I read this book
How many books does this series have?
I admit, I started to read these when I saw that HBO would have a new series  based on this series.  But, before I even watched the first episode, I read this book.  And what a ride it provides.  It surprised me that both villains and heroes are treated the same by the writer.  That is, both are used to keep the story moving, even if it means killing off characters that you would expect to be around for a while.  Everyone is at risk of being killed off.  It really grabs your attention and even if it reads like a bit of a thrilling soap opera at the beginning, the fantasy part does eventually come in.  Make sure you have a lot of time on your hands before you start because you won't be able to put it down. 