A Song of Fire and Ice (A Game of Thrones) Series

Book review by Michael Berry, Common Sense Media
A Song of Fire and Ice (A Game of Thrones) Series Poster Image

Common Sense says

age 17+

Dark, violent epic upends the usual fantasy clichés.

George R.R. Martin Fantasy 1996
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Parents say

age 14+

Based on 13 reviews

Kids say

age 13+

Based on 56 reviews

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A Lot or a Little?

The parents' guide to what's in this book.

What Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that A Song of Fire and Ice -- adapted for the popular and very mature TV series Game of Thrones -- is a seven-volume fantasy saga by George R.R. Martin, of which only the first five volumes have been published as of April 2016. Set in a magical version of the Middle Ages, it chronicles the exploits of the Stark, Baratheon, Lannister, and Targaryen families as they struggle for power in a deadly civil war. Violence percolates through nearly every scene, including sword fights, beheadings, rapes, wolf attacks, death by molten gold, and more. Sexual content includes an incestuous relationship between a brother and a sister, the marriage of an older man to a teen girl, and a prince's love affair with a courtesan. The language is predictably rough, ranging from "hell" and "damn" to "f--k" and "c--t." If the books were rated as movies are, they would receive a "hard R."

Community Reviews

Julie K.
Julie K. Adult
August 15, 2022
age 15+
The tv show is worse on the sex. There is some incest and brutal weddings and beheading.

This title has:

Too much violence
Too much sex
Too much swearing
GBL
GBL Adult
February 22, 2021
age 14+

Fun read but discuss gender roles

It is a fun read over all, but there are some really unsavoury scenes in it. My take is don't prohibit any books, but do discuss them. It is not terribly graphic, the problem is more with the ideas that are being conveyed: a 13 year old girl being sold off into forced marriage, raped daily and starting to enjoy the rape and fall in love with the rapist?! That is fantasy alright. And throughout most of the book braveness (and manliness) is equated with physical strength, sword swinging and killing. It is a very 1950 view of gender. There are other themes that offset this somewhat: a person with dwarfism, a boy who looses the ability to walk after an accident and has to find a new identity, a fat cowardly man who finds his own brand of braveness. So, let them read it, but discuss it! And, FYI, there are lots of issues with beloved fantasy classics - for instance, I find Tolkien quite racist.

This title has:

Too much violence
See all 13 parent reviews

What's the Story?

After his predecessor is murdered, Eddard Stark reluctantly agrees to serve as "the Hand" to his good friend, King Robert Baratheon. His honorable decision has far-reaching consequences for his family. After King Robert dies, the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros are plunged into civil war, thanks to the plotting of the Lannisters, and the Stark children and their mother are scattered in all directions. Each must find a new way to survive in a rapidly changing world, even as magic grows stronger, a new peril approaches the Wall that protects the kingdoms, and the threat of the ultimate weapon -- tame dragons -- grows in the East.

Is It Any Good?

There have been many fantasy sagas published in the last half century, but few can boast the scope, depth, and attention to detail of A SONG OF FIRE AND ICE. George R. R. Martin is a master plotter, moving his huge cast of characters from one harrowing situation to the next and keeping readers anxious and surprised again and again. Some of the first five volumes work better than others (A Feast for Crows leaves many readers disappointed), but all add new elements that only increase the complex richness of the narrative.

This book series is certainly not for sensitive readers. The language is rough, the violence is brutal, and the sexual content sometimes veers into the perverse (including brother-sister incest). But readers with the maturity to handle adult material will be amply rewarded. Martin is a serious storyteller of the first order, and A Song of Fire and Ice is his masterwork.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about why fantasy sagas have become so popular in books, in movies, and on TV. What aspects of them appeal most to readers and viewers?

  • Why do some writers choose to include profanity in their dialogue and descriptions? Does it add a sense of realism to emotionally charged situations?

  • What role does violence play in the story? Would some of the characters be better off if they had not resorted to violence so quickly?

Book Details

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