Gearing up for: Game of Thrones Season 3

Over the weekend I had a hankering to reread the Song of Ice and Fire series by George R. R. Martin. At this point, with many unfinished books slowly stacking up on my nightstand, reading all five titles (even one or two) in the series will definitely last me until - and probably well in to - the third season of the TV show, Game of Thrones, airs on HBO on March 31.

Fans of high fantasy titles like the books in the Lord of the Rings series, the Mists of Avalon series or The Once and Future King will gobble up the Song of Ice and Fire, which is set on the fictional continents of Westeros and Essos - the backstory and mythology of the series rivals Tolkein's for in-depth history and social and ethnic landscapes. The plotlines are plentiful and interweave political intrigue, family and other interpersonal drama, magic and religion, relationships and sexuality, and even climate change (I'm not kidding - "Winter is coming" is one family's motto!).

The HBO series, the first season of which aired in April 2011, sparked new interest in the books, which were published starting in 1996 with A Game of Thrones. The TV show is positively lavish, shot on locations that include Northern Ireland, Iceland, and Morocco. The show has a stellar cast, including Emmy and Golden Globe winner Peter Dinklage.

Check out Eager Free Public Library for the following titles related to Game of Thrones (links take you to RockCat, the online library catalog):

• Game of Thrones, season one.
• A Game of Thrones (book one).
• A Clash of Kings (book two).
• A Storm of Swords (book three).
• A Feast for Crows (book four).
• A Dance with Dragons (book five).

Don't want to wait to get your fantasy fix? Check out this blog post from 2012, which has a lot of recommended titles for fantasy fans.