A Game of Thrones Book-Review & A Cool Map

★★★★★

Like mostly everyone else I arrived late to the party for Game of Thrones. I saw it on HBO, and I will be honest at first I was so confused. I had no idea who anyone was, so many names. However, once I got into it, I realized how truly epic and awesome it was. I've kept watching the show and each episode just gets better. The book did not disappoint me, not even once. The show so far has stayed very true to the book, and I really like that. The book was just as beautiful and adventurous as I thought it would be. The best part is you never get tired, and you never feel like your bored because of the multiple alternating points of view. I also really can not get over the way George R.R. Martin's words truly paint a picture in your mind, plus if you've watched the show that really helps. Also the greatest part, the most mind blowing part had to be the ending, one of the greatest endings I've ever read. I just got attached to every single character.  I cried several times, and had to remind myself that they were in fact fictitious. This book was just incredible, I just hope I can do it justice with my ramblings and chart making.

I was truly swept away with the politics of it all, and I really love how several times characters drew you back to the title, "Go ahead and play this game of thrones if you wish" they would say things like that, it was just so cool to me. This really is an epic intricate fantasy, the first book really sets you up for a long haul. It isn't a huge info dump like you'd imagine, its honest and entertaining while being informative. Plus I believe for trying to provide a realistic picture of the time and place, its extremely tasteful, and not that in your face with things. When blood, war, guts, or sex have to occur its not shocking, its just made to feel like a part of life. The writing of course was amazing, otherwise it probably wouldn't be made a show or video game, its really worth the read. The book might seem huge, but it really flies by fast, its not overwhelming like you'd maybe expect it to be. The ending like I mentioned is crazy good, and really leaves you wanting the next book ASAP.

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& keep reading for map & chart and stuff





This is a map of the Seven Kingdoms, and a list of important characters. It contains mild spoilers, but it doesn't really ruin anything all that much. I might miss a few characters, feel free to let me know if I made an error or something, just be nice about it :] 

Winterfell (The North)

• Eddard Stark (Ned or Wolf) -Best friend of King Robert, grew up together raised by John Arryn. Helped Robert obtain the throne, fought in many battles. Lord of Winterfell, and now the King's Hand. 
• Robb Stark-The eldest legitimate Stark, known as "Young Wolf" and leader in his father's absence. A great fighter and leader, and level headed decision maker. 
• Catelyn Tully Stark (Cat)- Wife of Ned, sister of Lysa Tully Arryn, Kidnapper of Lannister's both Tyrion and Jamie. 
• Sansa Stark - Is the ginger one, lol.. She is betrothed to Joffrey & then held captive at Kings Landing. She is confused, and trying to survive. She was once easily swayed, but that is no longer the case. 
• Arya Stark-Is the warrior Stark, much like Jon Snow. She is learning to fight in the first book, and fighting for her life in the second. 
• Bran-Is the one Jamie Lannister tosses out the window, he is struggling to handle his responsibility at Winterfell, and growing up into a fine man. 
• Rickon Stark-Youngest Stark, he is only 3 when everything starts to go wrong. 
• Lysa Tully Arryn-The widow of John Aryn murdered Hand of King Robert, she is Cat Tully Stark's sister. 
• Hoster Tully- Is Lord of Riverrun and Catelyn and Lysa's father
• Edmure Tully-Is Robb's Uncle and Catelyn and Lysa's younger brother. He is heir to Riverrun. 
• Jon Snow-Has taken "The Black" and lives at Castle Black with Aemon Targaryen & Old Bear once ruler of Bear Island and father to Ser Jorah who is Danny Taragryen's aid. Jon Snow guards the wall, like many Starks before him. 
• Lyanna Stark-Died at Robert's Rebellion, was his wife and Eddard's sister. 
• Theon Greyjoy-Was raised with the Stark's and best friends with Robb Stark, he supported him in several battles. He is however a Greyjoy heir. The Greyjoy's are from the Ironborn Islands, Robb sends Theon to talk with his father of peace and becoming friends, but The Greyjoy's reject Theon's mainland ways, and Theon feels like an outcast both at the Ironborn Island's and Winterfell. 

Casterly Rock & Kings Landing

• Robert Baratheon-Is King, and best friend and former brother in law of Eddard Stark. He took the throne from the Targaryen's. 
• Cersai Lannistrer Baratheon-Is Queen, she is Jamie's Twin, and  a little crazy. She is Joffrey's mother, and a major political player when it comes to death threats, and schemes at King's Landing. 
• Jamie Lannister-Is the Queen's twin, and also known as the Kingslayer, Eddard Stark removed Jamie from the "Iron Throne" once so Robert could be king. Jamie is known as a fighter, and a frilly sort of man. He wears gold armor and a giant lion's head helmet. He was kidnapped by the remaining Winterfell Stark's. 
• Tyrion Lannister-Is a dwarf, but incredibly wise. He is also capable of doing battle. He is very politically sound, and levelheaded. He was also kidnapped by the Stark's but released. He is the twins brother. 
• Tywin Lannister-Is the twins and Tyrion's father, he is ruler of Casterly Rock, and he has his own army. He is doing battle with the Stark's, and trying to control Joffrey and Cersai by naming Tyrion Joffrey's advisor. 
• Joffrey Baratheon-Is a technical bastard of Cersai Lannister, she had led people to believe that Joffrey is Robert's son and true heir to the throne, but he is of no blood relation to the King, and not his son at all. Joff is evil, and a warped twisted child. 
• Littlefinger-Is an advisor of Joffrey, and once loved Catelyn Tully Stark.
• Dog-Is Joffrey's bodyguard 
• Varys-Is a spymaster for the Iron Throne he is known as "The Spider" he might be secretly suppourting the Targaryen's. He is also a master of disguise. 
• Loras Tyrell-Is of House of Tyrell of The Reach, they are nobles of Highgarden, Loras' sister Margarey married King Robert's brother Renly who is making a play for the throne. Loras is known as "The Flower Knight" he is a very skilled fighter, and he has eyes for Sansa Stark. 
• John Arryn-Was the King's Hand and husband of Lysa Tully Arryn, he hails from the Eryie which his wife Lysa now rules as his sickly son's regent. He was murdered by the Lannister's because he knew that the twins Jamie and Queen Cersai were sleeping with each other, and that Joffrey and the other two children were not rightful heirs to  Robert's throne. John Arryn knew of several bastard children of  King Roberts who had more right to the throne than any Lannister. 

House Targaryen Dragonstone & the Dothraki

• Viserys Targaryen-Is the "rightful heir" to Kings Landing's "Iron Throne" he marries his sister Danny to Khal Drago of the Dothraki, in order to gain their army to overthrow King Robert. 
• Daenyrs Danny Targaryen-Is the wife of Drago the Khal of Dothraki, she is a powerful girl with dragons of her very own, which is incredibly rare. She adapted well to the Dothraki customs, and is very wise. 
• Maester Aemon-Is a unknown living Targaryen, he has no rights to the throne however because he "took the black" and he is a living at Castle Black guarding the wall. 
• Drago-Is the King of the Dothraki and the husband of Danny Taragryen, he is a brave warrior, he's never once been defeated. He promises to restore the Targaryen's to the throne. 
• Rhaegar Targaryen-Was a warrior, supposedly kindapped Lyanna Stark once, and started the rebellion.
• Jorah Mormont-Is Danny's aid and friend, he helps her like an advisor would a Queen, he is referred to as her Knight.  He would do anything for her.  Hoping to be pardoned he became a spy for the Iron Throne, but Danny bewitched him,and he could never leave her side. He is middle aged, but good looking and a capable warrior. 

Dire Wolves

Dire Wolves are a now extinct creature, they are the face of the Stark's and animals of the North. They are said to guide the Stark children, and protect them always. 

• Lady-Is Sansa Stark's Dire Wolf, and is punished for Nymeria's bitting of Prince Joffrey. It is known that Sansa struggles so much with right and wrong because her dire wolf was slaughtered. 
• Summer-Is Bran's Dire Wolf, and protects him from being assassinated by the Lannister's. 
• Grey Wind-Is Robb's Dire Wolf, and its funny he named him Grey Wind because Theon Robb's best friend if a Greyjoy. 
• Nymeria-Is Arya's Dire Wolf and the wolf that bit Joffrey, she is smart and fierce much like Arya. Nymeria is sent away for protection by Arya, she is afraid she will be killed for biting the prince. 
• ShaggyDog-Is Rickon's Dire Wolf
• Ghost-Is Jon Snow's Dire Wolf, and its appropriate in name because Jon goes unnoticed often being a bastard, Ghost sometimes lets Jon Snow learn from his mistakes rather than attack.