Long time no “That’s entertainment” post; that’s because I have been slogging through George R. R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire series, and a few other minor issues such as relocating to new buildings at work 
Listening
SERIES: A Song of Ice and Fire
Wow, once you get started with the first book you just can’t stop until you hit the end of book four. Although I have currently rated all books at 4.5 stars I think that over time (and with re-reads?) this series will probably rate as a 5 star series. This is a a highly developed and complex world.
Book 1 – Game of Thrones
by George R.R. Martin
In A Game of Thrones, George R.R. Martin has created a genuine masterpiece, bringing together the best the genre has to offer. Mystery, intrigue, romance, and adventure fill the pages of the first volume in an epic series sure to delight fantasy fans everywhere.
In a land where summers can last decades and winters a lifetime, trouble is brewing. The cold is returning, and in the frozen wastes to the north of Winterfell, sinister and supernatural forces are massing beyond the kingdom’s protective wall. At the center of the conflict lie the Starks of Winterfell, a family as harsh and unyielding as the land they were born to. Sweeping from a land of brutal cold to a distant summertime kingdom of epicurean plenty, here is a tale of lords and ladies, soldiers and sorcerers, assassins and bastards, who come together in a time of grim omens. Amid plots and counterplots, tragedy and betrayal, victory and terror, the fate of the Starks, their allies, and their enemies hangs perilously in the balance, as each endeavors to win that deadliest of conflicts: the game of thrones.
Verdict: 4.5 stars from 5
Book 2 – A Clash of Kings
by George R.R. Martin
A Clash of Kings is the follow-up to A Game of Thrones, George R. R. Martin’s fabulous introduction to a multilayered epic fantasy adventure that marked one of the most auspicious kickoffs in years. For those who enjoy
their fantasy big, thick, and complex — Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire series is for you. Fans of Jordan, Brooks, Goodkind, Feist, and high fantasy escapism in general are recommended — no, commanded — to flock to this breathtaking series. You’ll be doing yourself an immense favor.
Verdict: 4.5 stars from 5
Book 3 – A Storm of Swords
by George R.R. Martin
Of the five contenders for power, one is dead, another in disfavor, and still the wars rage as violently as ever, as alliances are made and broken. Joffrey, of House Lannister, sits on the Iron Throne, the uneasy ruler of the land of the Seven Kingdoms. His most bitter rival, Lord Stannis, stands defeated and disgraced, the victim of the jealous sorceress who holds him in her evil thrall. But young Robb, of House Stark, still rules the North from the fortress of Riverrun. Robb plots against his despised Lannister enemies, even as they hold his sister hostage at King’s Landing, the seat of the Iron Throne. Meanwhile, making her way across a blood-drenched continent is the exiled queen, Daenerys, mistress of the only three dragons still left in the world….
But as opposing forces maneuver for the final titanic showdown, an army of barbaric wildlings arrives from the outermost line of civilization. In their vanguard is a horde of mythical Others–a supernatural army of the living dead whose animated corpses are unstoppable. 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. . .
Verdict: 4.5 stars from 5
Book 4 – A Feast for Crows
by George R.R. Martin
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….With the death of the monstrous King Joffrey, Cersei is ruling as regent in King’s Landing. Robb Stark’s demise has broken the back of the Northern rebels, and his siblings are scattered throughout the kingdom like seeds on barren soil. Few legitimate claims to the once desperately sought Iron Throne still exist—or they are held in hands too weak or too distant to wield them effectively. The war, which raged out of control for so long, has burned itself out.
But as in the aftermath of any climactic struggle, it is 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. Now in the Seven Kingdoms, as the human crows assemble over a banquet of ashes, daring new plots and dangerous new alliances are formed, while surprising faces—some familiar, others only just appearing—are seen emerging from an ominous twilight of past struggles and chaos to take up the challenges ahead.
It is a time when the wise and the ambitious, the deceitful and the strong will acquire the skills, the power, and the magic to survive the stark and terrible times that lie before them. It is a time for nobles and commoners, soldiers and sorcerers, assassins and sages to come together and stake their fortunes…and their lives. For at a feast for crows, many are the guests—but only a few are the survivors.
Verdict: 4.5 stars from 5
Book 5 – A Dance of Dragons
by George R.R. Martin
In the aftermath of a colossal battle, the future of the Seven Kingdoms hangs in the balance once again – beset by newly emerging threats from every direction. In the east, Daenerys Targaryen, the last scion of House Targaryen, rules with her three dragons as queen of a city built on dust and death. But Daenerys has three times three thousand enemies, and many have set out to find her. Yet, as they gather, one young man embarks upon his own quest for the queen, with an entirely different goal in mind.
To the north lies the mammoth Wall of ice and stone – a structure only as strong as those guarding it. There, Jon Snow, 998th Lord Commander of the Night’s Watch, will face his greatest challenge yet. For he has powerful foes not only within the Watch but also beyond, in the land of the creatures of ice.
And from all corners, bitter conflicts soon reignite, intimate betrayals are perpetrated, and a grand cast of outlaws and priests, soldiers and skinchangers, nobles and slaves, will face seemingly insurmountable obstacles. Some will fail, others will grow in the strength of darkness. But in a time of rising restlessness, the tides of destiny and politics will lead inevitably to the greatest dance of all…
While we wait let’s listen to George R.R. Martin is Not Your Bitch
Reading because: A Game of Thrones (A Song of Ice and Fire, #1) was the The Sword and Laser book for July 2009.
The reader for audio books 1-3 (Roy Dotrice) is great, the reader for book 4 (John Lee) not as good but quite acceptable – you do get into a bit of a groove after the time spent listening to the first 3 books.
* #020 – The S&L Podcast: Here There Be Dragons
* #021 – The S&L Podcast: A Game of Thrones
* Westeros: The ‘A Song of Ice and Fire’ Domain
Games
December has resulted in a fair bit more iPhone/iPad gaming with the kids.
Angry Birds
The survival of the Angry Birds is at stake. Dish out revenge on the green pigs who stole the Birds’ eggs. Use the unique destructive powers of the Angry Birds to lay waste to the pigs’ fortified castles. Angry Birds features hours of gameplay, challenging physics-based castle demolition, and lots of replay value. Each of the 210 levels requires logic, skill, and brute force to crush the enemy.
Verdict: 4 stars from 5
Plants vs Zombies HD
Get ready to soil your plants in this high-definition, Multi-Touch adaptation of the PopCap hit! Winner of over 20 Game of the Year awards.* Plants vs. Zombies™ was spawned from the fertile minds that created Bejeweled®, Peggle™, Zuma® and Bookworm™.
A mob of fun-loving zombies is about to invade your home. Defend it with an arsenal of 49 zombie-zapping plants that will slow down, confuse and mulchify all 26 types of zombies before they reach your door.
Verdict: 4 stars from 5
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