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.

Average customer rating:

ice dragon disappoints I read it in half an hour
Sad and beautiful
Exquisite
Abrupt ending
best story ever!

The Ice Dragon
George R. R. Martin
Manufacturer: Starscape
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0765316315
Release Date: 2006-10-03

Book Description

The ice dragon was a creature of legend and fear, for no man had ever tamed one. When it flew overhead, it left in its wake desolate cold and frozen land. But Adara was not afraid. For Adara was a winter child, born during the worst freeze that anyone, even the Old Ones, could remember. Adara could not remember the first time she had seen the ice dragon. It seemed that it had always been in her life, glimpsed from afar as she played in the frigid snow long after the other children had fled the cold. In her fourth year she touched it, and in her fifth year she rode upon its broad, chilled back for the first time. Then, in her seventh year, on a calm summer day, fiery dragons from the North swooped down upon the peaceful farm that was Adaras home. And only a winter child -- and the ice dragon who loved her -- could save her world from utter destruction. The Ice Dragon marks the highly anticipated childrens book debut of George R.R. Martin, the award-winning author of the best-selling series A Song of Ice and Fire and is set in the same world. Illustrated with lush, exquisitely detailed pencil drawings by acclaimed artist Yvonne Gilbert, The Ice Dragon is an unforgettable tale of courage, love, and sacrifice by one of the most honored fantasists of all time.

Customer Reviews:

ice dragon disappoints I read it in half an hour.......2007-06-29

I am 42, so take that into account. Once again George Martin hooks you in the beginning and then leaves you disappointed with where the story ends up. This book is approximately 100 pages. But most of the pages are only partial pages with illustrations. It took me about half an hour to read the book and I was quite disappointed with the abrupt ending. Dont waste your time on this.

Sad and beautiful.......2007-06-05

"The Ice Dragon" is a sad and beautiful story, told in a slow pace. It is with a thoughtful childs eye you are receiving a glimpse in to Westros. A wonderful sidetrack from the Ice and Fire-series!

Exquisite .......2007-04-26

I give The Ice Dragon four stars because it's a very good book but it's also very serious. I just adore the fact that there are dragons but I don't think it has enough dialouge. I think it had alot of discription but for me it was too serious. I also didn't really like the fact thet there was an abundance of action rather than than dialogue. It upset me that the Ice Dragon died and I wish it could have more about what happened to him or any other Ice Dragons there could've been. I think it shoul've also talked more about Adara being at her normal state. I believe there was a massive dificiency on how far the story coul've gone on.Even though it was a short story I like the fact that it leaves you wondering about the charactors and events. I think it was a very exquisit book. If I had to recomended it. I'd only recomended it to people who enjoy serious fantasy books(but anyone can read it).

Abrupt ending.......2007-04-25

I really enjoyed the mostly-narrative telling of this short story, but would have liked the ending to be a little more developed. It seemed to just suddenly crash to a halt. Adara's change was interesting and I wanted the author to elaborate more on her new outlook after losing the "winter" from her spirit. Overall I like the story, and the serious tone was good and fitting. The description of the refugees from the war and the suffering that was present seemed realistic too. I will still glady read other books by Martin, as he seems a very skilled writer.

best story ever!.......2007-04-08

I just got this book today, and I can't put it down. I got attached to it after the first page. I hope he writes more books for kids.
written by a 9 year old

Average customer rating:

just as bad as the first one
My review
A Recommended Read from Fallen Angel Reviews
5 Klovers! Courtesy of CK2S Kwips & Kritiques

The Ice Dragon (Dragon Knights)
Bianca D'Arc
Manufacturer: Samhain Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1599982870

Book Description

A wild Northern Ice Dragon and the girl who raised him save the life of a fierce, shapeshifting royal black dragon, only to have him save them in returnwith his love. Third book in the Dragon Knights series. When a royal black dragon falls under enemy fire, only the wild Northern Ice Dragon and his unlikely female rider can save him. Half wild, like the baby Ice Dragon she calls friend, Lana is a rare and powerful dragon healer. She saves the life of the royal black, only to learn this most sacred of dragons is half-man, able to shift from one form to the other at will. Roland is king of all dragons and humans in his land but hes far from home, mortally wounded, and his only refuge is the incredible woman who has saved his life and her young wild dragon friend. Lana is the purest form of magic to him, heaven to his senses in both dragon and human form. He knows almost from the first moment that he wants her for his very own. But a warlord plots in the north, seeking to kill the dragons, who protect the northern border, and overrun Rolands peaceful kingdom. Lana and her incredibly skilled Ice Dragon friend are the only ray of hope for the knights and fighting dragons of the Northern Lair. Just as Lana is the only love Roland will ever know. He can reunite her with her lost family, but can he win her heart and make her his queen? Warning, this title contains the following: explicit sex explained in graphic terms.

Customer Reviews:

just as bad as the first one.......2007-06-13

I bought both of her books at the same time based on reviews I'd read. Save your money. Just a huge dissapointment. Or if you just have to read it, buy it second hand or get it from the library.

My review.......2007-05-11

This is a great third book in the series. The Dragons are so lifelike in this series. I can't wait for the others. The Author brings these beings to life.

A Recommended Read from Fallen Angel Reviews.......2007-03-08

In the northern wilds, a young woman and young dragon fight for their lives and their freedom from an evil warlord. Having escaped once, they will not be caught again. Lana and her friend Tor have learned to evade the warlord's troops and his devious war tactics. When an unlucky black dragon falls victim to his wiles, Tor and Lana risk all to save him.

Roland cannot believe that he has been saved by a young dragon healer and her ice dragon. Not only are dragon healers a thing of legends, but so are the mighty ice dragons. As war threatens Draconia yet again, these two new allies may be what they need to tip the scales in their favor.

Ok, I have to say it; no one does dragons like Bianca D'Arc. With the third in the Dragon Knights series, she continues to awe me with her characters and her fertile imagination. Lana is a fantastically strong yet vulnerable woman who has so much to deal with. Not only has she found safety, but she's learned about herself and who she truly is. Roland... how can you not love a man who can do what that man can? He is a wonderfully sensitive man who is there with Lana every step of the way. With a fantastic twist that comes out of nowhere, The Ice Dragon is very much a Recommended Read.

5 Klovers! Courtesy of CK2S Kwips & Kritiques.......2007-01-11

Tor, a rare Ice Dragon, is hatched by the lost princess, Lana. When they save a royal Black Dragon from certain death, they find love, family and their destinies.

As an avid fan of Bianca D'Arc's Dragon Knights series, I bought the third release in that series, The Ice Dragon the very morning it was released and read it the same night. I was not disappointed. D'Arc manages to keep the story fresh and yet satisfyingly familiar simultaneously, with just the right balance of sweet and sexy bound by an engaging story.

While some authors may be tempted to stick to a successful formula for a series, D'Arc's imagination refuses to settle for such trite manipulation. It is rare that a story actually manages to surprise me, and yet this story includes a delightful twist that caught me off-guard. In spite of the surprise element, the twist was a very natural culmination to the story, and never once seemed contrived.

As usual, D'Arc also strews the ground with breadcrumbs for future stories in the Dragon Knights series, leaving her fans breathless in anticipation for the next story! Indeed, the reader is left with the certainty that the author is just as excited to see what delights this world has in store as the reader is!

Series Order:
Ladies of the Lair: Dragon Knights I & II
The Ice Dragon (Dragon Knights)
Prince of Spies (Dragon Knights (Samhain))

Frostburn: Mastering the Perils of Ice and Snow (Dungeons & Dragons d20 3.5 Fantasy Roleplaying Supplement)

Average customer rating:

Good Effort!
Great Series
One of the best D&D Suplements I have
IT'S A BIT FRIGID
Not really about cold climates

Frostburn: Mastering the Perils of Ice and Snow (Dungeons & Dragons d20 3.5 Fantasy Roleplaying Supplement)
Wolfgang Baur , James Jacobs , and George Strayton
Manufacturer: Wizards of the Coast
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0786928964
Release Date: 2004-09-23

Book Description

A complete guide to playing D&D in the ice and snow.
This 4-color supplement begins a new series of releases that focus on how the environment can affect D&D gameplay in every capacity. Frostburn contains rules on how to adapt to hazardous cold-weather conditions, such as navigating terrain with snow and ice and surviving in bitter cold or harsh weather. There are expanded rules for environmental hazards and manipulation of cold weather elements, as well as new spells, feats, magic items, and prestige classes. New monsters associated with icy realms are included, as well as variants on current monsters. There is enough adventure material included for months of gameplay.

Customer Reviews:

Good Effort!.......2007-02-20

This is a very good product that fleshes out the actic. WotC has spent a lot of time lately trying to flesh out various aspects of "standard" campaigns (likely because the aging professionals who play their games have less and less time for extraneous things--like building campaign worlds), and this product does a fine job of helping out DMs and players alike. It has a number of fairly interesting prestige classes, and a some very good feats. The neantherdal race is a very interesting PC race. The spells are pretty good, though rather standard and typical. Frostburn really shines, however, in its new monsters, and there are quite a few of them. Unlike some complaints, I felt the writers did a pretty good job of fleshing out the effects of extreme cold (though, perhaps, not good enough--but it's difficult to really know what -50 degree temperatures can do, especially week after week, unless you've lived in them, like I have). I highly recommend Frostburn.

Great Series.......2006-02-23

I'm a big fan of the Frostburn, Sandstorm, and Stormwrack series. If you're not planning to DM, the books provide interesting alternatives for your characters. If you DM and plan to do your writing for the campaign, these books are an excellent way to add flavor to your campaign.

One of the best D&D Suplements I have.......2006-02-01

I am VERY happy with this book. Not only are the new critters exceptionally cool, but the conditions added ontop of the core DM's Guide, but the PRC's are well thought out, the new classes and races available are impressively balanced. Overall I would give this another 2 stars totaling to 7 out of ten possible but my limit is 5 so, there it is.

IT'S A BIT FRIGID.......2005-07-23

I kind of think WOC is really starting to Micromanage the D&D universe with so many specialized supplements. It's almost like they want to take all possible work and imagination out of the hands of the DM. Frostburn, as the name implies contains supposedly all the information you could ever want...in fact you WON'T want a lot of it...about adventuring into cold climates. There's info about dealing with the cold, hypothermia, snow blindness...There are frosty (and I really can't think of a better term...) versions of the standard demi-human races like glacial dwarves, snow elves, and ice gnomes, along with some new races such as the Uldra.

There are a number of new feats(32 in all I believe) and prestige classes but their really only usable in these colder climates so I'm thinking there's not much value there except maybe to the DM for NPCs unless your entire campaign is set in the arctic. The next two chapters deal with new equipment and spells. I didn't find all that much of interest in the equipment chapter but some of the new spells are pretty interesting such as the Column of Ice spell and Iceberg. There are also a couple of new domains for clerics: winter and cold.

Chapter six details new monsters although a lot of them are ones you're already familiar with such as the Yetis, as well as cold version of typical monsters like spiders, undead, etc. There are a couple of adventures included which I'd say may be about the best thing in the book. The Iceraver scenario has characters going to a haunted city on an iceberg.

As I mentioned...I think a lot of it is simply overkill. This could easily have been just an adventure with new spells, monsters, etc, without all of the rules about dealing with cold that most people will never use.

Not really about cold climates.......2005-05-09

Apparently "the perils of ice and snow" are pretty much the same as the perils everywhere else: a proliferation of prestige classes largely suitable for NPCs and a handful of monsters that wouldn't have made the cut for the 1st edition Fiend Folio.

In fact, if you thought the perils of ice and snow might be, well, ice, snow and cold, this is not the book for you. Less than 20 pages are dedicated to discussing what life in extremely cold zones, especially in alpine regions, is like. Although there are a couple of feats designed to explain how some people (or races) might be able to survive in extreme climatic conditions, there is almost nothing about how to create the terror of an avalanche, rule on the gradual onset of snow blindness, or ajudicate the creeping psychological effects of oxygen deprivation. Hmmmm... in fact, almost nothing about adventuring in the element of cold that wasn't in the DMG and/or PHB.

I presume WotC is doing its market research and that research shows that prestige classes sell. If that's what you're looking for, this book will provide some. If you were looking for a book that would provide you with campaign insights on life in the cold, and how the 3.5 rule set can be used to ajudicate the hazards therein, you'll be disappointed. But the real shame is that with a hard look you realize that no one should really be satisfied with this supplement. Power gamers use the terms "crunchy" and "fluffy" to describe rule mechanics vs. campaign flavor. There needs to be a third term, "filler" that describes verbiage that fits into neither of the above categories. Sadly, that is where about 60% of this supplement falls.

The only upside is that there is still room for some hungry and enterprising d20 company to write a good supplement on setting a campaign in the cold.

*Update 10/2005* The "enterprising d20 company" I was looking for is MonkeyGod Enterprises with its "Frost and Fur" supplement. Excellent work of defining cold climates, rule smithing hazards, as well as providing a fantasy approach to three different cultures' (Slavic, Inuit, and ice age savage) view of living in extreme cold climes.

Shadows of Ice (WarCraft: The Sunwell Trilogy, Book 2)

Average customer rating:

Trilogy Continues
Much like the first, the art much more impressive than the story.

Shadows of Ice (WarCraft: The Sunwell Trilogy, Book 2)
Kim Jae-hwan , and Richard A. Knaak
Manufacturer: TokyoPop
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1595327134

Book Description

On the war-ravaged world of Azeroth, a young blue dragon's quest for a mysterious power has led him and his companions to the remote mountains of northern Lordaeron. In that frozen, treacherous wasteland, they find themselves caught in a battle of life, death--and undeath! Jae-Hwan Kim, artist of the best-selling King of Hell series, and Richard A. Knaak, the New York Times best-selling author, whisk you back to the world of Warcraft with the bone-chillingly sinister Shadows of Ice! "A well-told, exciting story. Kim's beautiful art has an amazing depth and fluidity that sets it apart." -Tina Coleman, American Library Association

Customer Reviews:

Trilogy Continues.......2007-08-09

This is not your typical book. Because it is TokyoPop it is (forgive me) more like a comic book. As such I read it in about 20 minutes. It was entertaining though.

Much like the first, the art much more impressive than the story........2007-04-04

This second installment in the Sunwell Trilogy of manga-style comics is neither overly impressive or disappointing. If you've read the first, you pretty much know what to expect from this one too. Basically, the art is beautiful and really carries the story, bringing to life heroes and villains. The text is bare-bones and only enough to move the story is included. The story develops nicley here and I'm looking forward to reading the final book (which has finally come out after a LONG wait).

If you enjoy fantasy comics, try these set in the rich world of Warcraft. Make sure you start with the first in the series though.

Dragons of Ice (DL6, Dragonlance AD&D adventure)

Average customer rating:

Powerful adventure in the frozen wastes
Review of DL6; Dragons of Ice

Dragons of Ice (DL6, Dragonlance AD&D adventure)
Doug Niles
Manufacturer: Wizards of the Coast
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0880380918

Customer Reviews:

Powerful adventure in the frozen wastes.......2000-04-30

The DL series was a huge leap forward for TSR - these modules featured a new emphasis on drama and storytelling that made the gaming MUCH more fun and involved for the PCs and the DM. Of course, at heart, being TSR modules from the 80s, they're still dungeon crawls! In this chapter, the heroes must journey with the iceships to Icewall Castle, to recover the Dragon Orb from the evil white dragoness. For levels 6-9 (although I would say 8-9 unless you want a bunch of pointy-eared popsicles).

Review of DL6; Dragons of Ice.......2000-02-11

Dragon's of Ice allows you to role-play the recovery of the Dragon Orb from Icewall Glacier. At this point in the story line, only half your party will be here, and that is the only weakness in this adventure. It's very solid and true to the book, including encounters only hinted at in Dragon's of Winter Night. Also some "extras" have been added in to suprise the people who have read the novels. Overall, a very good, but not fantastic adventure.

Dragon Bone Hill: An Ice-Age Saga of Homo erectus

Average customer rating:

Reads like a mystery novel

Dragon Bone Hill: An Ice-Age Saga of Homo erectus
Noel Thomas Boaz , and Russell L. Ciochon
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0195152913

Book Description

"Peking Man," a cave man once thought a great hunter who had first tamed fire, actually was a composite of the gnawed remains of some fifty women, children, and men unfortunate enough to have been the prey of the giant cave hyena. Researching the famous fossil site of Dragon Bone Hill in China, scientists Noel T. Boaz and Russell L. Ciochon retell the story of the cave's unique species of early human, Homo erectus. Boaz and Ciochon take readers on a gripping scientific odyssey. New evidence shows that Homo erectus was an opportunist who rode a tide of environmental change out Africa and into Eurasia, puddle-jumping from one gene pool to the next. Armed with a shaky hold on fire and some sharp rocks, Homo erectus incredibly survived for over 1.5 million years, much longer than our own species Homo sapiens has been on Earth. Tell-tale marks on fossil bones show that the lives of these early humans were brutal, ruled by hunger and who could strike the hardest blow, yet there are fleeting glimpses of human compassion as well. The small brain of Homo erectus and its strangely unchanging culture indicate that the species could not talk. Part of that primitive culture included ritualized aggression, to which the extremely thick skulls of Homo erectus bear mute witness. Both a vivid recreation of the unimagined way of life of a prehistoric species, so similar yet so unlike us, and a fascinating exposition of how modern multidisciplinary research can test hypotheses in human evolution, Dragon Bone Hill is science writing at its best.

Customer Reviews:

Reads like a mystery novel.......2004-02-21

This overview of old history regarding the worlds' most extensive fossil hominid site is great. The sequence of discovery, the loss of the fossils in WWII confusion, and the telling of the modern rethinking of the site and its significance is really very well done.

Plague of Ice (Dungeons & Dragons Novel)

Average customer rating:

Nice Ice
I disagree with NY
This is just bad....
A return of continuity and character from Lain
At last the return of Hennet

Plague of Ice (Dungeons & Dragons Novel)
T. H. Lain
Manufacturer: Wizards of the Coast
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 0786929537
Release Date: 2003-05-01

Book Description

This title chronicles the latest adventure of various iconic characters from the Dungeons & Dragons core rulebooks. This series of novels is designed to bring readers closer to the feeling of actually playing a D&D adventure. This seventh title in the novel line features the iconic characters of the fighter and the rogue, both of whom appeared in the kickoff title of the line, The Savage Caves.

Frigid cold and ice sweep across the realm at the height of summer. Arctic monsters prowl the flash-frozen landscape. To unlock the mystery, a small band of heroes must traverse the depths of a ruined, ice-clogged city that now houses only unearthly creatures and deadly traps.

Will they find the key to salvation?

Customer Reviews:

Nice Ice.......2004-01-09

A well crafted tale of world saving and a complete turnaround for the series after the abysmal Treachery's Wake.

Our three returning heros Regdar the fighter, Lidda the rogue and Hennet the sorceror are mostly who they were previously. There are some continuity problems with Hennet but nothing as egregious as previous continuity errors have been so I'm much more forgiving. The one-shot ice druidess was nicely developed, continuing with the tradition of the iconic characters being supporting casts almost to the better developed guest stars.

There is nothing special about the plot, but it is well crafted and does a great job of projecting the cold to the reader. The dungeon crawl late in the book was actually entertaining and had some surprises. For once Regdar and Lidda didn't run in like complete buffoons, Lidda actually did some scouting.

A bittersweet triumph, a return home and a nice night's reading is complete. This is the best iconic D&D book since Oath of Nerull, also featuring Hennet.

I disagree with NY.......2003-12-16

How when you have only ever read one of the D&D series dare to comment on how it should be written. This book is one of the best of the series and many agree. The writing is excellent and I cannot wait for many more from this author.

This is just bad...........2003-10-30

The story is bad enough (predictable, boring, and lacking in all creativity), but a novel that's supposedly true to the game mechanics should not have as many errors (not to mention typos and grammatical errors) as this one does. Magic missiles do not affect inanimate objects, nor do they make booming noises and cause avalanches. I can see the poor DM now arguing with a would-be tyro over this....
As for the story, why are the soon-to-be-facing-a-dragon heroes so worried about a few gnolls? Either they should be much more scared of the dragon (of course, with characters this wooden and writing this bad, it's hard to tell), or the gnolls should present no challenge whatsoever.

I wouldn't recommend this book to anyone--it was the first, and last, of the D&D novels I'll purchase.

A return of continuity and character from Lain.......2003-07-09

More mindless mind-candy D&D fluff from T.H. Lain. This one was quite good - and that has nothing to do with my bias towards bare-chested sorceror hunks with tattooes of dragons covering visible inches of their wonderful bronzed flesh... er. What was I saying?

The plot on this one continues the Regdar and Lidda thread from earlier books, which was a nice touch (they reference to how they met, and Jozan, for example, and more importantly, Regdar is on a bit of a death-wish ever since Naull disappeared). Ditto for Hennet, who is stinging somewhat over the parting of ways with Ember from a previous title. It's nice to see the plot unfolding over many titles, though there are some discrepancies, as noted by one other reviewer: (a) Hennet never uses Invisibility, which would have come in handy a few times, and (b) where's the wand he won in the competition? Y'know, the one that reflects magic back? Even mentioning that it had been used up would have been nice. Further, he seemed very chaotic and unfocused in his magic use and his mental processes - he really just leaps in and then tries to figure things out when it's too late.

When a deep cold seems to be spreading all across the land, can Lidda, Regdar, Hennet and an arctic druidess save the world? Of course. Duh. But as always, the fun is in the journey... And although there are some tedious battle scenes, the non-iconic druidess character, Sonja, is quite interesting as an "arctic druid."

'Nathan

At last the return of Hennet.......2003-05-27

I was happy to see Hennet return to the series, I like having a few brash characters around to givethe others a ard time. Regdar is still troubled over the loss of Naull and Lidda is... well Lidda, gotta love her. The new character in this one is Sonja a druid who feels much more like a druid than Vadania did in Treachery's Wake.

I liked that this story does not flash back and forth between heroes and villains, it just sticks with the party and we make discoveries as they do. In this way you are actually surprised once in a while about what is causing the ice plague and why.

I did have one gripe that keeps this one from getting 5 stars and that is while Sonja uses a nice variety of different druid spells to get throught the novel Hennet seems to only know magic missile and web. I understand that sorceres know fewer spells than wizards and priests but come on. For example when the characters encounter a dragon he fires a magic missile at it. Magic missile on a dragon, is that wise? He did acquire an invisibility spell in Oath of Nerull but hasn't found a need for it in this one. But as I said Sonja does use a lot of interesting magic.

There are some very interesting cold terrain monsters to be encountered in plague of ice which I liked and also two encounters with orcs and gnolls which I found tiresome. Don't get me wrong Lain has really gotten orcs and gnolls down I just wanted something new this late in the series.

I was liking the dialouge quite a bit, there are a couple of memorable lines especially from Sonja. And of course Lidda kept things lively.

Average customer rating:
The Ice Dragon (Sagard the Barbarian Gamebook, No 1)
Gary Gygax , and Flint Dille
Manufacturer: Pocket Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: 0671554875

Average customer rating:

UPDATE: The Dragon's Tail.

The truth about this book...

Waggin' the Dragon

From the dustjacket

The Dragon's Tail: Rediscovering the Tenth Planet : How Long Until the New Ice Age
Anthony Austin , and Brian Crowley
Manufacturer: Illuminet Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | New Age | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 1881532224

Customer Reviews:

UPDATE: The Dragon's Tail........2006-06-13

Dear Friends:
The Dragon's Tail is out of print since the death of the publisher, Mr Ron Bonds.
The copyright has reverted to the
authors, Mr Anthony Austin and Mr Brian Crowley. Any new
printing of this title is illegal and may be the subject of
legal proceedings. However, the book was reissued by Black Rabbit Press as
'Draco: The Tenth Planet' in 2003 with some
necessary corrections including the insertion of several pages
missing in the original. The text has not been altered except
where essential, as for instance a few incorrect calculations.
The intended purchaser of this text is therefore advised to
search Amazon in the US or UK for 'Draco: the Tenth Planet'
where the book is readily available on demand. If not found then contact the publisher: Black Rabbit Press, 15 Homewood,
Findon, UK, BN14 0XA. This new version is printed by Lightning
Source in the UK and USA on demand on orders down to and including a single copy.

Regarding the predictions printed in 2000, these have not been
altered in any way. The original stated that a tenth planet
would be found at 92.7 AU average distance and astronomers
have indeed discovered a tenth planet at 97 AU (approx) along with a few others belonging to the so-called Kuiper Belt.
This represents more than a guess.

Regarding our 'agenda' for the 21st century, this has so far
proved correct in every respect; notably our insistence that
Africa would be depopulated which has been unfortunately proved
to be true. This has been caused by disease and warfare
combined with a reluctance on the part of the 'west' to do
anything except to permit a regular and increasing supply
of arms, carried by children as young as eight. Climate
change will do the rest, leaving an empty continent that
will only be repopulated come the new Ice Age.

In distinction to current fears of global warming, the authors
say that the world will suddenly be plunged into the deep
freeze starting in 2115, which may not seem to matter to
anyone alive today, but is nevertheless being planned for by
those whose descendants will expect to rule the world in the
22nd century. At that time, Africa will become a food basket
for the frozen north. Everything said is quite logical given
a scenario where an overdue ice age suddenly plunges humanity
into survival mode where 99% of the peak population of 8.3
billion people are wiped out.

Maybe you don't care. Fair enough. Go back to watching the
dumbed down TV and wait until the seas rise beyond your ken.
Never do anything until it is too late and then blame it all
on God.

Tony Austin

The truth about this book..........2002-01-12

Hi there. I'm the gypsy who wrote about 60% of 'The Dragon's Tail'. Brian Crowley, an orthodox Jew, wrote 5% and Mr Christopher Mundy, an American, wrote the rest. The two last named got scared and don't want to know. The publisher, Ron Bonds died of a mystery infection in April 2001. He left a widow, Nancy Bonds, who also wants to get rid of TdT in case anyone wants to buy IllumiNet off her. Don't expect rights to TDT because I own it outright. None of us ever got any royalties and nobody wants to reprint. In the last chapter we told you what would happen in America from 2001 onwards and it did. The first reviewer here hasn't even read the cover blurb because we said the last pass of the Dragon was in the 13th C.tonyaustin@bushinternet.com bye

Waggin' the Dragon.......2001-06-24

__________________

Where have we heard about an additional planet, unknown to astronomers? In Sitchin of course. What about planets on cometary orbits? Baillie, Clube/Napier, Velikovsky, and other scholars, as well as Sitchin. What about periodic and predictable celestial chaos? LaViolette, Sitchin, Baillie, Clube/Napier...

The author claims that a tenth planet whistles on past the other planets at 892 year intervals, meaning that the most recent pass was no longer ago than 1109 AD, and has happened at least twice since Julius Caesar was a boy. This book may be worth reading, but not at this price. Try the local library, and if not found, ask them to purchase it for the lending collection.

From the dustjacket.......2000-09-01

You are holding in your hands what may prove to be the definitive casebook of humanity, reaching back some 15,000 years into the past and now made accessible by the researches of a diverse pair of lay scholars. Evidence presented here from history, science and astronomy reveals that earth undergoes dramatic climatic changes at 892 year intervals, creating a universal disaster of doomsday proportions.

The massive wave of extinctions that occurred around 15,000 years ago in the animal kingdom, the sinking of Plato's Atlantis, the voyage of Noah's Ark, the plagues that beset Egypt at the time of the Exodus, and even the Little Ice Age of the 13th century, may all have a common cause - a rogue tenth planet (we call Draco) in our Solar System. This is the outermost planet of the Solar System, orbiting the Sun only once in 892 years.

Draco caused the destruction of the planet that once orbited between Mars and Jupiter, and it still cuts through the plane of the asteroids, creating more new comets and Earth-crossing asteroids every time it visits us. When it passes by, a great shower of dust cools our climate!

Draco will sweep by Earth again in the year 2115! The real countdown to doomsday can now begin!

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