First, I would like to be addressed to those who would like to read the original, but are uncertain because of their knowledge of English. The pricing policy of Del Rey regarding the German versions has put me off, so I picked up the original and have not regretted it second. Although I only have below-average command of English and have never before read an English book I quickly get through come without really great communication problems.
One reason is the proximity of the first HBO Season to George Martin's presentation. Anyone familiar with the series has relatively easy game: it is part of all the dialogues taken over 1: 1 and the sequence of events is also consistent to nearly 100%. So you never lose the thread and always feels safe to have nothing more than read. And for the words that you can not open up, there are luckily the smartphone and the LEO app ;-)
The evaluation of the content, I think relatively short, about is already so much has been said that the little book. George Martin has an epic masterpiece of power and intrigue created here, which without a doubt is one of the best books of the genre. Multi-layered personalities that differ greatly from the tales of the glorious hero in other fantasy series, colonize Westeros and Essos and leave this world as alive act as if the whole thing take place in our current real world. If you believe to have seen through a character he proves a most likely soon the opposite!
Finally, I would like the two major English-language versions to face the requirements may be obtained here, since I now have both tested. The somewhat more favorable, American editions of BANTAM publisher are smaller, thinner and generally somewhat more manageable. For the ink blurs ever read the long and the price of the more manageable format, the to the utmost crowded and very thin pages.
The British HARPER Voyager spending total of more rustic and beautiful opened. By thicker paper they are however much more cumbersome. In effect the decision remains entirely up to what one is important and what is not.
CONCLUSION: Do not put off by the huge size of the book. You will not be sorry to have you opted for the original!
