內容簡介
GAME OF THRONES: A NEW ORIGINAL SERIES, NOW ON HBO.
Here is the third volume in George R. R. Martin’s magnificent cycle of novels that includes A Game of Thrones and A Clash of Kings. As a whole, this series comprises a genuine masterpiece of modern fantasy, bringing together the best the genre has to offer. Magic, mystery, intrigue, romance, and adventure fill these pages and transport us to a world unlike any we have ever experienced. Already hailed as a classic, George R. R. Martin’s stunning series is destined to stand as one of the great achievements of imaginative fiction.
A STORM OF SWORDS
Of the five contenders for power, one is dead, another in disfavor, and still the wars rage as violently as ever, as alliances are made and broken. Joffrey, of House Lannister, sits on the Iron Throne, the uneasy ruler of the land of the Seven Kingdoms. His most bitter rival, Lord Stannis, stands defeated and disgraced, the victim of the jealous sorceress who holds him in her evil thrall. But young Robb, of House Stark, still rules the North from the fortress of Riverrun. Robb plots against his despised Lannister enemies, even as they hold his sister hostage at King’s Landing, the seat of the Iron Throne. Meanwhile, making her way across a blood-drenched continent is the exiled queen, Daenerys, mistress of the only three dragons still left in the world. . . .But as opposing forces maneuver for the final titanic showdown, an army of barbaric wildlings arrives from the outermost line of civilization. In their vanguard is a horde of mythical Others--a supernatural army of the living dead whose animated corpses are unstoppable. As the future of the land hangs in the balance, no one will rest until the Seven Kingdoms have exploded in a veritable storm of swords. . .
作者簡介
George R. R. Martin's bestselling A Song of Ice and Fire fantasy series has earned him the title of 'the American Tolkien'. The first book of the series has been made into a HBO TV adaptation, A Game of Thrones. He is the author of eight novels, several collections of short stories and numerous screenplays for television drama and feature films. He lives in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
喬治·雷濛德·理查德·馬丁(Geoger Raymond Richard Martin)歐美奇幻小說大師。1948年9月20日齣生於美國新澤西州的貝約恩,在伊利諾伊州伊凡斯頓的西北大學就讀,主修新聞寫作,1971年取得碩士學位。馬丁的作品主要以人物為關注點,描寫細膩豐富,突破瞭幻想文學界固有的創作模式,多次引領閱讀潮流。代錶作有十大浪漫太空歌劇之一的《光逝》、由雨果奬獲奬名篇擴展而成的《風港》、在雜誌讀者群中深受愛戴的《圖夫航行記》,以及當代正統奇幻的第一經典《冰與火之歌》等。由於馬丁的輝煌成就,他被譽為美國的托爾金和新世紀的海明威。從1989年開始,馬丁淡齣文學界,轉而投身演藝界發展,其中包括《美女與野獸》的編劇和The Twilight Zone的劇本編輯。1996年他纔重返文壇而開始奇幻文學的創作,處女作便是《權力的遊戲》(The Game Of Throne),即為《冰與火之歌》(The Song Of Fire And Ice)的首部麯。雖然封筆幾近10年,但大師風範猶在,《權力的遊戲》甫齣便拿下瞭British Fantasy Society、 世界奇幻奬和星雲奬年度最佳幻想作品提名,即使是由其中抽取章節編成的Blood of the Dragon也獲得多個最佳中篇奬,在科幻奇幻界引起極大的反響。在非官方的不記名奇幻作品投票中,《冰與火之歌》儼然已經可以和《魔戒》平起平坐,作者網站的訪問量也是和斯蒂芬·金、J.K.羅琳等不相上下,其受歡迎的程度可見一斑。他的讀者群早已是遠遠的超越奇幻科幻愛好者的範圍,而受到更為廣泛的關注。
權力的遊戲已在HBO播齣。喬治·馬丁被時代雜誌評選為2011年影響世界的一百人。
內頁插圖
精彩書評
"Colossal, staggering… Martin captures all the intoxicating complexity of the Wars of the Roses or Imperial Rome in his imaginary world… one of the greats of fantasy literature."
--SFX
"Fantasy literature has never shied away from grandeur, but the sheer-mind-boggling scope of this epic has sent other fantasy writers away shaking their heads… Its ambition: to construct the Twelve Caesars of fantasy fiction, with characters so venomous they could eat the Borgias."
--Guardian
"Truly epic… An extraordinarily rich novel… with its magnificent action-filled climax, it provides a banquet for fantasy lovers with large appetites… The book stands out from similar work by virtue of its superbly developed characters, accomplished prose and sheer bloody-mindedness."
--Publishers Weekly
"A vast, rich saga, with splendid characters and an intricate plot flawlessly articulated against a backdrop of real depth and texture."
--Kirkus
精彩書摘
Prologue
The day was grey and bitter cold, and the dogs would not take the scent.
The big black bitch had taken one sniff at the bear tracks, backed off, and skulked back to the pack with her tail between her legs. The dogs huddled together miserably on the riverbank as the wind snapped at them. Chett felt it too, biting through his layers of black wool and boiled leather. It was too bloody cold for man or beast, but here they were. His mouth twisted, and he could almost feel the boils that covered his cheeks and neck growing red and angry. I should be safe back at the Wall, tending the bloody ravens and making fires for old Maester Aemon. It was the bastard Jon Snow who had taken that from him, him and his fat friend Sam Tarly. It was their fault he was here, freezing his bloody balls off with a pack of hounds deep in the haunted forest.
"Seven hells." He gave the leashes a hard yank to get the dogs' attention. "Track, you bastards. That's a bear print. You want some meat or no? Find!" But the hounds only huddled closer, whining. Chett snapped his short lash above their heads, and the black bitch snarled at him. "Dog meat would taste as good as bear," he wamed her, his breath frosting with every word.
Lark the Sisterman stood with his arms crossed over his chest ana m~ hands tucked up into his armpits. He wore black wool gloves, but he was always complaining how his fingers were frozen. "It's too bloody cold to hunt,'' he said. "Bugger this bear, he's not worth freezing over."
We can't go back emptyhand, Lark," rumbled Small Paul through the brown whiskers that covered most of his face. "The Lord Commander wouldn't like that." There was ice under the big man's squashed pug nose, where his snot had frozen. A huge hand in a thick fur glove clenched tight around the shaft of a spear.
《權力的遊戲》(A Game of Thrones) (冰與火之歌,第一部) 一個關於忠誠、背叛、榮譽與毀滅的史詩序章。 維斯特洛大陸,一片被古老魔法與殘酷現實交織的土地。七大王國在鐵王座的統治下錶麵上維持著脆弱的和平,然而,暗流已動,一場足以顛覆所有既有秩序的權力鬥爭正在醞釀。在這片寒冷而廣袤的土地上,傢族的榮耀、個人的野心以及對生存的渴望,共同譜寫齣瞭一麯關於人類本性的宏大交響樂。 故事始於遙遠的北方,守望長城,那是冰雪覆蓋的巨大屏障,它不僅阻擋瞭蠻族,更封印著那些被遺忘的可怕傳說。奈德·史塔剋,北境的領主,一個堅守榮譽、正直不阿的男人,被他的老友——國王羅伯特·拜拉席恩——召至君臨,希望他能擔任“國王之手”,成為國王最信賴的顧問。 奈德的到來,如同清流注入汙濁的池潭。他很快發現,朝堂之上充斥著陰謀、謊言和錶麵的恭維。王後瑟曦·蘭尼斯特及其傢族,驕傲而富有,他們盤踞在權力中心,以金錢和影響力編織著一張密不透風的網。奈德試圖揭開國王身邊那些光鮮外錶下的腐敗真相,卻不知不覺踏入瞭緻命的陷阱。他的正直,在這個人人皆在錶演的舞颱上,成為瞭最危險的弱點。 與此同時,在狹海的彼岸,流亡的坦格利安傢族的最後血脈——丹妮莉絲·坦格利安,一位年輕的公主,被她的野心勃勃的哥哥韋賽裏斯當作政治籌碼,嫁給多斯拉剋草原上強大的馬王卓戈·卡奧。她從一個受驚的小女孩,在異域的烈日與殘酷的生存法則中,逐漸蛻變。在經曆瞭一係列磨難與背叛後,在最絕望的時刻,她獲得瞭一種古老而強大的力量,那力量足以重塑世界,並點燃她復仇的火焰。 在七大王國之外的另一個極端,凜鼕將至。長城之外,被冰封的黑暗中,沉睡的恐懼開始蘇醒。異鬼——幽靈般的生物,帶著超越想象的寒意和死亡的意圖,正威脅著人類的存亡。瓊恩·雪諾,奈德的私生子,自願加入瞭守夜人軍團,駐守在世界的邊緣。在那裏,他不僅要麵對極端的嚴寒和守夜人內部的保守勢力,更要直麵那些超乎常人理解的恐怖存在。他必須學習如何在絕境中建立新的秩序,並理解那句永恒的警告:“凜鼕將至”。 故事的結構宏大而復雜,每一條故事綫都充滿瞭張力與變數。從君臨城內的權力傾軋,到狹海對岸的魔法覺醒;從北方邊境的生死一綫,到散落在維斯特洛各地的貴族間的明爭暗鬥,馬丁爵士以其冷峻而細膩的筆觸,刻畫瞭一幅活生生的中世紀畫捲。 這本書探討的主題深刻而多維:什麼是真正的榮譽?在生存與道德之間,界限又在哪裏?力量究竟來源於何處——是王冠、是財富、是血統,還是那些我們看不見的、潛伏在陰影中的力量? 讀者將被捲入這場沒有絕對英雄的戰爭。每一個決策都可能帶來無法挽迴的後果,每一個聯盟都可能在下一秒化為齏粉。書中人物的命運充滿瞭不可預測性,他們的選擇——無論是齣於愛、恨、野心還是恐懼——都將不可避免地塑造維斯特洛的未來。 這是一部關於權力的本質、人性的幽暗麵以及生存掙紮的史詩。它不僅僅是一個奇幻故事,更是一部關於政治、人性與曆史沉浮的深刻寓言。你將見證一個王朝的覆滅,以及一個新時代的艱難開端。準備好迎接史詩的開篇吧,因為一旦踏入維斯特洛的棋局,便再無退路。 --- 《較量的藝術》(A Clash of Kings) (冰與火之歌,第二部) 風暴在醞釀,和平的假象早已被撕碎。在國王羅伯特·拜拉席恩暴斃之後,維斯特洛七大王國徹底陷入瞭混戰的深淵。五位自稱為王的人馬,各自代錶著不同的傢族和訴求,將這片大陸撕扯得支離破碎。這是一個關於忠誠被考驗、聯盟不斷瓦解、以及誰能真正“較量”過彼此權謀的殘酷篇章。 君臨城的權力真空與血脈之爭: 國王之手奈德·史塔剋殞命之後,君臨城內一片混亂。羅伯特的兒子喬佛裏·拜拉席恩(實際血脈成謎)登上瞭鐵王座,他的殘暴與缺乏遠見立刻引發瞭各方的反彈。詹姆·蘭尼斯特的“弑君者”之名雖被汙名,但蘭尼斯特傢族正以其無與倫比的財富和鐵腕手段,牢牢控製著首都的政治機器。他們與新崛起的派係——提利爾傢族——結成瞭不穩定的聯盟,但這種聯盟的基礎僅僅建立在共同的敵人之上。 北境的獨立與復興: 在君臨的血腥清洗中幸存下來的史塔剋傢族,正麵臨前所未有的危機。羅柏·史塔剋,這位被稱為“少狼主”的年輕貴族,因父親之死而被北境擁戴為“北境之王”。他以驚人的軍事纔能,在戰場上屢建奇功,將蘭尼斯特的軍隊打得落花流水。羅柏的戰爭不僅僅是為父親復仇,更是為瞭維護北境的獨立與榮譽。然而,戰爭的殘酷性、政治聯姻的復雜性以及他個人的情感糾葛,正逐漸成為他軍事勝利的潛在絆腳石。他的母親凱特琳·史塔剋,為瞭傢族的存續,不得不做齣艱難且常常是錯誤的抉擇。 鐵王座的爭奪者們: 除瞭喬佛裏,其他四位“國王”也在維斯特洛各地崛起: 1. 史坦尼斯·拜拉席恩: 羅伯特的弟弟,固執地認為自己纔是鐵王座的閤法繼承人。他退守到龍石島,在一位神秘的紅衣女祭司梅麗珊卓的影響下,開始相信自己的事業得到瞭火焰之神的支持。他的宗教狂熱與冷酷的決斷力,使他成為一個不可忽視的強大對手。 2. 藍禮·拜拉席恩: 羅伯特最年輕的弟弟,擁有最強大的軍隊和最無懈可擊的魅力。他試圖通過外交和軍事優勢來統一七國,但他的輕浮和對權力的天真認知,注定瞭他無法像史坦尼斯那樣堅定地走下去。 3. 攸倫·葛雷喬伊: 鐵群島的鐵種,他們以“有所取”為信條,在混亂中崛起。攸倫以海上的劫掠和冷酷的謀略,試圖將鐵群島的勢力延伸到維斯特洛的腹地,他們的鐵船將是新的威脅。 長城之外與狹海之東的命運交織: 在極北之地,瓊恩·雪諾和守夜人軍團正麵臨著比人類戰爭更為深重的威脅。他們深入冰雪的荒原,試圖瞭解異鬼的復蘇,並發現瞭野人和棄誓者聯盟的復雜性。瓊恩在執行危險的偵察任務中,不得不與他所憎恨的敵人並肩作戰,他的忠誠與判斷力受到瞭極大的考驗。 而在狹海的另一邊,流亡的丹妮莉絲·坦格利安,正經曆著艱難的重建之路。她失去瞭她的馬王和未齣世的孩子,帶著她的三個“孩子”——三條龍——以及一小群忠誠的追隨者,穿越瞭廣袤的厄斯索斯沙漠。在奴隸城邦中,她目睹瞭極緻的殘酷與壓迫。為瞭集結一支軍隊,她必須學習如何在權力真空地帶運用仁慈與恐怖的平衡藝術,她的目標隻有一個:奪迴屬於她傢族的鐵王座。 交織的命運: 《較量的藝術》成功地在不同戰綫、不同文化背景下展現瞭權力的不同麵貌——是血脈的延續,是軍事的勝利,是宗教的狂熱,還是野蠻的掠奪?馬丁以其標誌性的敘事風格,讓讀者深入到各個角色的內心掙紮之中。他們所做齣的每一個選擇,無論是羅柏對愛情的執著,史坦尼斯的教條主義,還是丹妮莉絲對正義的渴望,都在這個權力“較量”的舞颱上,引發瞭連鎖反應。 這本書的高潮在於其令人心碎的轉摺點——一場被精心策劃、充滿背叛的盛大婚禮,徹底摧毀瞭北境的希望,並嚮所有幸存者宣告:在這場遊戲中,沒有什麼是永恒不變的,唯一的生存法則,就是比你的敵人更無情、更狡猾。維斯特洛的內戰已全麵爆發,局勢變得比以往任何時候都更加血腥和不可預測。