Hailed as a fantasy classic, the Song Of Ice and Fire fantasy book series will be brought to life on HBO this spring. The series, titled A Game Of Thrones, is slated to focus on each of the books in the series. It’s rumored that each season will focus on a different book, similar to what HBO has done with the True Blood series.

If the series follows the books, A Game Of Thrones promises to be filled with magic, treachery, intrigue and LOTS of fantastic battle scenes. I’ve seen photos of scenes from the series and I have to say, it looks fantastic. I have to give HBO props for spending the money to produce such an epic tale (allegedly between $5-10M for the first pilot episode) and for signing George R. R. Martin himself as one of the executive producers. According to Martin, the show (dubbed “The Sopranos in Middle Earth”) is faithful to his work. I think we’re in for a great ride.

If you’ve not read the books, get started now. You’ll have a better understanding of the backstory associated with the main characters. To help get you started, I’ve listed the 4 books in the Song of Ice and Fire series below along with descriptions. Enjoy!

A Game Of Thrones
In a world where the approaching winter will last four decades, kings and queens, knights and renegades struggle for control of a throne. Some fight with sword and mace, others with magic and poison. Beyond the Wall to the north, meanwhile, the Others are preparing their Army of The Dead to march south as the warmth of summer drains from the land. A Game Of Thrones is the extraordinarily rich opening novel in the Song of Fire and Ice fantasy book series.

A Clash of Kings
Two great leaders are dead, victims of royal treachery. Chaos reigns. Brother plots against brother and the dead rise to walk in the night. A princess masquerades as an orphan boy, a knight prepares a poison for a treacherous sorceress, and wild men prepare to ravage the countryside. With fratricide, alchemy and murder, victory may go to the men and women possessed of the coldest steel – and the coldest hearts. For with A Clash of Kings, the whole land trembles.

A Storm of Swords
Of the five contenders for power, one is dead, another in disfavor, and still the wars rage as violently as ever. Joffrey sits on the Iron Throne, the uneasy ruler of the land of the Seven Kingdoms.

As opposing forces maneuver for a titanic showdown, a horde of mythical Others – a supernatural army of unstoppable animated corpses – is on the march. As the future of the land hangs in the balance, no one will rest until the Seven Kingdoms have exploded in a veritable Storm of Swords.

A Feast For Crows
It seems too good to be true. After centuries of bitter strife and fatal treachery, the seven powers dividing the land have decimated one another into an uneasy truce. Or so it appears.

It’s not long before the survivors, outlaws, renegades, and carrion eaters start to gather, picking over the bones of the dead and fighting for the spoils of the soon-to-be dead.

It’s time for nobles and commoners, soldiers and sorcerers, assassins and sages to come together and stake their fortunes – and their lives. For you see, at A Feast For Crows, many will be guests – but only a few will be survivors.

A Dance With Dragons
Due to the previous war, the fate of the Seven Kingdoms is unknown. Daenerys Targaryen, the true (and last) rightful heir(ess) to the throne rules with her 3 dragons in the eastern part of the kingdom. She has a multitude of enemies that would love nothing better than to see her head on a stake.

In the north there’s Jon Snow, Lord Commander of the Night’s Watch, a group of men dedicated to guarding their part of the kingdom which exists behind a towering wall of ice and stone. Jon is facing numerous challenges: he not only has to lead the effort to safeguard and protect the wall against non-human creatures, he also has to watch his back against internal foes.

As the opening notes of the funeral dirge are played and the long and arduous marathon of death begins, sworn enemies and adversaries become partners in a ballet of survival, as the A Dance With Dragons begins.

George R. R. Martin is slated to write 2 more books in the series:

6. The Winds of Winter
7. A Dream of Spring

I was so glad when A Dance With Dragons was released. I’m one of the thousands of fans that patiently waited a LONG time for that book. I’m also a big fan of the Game of Thrones HBO series – as if you didn’t know!

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