A Song of Ice and Fire

Map of the Known World. The size of either landmass may or may not be accurate given George R. R. Martin has never given specifics.

Out of the book series I've read, A Song of Ice and Fire has to be my favorite. While Homestuck introduced me to what I love in media (a slow introduction and switching perspectives), Martin's books cemented that love for me. It wasn't an instant love, as I did find A Game of Thrones incredibly slow even for my tastes, up until Eddard's beheading and the realization of what that meant occurring. It is by no means realistic fiction (no institution lasts 8000 yers, no matter how important, nor would feudalism last as long as it has in Westeros), but Martin's characters and their motives are what drives the story, adding some sense of realism to it.