Kindle Price: $10.49

Save $3.50 (25%)

Promotions apply when you purchase

These promotions will be applied to this item:

Some promotions may be combined; others are not eligible to be combined with other offers. For details, please see the Terms & Conditions associated with these promotions.

Read with our free app
You've subscribed to ! We will preorder your items within 24 hours of when they become available. When new books are released, we'll charge your default payment method for the lowest price available during the pre-order period.
Update your device or payment method, cancel individual pre-orders or your subscription at
Your Memberships & Subscriptions

Buy for others

Give as a gift or purchase for a team or group.
Learn more

Buying and sending eBooks to others

  1. Select quantity
  2. Buy and send eBooks
  3. Recipients can read on any device

These ebooks can only be redeemed by recipients in the US. Redemption links and eBooks cannot be resold.
Kindle app logo image

Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.

Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.

Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.

QR code to download the Kindle App

Amazon book clubs early access
Loading your book clubs
There was a problem loading your book clubs. Please try again.
Not in a club? Learn more
Amazon book clubs early access

Join or create book clubs

Choose books together

Track your books
Bring your club to Amazon Book Clubs, start a new book club and invite your friends to join, or find a club that’s right for you for free.
Explore Amazon Book Clubs

Follow the author

Jes Battis
Follow
Something went wrong. Please try your request again later.

Mastering the Game of Thrones: Essays on George R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire Kindle Edition

by Jes Battis (Editor), Susan Johnston (Editor) Format: Kindle Edition
4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 16 ratings
See all formats and editions

George R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire series is a worldwide phenomenon, and the world of Westeros has seen multiple adaptations, from HBO's acclaimed television series to graphic novels, console games and orchestral soundtracks. This collection of new essays investigates what makes this world so popular, and why the novels and television series are being taught in university classrooms as genre-defining works within the American fantasy tradition. This volume represents the first sustained scholarly treatment of George R.R. Martin's groundbreaking work, and includes writing by experts involved in the production of the HBO show. The contributors investigate a number of compelling areas, including the mystery of the shape-shifting wargs, the conflict between religions, the origins of the Dothraki language and the sex lives of knights. The significance of fan cultures and their adaptations is also discussed.

Previous page
  1. Print length
    308 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  4. Publisher
    McFarland
  5. Publication date
    January 24, 2015
  6. Reading age
    18 years and up
  7. File size
    1476 KB
  8. Page Flip
    Enabled
  9. Word Wise
    Enabled
  10. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
  11. See all details
Next page

Editorial Reviews

Review

“Battis and Johnston have assembled a volume that stands on its own both as rigorous criticism and as an accessible way for rabid fans to lose themselves in Westeros all over again...recommended”―Library Journal.

About the Author

Susan Johnston is an associate professor of English at the University of Regina in Saskatchewan, Canada, where her courses include George R.R. Martin, J.K. Rowling, and literary historiography and theory.

Jes Battis is an associate professor of English at the University of Regina. His teaching and research focus on intersections between fantasy and sexuality as they occur across a number of historical periods, including the middle ages and the eighteenth century. He is also the author of the Occult Special Investigator series, with Ace Books.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B00SZAM9C4
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ McFarland (January 24, 2015)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ January 24, 2015
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 1476 KB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 308 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 16 ratings

About the author

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.
Jes Battis

Jes Battis

Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.
Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

Jes Battis teaches literature and creative writing in the prairies. They're the author of the Occult Special Investigator series and Parallel Parks series (Ace/Penguin), as well as The Winter Knight (ECW).

Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
4.5 out of 5
16 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Robert Shaver
5.0 out of 5 stars Prompt delivery. Exactly as described. Thank you.
Reviewed in the United States on February 16, 2024
Verified Purchase
Prompt delivery. Exactly as described. Thank you.
Helpful
 Report
Valerie Estelle Frankel, author
5.0 out of 5 stars A Great Game of Thrones Read
Reviewed in the United States on June 1, 2015
Verified Purchase
The collection of essays analyzing our favorite series is a great example of how deep you can go exploring your top shows...and the credits, fan art, language, screen angles, texts, and much much more.

The essays are creative and marvelous. David J. Peterson, creator of Dothraki, explains Martin’s vision of High Valyrian, like Latin, feeding the languages that followed it. While examining the problems with many fantasy languages, he tells the story of his creating Dothraki through the extensive, step-by-step process. This is a must for other creators of fictional languages and worlds.

Brian Cowlishaw’s “What Maesters Knew: Narrating Knowing” looks at the subtle controllers of Westeros and their careful plan to stamp out magic. Power/knowledge as a force can be wielded with great force to change the foundations of society when applied properly. Meanwhile, Marc Napolitano analyzes Martin’s book series from a structuralist and post-structuralist perspective, exploring the tension between narrative and discourse in the complex point of view – often the characters with the agency of narration are still the most helpless or unaware of others’ plans for them. Meanwhile, foreshadowing is cleverly dropped for the reader, but rarely in a way to aid any of the characters.

While many topics like chivalry have already been explored in other collections, Michail Zontos takes a unique angle and compares Game of Thrones to a Western with the savages deep in the wilderness and the lords of civilization venturing out, weapons blazing. In almost as large a leap, Jessica Walker compares Martin to Shakespeare – particularly the Henry and Richard plays – not only as retellings of Martin’s inspiration, the War of the Roses, but also as fictional interpretations of the actual events. ""All men must serve": Religion and Free Will from the Seven to the Faceless Men" by Ryan Mitchell Wittingslow compares many belief systems but above all the issue of human choice – which religions truly free their people and which enslave them?

As Karin Gresham says it herself in “Cursed Womb, Bulging Thighs and Bald Scalp: George R.R. Martin’s Grotesque Queen”: “Bakhtin’s theory of grotesque realism provides an effective lens through which to consider how the depiction of Dany redefines the heroic, transforming her into a character who integrates and expands gender, culture, sexuality, and even humanity, who accepts and absorbs all sources of strength and power, so that she emerges as a likely candidate for the throne of Westeros.” Many fans have observed horrific descriptions of several female bodies, from the queen in the historic Dance of the Dragons to Circe. Here, however, Gresham highlights Daenerys as a figure of strength nonetheless.
Sex and the Citadel: Adapting Same Sex Desire from Martin’s Westeros to HBO’s Bedrooms by David C. Nel explores the differences of sexual depiction in books and show, while Andrew Howe’s “The Hand of the Artist” celebrates fan art in the world of online fandom. Including the contrasts between Dany art and Jon art. This serves to immortalize a perfect moment of fandom. Zoe Shacklock also tackles adaptation, in this case, the transmedia nature with online trailers and games as well as the famed credits.

This book has spoilers for everything…but the show’s just about caught up now, and those who want to read deep analysis have probably opened the books anyway. This collection had lots of insight, densely packed, with plenty of deep thought for the readers. To go deeper, or explore currents you’ve been missing, these essays are a huge help.
3 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
book beach bunny
4.0 out of 5 stars Better than the Others
Reviewed in the United States on August 7, 2015
Verified Purchase
I can't help it. I love to buy these books especially for Game of Thrones which so let me down this season.

There's never much to say but I will say that of all the thrones essays that I've read book, show, comparing them both this book was definitely the best of them.

I did have some issues with some of the essays like "Sex and the Citadel," which talked about the portrayal of Loras and Renly. I'm not a fan of how Loras is portrayed in the show especially compared to the book.

Also there's a couple of things about the "Grotesque Queen," that bothered me. The author seems to be comparing Dany and Sansa, unfavorably for poor Sansa. She talked about the mention of their first blood and how their lineage is treated and Dany's being more special than Sansa's but I thought that was questionable considering the mention's of Dany's first blood being a good thing are coming from Ilyrio who is about to sell her off while we see the same from Sansa's point of view knowing that know she's going to be forced into marriage. Anyway maybe I'm just too much of a Sansa apologist but I would think if nothing else for their blood and lineage their both treated pretty much the same.

Still this really is the first book of Thrones essays that I thought even bothered to go deeper. I appreciated it for that alone.
2 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report

Top reviews from other countries

Selene
5.0 out of 5 stars was a very useful resource as not many of this type exist on ...
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 23, 2018
Verified Purchase
Used this is in one of my uni essays, was a very useful resource as not many of this type exist on contemporary fantasy. Very well researched and backed up essays that provide great insight into the books. Useful for students and fans alike
Report
Judy Johnston
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
Reviewed in Canada on June 7, 2016
Verified Purchase
Excellnt!
Report
CharlLowe
5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 7, 2017
Verified Purchase
For any academic writing on A Song of Ice and Fire this book is essential. Covers a variety of features, themes and concepts. A must.
Report
Report an issue

Does this item contain inappropriate content?
Report
Do you believe that this item violates a copyright?
Report
Does this item contain quality or formatting issues?
Report