Finally I finished my quest – to get through 801 pages of G.R.R.Martin 😛 Including the last few pages in the back, concerning the names etc; of all the different characters.

I don’t think there is a need for me to praise the first book in the “Game Of Thrones” saga. I’ve been a die hard fan since the early months of this year and ever since I stumbled into season 5, I’ve binged on GOT big time until this years season finally graced us with its presence. Since we now have to wait until next year, before the best tv show ever gets back I decided to get hold of the books ❤ ❤ All I will say is that Season 1 of Game Of Thrones is very accurate and stays very true to the book. Here are my favourite quotes:

1. Fear filled his gut like a meal he could not digest-page.7
2. A ruler who hides behind paid executioners son forgets what death is-page. 14
3. The faint smell of corruption clung to it like a woman’s perfume – page.15
4. Something had put a fear in him so deep that my words could not reach him-page.21
5. Some old wounds never truly heal, and bleed again at the slightest word-page.42
6. Never forget what your are, for surely the world will not. Make it your strength. Then it can never be your weakness. Armour yourself in it, and it will never be used to hurt you-page.54
7. Give me honourable enemies rather than ambitious ones, and I’ll sleep more easily by night- page.78
8. Different roads sometimes lead to the same castle-page.93
9. Ned followed him warily, wondering if this day would ever end. He had no taste for these intrigues, but he was beginning to realize that they were meat and mead to a man like Littlefinger-page.190
10. I must play out this fools masquerade as if nothing is amiss-page.196
11. Know the men who follow you and let them know you. Don’t ask your men to die for a stranger-page.211
12. Catelyn’s only strength was one elderly knight, armoured in loyalty-page.278
13. Singers loved nothing half so well as the sound of their own voices-page.280
14. I was never so alive as when I was winning this throne, or so dead as now that I’ve won it-page.299
15. You know what stops me? The thought of Joffrey on the throne, with Cersei standing behind him whispering in his ear. My son. How could I have made a son like that, Ned?-page.300
16. I am a vile little man, I confess it. My crime and sins are beyond counting, my Lords and Ladies. I have lain with whores, not once but hundreds of times. I have wished my own Lord father dead,and my sister, our gracious Queen,as well. I have not always treated my servants with kindness. I have gambled. I have cheated, I blush to admit.I have said many cruel and malicious things about the noble Lords and Ladies of the court-that drew outright laughter-Silence! What do you imagine that you’re doing dwarf? – Why? Confessing my crimes my Lady-page.406
17. Shattered legs may heal in time but some betrayals fester and poison the soul- page.464
18. The things we love destroy us every time,lad.Remember that-page.542
19. He made plans to keep himself sane, built castles of hope in the dark-page.606
20. All men must swallow the sour with the sweet. Big lords and eunuchs alike– Page.609
21. You are an honest and honourable man, Lord Eddard. Ofttimes, I forget that. I have met so few of them in my life-he glanced around the cell-when I see what honesty and honor have won you, I understand why-Page.611
22. Stannis may win the throne, but only your rotting head will remain to cheer unless you guard that tongue of yours-page.612
23. If I did, my word would be as hollow as an empty suit of armor. My life is not so precious to me as that-page.613
24. The High Septon  once told me that as we sin, so do we suffer. If that’s true, Lord Eddard, tell me….why is it always the innocent who suffer most, when you high lords play your game of thrones?-page.613
25. For love is the bane of honor, the death of duty-page.638
26. Some truths did not bear saying, and some lies were necessary-page.620
27. What is honour compared to a woman’s love? What is duty against the feel of a newborn son in your arms…or the memory of a brother’s smile?Wind and words. Wind and words. We are only human, and the Gods have fashioned us for love. That is our great glory, and our great tragedy-page.638
28. They came from a hundred quarrelsome kingdoms, and they knew times may change, but men do not-page.638
29. A craven can be as brave as any man, when there is nothing to fear. And we all do our duty, when there is no cost to it. How easy it seems then, to walk the path of honour. Yet soon or late in every man’s life comes a day when it is not easy, a day when he must choose-page.639
30. Dothraki hooves had torn the earth and trampled the rye and lentils into the ground, while arakhs and arrows had sown a terrible new crop and watered it with blood-page.641
31. Take a lesson Bran. The man who trusts in spells is duelling with a glass sword. As the children did-page.712
32. When the sun rises in the west and sets in the east-she said sadly-when the seas go dry and mountains blow in the wind like leaves. When my womb quickens again, and I bear a living child. Then you will retune, my sun-and-stars, and not before-page.736
33. Her flesh had grown as thin and ragged as Lannister hopes-page.746
34. The hard truths are the ones to hold tight-page.756
35. Honor set you on the kings road…and honor brought you back-page.756
36. She saw his true bride plain before her now: the sword he had laid on the table-page.771
37. Is it so far from madness to wisdom?-page.777
38. Only Death can pay for life-page.777
39. And for the first time in hundreds of years, the night came alive with the music of dragons-page.780
40. Unbowed,Unbent,Unbroken–House Martell-page.797

There was a cool section in the book describing how Lord Stark was missing Winterfell, but I cannot remember in which chapter this was, I’m suspecting it could have been in a Sansa  or Arya chapter actually, as I couldn’t find it when I skimmed through his chapters. Ned Stark’s dislike of “The Hands Tournament” and the culture difference between Winterfell and King’s Landing is one of the highlights. Equally amusing are Tyrion’s epic clans men, that he encounters and bring with him from his trip back from the Eyrie.