Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

I got this book on Sept. 26th, 2006, in Dubuque, Iowa. George Martin was on a book signing for the release of this book, and due to this, the bookstore he was at was selling it early. Let's start this review off with the obvious. The Ice Dragon is not another book in A Song of Ice and Fire. It's set in a different world, with none of the same characters, and has none of the adult content that those books do. In fact, this book is exactly what Martin said it would be from when he announced that it was being published separately: a children's book. Also, Martin didn't take much time off ASOIAF at all to write this book - in fact, it's been published in an anthology work (Dragons of Light) in 1980. All that has been changed is an editing to remove some of the more graphic content, and illustrations have been done. Nonetheless, even though this is a children's book that most people who are used to Martin's work will read in about half an hour, the book is quite good. The story is touching, and is not afraid to hide kids from the realities of what can happen in life. There is symbolism a-plenty within this book, and a lot of different concepts to think about, especially for a young reader. Parents, if you are considering getting this book for your children, I'd just like to say this: make sure you read it with your child. They'll want you there to explain a lot of what happens in the book. Martin, as usual, doesn't pull any punches with the emotional impact of the character's fate, and while I appreciate him not trying to hide the world from kids, some of the concepts may be difficult for them to grasp or easily misinterpreted. Furthermore, the artwork within the book is stunning. Yvonne Gilbert really outdid herself with the drawings - either they serve as a perfect visual representation of the scene or they continue to reinforce the idea behind the scene. All in all, The Ice Dragon is an excellent book, and is one I will be keeping on my shelf for many years to come.