Game of Thrones by George R. R. Martin

It took me so long to finish reading this book, but I'm finally done! It's a fantastic book and with absolutely no disrespect intended, it reminds me a lot of a Taiwanese drama (the 700 episode kind, not the teen idol kind).

First off, there's the huge cast of characters. It took me a while to remember who is who, but once you do, the book becomes so much more rewarding. Characters are continually introduced and disappear (most of the time they get killed), which means you really have to pay attention while reading. If you're watching a long Taiwanese drama, you'll know that taking a break from it could mean coming back to a whole new cast of characters. >.<

Next, there are the many plots. The book uses multiple viewpoints to follow the different groups/houses, and so, the different subplots. Personally, my favourite subplot is about Danny (she's also one of my favourite characters) and how she's grows into a khaleesi (my brain tends to shut down the fact that she's only 14).

And can I mention the characters? They're all really well-drawn. Personally, I'm a fan of House Stark (and I really can't stand any of the Lannisters) although they're not very good at playing the 'game of thrones,' I'm quite excited about the King of the North subplot though. But back to topic, my two favourite characters (It's a tie) are Bran and Danny. I'm pretty sure it's not a coincidence that they're both the youngest characters because they have the most potential for growth. And they're so endearing!

Since the book is excellent at both plot and character, you can be sure that it's a really great read. I'm tired, however, of all the Lord Of The Rings comparisons from Beyond the Wall. After reading this book, I really think they shouldn't be comparing them. Tolkien wrote Orcs and Sauron as evil. I suppose now, it's harder to do so because the politically correct thing is to talk about how there are no absolutes and such, but I really wouldn't want to read a book where Sauron was secretly good or fed kittens or something. To me, Lord Of The Ring is a novel that discusses the nature of good and evil. On the other hand, the Game of Thrones is more like a soap opera - it looks at human life, warts and all, but it doesn't discuss these issues.

In addition, I want to warn you guys that there's lots of violence and sexual material (often combining in sexual violence) in this books, so I'd only recommend it for readers 18 and above. Younger readers may be disturbed by it (well, I would have been anyway).

*Special shout-out to Rachel, whose comment on Beyond The Wall reminded me that I have this post in draft :D