The tale is told through the eyes of 9 recurring POV characters plus one prologue POV character:
- Prologue: Maester Cressen, maester at Dragonstone.
- Tyrion Lannister, youngest son of Lord Tywin Lannister, a dwarf and a brother to Queen Cersei, and the acting Hand of the King to Joffrey Baratheon.
- Lady Catelyn Stark, of House Tully, widow of Eddard Stark, Lord of Winterfell.
- Ser Davos Seaworth, a smuggler turned knight in the service of King Stannis Baratheon, often called the Onion Knight.
- Sansa Stark, eldest daughter of Eddard Stark and Catelyn Stark, held captive by King Joffrey in King's Landing.
- Arya Stark, youngest daughter of Eddard Stark and Catelyn Stark, missing and presumed dead.
- Bran Stark, second son of Eddard Stark and Catelyn Stark, ruling in Winterfell in his elder brother’s absence.
- Jon Snow, bastard son of Eddard Stark, and a man of the Night's Watch.
- Theon Greyjoy, heir to the Seastone Chair and former ward of Lord Eddard Stark.
- Queen Daenerys Targaryen, the Unburnt and Mother of Dragons, of the Targaryen dynasty.
