POV characters are those characters whose perspective the story of A Song of Ice and Fire is told from. The POV characters in the books can be divided into three broad categories:

• Prologue/epilogue POV characters: These are the characters whose perspective the prologue and epilogue chapters of each book have been told from. So far each book has had a prologue, whilst only A Storm of Swords and A Dance with Dragons have had epilogues. So far, every prologue and epilogue POV has perished at the conclusion of their chapter.
• Major POV characters: These are the 'main' POVs from whom the bulk of the story has been related. Each main POV chapter is headed simply by the character's name.
• Minor POV characters: Introduced in A Feast for Crows, this category includes POV chapters from 'minor' characters rather than the major protagonists of the series. They are differentiated from the main POVs by having a descriptive title rather than just a name and appear only when needed for story purposes. Several minor POV characters have since been promoted to major POVs, noted by their names being used rather than titles.

Major POV charactersEdit

14 characters (in order of total number of chapters)

• Tyrion Lannister: 9 chapters in AGoT, 15 in ACoK, 10 in ASoS, 12 in ADWD.
• Jon Snow: 9 chapters in AGoT, 8 in ACoK, 12 in ASoS, 13 in ADWD.
• Arya Stark: 5 chapters in AGoT, 10 in ACoK, 13 in ASoS, 3 in AFFC, 2 in ADWD, 1 confirmed in TWoW.
• Daenerys Targaryen: 10 chapters in AGoT, 5 in ACoK, 6 in ASoS, 10 in ADWD.
• Catelyn Stark: 11 chapters in AGoT, 7 in ACoK, 7 in ASoS.
• Sansa Stark: 6 chapters in AGoT, 8 in ACoK, 7 in ASoS, 3 in AFFC, 1 confirmed in TWoW.
• Bran Stark: 7 chapters in AGoT, 7 in ACoK, 4 in ASoS, 3 in ADWD.
• Jaime Lannister: 9 chapters in ASoS, 7 in AFFC, 1 in ADWD.
• Eddard Stark: 15 chapters in AGoT.
• Theon Greyjoy: 6 chapters in ACoK, 7 in ADWD, 1 confirmed in TWoW.
• Davos Seaworth: 3 chapters in ACoK, 6 in ASoS, 4 in ADWD.
• Cersei Lannister: 10 chapters in AFFC, 2 in ADWD.
• Samwell Tarly: 5 chapters in ASoS, 5 in AFFC.
• Brienne of Tarth: 8 chapters in AFFC.

Minor POV charactersEdit

10 characters

• Aeron Greyjoy: 2 chapters in AFFC, 1 confirmed in TWoW.
• Asha Greyjoy: 1 chapter in AFFC, 3 in ADWD.
• Victarion Greyjoy: 2 in AFFC, 2 in ADWD.
• Areo Hotah: 1 in AFFC, 1 in ADWD.
• Arianne Martell: 2 in AFFC, 1 confirmed in TWoW.
• Arys Oakheart: 1 in AFFC.
• Jon Connington: 2 in ADWD.
• Melisandre of Asshai: 1 in ADWD.
• Quentyn Martell: 4 chapters in ADWD.
• Barristan Selmy: 4 chapters in ADWD, 2 confirmed in TWoW.

Victarion Greyjoy and Barristan Selmy both switch from title to named chapters in A Dance with Dragons, indicating that they are now considered to be major POV characters.

Prologue and epilogue POVsEdit

7 characters

• Will, a ranger of the Night's Watch, AGoT prologue.
• Cressen: a maester at Dragonstone, ACoK prologue.
• Chett: a master of hounds for the Night's Watch, ASoS prologue.
• Merrett Frey, a knight in the service of House Frey, ASoS epilogue.
• Pate, a novice studying at the Citadel, AFFC prologue.
• Varamyr Sixskins, a wildling warg, ADWD prologue.
• Kevan Lannister: brother to Tywin Lannister, ADWD epilogue.

Short story POVsEdit

1 character

• Duncan the Tall, a hedge knight: THK, TSS, TMK