It’s a fact: every time the Hugos or the Eisners or the Harvey awards get announced, you sweep your eyes down a list of books, stories, comics, and movies that you totally meant to read this year, everybody said they were so good, but you never really get around to it. Or, you say to yourself, awesome, I have a new reading list! And then you never actually follow through.

Worry not. Here are all of the nominees for the 2013 Hugo Awards for excellence in science fiction and fantasy, with, wherever possible, links to excerpts and in some cases the full work available online, right now, for free. Get your read on!

Not that I’m ready for it to end anytime soon but yes, I am anxious to know how George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire series ends. These characters have been through a lot and I’m rooting for more than one to “win” the Game of Thrones. But who will it be? Actress Emilia Clarke wants to know too. 

You probably know by now that George R.R. Martin created extra long seasons for his A Song of Ice and Fire book series. That’s why winter is always coming but still hasn’t actually hit the HBO show. But we’ve got some excellent news to share today – Game of Thrones Season 3 is getting extended episodes. 

HBO’s Game of Thrones is two seasons in and doesn’t show any signs of slowing down soon. Fans of George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire series know just how much detail the author puts into his books, and how much is left out of the television show. Thankfully, viewers can now see even more of what went into the making of the Emmy Award-winning series with the new book, Inside HBO’s Game of Thrones. The Mary Sue had the opportunity to speak with Game of Thrones writer Bryan Cogman, who spent countless hours putting the book together (really, you should thank him). See what he had to say about the project as well as his thoughts on the characters of Westeros.

HBO is publishing a companion book to their ever-popular Game of Thrones series on September 25. Inside HBO’s Game of Thrones will give fans a look at what kind of work it takes to actually put together a fantasy show. Executive producers D.B. Weiss and David Benioff, along with costume designers, story board artists, productions artists and more, talk a bit about what you can expect from the hardcover book while we get a sneak peek at some behind-the-scenes work.

(via Blastr)

In the list of things I never thought I’d find myself writing about, a severed President George W. Bush head winding up on HBO’s Game of Thrones was waaaaay at the top. But, this apparently happened and since everyone was just made aware of it, HBO felt they needed to make an official statement. And no, the statement did not consist of, “Off with their heads!” 

Every week I sit down to watch HBO’s Game of Thrones and every week I’m shocked when the credits roll. The episodes go by incredibly fast but that’s a testament to their quality. But fans will get an extra treat this coming Sunday when the finale airs, and that treat is several more minutes of running time for their favorite show. Hit the jump to find out just how much more Thrones you’ll get this weekend! 

Editor’s Note: Contributor Amy Ratcliffe is back with her veteran recap of last night’s explosive penultimate episode of HBO’s Game of Thrones. And yes, when we say “explosive,” we really mean “explosive.”  (Find our newbie recap here.)

Can you keep track of all the gods on HBO’s Game of Thrones? George R.R. Martin is here to explain the Old Gods, the New Gods, the Drowned Gods, and the Lord of Light for you just in case you can’t. And oh yeah, executive producers David Benioff and D.B. Weiss also put in a few words of wisdom. Just one note, there are a couple short clips shown in the video which haven’t happened in the series yet. Nothing spoiler-y really but you may not want to watch if you are concerned with going in fresh each episode. Though I’m betting they happen in the next episode.

(via Blastr)

Most of us here are weeping in anticipation of April 1. That’s when Season 2 of HBO’s award-winning series Game of Thrones returns to the network. We can’t wait to see our favorite characters return and find out where their stories go next (that is, if you haven’t already read George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire series) but some people will be watching the show for the first time today. Game of Thrones: The Complete First Season is out on dvd and blu-ray today. Read on for our thoughts, the specs, and as an added bonus, what it would look like if Walt Disney had made Game of Thrones.