Game of Thrones

Game of Thrones - George R. R. Martin

At the beginning of the story, Lord Eddard "Ned" Stark executes a deserter from the Night's Watch, the militia protecting the immense Wall of ice, stone, and magic that protects the Seven Kingdoms. On the way back, his children adopt six direwolf pups, the animal of his sigil. There are three male wolf pups and two female wolf pups, as well as an albino runt, which equal his three trueborn sons, two trueborn daughters, and a bastard. That night, Ned receives word of the death of his mentor, Lord Jon Arryn, the principal advisor to Ned's childhood friend, King Robert Baratheon. During his own visit to Ned's castle of Winterfell, Robert recruits Ned to replace Arryn as the King's Hand. Ned is reluctant, but agrees to go when he learns that Arryn's widow Lysa believes Queen Cersei and her family poisoned Arryn. Shortly thereafter, Ned's son Bran inadvertently discovers Cersei in coitus with her twin brother Jaime Lannister, who throws Bran from the tower to conceal their affair. Ned and his daughters Sansa and Arya depart for the royal capital of King's Landing, while his wife Catelyn, a comatose Bran, and their other sons Robb and Rickon remain at Winterfell...