A Game of Thrones (George R. R. Martin)

Many of my friends are obsessed with this series, so I finally read the first book. It is certainly exciting, and the world Martin has built is dense and complex. In an imaginary medieval world, the king of the Seven Kingdoms has married a daughter of the rival house of the Lannisters, who plots for power, while in the far North, beyond the Wall, winter is coming with death and dark magic. At first I had trouble keeping all the people straight, but before long they were all distinct and interesting, each with his or her own strengths and weaknesses, purity and corruption, and a clear voice. I can't say I loved it, and I'm certainly not obsessed (I don't feel the need to read the next book right away); the focus is too much on the soap opera and the political intrigues for my taste. Still, I admire the skill that went into creating it.