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American novelist behind A Song of Ice and Fire, the epic fantasy series HBO adapted as Game of Thrones. A lifelong reader of science fiction, fantasy, and history, Martin frequently writes about the books and authors that shaped his work.
“The Accursed Kings has it all. Iron kings and strangled queens, battles and betrayals, lies and lust, deception, family rivalries, the curse of the Templars, babies switched at birth, she-wolves, sin, and swords, the doom of a great dynasty, and all of it (or most of it) straight from the pages of history.” source
“I revere Lord of the Rings, I reread it every few years, it had an enormous effect on me as a kid. In some sense, when I started this saga I was replying to Tolkien, but even more to his modern imitators.” source
“Tolkien just broke that rule, and I'll love him forever for it. The minute you kill Gandalf, the suspense of everything that follows is a thousand times greater, because now anybody could die.” source
“For me the true Golden Age will always be the late 60s and early 70s, when the Big Three were Roger Zelazny, Samuel R. Delany, and Ursula K. Le Guin.” source
“The original Earthsea trilogy occupies a similar lofty position in the fantasy pantheon. She was one of the giants. She influenced a whole generation of writers who came after her, including me.” source
“The Left Hand of Darkness ranks as one of the best science fiction novels ever written, in my estimation, and The Dispossessed and The Lathe of Heaven were splendid works as well.” source
“Fantasy fans should go back and read the classics. The original Conan stories by Robert E. Howard and his other characters like Bran Mak Morn and Solomon Kane. Jack Vance, one of my all-time favourites, the marvellous The Dying Earth stories by Jack Vance.” source
“No one writes better historical fiction than Cornwell, and the Saxon series is especially cool in that it brings to life a part of British history that I knew almost nothing about.” source
“The Great Gatsby is a book that has vast personal meaning to me, one that has affected me deeply. The romantic in me has always identified strongly with Jay Gatsby. I know what it is to chase after that green light.” source
“The Lord of the Rings, The Great Gatsby, Gone with the Wind, Great Expectations, Lonesome Dove, Catch-22, Charlotte's Web. Favorites all, towering masterpieces, books that changed my life.” source
