This first installment unseated me, man. What a fool I was, diving into Game of Thrones without a safety harness. The plot is complex and deftly woven. With such adroit characterization and development, there was no point of view that did not interest me. I even found the side characters of intrigue. This is not a light read in a spectrum of ways. Do not expect to feel your spirits lifted by the end. It has only begun. Know that when you commit yourself to this tale, you are in for the ride of your life. This is a tapestry of intrigue and adventure. Darkness and danger. Magic and honor. Family and resilience. Brotherhood and choice. Identity and grief. Discovery and vengeance. Betrayal and partings. Courage and calculation. Dragons and direwolves. No triumph comes easy in this tale. Yet you are promised a rich and soul-stirring story, teeming with unforgettable players and jarring revelations. 
 Thank you, George R.R. Martin, for sharing with us one of the most poignant fantasies of generations.