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  • A Game of Thrones

  • Book 1 of A Song of Ice and Fire
  • By: George R.R. Martin
  • Narrated by: Roy Dotrice
  • Length: 33 hrs and 45 mins
  • 4.8 out of 5 stars (4,955 ratings)

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A Game of Thrones cover art

A Game of Thrones

By: George R.R. Martin
Narrated by: Roy Dotrice
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Editorial reviews

Game of Thrones Book One: A Song of Ice and Fire written by George R. R. Martin is an immensely popular fantasy series audiobook narrated by veteran British actor Roy Dotrice. Now also a leading Sky Atlantic TV series by HBO. Listeners are introduced to an addictive plot and unforgettable characters in this first installment. Time feels lost in the harshness of endless brutal seasons, impenetrable landscapes and the constant, unwavering battle for the Iron Throne. The Throne means survival. Dark forces, lust and bloodshed will be used to get to it. Available from Audible now.

Publisher's Summary

One of The Times’ 25 Best Audiobooks.

HBO’s hit series A Game of Thrones is based on George R. R. Martin’s internationally best-selling series A Song of Ice and Fire, the greatest fantasy epic of the modern age. A Game of Thrones is the first volume in the series. 

Summers span decades. Winter can last a lifetime. And the struggle for the Iron Throne has begun.

It will stretch from the south, where heat breeds plot, lusts and intrigues, to the vast and savage eastern lands, all the way to the frozen north, where an 800-foot wall of ice protects the kingdom from the dark forces that lie beyond. Kings and queens, knights and renegades, liars, lords and honest men...all will play the Game of Thrones.

Winter is coming....

©2011 George R. R. Martin (P)2011 HarperCollins Publishers Limited

Critic Reviews

" A Game of Thrones grabs hold and won’t let go. It’s brilliant." (Robert Jordan)
"Colossal, staggering... Martin captures all the intoxicating complexity of the Wars of the Roses or Imperial Rome in his imaginary world...one of the greats of fantasy literature." ( SFX)
"Fantasy literature has never shied away from grandeur, but the sheer-mind-boggling scope of this epic has sent other fantasy writers away shaking their heads… Its ambition: to construct the Twelve Caesars of fantasy fiction, with characters so venomous they could eat the Borgias." ( Guardian)

What listeners say about A Game of Thrones

Average Customer Ratings
Overall
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    4,117
  • 4 Stars
    650
  • 3 Stars
    129
  • 2 Stars
    28
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Performance
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
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  • 4 Stars
    848
  • 3 Stars
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  • 2 Stars
    107
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    103
Story
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    3,921
  • 4 Stars
    362
  • 3 Stars
    53
  • 2 Stars
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  • 1 Stars
    12

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Story is amazing. Narrator is not.

Would you try another book written by George R. R. Martin or narrated by Roy Dotrice?

Yes I would try another George R.R. Martin Book.
No chance in any lifetime i'd listen to another thing narrated by Roy Dotrice,

How could the performance have been better?

Lack of emphasis sometimes makes it seem that the performer stopped mid sentence. The voices are so similar and Roy's apparent disdain for a slight pause between dialogue can seem like a character is delusional asking and answering questions to themselves.

A more theatrical reading would have been lovely.

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120 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Narrator ruins a brilliant story

The narration is so dreadful that I’m intending on buying the physical book to read. Doltrice mispronounces names throughout (for example Bran “Brian”). The voices he puts on for characters is totally wrong and very grating to listen to. Tyrion Lannister is given a squeaky, high pitched, low born accent. Jaime and Cersei have posh accents. Tyrion is their brother so why does he speak like a fish monger? The moment Tyrion slaps Joffrey should be one the most deliciously funny and satisfying parts of the story, but Doltrice sucks all the fun and wit out of it. His line delivery in general is very jarring. What should be compelling descriptions and clever dialogue, is read in a way that makes them sound flat and dreary. I sincerely hope someone else records this marvellous series. I found myself focusing on the awful narration, contemplating who would do a better job- and losing track of the story itself. Sir Ian McKellan or Peter Dinklage- anyone would be a better choice than Roy Doltrice. Story 10/10. Narrator 0/10.

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56 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Excellent book, bad narrator...

As stated in the title, the book is excellent but it is plagued by a bad narrator.

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55 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Utterly compelling story, flawed narration

Any additional comments?

Was ever there a story with such a vast and rich array of characters and sub-plots? I can't think of one off-hand. Like many others I came to A Song of Ice and Fire from the HBO TV series and I haven't been disappointed in audiobook format as it's just such a wonderful tale. Unfortunately the narration here is not the best. It's not so much the narration as the acting, if Roy Dotrice was just to read straight from the page his voice is fine. However when he embodies the characters (which is what is required after all) his voices are often tedious and the weird choices to add a Welsh or Irish twang to the accent of some characters is frankly just odd, especially when direct family members have completely different accents. That said it is not a big enough problem to ruin my enjoyment overall and the quandary I find myself in now is do I go beyond the TV series or wait patiently for it to catch up? I'll make that decision when I catch up myself, for now it's on to Part 2 of this book and then A Clash of Kings awaits!

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38 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Good Story - Unbearable Narration

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

I would recommend the book, but not the audio version. I found Roy Dotrice tried to hard to vary the characters accents, to the point where it actually diminished the story because at times I was struggling to understand what the hell he was saying. There's one part - in book 3 I believe - where he puts on such a thick accent, I had no idea what he was saying and it really frustrated me. Also, siblings who grow up and live in the same place together, should have similar accents - not completely different ones like he did with the Lannisters and a few other people.

Would you be willing to try another one of Roy Dotrice’s performances?

No. My experience with his GoT performance was horrible. I had to rewind several parts to figure out what was being said, and even then sometimes I didn't get it. I listen to books to relax, I don't like having to constantly rewind because the performer can't keep the words in understandable english.

I have listened to other performers who varied the accents successfully, but that's because they didn't do it so over the top, and it was still clear and understandable.

If this book were a film would you go see it?

Yes, I love the TV show, it is amazing and they stick quite close to the books - if a little out of order at times, but they have done an absolutely fantastic job with the show.

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29 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Swords and intrigue to the hilt

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

This is a wonderful escape from humdrum traffic and random telemarketers. I stuck my headphones on and spent hours in battles, in bedchambers and in draughty castles, listening to plans and plots and enjoying the way the character's stories complemented each other.

What was one of the most memorable moments of A Game of Thrones (Part One)?

I love the descriptions of things and when John and The Imp are on top of the world I could feel the cold in my bones and the dread from the unknown.

What about Roy Dotrice’s performance did you like?

It's like listening to my dad read me a bedtime story, including character voices.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

I deeply sympathised with John. He lost more than he gained, and when he is alone in Castle Black he understands how much blood ties mean.

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24 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Narrator

The narrator is horrible, his character voices are the same and quite irritating. The story is wonderful, but ruined by him.

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15 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Love it love it love it!!

Such a brilliant story, great to listen to it, I know a few other reviews said the narration wasn't the best but I appreciated the different voices it helped me keep track of who was who

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13 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars

terrible narrator

The narrator was awful. I couldn't even get thru the first chapter!
wish I could get my credit back!!!

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11 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

I loved it very well done!

it was a brilliant story, so well told. It has just the right amount of detail without becoming tedious

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9 people found this helpful

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