In the Game of Thrones You Win or You Die

It's no secret that I'm a big fan of Game of Thrones, and whilst it doesn't quite make it to my favourite TV show (that would be Firefly) it sits up at the top along with Rome, the Borgias and the X Files. The show does everything right in my eyes, to suspend your disbelief and make a fantasy show feel like it is all real life. I was put off reading the book as it's pretty long, the kind of doorstop that makes Lord of the Rings look like a bit of light reading.



Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin

Available ftrom Bournemouth Library

When the copy of the book I ordered from the library arrived on my desk with a waiting list, meaning I would have to read it in 4 weeks, I was sceptical that I would finish it. I don't read much fiction, I get bored with it quite easily and find all the weird names in fantasy novels impossible to keep up with. Unless it's easy to read I get frustrated, the book feels like a chore and I go off and read a research paper instead (I know, who reads research papers for fun - I sound like such a nerd). What a surprise when I started reading that:-

a) it's really easy to read
b) the chapters are short, so great for picking up when you have a couple of minutes spare
c) its the best thing since sliced bread. Hear that kids, its almost as good as bread!

Its the best fiction I have read since The Shining by Stephen King, I'd go so far as to say it is shaping up to be one of the best novels I have read.

Also on the subject of Game of Thrones, last night my regular gaming group played the board game for the first time. I played as Lannister and got horribly slaughtered by being caught between the Starks in the North and Barratheon in the East. After a few turns of mustering our forces, the battles begun with a series of bloody conflicts over Riverrun between myself and the Starks and between myself and Barratheon over much of the centre of Westeros. At the end of turn eight a Barratheon victory was secure as he had control of six castles and had pushed me out of Harranhal, which he was then able to secure without any fighting at the start of turn nine to win the game.

A Game of Thrones Boardgame by Fantasy Flight Games

Overall we felt it was a good game, though one which was probably overly complex and with some balance issues (the Roose Bolton, Eddard Stark combo is horrible).