A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin
Not only is A Game of Thrones one of the better novels of the past 10 years, but it also happens to be the first in an absolutely addictive series.
Based loosely on the British War of the Roses, A Game of Thrones tells a tale of warring houses, a murdered king, and the family that fights to restore order in the mythical kingdom of Westeros. Narrated over the shoulder of a handful of main characters, we’re given insight into the back stories of major players along with the tangled past of Westeros. It quickly becomes evident that not everything is as it seems and that everyone, big and small, has a part to play in the overall plot. By the end of the novel, what could have easily been straightforward story becomes something more, something special.
While fantasy is a sorely overused genre, Martin breaks free from the usual conventions and doesn’t bombard us with elves, parlour magic or any of that silliness. Instead, he focuses his tale on humans and how the decisions they make are more powerful and have longer lasting consequences than any spell could ever have.
As a note, the novel starts off slow, almost agonizingly so, but once you cross that hump (somewhere between pages 100 and 200) you’ll likely be hooked on Martin’s prose, characters and overarching stories.