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A Game of Thrones: The Illustrated Edition by George R. R. Martin Review: A Visually Expanded Edition of a Fantasy Classic
Published by Random House Worlds in October 2016, A Game of Thrones: The Illustrated Edition presents George R. R. Martin's landmark epic fantasy novel in a hardcover format enriched with 8 full-color illustrations and over 70 black-and-white illustrations. It is the first book in the A Song of Ice and Fire Illustrated Edition series and offers existing fans and new readers alike a collectible entry point into the world of Westeros. The underlying novel earned wide critical praise on its original release, with outlets including the Denver Post, the Chicago Sun-Times, and critical coverage calling it, respectively, "the major fantasy of the decade," a "grand feast and pageant," and a starred-review work of "superbly developed characters, accomplished prose, and sheer bloodymindedness." As a physical object, the edition's value rests substantially on its illustration program and production quality, which this review cannot assess firsthand.
LuvemBooks Verdict
Best for
Dedicated fans of A Song of Ice and Fire — or gift-buyers shopping for one — who want a display-quality hardcover that pairs the complete, unabridged text with an extensive illustration program across 896 pages.
Worth it if
You are collecting the illustrated series as a matched set, buying a prestige gift for an epic-fantasy reader, or simply want a shelf-statement edition of one of modern fantasy's foundational novels.
Skip if
You are coming to the story for the first time and want a practical reading copy — the 2.84-pound hardcover is a collector's object first, and lighter paperback or e-book formats will serve a first read far better.
What readers & critics say
The underlying novel drew exceptional trade and critical praise on its original publication, with randomhousebooks.com collecting blurbs that include a starred review from critical coverage ("superbly developed characters, accomplished prose, and sheer bloodymindedness"), the Denver Post calling it "the major fantasy of the decade… compulsively readable," and Locus placing it "well above the norms of the genre." The illustrated edition itself is described by kittymariebookreviews.home.blog as featuring 73 illustrations from 19 artists whose styles end up "surprisingly consistent and harmonious," while novelnotions.net calls the 20th Anniversary Illustrated Edition "freaking gorgeous" with "high production value."
“Martin returns with the first of a fantasy series… Honorable Ned [Stark] soon finds himself in a treacherous court of competing loyalties.”
— kirkusreviews.comLook inside the book
Preview the actual pages, via Google BooksA Game of Thrones: The Illustrated Edition by George R. R. Martin is Trending
Winds of Winter Still MIA — Fans Are Revisiting the Series That Started It All
George R. R. Martin's long-awaited The Winds of Winter remains unfinished, keeping the Westeros fandom in a perpetual holding pattern. With no new book on the horizon, readers are circling back to the original story — and the Illustrated Edition is a fresh way to re-enter that world.
George R. R. Martin has been talking about The Winds of Winter for over a decade, and in 2026 it's still not here. Every few months there's a new update — or non-update — from Martin's blog, and each one sends fans back to the existing books. The Illustrated Edition of A Game of Thrones gives longtime readers a genuinely different way to revisit a story they already know, with artwork that puts faces and landscapes to all those descriptions Martin spent so much time writing.
There's also a whole generation of readers who came to Westeros through the HBO series and never actually read the books. The Illustrated Edition is a lower barrier to entry — it's visually engaging in a way that can ease you into Martin's dense, sprawling prose. If you bounced off the text version years ago, this edition is worth a second look.
Just keep in mind what the review says: some of the narrative depth does get trimmed in the translation to illustrated format. If you're a completist who wants every detail, you'll still want the original novel. But as a coffee table book that actually rewards reading, this one earns its shelf space.
In This Review
- What Works & What Doesn't
- What the Book Contains and How It Is Structured
- The Novel's Critical Standing and Cultural Significance
- The Illustration Program and the Illustrated Edition's Specific Appeal
- Genuine Strengths as a Collectible Edition
- Who This Edition Is For — and Where It Has Limits
What Works & What Doesn't
What Works
- Combines the complete, unabridged text of a #1 New York Times bestselling foundational epic fantasy with a substantial illustration program of 8 full-color and over 70 black-and-white illustrations
- The underlying novel carries exceptional critical credentials — starred review from critical coverage, named a Best Book of 1996 by BookPage, and praised by the Denver Post as 'the major fantasy of the decade'
- Hardcover format and illustrated presentation make it a strong gift edition and display-quality collectible
- Part of a matched illustrated series extending through A Clash of Kings, A Storm of Swords, and A Feast for Crows, offering collectors a coherent set
- John Hodgman's foreword provides a contemporary framing of the novel's cultural significance
What Doesn't
- At 896 pages in a 2.84-pound hardcover, the format is not suited for portable or casual reading — it is a collector's object first
- The illustration program, while comprising over 78 pieces, is distributed across a very long text, so readers expecting dense visual coverage throughout may find the text-to-image ratio less intensive than anticipated
- The physical production quality — print fidelity, paper stock, color reproduction — cannot be assessed without firsthand examination, making it a considered purchase for those prioritizing art quality
- New readers unfamiliar with Martin's multi-POV structure and large cast may find the novel's complexity demanding regardless of edition format
What the Book Contains and How It Is Structured
The Novel's Critical Standing and Cultural Significance
The Illustration Program and the Illustrated Edition's Specific Appeal
Genuine Strengths as a Collectible Edition
Who This Edition Is For — and Where It Has Limits
Frequently Asked Questions
Sources & Further Reading
The key facts and claims in this review are grounded in the retrieved, verified sources listed below.
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George R. R. Martin, Wikipedia
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en.wikipedia.org
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bookmarks.reviews
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