There are a ton of reader reviews of this book here on Library Thing already. A minority of these reviews are caustic and ignorant, pompous and condescending most likely and sadly for the sake of simply being all of the above. Ignore those reviews.

Here is what you need to know about this book if you have a genuine interest in adult-oriented epic fantasy:

I've adored Tolkien forever, greatly admired Donaldson, Leiber and a handful of others that manage to bring all the elements together to create their own believable setting and characters and do not push too far with the fantastical where others lose you, usually by jarring you in some way out of the immersion. This is not Jordan then. This is not Salvatore.

There is amazing dialogue here, with extremely complex characters, not just predictable black and white. This is not pulp. This is indeed one of the greatest fantasy series yet written and now has a place on the shelves only inches away from my Tolkien collection for that reason.

If you're after something refreshing, gritty, often unpredictable and original in fantasy and have not yet started this series, then what are you waiting for? This is the treasure trove! Savor every moment though, because (as of this review) the series is still incomplete. Take your time because Martin is definitely taking his completing this masterwork. I have never pined for a sequel to anything film, TV or otherwise as I am now for A Dance with Dragons.

'Nuff said. ( )

I got this in 2008's LibraryThing secret Santa - you can probably tell from the title that it's a fantasy book. It's a pretty epic one, and the first in a fairly long series, I believe. I enjoyed the plot (with all its political drama) and most of the characters are very well-described. However, the writing is a little repetitive in places (a few minor characters are described in exactly the same way every time they appear, e.g. extravagantly shrugging guy) and (while mostly plot-relevant or realistic) the amounts of rape and incest in this book somewhat disturbed me, so I don't think I'll be carrying on with this.

Other things Martin seems particularly obsessed with: horses, prostitutes, food that contains honey. ( )

Fama totalmente justificada. Impresionante. ( )

I thought I was done with high fantasy--or really any fantasy--but, on a lark, I took the advice of several friends with good taste in books and picked this up. Glad I did! It's readable, with enough fantasy tropes to feel familiar but not so many as as to bore or annoy the reader. Some of the female characters have realistic personalities and voices, which I never really expect to find, after reading so much Jordan. It's told from the perspective of one character per chapter, which was a little bit off-putting at first but seems, upon reflection, like the very best way to tell a story with so many threads. I'll stick with the series to see whether Martin keeps his threads in hand or begins to let them fray--with a series this long, either's possible. ( )

This is one of the most compelling historical fantasy novels I've read in a long time! I sped through the available titles in the series and am eagerly awaiting the next addition. The characters are fascinating (and the author is not afraid to kill them off!); there is a perfect blend of realism and fantasy. ( )