PositiveBooklistThe story continues at a fast pace ... The sexuality of the main characters is rather subdued and allows the reader to simply enjoy the person-to-person interactions that often occur between those who are newly married. Fans of space opera, female protagonists, and independent thinkers will enjoy this piece of science fiction, which can be read independently from the first book in the series[.]
George R.R. Martin
RaveBooklistThis is a masterpiece of world-building, with much attention given to intricate details about the colors of the dragons, the clothing people wore on certain memorable occasions, and how the battles they fought played out. The tangled web of intrigues is laid out clearly, noting how each succeeding generation navigated the turbulent political landscape. While not structured like a conventional novel, the book tells a coherent story, and it does not require that the reader have a familiarity with previous books in the Song of Fire and Ice series ... anyone with a taste for richly, even obsessively detailed historical fiction or fantasy about royalty will enjoy this extraordinary work ... a richer, deeper exploration of the world of Westeros—and this is just volume one.
