BOOK REVIEW

Fire And Blood

By George R.R. Martin

Fire And Blood tells the epic tale of how the Targaryen kings united Westeros under the Iron Throne. The history is a departure in style from the Game Of Thrones books, as the tale is narrated by Citadel cleric Archmaester Gyldayn, aided by other officially sanctified sources and, the earthy and sardonic verdict of the court fool. But the step back in time to the founding of the Targaryen dynasty is more than just an interesting diversion from the more recent events in George RR Martin's Westeros, it's a terrific expansion of the fantasy world. It's not without its faults, mainly the uneven treatment of some aspects of the story but, overall, it's an enthralling read. From the moment Aegon the Conqueror leaves the Targaryen island of Dragonstone (with said dragons), advising the warring rulers of the kingdom to bend the knee or die, the body count starts to pile up. The bloodthirsty account of his reign and those that follow is a heady mix of violence, death and intrigue with lust and incest thrown in. Among the litany of death, there's no shortage of births either, and it soon becomes hard to keep track of exactly who is who. Most fans will love this fantastically detailed history of who killed, or sired who in the 300 years before the current GoT story. Martin is as concerned about his obsessive fans about the delayed, looming finale in the main series and admits he's under pressure to create something special. But if Fire and Blood is anything to go by, the final verse of A Song Of Ice And Fire will be worth waiting for.

8/10

Review by Derek Watson)

published in hardback by Harper Voyager, priced £25 (ebook £11.99). Available now