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"A Game of Thrones" by George R.R. Martin

2/27/2013

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Title: A Game of Thrones
Author: George R. R. Martin
Genre: Fantasy
# of pages: 720
Publication Date: 1996
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Recommend: Yes

Winter is coming, and in the world of George R.R. Martin’s, winter can last for years – even decades. If everyone in the Seven Kingdoms wants to survive, a stable central government needs to be in place; unfortunately, it is anything but. The many families, Stark and Lannister the most prominent kin among them, struggle for the Iron Throne not only with sword and shield, but also through political maneuvering and ruthless backstabbing. Meanwhile, across the sea to the south, the last two living descendants of the late royal bloodline bide their time until they can reclaim the throne that was lost a few decades ago. The blood of the dragons flows through their veins and they will stop at nothing to take back what was once theirs. Wars are started, people are killed, and alliances are broken. Very few seem to realize that winter is coming along with a forgotten, ancient evil that may spell the end of humanity.

While not everyone has seen the HBO television series Game of Thrones, I’m sure most people have at least heard of the extent of its critical acclaim. With incredible actors, amazing cinematography, and a concrete storyline, the series has found fans of all different tastes, not just fantasy and sci-fi geeks such as myself.

The thing is, the books are even better than the television series.

The line between “good guys” and “bad guys” is blurred until it is nearly indistinguishable as the book goes deep into the minds and motivations of many different characters. The story becomes even more convoluted with multiple intertwining subplots and complex political strategies that are constantly changing. A masterful building of suspense and subtle hints of an impending cataclysmic event make A Game of Thrones an intense reading experience.

Perhaps the most interesting aspect of this book is that George R. R. Martin breaks all the rules of the fantasy genre. He writes from multiple viewpoints and makes even the most immoral characters seem sympathetic and even likeable at times.  He also has no qualms about killing off main heroes. In fact, he does it a lot and with almost gleeful ease. If you like surprises, this book is for you.

Above all else, A Game of Thrones is a book about people and their relationships. Although magic is important, especially later in the series, it’s actually more of a backdrop to the interactions between the characters. That’s why this series has become so popular outside of fans of the genre. Admittedly, the prose can be a bit dense at times, but it’s worth getting through. Trust me. Read it.

Review by William Hwang, A&S ‘15


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Illustration by Patrick Hughes, A&S '14
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"World War Z" by Max Brooks

12/3/2012

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Title: World War Z
Author: Max Brooks
Genre: Horror, Post-apocalyptic fiction
Pages: 342
Date Published: September 12, 2006
Rating (out of 5 stars): 4.5

In Max Brooks’ world, a decade has passed since the zombie apocalypse and the human race has just barely survived. The zombie outbreak has been contained and now humans are trying to piece together the entire story. How did this all begin? Why were we so woefully unprepared? How did humankind manage to come back from the brink of extinction? Using individual accounts of people from all over the world, World War Z tries to answer all of these questions, along with many others, in an attempt to illuminate where things went horribly wrong. For if something like this should ever happen again, next time we may not survive.

I have to admit, I was slightly skeptical when I first read the description of World War Z. Zombies? I enjoy post-apocalyptic and historical fiction as much as the next guy, but the living dead? It didn’t really appeal to me. It was a New York Times bestseller, though, and had received glowing reviews from almost every single critic, so I decided to read a few chapters right in the middle of the bookstore. I didn’t leave my spot in the aisle for two hours. Then I bought it, took it home, and finished it that day. Maybe to save a few bucks I should have just stayed in the store. It’s that quick of a read.

The author takes us on a trip around the globe, exploring stories from the United States, South Africa, Israel, Japan just to name a few. The individual accounts are wide and varied: a soldier, who was on the front lines of the first battle when they realized that Cold War tactics are useless; a profiteer, who made a fortune selling placebos; a volunteer, who was just a girl when the outbreak started, but is now an experienced zombie killer; and numerous others. The author uses these narratives to weave together a story that also explores the social, psychological, environmental, religious, and economic impact the zombie war had on the human race. As a result, World War Z takes on an extremely realistic tone that is chilling and all too creepy.


Perhaps the only problem I had with the book was that it wasn’t long enough. While the author did an excellent job of incorporating a vast multitude of people and civilizations with unique perspectives and voices, there were many more perspectives I would have liked to hear from. I suppose that’s the problem with writing a history book, even if it is a fictional one: some stories have to be left out.

That being said, World War Z is an incredible book that I would recommend to anyone and everyone. It is not just a book about zombies. World War Z is one of the cleverest social commentaries I have ever read, an examination of the human condition when pushed to the extreme, and a frighteningly realistic portrayal of a devastated world. In the end, World War Z is about us: human beings.

Review by William Hwang, A&S '15


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