A Song of Ice and Fire is a series of fantasy novels by the American writer and screenwriter George R.R. Martin. Martin began writing this episode in 1991. Originally conceived as a trilogy, it has now grown to five published volumes, with two more in the draft. The author also wrote prequel stories and a series of stories, which are excerpts from the main novels of the series. One of these stories, "Dragon's Blood", was awarded the Hugo Prize. The first three novels in the series were awarded the Locus Prize for Best Fantasy Novel in 1997, 1999 and 2001, respectively.
As of April 2015, total sales of the books in the series worldwide exceeded 60 million copies, and they have been translated into 45 languages. The fourth and fifth volumes reached number one on The New York Times bestseller list.
"There is no error more absurd, and yet more rooted in the heart of man, than the belief that his sufferings will promote his spiritual safety." ― Charles Robert Maturin, Melmoth the Wanderer
"A Song of Ice and Fire" takes place in a fictional world reminiscent of Late Middle Ages Europe. In the world of Song, summer and winter last for years; the events of the books span several years, which are the end of a long ten-year summer, autumn and the beginning of a hard and indefinitely long winter.
A number of storylines are associated with the struggle for the Iron Throne - the throne of Westeros. After the death in the first book of King Robert Baratheon, a struggle for power between influential Houses and their vassals unfolds - first in the form of palace intrigues, then in the form of civil war. Some regions of the country are splitting off, proclaiming themselves independent states.
An important storyline, centered on the young bastard Jon Snow, is connected with events in the far north of Westeros, where a giant Wall protects the southern human kingdoms from the wild lands on the other side of the wall. Here, at the end of summer, the Others appear - ominous supernatural beings associated with cold and death.
Part of the story takes place outside of Westeros - on the eastern continent of Essos. Daenerys Targaryen, the last member of the Targaryen dynasty that once ruled Westeros, but was overthrown by Robert Baratheon, is trying to find allies for herself to reclaim the Iron Throne that belonged to her ancestors. Daenerys becomes the master of the last three remaining dragons in the world.
To date, five of the planned seven have been published.
Game of Thrones (1996)
Battle of the Kings (1998)
Storm of Swords (2000)
A Feast for Crows (2005)
Dance with Dragons (2011).
The Winds of Winter (tentative title) (2021)
A Dream of Spring (tentative title)
In addition, there is a sub-cycle of the Tale of Dunk and Egg (English Tales of Dunk and Egg, published by ACT, the book was published under the title "Knight of the Seven Kingdoms" and included all three published to date stories of this sub-cycle), which takes place in the same world, but 90 years before the events of the epic:
Boundary Knight (1998)
Faithful Sword (2003) (off.translation: Knight of the Sworn)
Mystery Knight (original The Mystery Knight) (March 2010)
The She-Wolves of Winterfell
The Village Hero
Chronicles of the world of SIF
In early 2013, Martin announced that he had written another prequel story, this time not related to Dunk and Egg and dating back to the Dragon Dance - the civil war in Westeros, which took place more than a century and a half before the events of the epic. The books and stories of the cycle are written on behalf of the maesters in the form of chronicles from ancient times to less distant history. All of them appeared in the process of working on the World of Ice and Fire guidebook. Thus, the novellas “The Robber Prince” and “The Princess and the Queen” were written personally by George Martin and published by him in collections; an abbreviated version in retelling is presented in the guide, and the most complete one is presented in the book "Fire and Blood". This backstory of the world of PLIO came out in 2018. In Russia, the book was published in two volumes: “Fire and Blood. Blood of Dragons "(November 20, 2018, simultaneously with the world premiere of the book) and" Fire and Blood. Dance of Death "(January 2019).
The Princess and the Queen December 3, 2013 - prequel.
Rogues / Rogue Prince, brother of the king; June 17, 2014 - prequel, part of the book "Fire and Blood".
The world of Ice and Fire October 28, 2014. - a guide.
Fire & Blood / Flame and blood; 11/20/2018 - prequel
History of the world
The history of the described world is traced through long additions following each of the five volumes, through additional information extracted from the stories and interviews with the author.
Since the saga is mainly set in the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros, the most detailed historical events in this part of the world are described. Westeros is a large (similar in size to South America) continent with an ancient history stretching back 12 thousand years, where the seasons last for years. Its first and original inhabitants were the Children of the Forest (whose old gods are still worshiped in the North) - a small race that lives in harmony with nature and uses powerful magic.
The first people
The first humans - a civilization of primitive warriors using bronze weapons and riding horses - came from across the sea, from the eastern continent of Essos, across the so-called natural bridge (later destroyed) and fought several wars against the Children of the Forest, which ended with the Island of Faces Pact. The pact stated that the First Men gain control over the lands, and the Children of the Forest remain in the forests.
Its conditions were relaxed after 4 thousand years, after the appearance of the Others, creatures created by the children of the forest, as a weapon against the first people. Others moved south of Westeros, causing death and destruction, bringing a generation-long night and decades of winter. In the War of Sunset, the Others were driven back to the North by the First Men and Children of the Forest; to prevent their return, a long and high Ice Wall was built. Over the centuries that followed, the Children of the Forest gradually disappeared (some of them began to live in caves behind the wall).
Andals and Roinars
The Andals from the eastern continent crossed the Narrow Sea four thousand years ago or two thousand years ago, from the time of the events described in the books. The Andals used iron weapons, tamed horses for use in battle, and brought the Faith of the Seven with them. They landed in the Arryn Valley and, centuries later, subdued the southern kingdoms. However, they could not capture the North due to natural barriers.
After some time, 6 powerful kingdoms were formed in Westeros: the Northern Kingdom, the Kingdom of the Iron Islands, the Kingdom of the Valley, the Kingdom of the Rocks, the Kingdom of the Stormlands and the Kingdom of the Reach. The Seventh Kingdom of the Riverlands was conquered by its neighbors several times and was once destroyed. The small desert kingdoms of the far south of Westeros were shattered and weakened by constant strife.
A thousand years before the events of the novel, many refugees arrived from the region of the Royne River, from the eastern continent; The refugees were driven from their lands by the onslaught of the distant empire of Valyria, crossed the Narrow Sea under the leadership of the warrior queen Nymeria and landed in the very south of Westeros. The Roynar allied with the local Lord Morse Martell and took over the Dorn Peninsula, creating another powerful kingdom.
Aegon the Conqueror
Five centuries later, the growing Valyria reached the shores of the Narrow Sea and established trade links with Westeros, using Dragonstone Island as a base. Almost a century later, Valyria was destroyed by a terrible disaster known as the Rock of Valyria. The Valyrian family that controlled Dragonstone - the Targaryens - spent the next century amassing their strength and then launched a swift invasion of Westeros under the leadership of Aegon the Conqueror. Although their forces were small, the last three dragons of the western world were with them, and they used them to take over the continent. Six of the seven kingdoms were captured, but Dorn fought back so fiercely that Aegon agreed to grant him independence. The Targaryens adopted the original Faith of the Seven, but still entered into incestuous marriages in the Valyrian tradition, contrary to creed and Westeros tradition.
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