“SUCH A SPLENDID TALE AND SUCH A FANTISTORICAL! I READ MY EYES OUT.”
—ANNE MCCAFFREY

“MARTIN MAKES A TRIUMPHANT RETURN TO HIGH FANTASY.... [HIS] TROPHY CASE IS ALREADY STUFFED WITH MAJOR PRIZES, INCLUDING HUGOS, NEBULAS, LOCUS AWARDS AND A BRAM STOKER. HE’S PROBABLY GOING TO HAVE TO ADD ANOTHER SHELF, AT LEAST.”
—PUBLISHERS WEEKLY (STARRED REVIEW)

“IT IS PERHAPS THE BEST OF THE EPIC FANTASIES.”
—MARION ZIMMER BRADLEY

“THE MAJOR FANTASY OF THE DECADE ...  COMPULSIVELY READABLE.”
—THE DENVER POST

“GEORGE R. R. MARTIN IS ONE OF OUR VERY BEST SCIENCE FICTION WRITERS, AND THIS IS ONE OF HIS VERY BEST BOOKS.”
—RAYMOND E. FEIST

“WE HAVE BEEN INVITED TO A GRAND FEAST AND PAGEANT: GEORGE R. R. MARTIN HAS UNVEILED FOR US AN INTENSELY REALIZED, ROMANTIC BUT REALISTIC WORLD.... IF THE NEXT TWO VOLUMES ARE AS GOOD AS THIS ONE, IT WILL BE A WONDERFUL FEAST INDEED.”
—CHICAGO SUN-TIMES

“THE MAJOR FANTASY PUBLISHING EVENT OF 1996.”
—SCIENCE FICTION CHRONICLE ay0ApL9etKu2VL2Au+f2DNHEf+IniroeZyqZrF8YFBt3Pfy7QhDiiycO9mPYA/Eh