Winning Westeros

This is a combination of fictional Westeros with real-life conflicts. Some of the discussions made more sense to me than others, but all in all, I think that the combination adds value. Don't be surprised that the book was written before the final season, though -- some of its analysis won't be in sync with the changes readers experienced during that final season. A fun concept!

This book is something that I would not normally have picked up to read. I am a fan of Game of Thrones, but definitely the books more than the television show. I only watched part of season 1 and couldn't really take the blood and gore. But I saw this on NetGalley right around the time everyone was talking about the show's finale, so I figured I'd give it a go. It would at least be interesting.

It was very interesting! I learned a lot! This is a collection of essays that uses both real world examples and other fictional examples to really go into detail of what makes the Game of Thrones world seems so real. I am not as knowledgeable about history as I should be, so seeing something that I am familiar with compared to World War I, World War II, the Gulf War, and other real-life military engagements was fascinating. I particularly thought it was interesting (and funny) how they compared Daenerys's dragons to the emergence of airplanes in modern military history. Hey, it's the reason why there aren't a lot of walled cities anywhere anymore - they don't stop airplanes! They don't stop dragons all that much either. 

Like any collection of essays, some were hit and miss. I definitely enjoyed some more than others - some were very, very dry, but others incredibly interesting. Some of my favorites were "The Source of Tyrion Lanister's Unlikely Survival and Success" by Joe Byerly, "Game of Pwns: Baelish and Varys as Drivers of Modern Conflict" by Nina A. Kollars, and "From Brienne of Tarth to Lyanna Mormont: Shifting Attitudes about Women in Combat" by Kelsey Cipolla.

If you are a history buff, this would definitely be up your alley. Lots of interesting facts and details that I know I never thought about before. If you are a Game of Thrones fan, maybe give this as go as well, just to see how these stories are not as fantastical or far-fetched as you might think.

If you like Art of War, you'll like Winning Westeros.
Short essays breaking down the strategies and pros/cons of the TV series, well organized, and a great idea for a book.

Less compelling than I had hoped, but perhaps that is more of a symptom of wanting more from the overall story than can be expected.

However, this collection of erudite essays delving into the statecraft of one of the most popular shows of all time is well worth reading. Any serious fan of the show will find this book to be both an excellent supplement towards understanding the world of the story and a solid lens through which to critically examine our own real world.

Also, it becomes painfully clear just how rushed and sloppy the final season's narratives were as several the essays gesture towards a conclusion that is never even sniffed at by the showrunners.

This is a great book for Game of Thrones fans. I have missed watching Game of Thrones and have enjoyed reliving it through this book. It is interesting to read about all of the similarities to history.

I am embarrassed to admit I am not very interested in history unless it has cinematic drama added to it.

I received this galley from NetGalley.

Great Book! And I enjoyed writing my chapter! I Think the publication could have been bettered timed with the final season. The publication date many of the chapters obsolete.