(1996)
(1999)
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This is the first of a planned series of exclusive, limited edition prints by Mike Miller based on
A Song of Ice and Fire. Information regarding concerning purchasing one can be found
here.
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(2000)
(2005)
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The Oath of the Brothers of the Night's Watch
Night gathers and now my watch begins,
I shall take no wife, hold no lands, father no children.
I shall wear no crowns and win no glory.
I shall live and die at my post.
I am the sword in the darkness.
I am the watcher on the walls.
I am the fire that burns against the cold,
the light that brings the dawn,
the horn that wakes the sleepers,
the shield that guards the realms of men.
I pledge my life and honor to the Night's Watch,
for this night and all the nights to come.
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Synopsis of the "Song of Ice and Fire" series
A Song of Ice and Fire is a series in the "World Building" genre, in which the governance of "Westeros" is fractured. The struggle for power, under banners both noble and foul, sets the stage for the epic fantasy adventure. The most interesting quality of George R.R. Martin's creation is that the lines between good and evil are not always clear. The books have a similar thread to an American movie of 2005, "Crash", in that, under some circumstances, the "heroes" and "villains" both rise to the higher ideals of integrity and honor, while at other times, they yield to the basest instincts of revenge, blood thirst and back-stabbing.
As the stories unfold, we meet unique and complex characters, whose external struggles with families and factions, friends and foes, are matched only by their internal struggles with values, honor, human frailty, and basic animal instinct.
The settings, described in lavish but appropriate detail, are creative and original, and the use of "magical" powers is applied sparingly. In this class of books, I look for a balance between vague allusion to the details of the surroundings, imagery, dress and daily life of the charaters, and an overly oppressive attention to the description of every thread, morsel of food, banner and hauberk. George R.R. Martin gives us just the right detail, and permits our own imaginiations to fill in the rest. I believe thet The Lord of the Rings truly masters this balance, while series like "The Saga of Recluce" and "The Wheel of Time" go to far in the extremes of detailed descriptions.
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The "Song of Ice and Fire" setting is Copyright 1996-2006 by George R.R. Martin.
Mr. Martin's Official Site is;
http://www.georgerrmartin.com/
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