Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

There's no need to rehash the plot of GRR Martin's fabulous "A Song of Ice and Fire" series; everyone remotely interested in this extraordinary piece of fantasy/adventure is familiar with its medieval story-line. Things I liked in this HBO series... 1.) it's not often a movie-series turns out to be the perfect visual compliment to what many consider to be the gold standard for epic fantasy writing...but this does. It captures the atmosphere, the subtle edginess, those brutal, unexpected moments; it really does grasp the mood and essence of the book. 2.) in addition to presenting a riveting tale, the production gives us acting that brings the books' characters to life in realistic settings. 3.) a computer enhanced animated map is shown as a short cut scene at the start of each episode. Giving those of us familiar with the books a brief refresher and those new to the series a sense of the geography, direction and distances. 4.) a pulsating, musical score to start each episode that perfectly fits the heraldic spirit of this story. Conclusion: HBO has done a wonderful job making this first book (Game of Thrones), into a first rate TV series. 5 Stars. Ray Nicholson