The Science Of Game Of Thrones by Helen Keen

by Catherine Van Bergen (follow)

Non fiction (105)      Humour (83)      Science (9)     

Anyone who has ever read or watched George R.R. Martin’s popular series Game Of Thrones will know that each story is filled with all sorts of fantasy elements, including dragons, the walking dead, blood magic and even enchanted swords. The seven kingdoms of Westeros, where all of this takes place, is filled with magic-fuelled, blood-soaked action, and despite the obvious differences, parallels can often be drawn between this fantasy world and our own.

But how many of these fantastical elements can be attributed to magic? What if there is science behind some of these scenarios that mean that what happens on Game Of Thrones could just as easily happen in real life today?

Helen Keen- a comedian, popular science writer, and avid fan of the show- has decided to look at the science behind the series, exploring the possibilities behind some of the more outrageous theories and storylines. With a dose of humour, she wonders if it’s really possible to raise the dead as the White Walkers do, and questions whether mythical creatures such as dragons, giants and mermaids really exist. She looks at the multiple, gruesome, and somewhat creative ways that some of the characters have died and determines whether those deaths were actually possible in that way (killing someone with molten gold?). She even looks at the evolution of weaponry, including indestructible swords and wildfire, and how they can relate to similar weaponry in our world.

Not only is this book well-researched (enlisting the help of several expert scientists in their field), but it also provides a few little science experiments that you can do at home, including making your own snow, constructing a miniature Giant’s Causeway, and creating an out-of-body experience (similarly to Bran as the Three-Eyed Raven).

Packed with plenty of facts about created languages, creatures and real-world relations to the exotic features of Westeros, this is one book that both fans of the series and science buffs are sure to enjoy.


Rating: 4/5
Published: September 2016

#Non Fiction
#Science
#Humour

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