Want to learn the ideas in A Game of Thrones better than ever? Read the world’s #1 book summary of A Game of Thrones by George R. R. Martin here.

Read a brief 1-Page Summary or watch video summaries curated by our expert team. Note: this book guide is not affiliated with or endorsed by the publisher or author, and we always encourage you to purchase and read the full book.

Video Summaries of A Game of Thrones

We’ve scoured the Internet for the very best videos on A Game of Thrones, from high-quality videos summaries to interviews or commentary by George R. R. Martin.

1-Page Summary of A Game of Thrones

A Game of Thrones takes place over a year in the fictional land of Westeros. The story begins when King Robert visits Winterfell to ask Ned Stark, his right hand man, to be the Hand of the King. Jon Arryn, who was previously Hand of the King, has died under suspicious circumstances. Robert comes with his queen Cersei Lannister and her family members Jaime and Tyrion Lannister. Just after they arrive at Winterfell, Catelyn receives a message claiming that the Lannisters were responsible for Jon Arryn’s death. She tells Ned who accepts being Hand in order to protect Robert from them. Meanwhile Bran discovers Cersei and Jaime having sex and Jaime pushes him out of a window where he falls unconscious but survives without any injuries or scars on his body while everyone thinks he just fell off by accident while climbing around inside Winterfell castle walls. While Bran is still unconscious,Ned leaves Winterfell along with king Robert south towards capital city Kings Landing. At same day,Jon Snow also leaves north beyond wall boundaries to become part-time member Night Watchmen (who are sworn to protect people from wild animals living beyond Wall). On way there he meets Tyrion lannister brother of Jamie & cersei travelling as well as Daenerys Targaryen who gets married with Khal Drogo warlord leader Dothraki tribe which consists only men women are forbidden from riding horses or weapons. Ser Jorah Mormont promises Daenerys Targaryen will help her reclaim throne taken away by House Baratheon led by king Robert back then

On their way to King’s Landing, the capital of Westeros, Robert and Cersei’s son Joffrey and Ned Stark’s daughter Sansa go for a walk. They see Arya practicing her swordfighting with a boy. When Joffrey sees this he decides that he wants to show off his skills too. He attacks Arya, but her wolf defends her by biting him in the arm. Since it was an unfair fight (Joffrey started it), Cersei punishes Arya by ordering that she be punished instead of Joffrey. She makes Ned punish Sansa’s wolf because it is dead and can’t defend itself against accusations of attacking without provocation. Meanwhile, there is an assassination attempt on Bran while he sleeps which fails thanks to his direwolf protecting him from harm (this time). Catelyn has left Winterfell secretly so she could try to find out who tried to kill Bran when they were traveling south together earlier in the season 1 episode “Winter Is Coming.” She finds out that the dagger used in both attempts belonged to Tyrion Lannister, one of King Robert Baratheon’s advisors whom Catelyn doesn’t trust due to past events between them during “The Wolf And The Lion” episode from season 1. This leads Catelyn back north as she tries once again return home with information about why someone wants revenge on House Stark. While all this is happening we learn more about what happened at The Wall where Jon Arryn died under mysterious circumstances before Ned left Winterfell for King’s Landing. We also learn how Tyrion came into contact with Jon Snow, who goes missing after being sent beyond The Wall by Eddard Stark. In addition we have another flashback scene showing us what happened after Renly Baratheon killed Ser Loras Tyrell during “Fire And Blood” season 2 episode 4 from last year.

Ned Stark, the former Hand of King Robert Baratheon, continues to investigate why Jon Arryn was murdered. Ned knows that it’s related to something he learned about Robert’s children. The king learns that Daenerys Targaryen is pregnant and wants her killed because she will one day challenge his throne. Disgusted with the plan, Ned resigns as Hand. Jaime Lannister confronts him about Tyrion’s capture and kills his men in a fight after Ned breaks his leg while fighting back. When Robert returns from hunting, he reinstates Ned as Hand of the King again despite knowing what happened before leaving earlier in the episode when they were talking together at court. Meanwhile Catelyn Tully takes Tyrion Lannister to her sister Lysa Arryn’s castle called the Eyrie which is located high up on a mountain in an area called The Vale where there are no trees or vegetation except for grasses and weeds but has a beautiful view of everything else around them including mountains all over Westeros. Lysa accuses Tyrion of arranging both Jon Arryn’s murder and Bran being pushed out of window by Jaime. He denies these accusations but demands trial by combat so that he can prove his innocence once more. A knight fights on Lysa’s behalf, but Tyrion wins using a mercenary instead who had been paid off by Varys (the eunuch) who wanted revenge against Littlefinger for killing him years ago, thus freeing himself from imprisonment. While riding away from The Eyrie, some people from House Blackwood try to kill him since they blame him for their family members’ deaths during war time against other families like Starks, Lannisters etc., but he convinces them otherwise since if they do this then everyone will think they’re weaklings which is not true at all since their family have always been strong warriors ever since ancient times past even before Aegon conquered Westeros thousands of years ago causing them to join forces with each other rather than fighting each other any longer henceforth making peace between both parties finally ending centuries long feuding between both houses forevermore !

A Game of Thrones Book Summary, by George R. R. Martin