George R. R. Martin's "A Song of Ice and Fire" book series is absolutely wonderful.  It succeeds largely by presenting a grand, epic scope of wars and conflict, dragons, and wraiths, but also manages to create interesting characters and tell intimate stories.  Other key factors in the books are treachery, intrigue, and betrayal.  Fantasy Flight Games' "A Game of Thrones: The Board Game" manages to recreate all of the thrilling adventure of the books, but most importantly offers that same great sense of back-stabbing and double-crossing.