A Game of Thrones (A Song of Ice and Fire, Book 1)

Amazon.com

Readers of epic fantasy series are: (1) patient--they are left in suspense between each volume, (2) persistent--they reread or at least review the previous book(s) when a new installment comes out, (3) strong--these 700-page doorstoppers are heavy, and (4) mentally agile--they follow a host of characters through a myriad of subplots. In A Game of Thrones, the first book of a projected six, George R.R. Martin rewards readers with a vividly real world, well-drawn characters, complex but coherent plotting, and beautifully constructed prose, which Locus called "well above the norms of the genre."

Martin's Seven Kingdoms resemble England during the Wars of the Roses, with the Stark and Lannister families standing in for the Yorks and Lancasters. The story of these two families and their struggle to control the Iron Throne dominates the foreground; in the background is a huge, ancient wall marking the northern border, beyond which barbarians, ice vampires, and direwolves menace the south as years-long winter advances. Abroad, a dragon princess lives among horse nomads and dreams of fiery reconquest.

There is much bloodshed, cruelty, and death, but A Game of Thrones is nevertheless compelling; it garnered a Nebula nomination and won the 1996 Locus Award for Best Fantasy Novel. So, on to A Clash of Kings! --Nona Vero

Book Description

Here is the first volume in George R. R. Martin’s magnificent cycle of novels that includes A Clash of Kings and A Storm of Swords. As a whole, this series comprises a genuine masterpiece of modern fantasy, bringing together the best the genre has to offer. Magic, mystery, intrigue, romance, and adventure fill these pages and transport us to a world unlike any we have ever experienced. Already hailed as a classic, George R. R. Martin’s stunning series is destined to stand as one of the great achievements of imaginative fiction.

A Game of Thrones

Long ago, in a time forgotten, a preternatural event threw the seasons out of balance. 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.

Here an enigmatic band of warriors bear swords of no human metal; a tribe of fierce wildlings carry men off into madness; a cruel young dragon prince barters his sister to win back his throne; and a determined woman undertakes the most treacherous of journeys. 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.

Download Description

A Game of Thrones is a contemporary masterpiece of fantasy.

The cold is returning to Winterfell, where summers can last decades and winters a lifetime. A time of conflict has arisen in the Stark family, as they are pulled from the safety of their home into a whirlpool of tragedy, betrayal, assassination, plots and counterplots. Each decision and action carries with it the potential for conflict as several prominent families, comprised of lords, ladies, soldiers, sorcerers, assassins and bastards, are pulled together in the most deadly game of all -- the game of thrones.

"George Martin is assuredly a new master craftsman in the guild of heroic fantasy."
   KATHERINE KERR

"The keen and complex human characters and the convincing force of their surroundings operate as magic...setting George R. R. Martin's first fantasy epic well above the norms of the genre."
   LOCUS

"Offers the rich tapestry that the very best fantasy demands...few created worlds are as imaginative and diverse."
   JANNY WURTS

"A vast, rich saga, with splendid characters and an intricate plot flawlessly articulated against a backdrop of real depth and texture."
   KIRKUS REVIEWS

"A dazzling fantasy adventure... with a great cast of characters that weave a tapestry of court intrigue, skullduggery, vicious betrayal and greathearted sacrifice."
   JULIAN MAY

"A colorful, majestic tapestry of characters, action and plot that deserves a spot on any reader's wall."
   ALBUQUERQUE JOURNAL

Customer Reviews:

Where do you go after Martin?.......2007-09-28

George RR Martin is, in my opinion, one of the best Fantasy authors currently writing. He's great at exploring and deepening characters without them coming out and saying "I'm brave but flawed by my childhood experience", but instead he shows them by their reactions and choices. Yes, this shouldn't be a big deal, but hey, it's fantasy.

I also love that his characters are fully grey. The ones that are truly honorable heroes are also unyieldingly cold and the cruelest villians are at least human and understandable. But man! Martin doesn't mind killing anybody.

Which brings me to my title. One of the hardest things is picking up the next book that isn't from this series. You can always go back to some of the classics, but it's really hit and miss on picking up a new book, and Martin really raised the bar for me.

Great Read that Leaves You Feeling Icky.......2007-09-26

I feel dishonest only giving this book 3 Stars because the truth is I could not put it down and there is no doubt in my mind that I will end up reading this entire series. I enjoyed the complexity of the plots, the character development, the multiple perspectives, the detailed worlds, the unconventional blur between good/evil and the unpredictable plot twists. There is much in this book to enjoy and praise.

That said I only gave this book 3 stars because it left me feeling, well, kind of disturbed. Multiple times, during the course of reading this book, I told whoever was around that I felt like I was being emotionally abused by the author. I usually like disturbing/dark stories but something about this one troubled me. For starters the sex and sexual violence in this book was a bit much for me. Almost all the sex scenes are about a thirteen year old child. The sexual acts that happen to Dany in this novel constitute at least a dozen felonies in any civilized society. Not only could I not discern a reason the author had to make Dany SO young (especially if he wanted her character to be highly sexualized) but the aspects of sex he chose to discribe and the manner in which he discribed them were random, weird and came across as nothing more than a perverted indulgence. I would read something and simultaneously roll my eyes while feeling an icky shudder up and down my spine. I have no problems with sex in books I read, but the manner in which the sex scenes were written in this book are not reflective of real life and left me feeling grossed out. They felt exploitive I guess because they were so gratutious and strange.

Also, as a women, the constant rape and violence towards women was hard to read. I realize rape and misogyny are part of the world, particularly in times of war, but the amount and detail was hard to stomach. While the male characters (good and bad) generally die or get injured bravely in battle the women must be systemically humiliated before dying unceremoniously. Not only is raping them bad enough, they must be gang raped. And just in case gang rape wasn't degrading enough they have to be gang raped from behind. This combined with the constant womanizing of the main characters, the constant put downs related to the worth of women relative to men and after a while it makes you start to wonder; has Martin created a world filled with systemic female degradation because he is laying the foundation for an ultimate commentary on oppression, violence and human dignity? Or has he created a world filled with female degradation because that is what he likes writing about? I have 6 more books to read before I can answer that question but I have a suspicion it is the latter which is where the icky feeling I have towards this book comes from. Hopefully, it turns out I am wrong.

Even though this book left a bad taste in my mouth in some respects, I will continue to read the series because it is wildly entertaining. I've already started the second book.

Excellent work..........2007-09-04

so far! I am excited to read the next three books. Instead of expounding on the virtues of the novel, I would like to address two common complaints that one finds in these reviews. Firstly, the reports about sex/incest/bestiality are vastly exaggerated. There is ONE incestuous relationship between atomic family members, and the sexual description is limited to less than a paragraph. Certainly, the novel mentions other kinds of incest, such as the marriage of first and second cousins, but that is to be expected where royal families are concerned; and sexual acts regarding these are never described. Also, in line with medieval societal norms, there are a few ultra brief descriptions of sex involving teenagers; girls in royal families were frequently married off early and were expected to produce as many male heirs as possible. Yes, there are several moderately explicit scenes of rape (especially near the end of the book), violence and sex, but they pale in comparison to many other historical fiction novels. Sexual descriptions are about on par with an Anne Rice novel, and way softer than any of that romance/Fabio-on-the-cover drivel. If you cringe at the slightest graphic description of violence, then I would stay away from anything that involves the history of humankind. Certainly avoid the Conan and Warhammer 40K fiction series, and you should retain your sanity (and wimpiness).

Regarding complexity: this first book is EASY to follow. Each chapter is titled with the name of the character from whose point of view the story will be narrated. There are only eight such characters. If you have trouble keeping everything in your head, just go back to to the previous chapter with the same character name and re-read the last few paragraphs...it's that simple folks. I like this style because at several points, as you might find on TV or in the movies, the author leaves you hanging with some suspense at the end of the chapter until he "cuts" back to that (possibly concurrent) point in the story.

Anyway, my opinion is no more valid than that of anyone else on Amazon. If you like historical fiction, then I think there's a good chance you will like low fantasy. This series is as good a place to start as anywhere. Use some common sense: first, take it out of the library if possible. Second, read as many chapters as it takes for you to get a sense of the style and characterizations. Third, if you don't like it, STOP READING...it will NOT get better. I hereby deliver a VIRTUAL SLAP to reviewers who claim that they read the glowing reviews, read all 806 pages of the novel, and then felt debased or felt like they wasted their time or money...this is the United States, a playground of choices. If you don't like something, change the channel or turn off the device!

Author doesn't care if series is ever finished.......2007-09-04

On his website he has answered all those asking why the next installment is a year overdue. After whining about missing several conventions in order to work on the book he refers to his readers as trolls. I guess only those who worship him are worthy. It seems the man is too in love with himself to bother with the trolls who have made him rich.
Think twice before investing your time and money with this egotistical jerk. He obviously has no idea what to do with his story. I have serious doubts as to his ability to finish this series as he seems to be more interested in other projects than finishing what he started.

Not Free SF Reader.......2007-09-03

I started this what appeared to be the start of a huge fantasy epic (much like Robert Jordan) with some interest, because I had enjoyed some other Martin projects.

To be interested, or stay interested in such a project I would have had to have found some interest in the characters. No such luck. This might work in one short book, but not in this might not ever even be finished at this rate story.

Very disappointing. The writing is ok, just lots of points off for no-one and no plot of interest, or at least one that I couldn't have gotten from a garden variety historical novel set in this sort of milieu.

History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)

Average customer rating:

Calculations are only as good as your numbers
Pants on fire?
Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed.
Very Interesting
History as Science Fiction

History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
Anatoly Fomenko
Manufacturer: Mithec
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Chinese | Ethnic & National | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

Irish | Ethnic & National | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

Japanese | Ethnic & National | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

Women | Specific Groups | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

Doctors & Medicine | Humor | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

Lawyers & Criminals | Humor | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

Love, Sex & Marriage | Humor | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

Assyria, Babylonia & Sumer | Ancient | History | Subjects | Books

Early Civilization | Ancient | History | Subjects | Books

General | Ancient | History | Subjects | Books

Historiography | Historical Study | History | Subjects | Books

General | World | History | Subjects | Books

French | Erotica | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Victorian | Erotica | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Epic | Poetry | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

German | Poetry | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Russian | Poetry | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Spanish | Poetry | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Chinese | Classics | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Conspiracy Theories | Current Events | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

War on Drugs | Crime & Criminals | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

English (All) | Dictionaries & Thesauruses | Reference | Subjects | Books

Science | Dictionaries & Thesauruses | Reference | Subjects | Books

Online Research | Genealogy | Reference | Subjects | Books

Native American | Earth-Based Religions | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

General | Science | Subjects | Books

General | History & Philosophy | Science | Subjects | Books

History of Science | History & Philosophy | Science | Subjects | Books

Magic & Wizards | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books

Sailor Moon | Popular Characters | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

Pilates | Exercise & Fitness | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

History | Fashion | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 2913621058

Book Description

Recorded history is a finely-woven magic fabric of intricate lies about events predating the sixteenth century. There is not a single piece of evidence that can be reliably and independently traced back earlier than the eleventh century. This book details events that are substantiated by hard facts and logic, and validated by new astronomical research and statistical analysis of ancient sources.

Customer Reviews:

Calculations are only as good as your numbers.......2007-08-03

Yes, we can all agree that mainstream history is nearly 100% BS due to politics, economics, ego, problems with dating techniques, and various conspiracies. Agreed. But, I've been researching the distinct possibility that human history (in terms of civilizations) are much more ancient than we've been told, so coming across this book was very interesting to me. I wondered how Fomenko could be wrong (if at all) because he is very persuasive in his presentations. Then it dawned on me. If at previous times in prehistory, due to the various catastrophies that are well documented (comets, asteroids, planetary disruptions, plasma discharge, pole reversals, etc) the Earth was in a different position in relation to the sun, different tilt on its axis, different orbit, different rotation (in terms of velocity and DIRECTION), and the continents were in different positions, then would this not cause the ancients to see the sky (constellations) differently? In other words, is Fomenko making erronious assumptions about the physics of the Earth in pre-history, which then corrupt his data with regards to dating the relevant astrology? The last event to seriously disrupt our planet occured roughly 3500 years ago, according to other good researchers, so is it possible Fomenko has been confused by this? The vastly different physics of our planet in the not so distant past may explain this confusion, which is not to say the "mainstream" version of history is correct; on the contrary. I am not an expert in these fields, but wanted to see if this idea could spark discussion.

Pants on fire?.......2007-07-19

Will people ever read before spamming? Yes, Jesuits could not rewrite world history alone, they had help. Anyway, Dr Prof Acad A.Fomenko does not point to jesuits as the driving force of world wide history manipulation in published volumes 1,2,3;, actually he barely mentions the poor devils. Check it with 'Search inside' feature, please. China is rarely mentioned either, in fact, Dr Fomenko is completely eurocentric. Right, his theory contradicts all mainstream schools of history, because in their actual state they are all built on blatantly erroneus chronology. You don't need a mysterious cabal (conspiracy) to falsify history, the falsification is its modus operandi. It is inherent to history(ians) to falsify (distort) events, as it is inherent to humans to boast as it is inherent to power (authority) to legimize itself by referrring to glorious past made to its own order. Dr Prof Fomenko and team have identified scores of instances of such manipulation in Russian, European, etc.. history, and delivered valid statistical proof thereof. His own 'reconstruction' is completely another story. Forget c14 as a valid method of dating. W.Libby has initially discovered a brilliant method of INDEPENDENT dating. Too bad, c14 method has become a joke after a forced marrige with dendrochronology with consensual chronological scale inbuilt. Radiocarbon method can't stand blind tests, but is so very productive as a rubberstamp.

Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed. .......2007-04-09

There is no doubt that history as most know it is a sham, & institution's version of History both University & Church is fradulent & inaccurate. Everything was established with an agenda, The real "Dark Ages" are now when we have access to incredible amounts of information past authorities & more important 'common folk' didn't have but our institutions & educators are slow to evolve because of what has ignorantly & arrogantly been taught for too long. This is on many subjects not just Chronology.

For anyone to question "Why would a Mathematician have anything credible to say of History?" The answer is from Dr. Fomenko's preface in the book: "It would be worthwhile to remind the reader that in the XVI-XVII century Chronology was considered to be a subdivision of Mathematics." These volumes could possibly be some of the most important works to date & should be read by everyone with an interest in History, especially professors & educators who have a duty to the public. I have read both books & must say that 'Chronology 1' has some very eye opening & revolutionary information. Even if these volumes are part true the implications are profound & opens the doors to further investigations & questions which must be done. I speak several different lanquages & must say the logic Dr. Fomenko uses with "inflection" of words & words being read from left to right in one region & right to left in another then written backwards, the removal of vowels & get down to basics of words, or different cities & locations having the same name etc. is correct. Vowel usage has always been optional & varied, actually complicating linquistics & study. The first thing one has to understand is that words never had a fixed spelling in history like we do now, the spelling of words was mutable & regional, as well as names & titles of people were vast, varied & changed, NOTHING WAS FIXED or understood linear. Matters of Life & Death as well as financial profiteering yesterday & today were & are made with ignorant, illogical & conspiratorial views of history & reality, it's time people get closer to the Truth & society collectively grow up.

Very Interesting.......2007-03-07

It is a good proposal and I believe it will mature into something even better in the future. I think it deserves to be read.

History as Science Fiction.......2007-01-10

Anatoly Fomenko has written a very intriguing book, full of pictures, charts, and computer 'proof' of his thesis: backwards of AD900 we don't really know what happened or when. Between AD900 and AD1600 there is more certainty, but there is still a lot of fuzzy ground, and things don't get reliable until we get past the 1600's where the printing press made it very difficult for the perpetrators of this timeline manipulation to change anything that had been committed to print. The Dark Ages did not happen. Books were burned for a reason. One organization has doubled the actual length of its existence by expanding the real chronology. Read why.

I had always wondered why Christ died about AD33 and yet men waited until the 11th century to form the Knights Templar, the Cathars, etc and go after the Holy Land by force. Why the 1000 year gap? Turns out there wasn't more than a 10-12 year gap and he proves it using astronomy. This also implies that the planet is not as old as we have been told, and current Christian and other creationist scientists are already championing that idea without being aware of Fomenko's book. The two groups, creationist scientists and the Russian mathematical analysts corroborate each other. Fascinating.

Of course, all this flies in the face of what we have been told traditionally is the 'proper' chronology of western civilization, and most readers will experience 'cognitive dissonance' in reading this book. It means that our history going backwards from AD1600 becomes progressively more incorrect and unreliable until it cannot be trusted at all... in the space of 700-800 years.

Naturally, the curious, open-minded reader will want to know WHO did this, WHY, and did any of the events we think of as really ancient ever happen?
Dr. Fomenko is a respected scientist/mathematician at Moscow State University who has already answered these questions to the satisfaction of his initially skeptical colleagues. Most of them are now believers, a few still refuse to believe (the usual diehards), and of course the western press has ignored Fomenko's work -- for obvious reasons when you read the book. The ones who perpetrated this chronology ruse have a lot to answer for. They are still with us. That's why this book is a well-kept secret.

I gave the book a 4-star rating because I was unable to check out some of his claims; those I checked were as he said. But if even 1/3 of his claims are true, this punches a big hole in what we think is our history, the meaning of western civilization, our educational process (for repeating the ruse as gospel), and the trustworthiness of the organization that perpetrated this ruse, well-intentioned or not.

This book relates to current research into a Young Earth paradigm, to John Keel's discoveries about our planet, and Fr Malachi Martin's insights (in his now out-of-print books). We are indeed sheep who are manipulated and kept ignorant -- for a reason. While knowing what these men have to say may be the "booby prize" (as in: 'what can you do with this knowledge?'), it will provide interesting reading. Didn't someone say: "...and the Truth will set you free."?? For you to judge if this book contains the truth.

Average customer rating:

A Game of Thrones (Game of Thrones)

ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Puzzles & Games | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

Book Description

An OGL & Tri-Stat Roleplaying Game and Reference Guide for A Game of Thrones

•This Deluxe Edition includes the full content of the Standard Edition, including complete OGL rules, unprecedented detail on the setting of the best-selling series, customized character classes, new systems of Reputation and Influence, and a complete encyclopedia of people, places, houses and alliances in A Game of Thrones. • Lavish edition features full-color printing on premium quality paper, dozens of gorgeous two-page images, foil-stamped leatherette hardbound cover, exquisite dust jacket, oversized cloth bookmark, silver gilding on all edges, and a pull out poster-sized map of Westeros. • Adds an extensive appendix presenting an entire game system alternative: Guardians Of Order's cinematic rules-light Tri-Stat System. • Features an exclusive interview with George R. R. Martin himself. • Every fan of George R. R. Martin will want this comprehensive encyclopedia of his beloved series — even if they aren't gamers.

Sword & Sorcery books are published under the Open Game License and are 100% compatible with v.3.5 rules and the d20 System.

Average customer rating:

Execellent Document of Martin's World

Roleplaying, schmoeplaying

Great purchase - even for non-gamers.

A review by a gamer for gamers

Awesome!

A Game of Thrones: D20-Based Open Gaming RPG (Sword & Scorcery)

Manufacturer: White Wolf Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Puzzles & Games | Entertainment | Subjects | Books
General | Role Playing & Fantasy | Puzzles & Games | Entertainment | Subjects | Books
Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books | Alternate History | Anthologies | Arthurian | Contemporary | Epic | General | Historical | History & Criticism | Magic & Wizards | Series
Similar Items:

The Art of George R. R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire

A Feast for Crows (A Song of Ice and Fire)

The Hedge Knight - Second Edition [Graphic Novel]

Serenity Role Playing Game (Serenity)

Player's Handbook II (Dungeons & Dragons d20 3.5 Fantasy Roleplaying)

ASIN: 1588469425

Customer Reviews:

Execellent Document of Martin's World.......2006-11-07

Very detailed, artwork is solid, if not outstanding. Gives a fine format for exploring Martin's world.

Roleplaying, schmoeplaying.......2006-04-19

There is only one thing you have to know: no Spellcraft skill because magic is a legend or it is a dead.

I redesign the character sheet (the one it came with sucked which is the only complaint I have about it) and it brought a tear to my eye not having to worry about spell slots or any of that sort of mess.

No magic, magic items, Power Word: Kills or some god coming down to smite you. It is just you, the enemy and the ground in-between. You make your own in this world, you forge your way through either might or wisdom, sword or diplomacy.

Like a great man, a Giant of a man some might say, once said, "It is not so much what we do as why we do it." When you could run away in fear for your life but you chose to stand and regain your honour, right your wrongs and possible make your world a better place to be even it it meant losing your own life, then you know you have struck gold when it comes to a roleplaying campaign.

Sure it has all the levels, skills points and the like but to be honest, I never cared about the levels in this game. I think whatever age or level we start off with is fine by me.

If you are a D20 vet and wanting to try this, take time to learn how Reputation and Influence works. It is a little different but it adds a lot to the world.

If for nothing else, my brother, "Mister Casual About All Things Gaming", can't stop talking about the game. That is for the first time in 15 years. That is the greatness of A Song of Ice and Fire.

Great purchase - even for non-gamers........2006-02-23

I haven't gamed in more than 10 years, and don't really plan on starting again - but this book is worth buying for ANY fan of Song of Ice & Fire series.

Gorgeous artwork & fascinating bios of the characters of George R.R. Martin's books are the main highlights of the book for non-gamers - but the more you delve into the mechanics of the game, the more insights into the world it reveals.

And another pleasant surprise - an introduction including a very detailed & impressive overview of the history of fanstasy writing. Given me lots of new (to me) writers to check out.

A review by a gamer for gamers.......2006-02-13

This book is a remarkable achievement in d20. It offers several innovations, and also pares away some of the more ridiculous aspects of the system as we have known it. But even more impressively, this publication is distinguished in its tastefulness, outclassing any other d20 game with its maturity of style and imagination. This is gaming for grownups.
This 495 full-color hardback is a comprehensive rulebook and campaign setting. If you didn't already own the core rulebooks, you wouldn't need to get them, because it's all here--handbook, DMG, and bestiary rolled into one. The bestiary, of course, is very small, because this is a low-fantasy (almost historical) setting. You won't find a catalog of abberations, walking funguses and extraplanar half-whosywhatsits. You won't find dozens of ridiculous, superheroic, micro-niche prestige classes. And you won't find elves, or gnomes ... or any such breeds. Who needs them? Magic and mosters are gone . . . except for a few surprises here and there, which are really special.
What do you find? The heart of the game is human drama. You have Realpolitik, war, alliances and betrayals, intrigue, spying and struggle. In order to cultivate this kind of gaming experience, they draw on the work of one of the greatest living writers of science fiction and fantasy, George R. R. Martin. (Read the novels, if you haven't already.) But the game also contributes a promising innovation with the rules for Reputation and Influence. These mechanics are to the social and political what the Base Attack Bonus is to combat. Influence points are a way of measuring a character's power in the social sphere, and of adjudicating a character's efforts to get others to do what he wants.
In standard d20 games, a character with a high Diplomacy skill may be effective in getting people to have a friendly disposition towards him, but how do you determine what a friendly disposition actually gets you. Now there is a mechanic for determining that. An Influence check is used to call in a debt, command, persuade or otherwise coerce someone to actually do what you want (whether they like you or not).
Reputation is a way of defining how you are perceived by others, in terms of specific characteristics. For example, a character may get several reputation points as a Ruthless Brute, which will come in handy when he wants to Intimidate and hinder him when he wants to gain trust.
There will be combat, of course, though perhaps not as frequently. (Wounds take time to heal when you don't have potions and spells ready at hand.) In place of lightning bolts and acid arrows, they have added more options and possibilities in hand-to-hand combat. First of all, armor gives you DR rather than an AC bonus. (Shields are different). Armor classes will tend to be not quite as high as we are used to, but on the other hand damage will be smaller too. However, if you want to deal more damage, you can opt for one of several types of called shots, which allow you to customize your attack strategy based on your opponents defences. There are also some good rules for becoming fatigued due to the encumbrance of armor. Only playtesting can tell, but it seems to me that combat strategy may be more interesting in this game. More deadly? You'll have fewer hitpoints. On the other hand, there's the Shock Value feature, which makes it a lot more likely that you'll be temporarily incapacitated long before your hitpoints are gone. Characters at first level will have about the same number of hitpoints as comparable D&D characters, but as your character advances, you'll gain fewer hitpoints. I think the reason for this is that average damage dealt by a hit will not increase as much either. It might turn out that first-level is more survivable and higher levels are more dangerous than in D&D.
Perhaps my only complaint about this game is that it may be more difficult for the Gamemaster. The setting is not nearly as static as something like the Forgotten Realms. Things change in this world, and fast! So, if the GM has any intention of staying true to the novels, he will have to think carefully about the timeline and know what's going on in the story. And Martin hasn't finished writing novels yet! If the future is being determined in the imagination of George R. R. Martin, then there are some limitations on how much the players (or the GM) can change).
Another challenge for the GM will be that without monsters and abundant treasure, he will have to keep things interesting in the story arc, or the game will fall flat.
On the up side, players should be able to plug into the drama of politics and war fairly easily. There should be less of a problem coming up with motivations for your character to "go adventuring" (Ugh!) You won't need artificial motivations, because by the nature of the game your character will have loyalties and enemies, not to mention the task of keeping his corpse from being eaten by crows!

Awesome!.......2006-02-01

Absolutely awesome. Very true to the setting.

Some of the rules are a bit clunky and take a bit of effort to switch over from standard D20, but overall makes for a MUCH better experience.

Prince of Persia: The Two Thrones (Prima Official Game Guide)

Average customer rating:

prince of glitches
Prince of Persia: The Two Thrones: Prima Official Game Gudie

Prince of Persia: The Two Thrones (Prima Official Game Guide)
Fernando Bueno
Manufacturer: Prima Games
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Video Games | Games & Strategy Guides | Computers & Internet | Subjects | Books

General | Puzzles & Games | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

Video & Electronic Games | Puzzles & Games | Entertainment | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0761552022
Release Date: 2005-12-06

Book Description

Prince of Persia: The Two Thrones

Two Thrones, Two Princes, One Guide

• All Life Upgrades exposed.
• Exclusive, fully labeled maps! Find every treasure chest.
• Detailed combos to keep you fighting fiercely.
• Unlockable weapons detailed.
• All Weapons Rated so you can decide which will serve you best.
• Codes revealed!

Customer Reviews:

prince of glitches.......2006-11-10

the book is for all formats of the game ps2, xbox, pc, etc.. I bought the book becuase I got stuck and thought I missed some upgrades after resating the game again realized that this prince is nowhere as good as "sands of time" and "warrior within" it is a software glitch sometimes I was being attacked by swords with no villians or the game would lock up the Prima guides are not as good as the Bradygame books

Prince of Persia: The Two Thrones: Prima Official Game Gudie.......2006-08-16

Very good.

Delivered on time.

Average customer rating:

Like Risk Meets Magic the Gathering

War for the Throne (Exalted)

Manufacturer: White Wolf Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Misc. Supplies

General | Puzzles & Games | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 158846542X

Customer Reviews:

Like Risk Meets Magic the Gathering.......2007-07-20

This game accurately captures the flare of Exalted warfare through the use of Charm cards and Events that really add alot of flavor to the game. As the title says, it's like Risk combined with Magic, and it also has a heafty dose of screw your buddy tossed in there. Nothing's quite as fun as allying with a friend against a few others, then unleashing a Rampaging Behemoth (Event card) on that ally.

The one drawback is that the Aspects (your "color" for the game) are not properly balanced. There's 3 who have good powers, 1 who has a great power, and 1 whose power is bad. Not aweful, but bad because it can be useful only in a very strigent set of circumstances. Other than that, it's a very solid game!

Warcraft III: The Frozen Throne Official Strategy Guide

Average customer rating:

warcraft4 deadlyallys
If you need pointers for Single Player
WCIII:Frozen Throne Strategy Guide

Warcraft III: The Frozen Throne Official Strategy Guide
Bart G. Farkas
Manufacturer: BRADY GAMES
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Entertainment & Games | Computers | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

Video Games | Games & Strategy Guides | Computers & Internet | Subjects | Books

General | Computers & Internet | Subjects | Books

General | Puzzles & Games | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

Video & Electronic Games | Puzzles & Games | Entertainment | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0744002621

Book Description

BradyGames' Warcraft III: The Frozen Throne Official Strategy Guide features comprehensive tech-trees, strategies, and statistics for managing all new units and structures. Extensive coverage of all Heroes, including each new Hero per race, and the Neutral Heroes. Players will also find a complete walkthrough of all campaigns, including every optional quest. Essential information on all the new spells, upgrades, items, and other exclusives to the expansion set. Plus, more tactics for competing on the expanded Battle.net from Blizzard! This four-color guide adds to its depth and value!

Customer Reviews:

warcraft4 deadlyallys.......2004-10-03

her my worring the legend of doom the demond is come and un old enimey of death is retern the doom of human orc and elf is comeing and the way to stop them is to gather our powar agine the war is caming bewere my worring.....

If you need pointers for Single Player.......2003-12-25

The Strategy Guide helps you out on the Campagin. Nothing more, but what you learn there you may bring over to Multiplayer or battles later on after the campagin, note that there are many patches created after this book.

WCIII:Frozen Throne Strategy Guide.......2003-12-02

I admit, I am one of those people who is always buying the guides for games. I get easily frustrated when I can't figure something out, so if I can't beat a mission on the first or second try, I cheat or use a guide to help. I was having issues with some of the missions while I was playing the Frozen Throne campaign and I finally got the guide. I only use it for the chapter-by-chapter walkthrough of the campaign for assistance during the particularly rough missions. It was incredibly useful, very detailed - everything I expected from a strategy guide. It had all the information I wanted, plus a heck of a lot more - but it was easy to navigate through and find exactly the mission I was having trouble with and find the solution to my problem. I highly recommend this guide!

Versus Books Official Baldurs Gate II: Throne of Bhaal Perfect Guide

Average customer rating:

Lot's of Help
Versus Books should be ashamed.
don' buy at all
Less than Perfect Guide
Hints good for beginners, maps and lists good for experts.

Versus Books Official Baldurs Gate II: Throne of Bhaal Perfect Guide
Jason Brown , and Matthew Rorie
Manufacturer: Versus Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Video Games | Games & Strategy Guides | Computers & Internet | Subjects | Books

General | Puzzles & Games | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

Video & Electronic Games | Puzzles & Games | Entertainment | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0970646828

Book Description

BG II: Shadow of Amn has been the #1 selling PC strategy guide since its release in 2000. This new full color guide gives extreamly detailed maps, codes and the new levels of the expansion pack.

Customer Reviews:

Lot's of Help.......2005-10-07

This was an excellent help in the game I couldn't have continued without the book

Versus Books should be ashamed........2005-05-11

It's hard to believe that this rag is from the same company that gave us the excellent Final Fantasy 7 and Resident Evil 2 guides. Hard to believe but it's true. This guide fails and it fails miserably:
-A lot of the information is either wrong or misleading. For example he says that the Turn Undead ability is "weak". Wrong! At really high levels Turn Undead can kill a lich instantly making it one of the most useful skills in the game. He never explains how useful the Use Any Item skill can be, in fact he never offers any strategy with regard to this skill at all.
-The item list leaves out a lot of items and some of the descriptions for the items which he does list are wrong.
-The character profiles are a joke. Instead of showing you how to use every NPC most effectively he simply tells you to avoid certain NPCs altogether.
-The bestiary doesn't offer much helpful advice at all.
-The boss strategies are simply pathetic and probably the worst part of this guide. Often there is little to no strategy. He basically tells you "hit the boss a lot and it will die" not exactly like that but this is pretty much what his boss strategies amount to. The strategy for Demogorgon for example has wrong statistics and offers no advice other than "kill him as quickly as possible". Well duh, but how exactly am I supposed to do that if you don't even show me what strategy you used to defeat him. If I wanted trial and error I wouldn't have bought the guide.
Don't waste your money on this. There's an excellent guide on gamefaqs.com by Dan Simpson for BG2ToB and it's free.

don' buy at all.......2004-02-02

I've found this book to be ulest

Less than Perfect Guide.......2002-03-11

The Throne of Bhaal Strategy Guide copies the handy class kit tables and information pages from their Shadows of Amn guide. There's also a useful item list and section on spells and effects. I just wish they had actually finished the guide before getting it published. A number of sections are incomplete, such as the final confrontation with Demogorgon in Watcher's Keep and details on Yaga Shura's Lair. In fact the section on the fire giant's lair had identical text repeated a number of times and blank boxes where pictures should have been. Awful spelling (on every page!) and poor grammar made the whole thing smack of a 1st grader's first attempt at writing. I found this book pretty much a waste of money and used a much better strategy guide by another publisher.

Hints good for beginners, maps and lists good for experts........2002-01-16

Pay heed to the earlier reviewers when they say the hints in this guide are often poorly considered. When they say that an NPC, spell, or item is useless, take it with a hefty grain of salt. In fact, the more vehemently they trash something, the more you should suspect that they are completely wrong. there are also mistakes and omissions. I know far more about BG2 than the authors of this book ever will. That said, I use this book frequently when I play BG2 because of the maps and list of item locations. I do not recommend using it this way as a beginner, but if you've played through the game more than 3 times and you want to know more about it, this is a good way to start. Internet newsgroup archives and web walkthroughs are usually far more thorough sources of information, however.

Throne of Darkness (Prima's Official Strategy Guide)

Average customer rating:

umm
Hated the game, so book was useless

Throne of Darkness (Prima's Official Strategy Guide)
Inc. IMGS
Manufacturer: Prima Games
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Video Games | Games & Strategy Guides | Computers & Internet | Subjects | Books

General | Puzzles & Games | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

Video & Electronic Games | Puzzles & Games | Entertainment | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

Throne of Darkness

ASIN: 0761528016
Release Date: 2001-10-02

Book Description

Bring Honor to Your Ancenstors

• Complete guide to armor and weapon design
• Tactics system analysis
• Monster stats and special attacks
• Maps and walkthrough for all locations
• Full details on all your characters

Customer Reviews:

umm.......2004-12-13

The book is awsome, the game is very unique the above person has a strange yet seemingly RETARDED taste.Hell that person didnt even give the game a chance, Its not a rip off from diablo, just cuz its 2-d iscometric and it has spells and swords dosent meen its a d2 rip off so the book reaaaaly helps.Beleive me try the game its cheap, escpeacailly if you play online, you get TOTAL freedom to go where you want when you want, when you get tired of crafting items, leveling up, joining other clans,collecting metals for parts,maxing out or hacking spells to awsome numbers, discovering new places in ToD's HUGE world then you can even say somthing, that person barely saw the beggining of a game, which shows a TRUE loser of a player, the book was great the game was great if you like ultima online or diablo 2 you will like this.

Hated the game, so book was useless.......2003-05-17

This is one game I despised, this was a Diablo rip-off, of the worse kind, got rid of this game and book after plodding through a couple of levels, stupid, stupid game!!! What the heck are you supposed to do with blubber, whoever designed this game should bury his head in the books and get a different job, because game design surely isn't his talent.

Average customer rating:

Tekumel: Empire of the Petal Throne
Patrick Brady , Joe Saul , Edwin Voskamp , and M.A.R. Barker
Manufacturer: Guardians of Order
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books

General | Graphic Novels | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books

Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Teens | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 1894525310

Book Description

The creation of Professor M.A.R. Barker, a Tolkien scholar and friend of Dungeons & Dragons creator Gary Gygax, Tekumel is a complex fantasy/science world richly steeped in history, hoary tradition, a highly stratified class-conscious clan society, and myriad flora and fauna.

Books:

Books Index

Books Home

Recommended Books