A Song of Ice and Fire

Unless you're new to the world of fantasy fiction you will no doubt have heard of and more than likely even read George R.R. Martin's epic series A Song of Ice and Fire. And when I say "epic" I'm not kidding, each of the 4 tomes published to date is well into the "doorstopper" category as has come to be the norm in the fantasy genre.
Instead of writing a review of the series, I'd like to discuss the many things that set this series apart from others. No spoilers ahead.
1) Martin takes it seriously. Though the tale is set in the usual imaginary medieval setting, there is very realistic feel to the series, it almost reads like historical fiction with plenty of political intrigue and warfare.
2) No quest for a magic object. Perhaps the most overused of all the fantasy clichés, the search for some magic sword/amulet/you-name-it, that will solve all the world's problems once it's found. I really can't believe authors are still (mis)using this tired old plot device.
3) Magic is used sparingly. There is magic in the series, but it doesn't take center stage. In this way when it does make an appearance, it's impact is even greater than it would be if characters were casting spells left and right.
4) No farm boy that becomes a great wizard/warrior. Though there are characters that start out small and then go out do heroic things, this really is not what this story is about.
5) Realistic characters. Perhaps the single most praised aspect of this series is the incredible cast of characters that Martin has assembled to populate his epic. At the top of most everyones list of favorites is Tyrion Lannister, the prince with a small body but a giant mind. There are no clear cut heroes and villains here, just shades of grey like in real life.
For those few who have not read the series I of course reccomend it highly, but be warned, the series is not even close to being finished. The series was originally planned for six books but the fourth novel - A Feast for Crows was deemed too long and was cut in half for publication, so there will now be seven and maybe more books in total. Mr. Martin is also in no hurry to finish them so we're all in for a long wait.