A Game of Thrones: A Song of Ice and Fire: Book One


Unabridged Audiobook

Ratings
Book
5958
Narrator
581
Release Date
August 2003
Duration
33 hours 47 minutes
Summary
NOW THE ACCLAIMED HBO SERIES GAME OF THRONES—THE MASTERPIECE THAT BECAME A CULTURAL PHENOMENON
 
Winter is coming. Such is the stern motto of House Stark, the northernmost of the fiefdoms that owe allegiance to King Robert Baratheon in far-off King’s Landing. There Eddard Stark of Winterfell rules in Robert’s name. There his family dwells in peace and comfort: his proud wife, Catelyn; his sons Robb, Brandon, and Rickon; his daughters Sansa and Arya; and his bastard son, Jon Snow. Far to the north, behind the towering Wall, lie savage Wildings and worse—unnatural things relegated to myth during the centuries-long summer, but proving all too real and all too deadly in the turning of the season.
 
Yet a more immediate threat lurks to the south, where Jon Arryn, the Hand of the King, has died under mysterious circumstances. Now Robert is riding north to Winterfell, bringing his queen, the lovely but cold Cersei, his son, the cruel, vainglorious Prince Joffrey, and the queen’s brothers Jaime and Tyrion of the powerful and wealthy House Lannister—the first a swordsman without equal, the second a dwarf whose stunted stature belies a brilliant mind. All are heading for Winterfell and a fateful encounter that will change the course of kingdoms.
 
Meanwhile, across the Narrow Sea, Prince Viserys, heir of the fallen House Targaryen, which once ruled all of Westeros, schemes to reclaim the throne with an army of barbarian Dothraki—whose loyalty he will purchase in the only coin left to him: his beautiful yet innocent sister, Daenerys.
Reviews
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abdul a

the book is just amazing. however the narrators voice is a bit too old it sounds like a maister is reading it haha not bad just not what I expected

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Victor W

Fantastic book! One of the best listens I have purchased. The narrator, Roy Dotrice, was absolutely amazing being able to make the different voices for a myriad of characters. He is truly talented and makes the book come alive! Now I'm going to "binge watch" GOT on TV! WELL DONE!

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oodeluph

This is the beginning of one of the most complex yet thoroughly enjoyable fantasy/soap operas I have ever experienced. Just when one is tempted to begin questioning their commitment to this epic, a character says or does something completely down to earth, or funny or does something heroic and action packed. You can barely tell the players without a scorecard built, I promise, this is so well orchestrated that the listener will know who everyone is and have them sorted long before the end.

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Michele B.

I'm hooked and will be reading the whole series! I can't get enough. The narrator brings the story to life and give the words justice.

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Juan G

This is my second time listening to this book, so well narrated.

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Gina G.

Excellent book!

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Joanna R.

I'm not sure how I feel about the narrator. He does an excellent job creating so many different voices but some of them aren't so pleasant to listen to. But once I get into it, I don't notice it much. The book of course, is excellent & worthwhile.

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Sarah b

Loved it. The audio version takes you right into the Games of Thrones. Will defiantly be listening to the next one.

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Shenel G

This is great. I am able to envision the television show while listening. The reading is bringing great joy.

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Carol M

Watched 7 seasons of the series before beginning the books. Unlike many novels I read that use beautifully descriptive prose, GOT focuses more on forwarding the plot. Given the depth of the story, I enjoy this approach. One issue I had with narration is the interruptions of the bird in several scenes

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Charles M

Excellent, couldn't wait to begin the second book!

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Katie C

A fantastic book and a horrible narration. I don't understand the others saying this narrator is amazing. He makes Varys sound like he's got a mouthful of saliva. I've never cringed so much and had to hit the 30 sec skip. The narrator is constantly changing the way he pronounces names too. I'm reading the rest of the books. Worst narrator ever.

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Bryn K.

Loved it

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Paul C.

The story is good, and the narrator is excellent. I think his voice was a perfect fit for this kind of story.

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Teresa K.

Really good book!

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Henry B.

well wasn't this just fantastic. glad I got into this as my first audio book. so cool. roy is a legend huh.

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Travis W.

If you haven't listen to this yet what are you waiting for????? You know nothing.

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Johnathan D.

Very slow for more but I’m sure people that are fans of the genre will like. The narrator was fitting but very thick and made it hard to listen for long periods

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Suzi G.

I have the audio & kindle of this book. It is so boring that I can't get more than 30 minutes into it.

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Debora R.

Terrible narration! Could get past chapter 1. The speaker was not clear, very difficult to understand. I am so disappointed. This great book was ruined by the narrator

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Anonymous

such a wonderful book!!! worth every minute reading or listening.

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Jessie D.

Been wanting to read books. Glad I finally did. This was my first attempt at audio books. EXCELLENT

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Josh Rokitka

The book is well written and has a strong narrarator who does voices for the characters well. Came because of the show, stayed for the books.

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Linda D.

Love George R R Martin! He is s brillant m Man and writes characters so well!

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Anonymous

good book, but the author mispronounces just about every word he can

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Nicole V.

Narrator is horrible I hate his Varys impression

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Carol T.

Awesome book can follow with the shows it all lined up so well. Easy to listen to much more so than reading it.

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Mackenzie Daigle

Totally loved it!

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Anonymous

Loved the book!

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Bryan Foster

great book narration a little annoying.

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Anonymous

I love Game of Thrones. I can’t stand this narrator’s voice, however.

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PuzzlingPandora

The story is well told and the narrator is very good in some parts. However, especially in the early parts, the audio is a bit distorted (sounds like he is too close to the microphone). Some voicings are very difficult to understand also because of the chosen speech style.

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Alyssa W.

The narrators voice was unbearable for me. Ive heard parts of another version read by a female thats much more enjoyable to listen to.

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Anonymous

fantastic

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Vaneet L.

Amazing narration, brought the characters to life! Writing from George RR Martin really paints a picture of Westeros

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Woodie H.

Guess I just don't get it, not a fan

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Luke H.

really good book. narration was decent as well. the book is pretty similar to season 1 of the tv series

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Tomasz W.

Book is fantastic, narrator is not.

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Holly Friedman

Wonderful blend of detail without making you feel like you are reading a Stephen King book. The only complaint I have is the narrator. Listening to him read the intimate bits of the book made me cringe.

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Lisa S.

So good! I had watched the series before I purchased the book, so was wondering if I would enjoy it as much s I should......and I did! Very well narrated and the book lends insight into the characters thoughts you don’t get when watching the series. I highly recommend it.

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Levi K.

The books are better the last tv season blew it.

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Rod M.

I'm so glad I missed the series. It's all new to me. I'll probably watch the series after I listen to the 4 books.

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Jeannie K.

Wasn’t my thing I guess. I wanted to read before watching, sorry I wasted a credit.

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Alonzo K.

I mean it's Game of Thrones. Great book. The narrator isn't for "first timers", Roy Dotrice could've punched it up just a little bit. Despite this I enjoyed this book thoroughly. Definitely going to listen to this again.

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John W.

Fantastic read! Great book, Great author and Great narrator.

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James O.

this is a good story like the show

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Anonymous

Love both the book and the narrator! He makes it very fun to listen and also easy to follow along with all of the characters.

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WR K.

WOW!!! Better than the movie!

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Samuel M.

Very entertaining, looking forward to the next one. :-)

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Rachel H.

Absolutely FLAWLESS!!

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Casey P.

Excellent narration! He brings the book to life.

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Jennifer W.

This is one of my favorite reads of all time! I've read the actual books than bought the audio books to get a new perspective, boy have I ever!! This is my 7h time listening to the series & I've already caught some new connections & ideas!

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Stephen C.

Wonderful fantasy novel, only made better by the rangy Roy Dotrice.

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Alex G.

Winter is Coming Definitely enjoyed the book more than the series.

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David M

this series is addicting. a true masterpiece

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Margaret P

Amazing book! The author has the amazing ability to pull you in with his words, and the narrator helps you continue the story when you just don’t have the time to sit down with the book and read. I love listening to the story on my morning runs, or on my drive to school, and I love to continue reading the story in the evening cuddled up with some tea and a blanket!

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Jordyn R

Loved this book! I’m already listening to the next one.

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David B

One of the greatest book series of all time and One of the greatest Narrators!! Excellent job and techniques all around.

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Anonymous

its awesome! I read along with the narrator which is very easy on the ears! it helps me get through the book faster.

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Tom A

If you are listening to this than you likely already know the story. Roy Dotrice (R.I.P) does an excellent job of narrating the book and sucking you in. If you have already read it or are reading for the first time, this is worth the listen!

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Nicholle H

Definitely worth the time, I started with the show but didn't know the characters until I read the books

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Colleen J

Amazing book! I'm looking forward to listening the next audiobook in the series! It took a minute to get used to the narrator but many of his character voices are good and fitting if not a little "spitty" with a good measure of "gargle" to top it off. It might have suited my personal preference better if the guy who announced the disc changes actually narrated the book :-) but I want to listen to the series bad enough that I'm making it work.

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Armando C

All around excellent job.

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Gayne K

Love the intricacies of this book. And Ray Dotrice is the perfect narrator!

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shari l

Loved the book, plan on listening to the rest of the series.

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Lana D

Love it

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Stephanie P

If you love the show you should know the book will be better! I love the narrator he changed up his voice for different characters which makes it a bit more fun!

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Becca E

This is how you start a saga! The characters are engaging and compelling, story is fast paced and exciting and the narration is lovely! Absolutely recommend to everyone!

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jake s

Narration leaves a bit to be desired (it gets better as the series continues). Martin's writing is (as always in the GoT franchise) worth the try.

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Trey W

Love it love it love it love it love it love it love it love it love

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Josh N

Watched the show for years, finally started the books which are definitely better.

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Nicholas B

I'm so happy to finally be able to enjoy these books!

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Jeron V

Of course the book is wonderful! I most likely wouldn't have bought it if not for the virtual certainty of the excellence of the story. The narrator is not bad at all. Obviously when one chooses to listen to a book as oppose to reading it, one must accept whichever voice that comes with it. He is talented, is able to differentiate characters well, but something about his accent was a bit too uppity sounding. From that starting point I couldn't get the mental picture or of my head of a British aristocrat reading to a full room.

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Andrea O

This was a wonderful experience. I came to know of this book because of the HBO series. But listening to the audiobook added another level of depth to the characters I was familiar with and it is a true pleasure. The narrator is an older man with a throaty voice. If that is not something you enjoy, too bad, it's what you get. Personally, I LOVED the narrator. In my humble opinion he did a fantastic job of giving a bit of personality to the characters by his tone. If you are keeping up with the show, now us the time to listen to this audio book.

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Jason g

narrator was really good, he had many different voices for many different charecter

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Tim B

Great book and the narrator is a good fit for this title

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Todd G

I've always wanted to know more about the world of Game of Thrones than what I see on TV. With this app I can listen at work to all the audiobooks for a Song of Ice and Fire and this makes for a great day at work!

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Aaron R

Absolutely amazing it's never ending series of twists and turns, excitement and heartache

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Cody F

Enjoyed every single word! Am now downloading second book and hope the narration is just as enjoyable

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Anonymous

I got so tired of listening to the description of what each person was wearing that I sent the book back unfinished. With 26 CDs in two parts, all the uber-detailed descriptions just took too long and I lost the enjoyment of the book.

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Robois

This is a great book series. I read the books and have watched the TV series...now I'm listening to the audiobook. I read the books before I watched the series. Now that I'm listening to the books again, I can't believe I forgot so much of the story. Get the audiobooks!

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Susan K

I love this book! The narrator did a fantastic job!

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Jacob B

love this series. I have already read it but it is nice to have someone read while I drive

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Christopher Huerta

The beginning of the best book series ever, and great narration. Very enjoyable!

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Kim Riggs

I have read the books and watched the series. I am glad to be able to listen to it with such a great narrator.

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Lynnita Taylor

Good!

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Quinton boast

Fantastically written and very entertaining. Constantly kept my attention. Narrator was very good. The different voices he does for the characters makes the listen that much better.

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Anonymous

Just my own personal opinion, but I thought it was too dark and depressing. And, my 13 year old granddaughter said she thought it wasn't appropriate reading for me.

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Jessica White

I love this series and since I listen to audiobooks at work, I thought this would be a nice refresher in case Martin ever graces us with the winds of winter. Let me tell y'all though, this narrator is the worst. I listen to a lot of books, and I cannot stand this man. If you want a chainsmoking maybe British pepaw to read you a book too fast, then this narrator is for you. I personally cannot stand it and will not be listening to the other books if the same man continues to narrate. I don't understand the people who say they loved his narration, but to each his own I suppose. It makes me cringe, I had my husband listen and he agrees. Otherwise these books are fantastic.

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Summer LaRue

Narrator was fantastic! Book was good but happy to have finally finished it!

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Regan Halas

I thoroughly enjoyed both the book and narration. It saved my life as I was driving across country!

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Kelley Stirling

The narrator was phenomenal. This book is great. I haven't watched the show, so this is all new to me. Just fantastic.

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Michelle Todd

Great book! Narrating was perfect! Loved listening to such a fascinating story!

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Michael Levitsky

Enjoyable , if you follow the series you should enjoy the book. The book added detail and the narrator added background.

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Christian Concepcion

Loved the book and the narrator really brought each character to life with the difference voices, speech patterns, and accents.

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Morgan Lucas

Enjoyed every minute and I really appreciate the narrator using different voices for the characters.

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Neil Gentile

Great narration. Listened as a refresher, read the book years ago, and it definitely got me through my morning commute for the month!!

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Donna Mekala

Narrator is a little slow I listened at 1.25 speed.

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Robert Benaroch

I have read this book numerous times, but its amazing how many little details and minor characters shine through in the audio version. Excellent.

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Codu Benefield

Wonderful ! I stared listening and before I knew it, 4 hours have passed.Then 8, I can't get enough! I'm also on the road a lot and this is just what I needed to pass the time! tyvm!

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Janet DonBullian

This is the first book I've downloaded from here. It is a pleasure to listen to.

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Ronald Malphus

Great book better than the show. Can't wait to hear the other books in this series

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Jeffrey Mcwain

fantastic book. fantasic narration. would recommend anyone who hasn't read thus series to give this a go

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Nachelle Jackson

Been watching the show for a few years.. Wanted to read the books but didn't have time. This was the best thing to do I have a 30/45 min drive to and from work and this book makes my time go by so much faster. The narrating is a little strange with his voice and all. The book itself keeps you very interested. You do get used to the narrating.

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Eddies V

Must admit, the narrating is vivid enough to visualize the story.

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Sarah Anderson

Once you start listening to the story you become a prisoner to the attention to detail, the description of the costumes and the strategies of war. It's as if you're watching a movie.

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Walter Neiser

This app is great. The narration is awesome. This book keep me interested from start to finish. Thanks audiobooks.com

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Lisa Duby

The Narrator was great and really keeps me engaged in the story. George R.R. Martin is an amazing writer.

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Gary Luckett

EXCELLENT . AWESOME. The book is just as good as the tv show.

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Christy Barrett

Enjoyable book. The narration is not my favorite though.

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Robert LaTourette

Great book! Narrater takes a little getting used to but overall fairly good.

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Adam Sandve

Roy Dotrice is a fantastic narrator. He is engaging, entertaining, and his impersonation of Hodor gets me every time. Makes my commute to school and running much more enjoyable.

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Maggie Rickards

So good, really loved it. I've read the books before but the narrator really brought it to life.

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Dean Ainsworth

I loved the book and have to say the narrator made this book.

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Mai Pham

The beginning was very hard to grasp but 2 hours in, I was captivated! It took that long to start putting together some of the characters and so I thought it worthwhile to start over. Very difficult to shut off even after my commute ended. Narrator couldn't be better for the multitude of characters. Looking forward to the next listen in the series.

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Heidi Westerhuis

The narration on this book is just as excellent as the book itself.

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Robert Hogan

I really enjoyed the Game of Thornes. It was wonderful journey back and through medieval times,. The reader made you feel as though you are actually alive in the story.

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James Lake

Heavie well told and entertaining. Narrator is one of the best. Il will look for him in other titles.

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Haydan Stone

This is a great book and read by a great reader. Makes the book come to life.

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Alex Wade

Fantastic Narration! Even after arriving home after my hour commute, I was finding myself waiting in my car to finish chapters. Can't wait to continue the series!

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Miranda Aven

The complexity of this series cannot be over stated. It is absolutely amazing and the narrator is outstanding!

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Gary GREENY

Amazing book, hated to stop listening but life gets in the way. Narration was equal to the book

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Eugena Halttunen

I thoroughly enjoyed this book I have a 4 to 6 hour commute every day and listening to this book makes it go by fast I'm almost sad when I get home and have to shut it off I can't wait to listen to the rest of the series

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traniel pride

everything was awesome. of course there was things within the story I didn't like but it still went along very well with the story. book is very good

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Lupe Castillo

Awesome ..The HBO series was right on for the most part. They elaborate more in the book of course so I learned more about the characters.

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Melissa Messer

Incredible story and characters. This narrator is outstanding!

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Jill O\'Brien

Dotrice does an amazing job reading this book. A different distinguished voice for every character, of which there are many. Gripping, funny, terrifying dangerous, this book makes one feel the cold, feel the agony of deceit, feel hate and love, despair...,.it's a wonderful listen.

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Joanne Dahlke

I usually listen to audiobooks while driving. This book made me not want to reach my destination. I was mesmerized by the story. I will definitely listen to the rest of the series.

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lori Olchowy

This is my first audio book, the first 30 minutes or so was awkward as I forgot I was in public and the narrators female voices were odd but 2 hours in this is awesome!!!! I've read this book many times!!/

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Anonymous

I have heard great things about this book and TV show, but it was very difficult to follow via an audio book. Couldn't follow the characters.

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sean parker

Extremely captivating book, I love the story line.

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amy BEHAR

I have recently been unable to read books, when before I often was carrying around 2 or 3 at a time. I decided to try audio books and jumped on this series knowing if I liked it I had many more in the series to now bring the world of reading back to my life. I have not seen the HBO series, for me I think it made it easier for me to "see" the characters and magic right away. There are two options for narrators,I would suggest listening to the samples to see which you prefer. I thought this narrator had more range for all of the characters. If you want to escape to another world this is a worthy series.

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August Wade

I hate to disagree with the majority, but the narration becomes retching, particularly (and exclusively) for the dialogue parts. All the voices sound much the same and it makes it hard to differentiate. I wish a narrator with a softer, more lilting voice had done the narration. Other than that, the book is beyond fantastic, compellingly complex and endearingly enigmatic.

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Tori Williamson

Love this story and the narration is wonderful. Truly brings the story to life.

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Kimberly Eisner

I really enjoyed the narrator. He had a voice for each character, which made listening a little more interesting.

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Karen McTavish

I loved this audio book !! I felt like the narrator had the accent down but most characters sounded like they needed to clear their throats.

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kyle billiot

At first, when I heard the sample audio, I thought the narrator was going to be annoying. Boy was I wrong! I'm hooked. Ice already started the second book after finishing the first in just a week! These are great to listen to while I'm at work and they make the days fly by! This is the most in depth story I've ever encountered. Families, religions, histories, cultures, heck he created an entire detailed world! I would recommend this even to people who aren't into "fantasy".

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Terry Jones

Just epic, I'm a huge fan of the show but even a bigger fan of the book, I recommend this to everyone !

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Dexter Adams

Great narrator who brings life to characters and world. He does more than just read the story. heavy breathing when characters are winded, sobs when they are sad, and sloppy when they are toothless adds life other narrators would fail to include. As for the story it is deep and interesting. It is easy to love and hate characters but the story is also vulgar to the point it's distracting. Readers should be aware of that before reading or listening to this book but it is a must read besides.

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joseph pinzone

I started audio books with this series and Roy Dotrice narrating. And let me be the first to say I could not have had a better easing into audiobooks than this. Always an avid reader, I have wanted to read at times when it is not feasible and was quite dismayed until I tried this option. I was not disappointed. First the narrator, because without a good narration a book can be as bland as stereo instructions. Roy Dotrice is an amazing vocalist in his right. He assigns a voice and a style to each character and brings the story alive as he reads. You get much more than you bargain for! Anything by this narrator is sure to be a treat! The first book in the series is a legend in its own right. This introduction to Martin's style of writing draws you inexorably, wanting nothing more than to know what happens next. Nothing is quite as memorable as the first book of a series you have truly come to love, and Martin has not failed to deliver a strong and solid foundation. The introduction to this world he has created is exquisite. The various castles, lands, creatures and characters are deftly described and come to life in your mind. No two characters are alike and assumptions made would be completely off the mark. Each character is humanized so realistically! You find yourself questioning your own judgements constantly and weighing their actions. All in all, this book is amazing. I have been listening for a month straight at every opportunity. This book goes beyond the fantasy criteria. If you're a mystery fanatic, or even fiction fan, this series should be an easy branch for you.

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Yoshi Begoshi

Digging this series! Thrash of kings is going to be awesome!

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Anonymous

We've all heard that these books (and/or the HBO series) are good stuff, but I didn't expect them to be this good. In fact this is the best fantasy I've "read" yet. Martin has created a story that is all about intrigue and the characters themselves, rather than the fantasy "realm" in which it is set. He also has a knack for making it feel realistic, even at times when he departs from realism. The story is made all the better by Martin's prose, which I thought was excellent. The narrator, Dotrice, does the book justice in a way few readers can. I'm halfway through the second book now and I look forward to my commute each day when I get to continue the story.

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Anonymous

I started watching GoT on NetFlix, and decided I'd enjoy the books. Unsurprisingly, they're better than the programs. Very engaging and interesting!

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sylvia Cooksey

Just love this book! Can't wait to start clash of kings. The narration is a bot slow for my tastes but he is good at changing voices with the characters.

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