How does one even review a book like this?!

To start off I should be fair and say I have seen every episode of the show. This book would have been slow going if I didn't already know who all of the characters were to start. If you haven't watched the show, you should come to this book with a big imagination for faces and a pen to write down all their names.

Martin does a phenomenal job of building an entire world -- and not just a dystopian "it's a hundred years in the future so everything is the same but the government is more noticeably bad" kind of world building -- he literally creates thousands of years of history, multiple religions, various creeds and accents, and does it all while still creating an array of characters that seem like flesh and blood. This book is long but doesn't waste time on flowery prose; there's a lot to say and Martin does a great job of keeping you engaged even while flinging you all across the world to get every part of the story.

Can't wait to read the next one.