<P> The third story follows Daenerys Targaryen, daughter of Aerys, the last Targaryen king . On the continent of Essos, east of Westeros across the Narrow Sea, Daenerys is married off by her elder brother Viserys Targaryen to a powerful warlord, but slowly becomes an independent and intelligent ruler in her own right . Her rise to power is aided by the historic birth of three dragons, hatched from eggs given to her as wedding gifts . The three dragons soon become not only a symbol of her bloodline and her legitimate claim to the throne, but also devastating weapons of war . </P> <P> Books in the Ice and Fire series are first published in hardcover and are later re-released as paperback editions . In the UK, Harper Voyager publishes special slipcased editions . The series has also been translated into more than 30 languages . All page totals given below are for the US first editions . </P> <Table> <Tr> <Th> #</Th> <Th> Title </Th> <Th> Pages </Th> <Th> Chapters </Th> <Th> Words </Th> <Th> Audio </Th> <Th> US release </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> A Game of Thrones </Td> <Td> 694 </Td> <Td> 73 </Td> <Td> 292,727 </Td> <Td> 33h 53m </Td> <Td> August 1996 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> A Clash of Kings </Td> <Td> 768 </Td> <Td> 70 </Td> <Td> 318,903 </Td> <Td> 37h 17m </Td> <Td> February 1999 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> A Storm of Swords </Td> <Td> 973 </Td> <Td> 82 </Td> <Td> 414,604 </Td> <Td> 47h 37m </Td> <Td> November 2000 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> A Feast for Crows </Td> <Td> 753 </Td> <Td> 46 </Td> <Td> 295,032 </Td> <Td> 31h 10m </Td> <Td> November 2005 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 5 </Td> <Td> A Dance with Dragons </Td> <Td> 1040 </Td> <Td> 73 </Td> <Td> 414,788 </Td> <Td> 48h 56m </Td> <Td> July 2011 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 6 </Td> <Td> The Winds of Winter </Td> <Td_colspan="5"> Forthcoming </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 7 </Td> <Td> A Dream of Spring </Td> <Td_colspan="5"> Forthcoming </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> </Th> <Th> Total </Th> <Th> 4,228 </Th> <Th> 344 </Th> <Th> 1,736,054 </Th> <Th> 198h 53m </Th> <Th> </Th> </Tr> </Table> <Tr> <Th> #</Th> <Th> Title </Th> <Th> Pages </Th> <Th> Chapters </Th> <Th> Words </Th> <Th> Audio </Th> <Th> US release </Th> </Tr>

A song of i e and fire books