Farseer story arc (starting with Assassin's Apprentice) by Robin Hobb is great. Setting is very similar to Game of Thrones. Good enough that when I first read it, I immediately read it straight through again a 2nd time. There are three trilogies in the arc (and I think she's writing a 4th). Read the Assassin Trilogy and the Fool's Trilogy, skipping the Liveship Trilogy. Liveship is good in its own right, but not on the level of the other two, and it has a completely different set of characters.
I found Ender's Game dull at times as well. I find lots of hardcore sci-fi dull- it seems like they focus on the science aspect a lot more than the characterizing. I'm not a big pure sci-fi guy, so I'm probably not the best source. But Martin did write several standalone sci-fi stories (google it) so if you like his style, you'll probably enjoy those. Hitchiker's Guide To the Galaxy is fantastic. I also liked The Prestige a lot. The Diamond Age has some really cool tech (although I found the prose dull) and is relatively short. I still like a lot of Card's earlier stuff, before he went off the uber-right-wing deep end.
If you haven't watched HBO's Rome, it is kind of similar and all on demand on www.hbogo.com. Hbogo.com is also doing an online screening of episode 7 of game of thrones directly after #6 airs on tv
Also, if you're as bored as me, you can get your Game of Thrones name generated here: http://rumandmonkey.com/widgets/toys/namegen/14783/ Yeah...I'm a dork.
The Ice and Fire series kind of remind me a classic Chinese epic novels like Romance of the Three Kingdoms (三国演义, Wikipedia link below): huge long story, lots of characters, political intrigue, battles, drama, etc. Not that I expect many Americans to have read that book, though perhaps some of us here played Koei's Romance of the Three Kindomes and Dynasty Warriors video games. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Romance_of_the_Three_Kingdoms
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I just ruined the book for myself, i was reading around forums and read something i wish i didnt read... that is Spoiler Jon Snow's mother is a Taegaryn after reading that, i lost all motive to read further... because i'm assuming that's a major plot point and it absolutely killed me. please someone comfort me and tell me it's not that big of a deal.
you haven't ruined anything Spoiler It is unknown who Jon's parents are. Lots of rumors have been spread around and that is not the most popular one. In fact I have never heard that one. which Taegaryn where they claiming it was?
How the hell does that ruin a story? Know one know his true parentage at the moment. The first time I read the story I myself try to figure out his true parentage. There might be clues to his true parentage but right now it's all guessing on the readers' part.
Well because there are strong evidence that it's very possible. LOL! I can't believe I finally found this. I wrote this almost 10 yrs ago for the first website ever dedicated to A Song Of Ice and Fire. Been trying to look for that website but ran into this. I think the website was call Dragonstone but can't seem to locate it. This guy took most of what I've written and add a few of his own. Don't know if I base the pages on hard cover or soft cover. SPOILER: http://www.angelfire.com/ma4/mlarchives/faq/jon.html
Spoiler Considering I'm only halfway through Book 1 and it is all but assumed that Ned slept with some lady and had Jon, it didn't go through my mind to speculate who the real mother was. So yeah it comes off as a shocker... but since you guys are saying it really isnt a major plot point? guess that's good news.. Man I hope George RR Martin finishes this series. But if he doesn't or finishes it with a terrible ending, do you guys still think this series will be the best of all time?
It isn't a major plot point (yet), it hasn't been addressed much at all in the books written so far, and its a popular theory that most people have either guessed at or read online anyways.
I have always guessed that Jon Snow is Robert Baratheon and Ned Stark's sisters kid (hence the black hair). He's going to be the "b*stard" that ends up being the King with Daenerys Targaryen as his Queen.
It's all fan conjecture, as others have said. Probably the biggest 'theory' on the books. Stay away from fan sites till you're done.
