Introducing an Author: George R.R. Martin

George R.R. Martin  

His Website

Genres: Science Fiction, Fantasy, Horror, Urban Fantasy, Children’s Fiction

My first introduction with George R.R. Martin was through the show. The first season, despite how everyone kind of just stopped talking about it, was all consuming. This was clearly the show of the year with how much people talked about it. Since the end of season one, I knew I wanted more. So I downloaded the books on Audible and consumed them back to back. The world existed and the character dynamics were so intriguing that I needed more.

One of the reasons that I loved reading George R.R. Martin is the complexity with his characters and the storylines. It was like reading a cinematic experience in the world he built in Westeros is one that is magnificent. It’s in depth, and it felt so real. You never knew where he was going with it, who he was going to kill off next, and for the first time in a book series, no one was safe. It felt like real-life in a way. This was the fantasy of Star Wars without the sci-fi fiction. The King Arthurs tales that I love dearly, the heroes journey with no guarantee signs of victory.

Though I still have some issues with how he writes characters, particularly female, he by far is not the worst I ever read. He does try to make them as complex as possible, almost equal to some of his male characters, which as a reader who majority finds herself reading female authors, this was refreshing to me in the world that often feels like, at the time, excluded women from the conversation.

As of the making of this post, Mr. Martin is still working on the last two books of the A Song of Fire and Ice series, The Winds of Winter, and a Dream of Spring. He himself is almost included in production with the series, House of Dragon, as well as other projects related to Westeros.

His next book release will be Aces Full from his Wild Card series in November of 2025. The future for A Song of Ice and Fire is looking slightly grim in terms of whether or not we will get a release of the last two books anytime soon. His health is reportable and not the best, however he is working on it, as of the making of this post, he is about 75% complete as these will be the longest works he has produced. To be honest, the way that he is treated by people who bring up that he is sick to his face and demand the book release, is horrible. If I was him, the writer, I would make it so my books would be finished at the time of my death, however they couldn’t be released for ten years after my passing, but I can be petty.

For what you can find for other productions with Geroge, is he does frequently blog on his website with updates, and has answered questions in the past about the world. You can catch his works in the adaptations that he is currently also working on, such as House of the Dragon and the new Knight of the Seven Kingdoms on HBO.

Overall I think those who enjoy high fantasy and political intrigue will love his works. He's definitely an author that if you like High Fantasy, if he's not on your list, then your list is probably wrong.

Books list

Series:

A Song of Ice and Fire

1. A Game of Thrones
2. A Clash of Kings
3. A Storm of Swords
4. A Feast of Crows
5. A Dance with Dragons

Dreamsongs

1. Dreamsongs: Volume 1
2. Dreamsongs: Volume 2
3. The complete Dreamsongs

Hedge Knight:

1. The Hedge Knight
2. The Sworn Sword
3. A knight of the Seven Kingdoms

Song of Ice and Fire Non Fiction

1. The Lands of Ice and Fire
2. The Wit and Wisdom of Tyrion Lannister
3. The World of Ice and Fire

History of the House of Targaryen of Westeros

1. Fire and Blood
2. The Rise of the Dragon

Novels:

1. Dying of the Light
2. Windhaven
3. Fevre Dream
4. The Armageddon Rag
5. Hunter’s Run (with Daniel Abraham and Gardner Dozois)

Novellas and Short Stories

1. The Skin Trade
2. Under Siege
3. Shadow Twin (with Daniel Abraham and Gardner Dozois)
4. In the House of the Worms
5. The Glass Flower
6. The Lonely Songs of Laren Door
7. The Ice Dragon

Anthology Series

New Voices

1. New Voices I
2. New Voices II
3. New Voices III
4. New Voices IV
5. The John W Campbell Awards Volume 5
6. The John W Campbell Awards Volume 6

Warriors (With Gardner Dozois)

1. Warriors 1
2. Warriors 2
3. Warriors 3
4. Warriors

Dangerous Women (with Gardner Dozois)

1. Dangerous Women 1
2. Dangerous Women 2
3. Dangerous Women 3

Series Contributed to:

Wild Cards

1. Wild Cards
2. Aces High
3. Jokers Wild
4. Aces Abroad
5. Down and Dirty
6. Ace in the Hole
7. Dead Man’s Hand (with John J. Miller)
8. One-Eyed Jacks
9. Jokertown Shuffle
10. Double Solitaire (with Melinda M. Snodgrass)
11. Dealer’s Choice
12. Turn of the cards (with Victor Milan)
13. Card Sharks
14. Marked Cards
15. Showdown
16. Deuces Down
17. Death Draws Five (with John J. Miller)
18. Inside Straight
19. The Hard Call (with Daniel Abraham)
20. American Hero
21. Busted Flush
22. Suicide Kings
23. Fort Freak
24. Lowball (with Melinda M. Snodgrass)
25. High Stakes (with Melinda M. Snodgrass)
26. Mississippi Roll
27. Low Chicago
28. Knaves Over Queens
29. Texas Hold’em
30. Three Kings (with Melinda M. Snodgrass)
31. Joker Moon
32. Full House
33. Pairing Up
34. Sleeper Straddle
35. House Rules
36. Aces Full

Night Vision 

1. Night Visions 3