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  • Fire and Blood

  • A Song of Ice and Fire
  • Written by: George R.R. Martin
  • Narrated by: Simon Vance
  • Length: 27 hrs and 15 mins
  • 4.7 out of 5 stars (97 ratings)

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Fire and Blood cover art

Fire and Blood

Written by: George R.R. Martin
Narrated by: Simon Vance
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Publisher's Summary

Centuries before A Game of Thrones, an even greater game began, one that set the skies alight with dragon flame and saw the Seven Kingdoms turned to ash.  

So began the Targaryens’ bloody rule, with fire and blood. Setting brother against brother, mother against daughter, and dragon against dragon. Chronicled by a learned maester of the Citadel, this thrilling and bloody history of Westeros tells the story of where the battle for the Iron Throne began....

This audio edition now includes an exclusive interview between George R.R. Martin and historian Dan Jones.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2018 George R.R. Martin (P)2018 HarperCollins Publishers

What listeners say about Fire and Blood

Average Customer Ratings
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Exceptional

Brilliant writing and excellent narration. Can go on listening to it for hours on end

3 people found this helpful

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Terrific narration

The story n all is is fine but the narrator brings the whole thing alive because of his tone. Keeping the length of the story aside I absolutely loved this book because of Simon Vance.

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Beautifully written with a Captivating Story!

Loved it.......was my first time reading a Martin story and i thoroughly enjoyed it. Would recommend for sure.

1 person found this helpful

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Absolutely amazing

One of the best narrations I have ever heard. A must listen for George R R Martin fans.

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A good listen

Loved it. Do listen/read the book if you have time. A good way yo pass time while commuting to work.

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Excellent Narration

Crisp, clear and well read. The book itself is obviously amazing, skips through time a lot but is detailed in the important parts.

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Right way to the Dance

The Master at his Work. Definitive way around your dragons. Right way to the House of the Dragon show.

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Simon Vance breathes life into Fire & Blood

Due to its length it is a bit of a struggle at times, but Daemon Targaryean is a character to watch out for. Would not call him a villain, anti- hero he us and Alyn Oakenfist. If you are a GoT-holic and waiting for HBO's Fire & Blood, then this audio book is a must-listen. Simon Vance makes the experience captivating.

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Loved every minute. Fake history has never more productive.

Loved the depth into which GRRM can invent worlds and remain consistent. Narration and pacing were suberb. Does get confusing with the volume of new characters and their names but by midway you will get a hang of it or make of the 30sec rewind feature.

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meh-okay

eh, too many characters. His other books are better.
narration didn't do much for me.

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  • Craig Harry
  • 16-01-19

More of a chore than a pleasure!

I'm a big fan of George R R Martin, but found this book heavy going. Despite the excellent narration, I was left feeling I needed a pen and paper in order to take notes in an effort to track character, dates and events!

I was relieved when the book finished and hope I never hear Mushroom quoted again!

14 people found this helpful

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  • wootton
  • 04-12-18

Why this book?

Not so much a novel more a shopping list. It’s a pity the author did not use the creativity expended on this creation to finish Ice and Fire.

4 people found this helpful

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  • Amazon Customer
  • 27-03-19

Very good , well read and detailed

Its written very well and positioned from the perspective of a narrator - historian . Nice fresh approach that makes you wonder how much is true. It puts a lot of perspective to the original Ice and fire saga.
Very amusing and never dull.

One downside : it ends closely after the civil war: Dance of Dragons events. Thus its a bit misleading because you expect the whole story until Aerys II.

3 people found this helpful

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  • Lana Pennington
  • 16-01-19

OK for pseudo-history buffs ...

... but not so good if you were wanting a story like the GoT series. No one can fault Mr Martin when it comes to the depth and scale of his universe, but I really prefer his story-telling prowse. Nevertheless, it's well narrated and structured.

3 people found this helpful

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  • C. Cole
  • 15-01-19

Waffle of the worst kind

Terrible love story with the same crap regurgitated again and again with the same names used in different lines of succession. Don't waste your time or credits. If only you'd put so much effort in making a real story instead of being so clever to go over the same story again and again and again just seen from a different view..... BORING!

3 people found this helpful

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    3 out of 5 stars
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  • Tyler
  • 17-04-22

country specific?

why are so many books specific to a country? I've found a lot of these books that I've wanted to listen to, most of these are a part of popular book or TV series.

1 person found this helpful

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  • markb82
  • 12-05-19

A long and boring cencus.

Too long and boring. Was disappointed through the whole and was glad when it finished.

1 person found this helpful

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  • Anonymous User
  • 07-01-23

Nice addition to the history of House Targaryen

I did it like very much but it is too short as it does not include the whole history of the house Targaryen, it ends with start if reign of king Aegon III.

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  • Anonymous User
  • 01-12-22

Not too bad

Wish there was more story and less repetitive. King ascends to the throne, marries and has children, dies, children fight for throne, war, war, war. Someone wins. Repeat.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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  • Anonymous User
  • 26-11-22

Exceptional Creativity.

GRRM has created a wide array of characters. He is definitely sublime in his character building especially the family drama and relationships.

I especially loved the whole Jahaerys arc with all his troubles with his children and ultimately the succession. Huge world.

PS. I read and listened to the audiobook at the same time which was a very enjoyable experience

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  • michael Billington
  • 29-11-18

The epic story of house Targaryen

This is not a novel so it might not be for everyone but I loved it. It covers the House Targaryen from Aegon the Conqueror to the end of the regency of Aegon iii it shows both sides of the Targaryen coin the greatness and the madness. from the hideous tyranny of maegor to the genius of Jaehaerys I found myself really caring about the characters and being moved by the tragedy that was the dance of the dragons. excellent narration by Simon Vance also made this an enjoyable listen I would highly recommend.

34 people found this helpful

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  • Dave & Jenny
  • 20-11-18

Not a story, not what I was expecting.

I feel very disappointed. I was expecting a proper story, not just a reported account.

31 people found this helpful

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  • jamesg
  • 07-04-19

pretty bad actually

Needlessly complicated, lazy and thoroughly unentertaining.
I loved a song of Ice and fire, so this book was a bit of a disappointment unfortunately.
I really didn't enjoy the third person style of writing, I found that it took away all immersion.
it almost seems like the author was being paid per character that he creates to then kill off three paragraphs later, in this book characters died before you even fully comprehend who they are.
please don't get this book thinking that you will get anywhere near the same amount of entertainment value that you may have got out of a song of Ice and fire.

25 people found this helpful

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  • D. J. Mole
  • 27-11-18

History in George RR Martins own style

I know a number of people have not enjoyed this. It is true that it lays out the family history. I am not one who generally likes being given historical facts whether they be real or fiction. But this has the same sense and feel that was given to The Game of Throne series and each individual has been given his or her own personality. I like the 'evidence' or 'non evidence' for how things came to be, giving the book it's own sense of reality. I loved listening to Roy Dotrice telling the Game of Thrones and Simon Vance is also an excellent narrator. Would like the other books to be finally published and narrated!! Come on George! Love the TV series but there is so much more colour in the books and would love for those who can't see to be able to hear it all!

25 people found this helpful

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  • Robert O Marc
  • 21-11-18

All of it is part of Ice and Fire: histories.

this are few chapters from the histories of westeros book. avoid! get the histories instead

19 people found this helpful

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  • Amazon Customer
  • 22-11-18

Excellent excellent excellent

Excellent!!!! If you are familiar with GRRM Novellus such as The Princess and the Queen, The Rouge Prince and The Book of Swords then you will be able to dive into this books utter brilliance and complete detail without looking back. If you are only familiar with the works of Game of Thrones rather than the whole ASOIAF world then I would 100% recommend you read the “World Book” before you read this or at least have it to hand so you can reference maps, family tree and facts as it can get rather confusing
(I have been a complete geek and I have the beautiful hard copy with the maps, illustrations and family tree and I have downloaded it on Audible as Roy Dotrice and Nicholas Smith do a wonderful job of narrating)
In fact having the Targaryen family tree to hand is incredibly useful while reading this regardless to how familiar you are of any of GRRM works because it’s just so damned confusing which makes for all the better reading! Thank you so much Mr Martin this was completely amazing!

18 people found this helpful

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  • Raine
  • 20-11-18

Struggling

Struggling to listen. I do hope it improves.
Plenty of potential and time to get better.
one or two chapters were really good but overall this was a disappointment.

18 people found this helpful

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    3 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars
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  • Edwin Brown
  • 21-01-19

Hard Work compared to the game of thrones

Found this to be confusing and hard work compared to the game of thrones and can't really say it adds to the books. He should have spent the time finishing the Game of Thrones first!!

14 people found this helpful

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    2 out of 5 stars
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  • Adam
  • 26-12-18

Dull! Avoid

performance is excellent! That's where the praise ends.

The book is essentially cliff notes and a wireframe. it's bloody dull and has practically no story and adds little to nothing to the intrigue to the main story.

With quotes directly from the lord of the rings, it is clear that Martin is attempting to flesh out his world in the same manor as Tolkien, and it comes across forced, boring and disingenuous.

13 people found this helpful

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  • Anonymous User
  • 23-11-18

Was hoping for a story, not this

Was bored after about 5 minutes. Nothing compelling or engaging. I like the concept of bringing the imaginary to life, expanding and exploring the back story giving extra layers and depths to the families and the lands. However this isn't it.

8 people found this helpful

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  • Eirik F. Eriksen
  • 23-11-18

A treasure trove for any lore fans

I've come to understand that this book has become divisive among fans of A Song of Ice and Fire, or should I rather say, fans of George R. R. Martin. Many are outraged that the man is working on, or indeed doing anything other than writing The Winds of Winter. The few reviews I've read of Fire and Blood thus far has said as much, and finding the style and prose of this work dry, dull and ponderous.

I was intrigued from the first when I heard Martin was writing a history of the Targaryen dynasty in the manner of non-fiction history, and as I relished the accounts he had already put forth concerning the Dance of the Dragons, I wished for more of the same. And that's exactly what has been laid before us.

It's not high fantasy, apart from being set in a high fantasy setting and containing dragons. Don't expect any elucidation on the higher mysteries from this book. However, you can expect massive amounts of intrigue, scandal and much and more sundry information about the Targaryen dynasty and their courts and associates, from the time of Aegon I until Aegon III, almost 150 years of Westerosi dynastic history with many tangents and tons of lore.

All of which the narrator presents sublimely. In my head, just spent a lot of hours with Archmaester Gyldayn himself. The narrator's voice, presentation and inflection were supremely well suited for a work like this, and I applaud the producer that made this happen. Indeed, he may in large part be the reason I found this book as engrossing as I did. Kudos to you all for this happy match.

If you're passionate about the world of Ice and Fire and share the author's enthusiasm with fleshing out the world and constructing a living, breathing fantastical universe, I heartily recommend this book. If you're a fan of the television show and you're looking for something cool with dragons, you'll probably agree with the detractors within a few pages (or in this case, a few minutes).

29 people found this helpful

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  • Shaun
  • 03-02-19

One hour in and the names are killing me

This isn’t a narrative. It’s a list of names with a few sequenced events. So boring. Not another 24 of this !

16 people found this helpful

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  • Alex
  • 02-01-19

Bearable at first, unbearable after a few hrs

Yeah. I just sat and listened to a man recite the Westerosi phonebook for 5 hours. Name after name after name after name. Couldn't take it anymore. There's no dialogue, no plot, just a writer who has decided, for reasons best known to himself, to kill stone dead his fabulous earlier work with a lot of tedious and totally unnecessary history. Bearable at the beginning, unbearable after a few hours of it. The reader is good, but if anyone thinks I'm going to listen to TWENTY SIX HOURS of that...
scuse me a sec...
chik chik BOOOOM!

8 people found this helpful

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  • Anonymous User
  • 04-02-19

do not waste your time

why why why why why? what an absolutely pointless "book" filled with irrelevant names and the places of names in fact if they were removed you could probably cut the thing in half. i feel like mr Martin is taking the piss out of me as a fan 2011 ive been waiting for the next book for 8 years! 8 effin years George ffs why waste your time and mine with this nonsensical obvious money grab? if your cant be arsed finishing your series for what ever reason other than to abuse your fans why not write about the war with a young ned and rob? why not the building of the wall? why not expand on the white walkers? instead you give us this s^*t!
I hated this book seriously hated it it pained me and left me angry it clears nothing up only leaves you with more questions and frustrations and the fact that it will never be cleared up EVER just makes it all the worst. DO NOT WASTE YOUR TIME ON THIS

7 people found this helpful

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  • Darla Hatton MacDonald
  • 26-12-18

Expecting a story!

This really is a history and is not entertaining. If you are a hard core GoT fan, maybe it will satisfy. I thought I was getting a story to entertain in the holidays.

6 people found this helpful

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  • GT
  • 04-02-19

Textbook

Written from a Maesters perspective as a history. Extremely dry but narrator worked hard to breath life into it.
Should have been left as background notes.

5 people found this helpful

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  • Anonymous User
  • 09-01-19

It's just so bad!

Gave up after 2 hours save your money. It's not a story it's a fantasy history lesson.

5 people found this helpful

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    2 out of 5 stars
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  • Amazon Customer
  • 28-04-19

It’s good if you’re after a list of names.

Bring a pen and notebook to keep track of the names that you might want to add to the family trees of Westeros but don’t come to this boon expecting the intrigue and storytelling of GOT.

4 people found this helpful

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    3 out of 5 stars
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  • Anonymous User
  • 30-01-19

Know What You’re Getting Into

Just remember that this is an account of Targaryen history and not some tightly sewn together story. Yes hearing about Aegon’s conquering and the Dance of Dragons is cool but there is so much more. And by more I don’t mean good. Many chapters are devoted to slow, boring happenings in and out of King’s Landing along with the listing of names, so many names.

I’d honestly recommend having a Targaryen Family Tree next to you as you listen because every bloody Targaryen has similar sounding names and it gets VERY confusing. They recycle the same 5 damn names every generation. Targaryens may have had dragons but they’ve got zero originality in naming their own kin.

There are definitely good and exciting elements but overall the book is a bit of a drag. This is a George RR Martin novel after all so I should have expected it.

4 people found this helpful

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    4 out of 5 stars
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  • Anonymous User
  • 14-11-19

Great

Its almost like a giant wikipedia page about Targaryens and there rule over Westero s

2 people found this helpful