Epic fantasy
A Game of Thrones
When the king asks his old friend Ned Stark to serve as his chief adviser, a northern lord is pulled to the capital. Elsewhere, an exiled princess is married off across the sea, and something stirs beyond the great Wall of ice.
Facts last checked 2026-10-16
- First published
- 1996
- Pace
- Medium
- Length
- Long
- Pages
- 911
- Format
- Standalone
Read this if you want a sprawling, unpredictable, politically sharp fantasy where nobody is safe.
Skip this if you want hope, tidy heroes or to avoid graphic violence and harsh treatment of women and children.
The feel
Content warnings
Quick answers about A Game of Thrones
- What is A Game of Thrones about?
- When the king asks his old friend Ned Stark to serve as his chief adviser, a northern lord is pulled to the capital. Elsewhere, an exiled princess is married off across the sea, and something stirs beyond the great Wall of ice.
- Who should read A Game of Thrones?
- Read it if you want a sprawling, unpredictable, politically sharp fantasy where nobody is safe. Skip it if you want hope, tidy heroes or to avoid graphic violence and harsh treatment of women and children.
- How long and how fast is A Game of Thrones?
- It is a medium-paced, long read of about 911 pages, first published in 1996.
- Does A Game of Thrones have content warnings?
- Content we flag: Violence, Death, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Child abuse, Incest.
- Can I borrow A Game of Thrones for free?
- Often, yes. Check Libby (OverDrive) to see whether your library lends A Game of Thrones; the borrow button above searches it for you.
- What should I read after A Game of Thrones?
- Readers who liked it often move on to The Blade Itself, The Priory of the Orange Tree, The Lord of the Rings.
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Where to get it
| Store | Price | Link |
|---|---|---|
| Borrow free | ||
| Libby / OverDrive | Free with a library card | Borrow free with Libby from Libby / OverDrive |
| Print, new | ||
| Amazon | Check price | Buy new from Amazon |
| Ebook | ||
| Kobo | Check price | Buy ebook from Kobo |
| Google Play Books | Check price | Buy ebook from Google Play Books |
| Audiobook | ||
| Audible | Check price | Buy audiobook from Audible |
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Because you might love it
If you loved A Game of Thrones
-
The Blade Itself A grimmer, wittier fantasy with morally compromised characters and bloody politics.
-
The Priory of the Orange Tree Another large-scale epic with many viewpoints, but more optimistic and led by women.
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The Lord of the Rings
The classic that this series reacts against, with a more straightforward moral world.
Epic fantasy
