A GAME OF THRONES (George R. R. Martin) - August 31/11

I actually wasn't even sure I was going to finish this, given that I've never actually read such a long fantasy book before. (My original plan was to read up to 5% on the Kindle and decide from there, but Martin admittedly hooked me right from the start.) And although I certainly enjoyed the book, it's impossible to deny that it feels much, much longer than necessary. Martin overloads the narrative with characters, exposition, flashbacks, and subplots that are, at times, overwhelming. I read the whole book and I'm still not certain who some of these characters are. I really didn't need this much backstory and setup. Still, the book is often very exciting and I did find myself drawn to the exploits of many of the central characters - especially Eddard, Dany, and Drogo. Poor Eddard. Poor, poor Eddard. **1/2 out of ****