A Game Of Thrones

Because, duh, it was going to be on here somewhere. I almost feel as if it isn't worth writing an entry on this one, because everyone knows it so well, but here goes.A Game of Thrones was the forerunner of the modern grimdark fantasy movement, and popularised the sort of gritty realism that is present in so many fantasy books today. Without it, it's likely that many of the other books on this list would exist. However, as the series progresses it does become bloated, and it's concerning that the series doesn't seem to be nearing completion anytime soon, but I digress. The first book is amazing, and if you haven't read it, you can't rightly call yourself a modern fantasy fan, you peasant. George R. R. Martin wasn't afraid to break with convention and just kill the shit out of his protagonists, or maim them in the most horrible ways, and coming from the eighties and nineties where most fantasy books were decidedly clean and heroic, that was a big deal. Thanks George.Read this if: you are a human being with eyes.

Books in A Song Of Ice And Fire Series (7)

Booklists having this book

Top 25 Best Fantasy Books of the 90's

Ah the 90's. Bad fashion, bad hair and Nickelback.If fashion and hairstyles (and arguably music) took a hit, fantasy certainly did not. The 90's saw the emergence of some of... Read more

Best Dragon Fantasy Books

One subgenre that hasn't really formally been defined is “dragon fantasy” – those books in which dragons feature as a major part of the book, even being cast as one... Read more

Top 25 Best Gritty Fantasy Books

Fantasy books can transport us to bright, wondrous worlds filled with magic and heroism, where heroes always survive unscathed, and the villains are cartoonish. This list is not about those... Read more

Fantasy Books That Will Blow Your Mind

Occasionally, there are books that blow your mind; books that once you read, you never ever forget. Perhaps it’s because the startling new ideas in the book find fertile ground in... Read more

Other books by Martin, George R. R.

Fevre Dream

He writes stories where castration, rape, skull-crushing, and child sacrifice are parred for the course. So it should come as no surprise that George R.R. Martin conquered the sub-genre of... Read more

A Game Of Thrones

While Martin's epic contains a lot of brutality towards women, it also shows how women, surviving in a man's world, can use their cunning, charm, and looks to run the... Read more

A Clash Of Kings

"A Clash of Kings" is the second book in George R.R. Martin's "A Song of Ice and Fire" series. It continues the story of the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros, where... Read more

A Storm Of Swords

"A Storm of Swords" is the third book in George R.R. Martin's "A Song of Ice and Fire" series, and it is widely regarded as one of the best books... Read more

A Feast For Crows

"A Feast for Crows" is the fourth book in George R.R. Martin's "A Song of Ice and Fire" series. Unlike the previous books, this installment focuses primarily on the events... Read more

A Dance With Dragons

"A Dance with Dragons" is the fifth book in George R.R. Martin's "A Song of Ice and Fire" series. It picks up where the previous book left off, with the... Read more

A Game Of Thrones

Because, duh, it was going to be on here somewhere. I almost feel as if it isn't worth writing an entry on this one, because everyone knows it so well,... Read more

A Song Of Ice And Fire

This series tops the Top 25 Best Fantasy Books, and with good reason and it's my pick for the best fantasy series. Martin shattered the fantasy mold and created something... Read more

A Song Of Ice And Fire

This is a series thatÃ¢s conquered both the literary world and now the cinematic world. People call Martin the 'American Tolkien' for good reason -- he's getting to be that... Read more

The Ice Dragon

Most of the world has heard of Game of Thrones by now, but R. R. Martin's book series is still overlooked in favor of the more accessible TV show. For... Read more