George R. R. Martin
1 universe1 series5 books
Universes (1)
Series (1)
Books (5)
A Game of Thrones
A Song of Ice and Fire
1996
King Robert Baratheon rides north to Winterfell to ask his old friend Eddard Stark to serve as Hand of the King, setting in motion a chain of events that will tear the Seven Kingdoms apart. In the capital, the Lannisters scheme to maintain their grip on power. At the Wall, Eddard's illegitimate son Jon Snow joins the Night's Watch and discovers that the ancient threat beyond the Wall may not be as mythical as everyone believes. Across the Narrow Sea, the exiled Targaryen siblings Viserys and Daenerys broker a marriage alliance with the Dothraki, beginning Daenerys's transformation from a frightened girl into something far more dangerous. The first novel introduces the multi-POV structure that defines the series, with nine narrating characters whose accounts are sometimes unreliable and frequently contradictory.
A Clash of Kings
A Song of Ice and Fire
1998
With King Robert dead and no clear successor, the Seven Kingdoms fracture. Five claimants declare themselves king: Joffrey Baratheon holds King's Landing, Stannis and Renly Baratheon each press their claims, Robb Stark is proclaimed King in the North, and Balon Greyjoy seizes the opportunity to crown himself. Tyrion Lannister arrives in the capital as acting Hand, struggling to hold the realm together while fending off threats from every direction - including his own family. Across the Narrow Sea, Daenerys leads her small khalasar through the Red Waste, seeking ships and allies. At the Wall, Jon Snow ventures beyond into the frozen wilderness with the Night's Watch ranging party. A comet bleeds red across the sky, and every faction claims it as their omen.
A Storm of Swords
A Song of Ice and Fire
2000
The War of the Five Kings reaches its most devastating phase. Robb Stark's campaign in the Riverlands faces a critical betrayal. Stannis Baratheon licks his wounds after the Battle of the Blackwater. King's Landing prepares for a royal wedding while Tyrion finds himself increasingly marginalised despite having saved the city. Jaime Lannister, a prisoner for much of the war, begins an unexpected journey that challenges everything readers thought they knew about him. Widely regarded as the series' high point, A Storm of Swords contains several of the most shocking and consequential events in modern fantasy fiction. The book was so long that some international editions split it into two volumes.
A Feast for Crows
A Song of Ice and Fire
2005
In the aftermath of war, the Seven Kingdoms struggle to rebuild. Cersei Lannister rules as Queen Regent, her paranoia and political misjudgements creating new crises faster than old ones can be resolved. Brienne of Tarth searches the Riverlands for Sansa Stark. In the Iron Islands, the death of Balon Greyjoy triggers a succession crisis. Across the Narrow Sea, Arya Stark arrives in Braavos and begins a strange apprenticeship. Martin originally intended to follow A Storm of Swords with a five-year gap, but abandoned the plan when he found he needed to convey too much through flashbacks. The resulting manuscript grew so large that it was split by geography and character - A Feast for Crows covers events in King's Landing, the Riverlands, Dorne, and the Iron Islands, while the remaining storylines were moved to the next volume.
A Dance With Dragons
A Song of Ice and Fire
2011
Running parallel to A Feast for Crows before eventually advancing the timeline, A Dance with Dragons picks up the storylines absent from the previous volume. Jon Snow commands the Night's Watch as Lord Commander, making controversial decisions that put him at odds with his own brothers. Tyrion Lannister travels east through the Free Cities toward Daenerys. Daenerys herself rules Meereen as queen, struggling to hold a conquered city while her dragons grow increasingly uncontrollable. In the north, Stannis Baratheon marches on Winterfell through a brutal winter. A young man claiming to be Aegon Targaryen - believed killed as an infant during Robert's Rebellion - lands in Westeros with a mercenary army. Published six years after A Feast for Crows, this volume was the last to appear before the HBO television series overtook the novels.