combination of the mythic, the sweepingly historical, and the intensely personal." (Chicago Sun-Times)

Featured Article: 15 Poignant and Postapocalyptic Listens for Fans of The Last of Us


Naughty Dog's postapocalyptic video game The Last of Us is a masterclass in storytelling. Celebrated for its complex ruminations on grief, morality, and redemption, this unique take on dystopia has maintained a steady fanbase since 2013. That following is set to grow following the debut of HBO's television adaptation—a breakout hit that sacrifices none of the emotional stakes or brilliant character work of its source material.

What listeners say about A Game of Thrones

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Loved every second

Great story. Great performance. Exceeded my expectations. I am ready to start the 2nd book. In my opinion, a must read.

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I'm sucked in. amazing story!

amazing story. extremely well written with excellent pros and character development. long. very long. but, never boring. you really get to know the characters and become engrossed into the narrative. the narrator was great.

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Wonderful!

This was a great book to listen to even after being caught up on season 7 of the show.

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excellent preformance from narrator!!!!

excellent story, helped to get me caught up with HBO series. the narrator made the story espically interesting, with his excellent reading.

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Excellent

This is truly a story for the ages. Excellent book and well written use of vocabulary.

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First audible

This was my first audible book. The way the author sets every chapter to one of the characters helped for me to follow the storyline. Roy Dotrice did an excellent job with the naration.

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wonderful

Enjoyed completely. I can't wait to hear the rest of the story. love the details.

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Brilliant!

This title was masterfully read. I enjoyed the different voices, intonation, emotions were all portrayed extremely well. I will be looking for the rest of the series now.

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Engaging, masterful performance

Roy Dotrice has a gift for storytelling and reads with such clarity and depth, and brings life to the characters he is narrating. Probably the best audiobook I've read. Highly highly recommend.

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definatly worth it

this book is worth it, very long and full of every detail the tv series lacks

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