George R. R. Martin’s “The World of Ice and Fire”

This week I am reviewing a companion piece to the incredibly popular A Song of Ice and Fire series (Game of Thrones): George R. R. Martin’s The World of Ice and Fire. I was ecstatic when I saw this book at my local bookstore, since there are many, many details to keep track of in such an expansive series. The layout of the book is fairly simple, broken down into sections based on geography, era, or family. What particularly interested me were the family trees that Martin has detailed. If you have watched A Game of Thrones, then you know that family lines can get blurry from time to time. After having read my copy cover to cover, I can assure you that this is the perfect reference piece if you ever find yourself confused. That being said, this is still a book meant to go along with the ASOIAF books, rather than the HBO show. There will be a great deal of information that will seem alien to casual watchers, though the book still has its merit with fans of the show. To further drive home its connection with the novels, GRRM has picked some of the best fantasy illustrators in the world to realize his series in vivid detail, as according to his vision. Characters will look different from any media portrayal of them, and some items, like the iconic Iron Throne, will have an entirely new degree of awe prescribed to them. I personally love the artwork throughout the volume, but I can understand where some fans may not like this addition. My only gripe with the book’s content is that many questions are left unanswered about some of the world’s origins, no doubt to avoid spoilers for Martin’s sister series. Ultimately, I absolutely have to recommend this book to any rabid A Game of Thrones fans (book or otherwise). It may not be the Martin equivalent of The Silmarillion, but The World of Ice and Fire is a great addition to the lore that will tide fans over somewhat until the next book’s release.