#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • THE BOOK BEHIND THE FIFTH SEASON OF THE ACCLAIMED HBO SERIES
GAME OF THRONES NAMED ONE OF PASTE'S BEST FANTASY BOOKS OF THE DECADE Dubbed "the American
Tolkien" by Time magazine George R. R. Martin has earned international acclaim for his
monumental cycle of epic fantasy. Now the #1 New York Times bestselling author delivers the
fifth book in his landmark series-as both familiar faces and surprising new forces vie for a
foothold in a fragmented empire. A DANCE WITH DRAGONS A SONG OF ICE AND FIRE: BOOK FIVE In
the aftermath of a colossal battle the future of the Seven Kingdoms hangs in the balance-beset
by newly emerging threats from every direction. In the east Daenerys Targaryen the last scion
of House Targaryen rules with her three dragons as queen of a city built on dust and death.
But Daenerys has thousands of enemies and many have set out to find her. As they gather one
young man embarks upon his own quest for the queen with an entirely different goal in mind.
Fleeing from Westeros with a price on his head Tyrion Lannister too is making his way to
Daenerys. But his newest allies in this quest are not the rag-tag band they seem and at their
heart lies one who could undo Daenerys's claim to Westeros forever. Meanwhile to the north
lies the mammoth Wall of ice and stone-a structure only as strong as those guarding it. There
Jon Snow 998th Lord Commander of the Night's Watch will face his greatest challenge. For he
has powerful foes not only within the Watch but also beyond in the land of the creatures of
ice. From all corners bitter conflicts reignite intimate betrayals are perpetrated and a
grand cast of outlaws and priests soldiers and skinchangers nobles and slaves will face
seemingly insurmountable obstacles. Some will fail others will grow in the strength of
darkness. But in a time of rising restlessness the tides of destiny and politics will lead
inevitably to the greatest dance of all. Praise for A Dance with Dragons "Filled with
vividly rendered set pieces unexpected turnings assorted cliffhangers and moments of
appalling cruelty A Dance with Dragons is epic fantasy as it should be written: passionate
compelling convincingly detailed and thoroughly imagined."-The Washington Post "Long live
George Martin . . . a literary dervish enthralled by complicated characters and vivid language
and bursting with the wild vision of the very best tale tellers."-The New York Times "One of
the best series in the history of fantasy."-Los Angeles Times
