NationMaster - Encyclopedia: A Song of Ice and Fire

A Song of Ice and Fire is an award-winning series of epic fantasy novels by American novelist and screenwriter George R. R. Martin. Martin began writing the series in 1991 and the first volume was published in 1996. Originally planned as a trilogy, the series now consists of four published volumes with three more projected. There are also two prequel novellas available, with several more planned, and a series of novellas consisting of excerpts of the main novels. One of these excerpt novellas has won a Hugo Award. The series has beem translated into eighteen languages and is a best-seller, with the fourth volume reaching the top of the New York Times bestseller lists upon its release. George Raymond Richard Martin, sometimes called GRRM, born September 20, 1948 in Bayonne, New Jersey is an American author and screenwriter of science fiction, horror, and fantasy. ... For other uses, see Country (disambiguation). ... The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ... High fantasy is a subgenre of fantasy fiction that is set in invented or parallel worlds. ... Dark fantasy is a subgenre that combines elements of fantasy, including marvelous abilities, with those of horror. ... The Accolade by British painter Edmund Blair Leighton exhibits an idealized view of history common in historical fantasy. ... A publisher is a person or entity which engages in the act of publishing. ... Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... Bantam Books is a major U.S. publishing house owned by Random House and is part of the Bantam Dell Publishing Group. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom. ... Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... HarperCollins is a publishing organization owned by News Corporation. ... is the 218th day of the year (219th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1996 (MCMXCVI) was a leap year starting on Monday (link will display full 1996 Gregorian calendar). ... Hardcover books A hardcover (or hardback or hardbound) is a book bound with rigid protective covers (typically of cardboard covered with cloth, heavy paper, or sometimes leather). ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article may require cleanup. ... An audio book is a recording of the contents of a book read aloud. ... High fantasy is a subgenre of fantasy fiction that is set in invented or parallel worlds. ... A novel is an extended work of written, narrative, prose fiction, usually in story form; the writer of a novel is a novelist. ... George Raymond Richard Martin, sometimes called GRRM, born September 20, 1948 in Bayonne, New Jersey is an American author and screenwriter of science fiction, horror, and fantasy. ... A prequel is a work that portrays events which include the structure, conventions, and/or characters of a previously completed narrative, but occur at an earlier time. ... A novella is a short, narrative, prose fiction work. ... The 2005 Hugo Award with base designed by Deb Kosiba. ... The New York Times is an internationally known daily newspaper published in New York City and distributed in the United States and many other nations worldwide. ...

The story of A Song of Ice and Fire takes place in a fictional secondary world, primarily upon a continent called Westeros but also on the vast, unnamed continent to the east. Most of the characters are human but as the series progresses other races are introduced, such as the engimatic and threatening Others and a towering race of giants from the far north. There are three principal storylines in the series: the chronicling of a dynastic civil war for control of Westeros between several competing families; the rising threat of the Others who dwell beyond an immense wall of ice that forms Westeros' northern border; and the journeys of Daenerys Targaryen, the exiled daughter of the rightful king who was murdered in another civil war fifteen years previously and now seeks to return to Westeros and claim her rightful throne. A fictional universe is a cohesive imaginary world that serves as the setting or backdrop for one or (more commonly) multiple works of fiction. ... Animated, colour-coded map showing the various continents. ... Westeros is one of the three continents described in George R. R. Martins fantasy series A Song of Ice and Fire. ... This article is about modern humans. ... Daenerys Targaryen is a fictional character from George R. R. Martins A Song of Ice and Fire. ...

The series is told in the limited third-person through the eyes of a number of POV characters. By the end of the fourth volume, there have been twenty-five such characters, although these include four prologue and one epilogue characters who only appear once apiece. Martin is noted for his ruthlessness towards his characters. By the end of the fourth volume eight of the POV characters have been killed. Look up Third person in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... In literature and storytelling, a point of view is the related experience of the narrator â€” not that of the author. ... A prologue (Greek πρόλογος, from προ~, pro~ - fore~, and lógos, word), or rarely prolog, is a prefatory piece of writing, usually composed to introduce a drama. ... An epilogue, or epilog, is a piece of writing at the end of a work of literature or drama, usually used to bring closure to the work. ...

Whilst the series is set in a fictional secondary world and Martin has acknowledged his debt to the works of J.R.R. Tolkien, Jack Vance and Tad Williams, the series differs from these earlier works in its greater interest in and use of realistic elements. Whilst Tolkien was inspired by mythology, A Song of Ice and Fire is more clearly influenced by medieval history, most notably the Wars of the Roses. This has led to the series being cited as a forerunner of a 'gritty' new wave of epic fantasy authors that followed, including Scott Lynch, Joe Abercrombie, Steven Erikson and Scott Bakker. On his website, Martin has acknowledged historical fiction authors such as Bernard Cornwell and George MacDonald Fraser to be influences on the series. J. R. R. Tolkien in 1916. ... John Holbrook Vance (born August 28, 1916 in San Francisco, California) is generally described as an American fantasy and science fiction author, though Vance himself has reportedly objected to such labels. ... Robert Paul Tad Williams (born March 14, 1957) is the author of several fantasy and science fiction novels, including Tailchasers Song, the Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn series, the Otherland series, and The War of the Flowers. ... For other uses, see Mythology (disambiguation). ... The Middle Ages formed the middle period in a traditional schematic division of European history into three ages: the classical civilization of Antiquity, the Middle Ages, and modern times. ... This article is about the study of the past in human terms. ... Lancaster York For other uses, see Wars of the Roses (disambiguation). ... Scott Lynch is an American fantasy author, best-known for his Gentleman Bastard series of novels. ... Joe Abercrombie is a British fantasy writer and and film editor. ... Steven Erikson (born October 7, 1959) is a pseudonym of Steve Rune Lundin, Canadian archaeologist, anthropologist and author. ... R. Scott Bakker is a Canadian fantasy author. ... Look up historical fiction in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Bernard Cornwell OBE (born February 23, 1944) is a prolific and popular English historical novelist. ... George MacDonald Fraser, OBE (born 2 April 1926 in Carlisle) is a British author of both historical novels and non-fiction books. ...

The growing popularity of the series has led to it being optioned by HBO for a possible television adaption, whilst there are popular board and role-playing games based on the books available, as well as a collection of artwork based on and inspired by the series. For other uses, see HBO (disambiguation). ... A board game is a game played with counters or pieces that are placed on, removed from, or moved across a board (a premarked surface, usually specific to that game). ... This article is about games in which one plays the role of a character. ...

The series has been placed as the number 2 rated series at the Internet Book List as of November 12th, 2007.^[1] Online general-interest book databases are bibliographic databases intended primarily for general rather than academic use, and are often constructed in a way resembling social networking sites. ...

Novels and novellas

There are also three prequel novellas to the series, set ninety years before the novels. A Game of Thrones is the first of seven planned novels in A Song of Ice and Fire, an epic fantasy series by American author George R. R. Martin. ... The year 1996 in literature involved some significant events and new books. ... A Clash of Kings is the second of seven planned novels in A Song of Ice and Fire, an epic fantasy series by American author George R. R. Martin. ... See also: 1997 in literature, other events of 1998, 1999 in literature, list of years in literature. ... A Storm of Swords is the third of seven planned novels in A Song of Ice and Fire, an epic fantasy series by American author George R. R. Martin. ... See also: 1999 in literature, other events of 2000, 2001 in literature, list of years in literature. ... A Feast for Crows is the fourth of seven planned novels in A Song of Ice and Fire, an epic fantasy series by American author George R. R. Martin. ... Books and publishing in 2005. ... A Dance with Dragons is the fifth of seven planned novels in the epic fantasy series A Song of Ice and Fire by American author George R. R. Martin. ...

These short stories are commonly known as "Dunk and Egg" stories (after their protagonists). The Hedge Knight is also available as a graphic novel from Dabel Brothers Productions; an adaptation of The Sworn Sword is forthcoming from the same company. The author has said that he would like to write a number of these stories (varying from six to twelve from interview to interview) covering the entire lives of these two characters. Publication of a third "Dunk and Egg" novella is provisionally set for 2009 in an anthology named Warriors, which will be edited by Martin and Gardner Dozois. The Hedge Knight is the first of a planned series of novellas written by George R. R. Martin, often referred to as Dunk and Egg stories after their protagonists. ... Year 1998 (MCMXCVIII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display full 1998 Gregorian calendar). ... The Hedge Knight is the first of a planned series of novellas written by George R. R. Martin, often referred to as Dunk and Egg stories after their protagonists. ... Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Trade paperback of Will Eisners A Contract with God (1978), often mistakenly cited as the first graphic novel. ... Dabel Brothers Productions (also known as DB Pro, DBPro, and sometimes Dabel Brothers Production) is a U.S. publishing company of comic books and graphic novels. ... Gardner Dozois (born July 23, 1947) is an American science fiction author and editor. ...

Background

The background to A Song of Ice and Fire is revealed through the lengthy appendices which follow on from each volume, with additional information revealed through the novellas, the text of the novels themselves and the role-playing game.

The narrative is set primarily in the fictional Seven Kingdoms of Westeros, a large, South America-sized^[2] continent with an ancient history stretching back some twelve thousand years, and where the seasons last for years. The original inhabitants of the land were the children of the forest (whose old gods are still worshipped in the North), a dimunitive race who lived in harmony with nature but employed powerful magic. The First Men, a civilisation of primitive warriors wielding bronze weapons, crossed over from the eastern continent via a land bridge (destroyed in the resulting conflicts) and fought a series of wars against the children which ended with the Pact of the Isle of Faces being signed, with the First Men taking control of the open lands and the children remaining in the forests. Westeros is one of the three continents described in George R. R. Martins fantasy series A Song of Ice and Fire. ... This article is about divisions of a year. ... A year is the time between two recurrences of an event related to the orbit of the Earth around the Sun. ... This article is about the metal alloy. ...

The Pact was weakened after four thousand years by the emergence of the Others, an enigmatic race from the furthermost north, who swept south into Westeros and caused great death and destruction, bringing about a night that lasted a generation and a winter that lasted decades. In the War for the Dawn, the Others were thrown back by the First Men and the children of the forest, and the vast Wall was raised to bar their passage south should they come again. In the following centuries the children gradually disappeared, and it was presumed that they died out or left Westeros altogether.

Approximately two thousand years after the War for the Dawn, the Andals crossed the narrow sea from the eastern continent. The Andals wielded iron weapons, had tamed horses to use in battle and brought with them the Faith of the Seven. They landed in the Vale of Arryn and over the course of several millennia subjugated the southern kingdoms. However, they could not take the North due to natural defences. Over time six great and powerful kingdoms were forged across Westeros: the Kingdom of the North, the Kingdom of the Iron Islands, the Kingdom of Vale and Sky, the Kingdom of the Rock, the Kingdom of the Storm Kings and the Kingdom of the Reach. A seventh kingdom - that of the Riverlands - was repeatedly conquered by its neighbours and eventually was destroyed altogether, whilst the small desert kingships in the far south of Westeros were divided by constant struggle and war. One thousand years prior to the events of the novels, a great host of refugees from the region of the River Rhoyne on the eastern continent - displaced by the growing power of a distant empire called Valyria - crossed the narrow sea under the warrior-queen Nymeria and landed in the southern-most part of Westeros. The Rhoynar allied with the native Lord Mors Martell and conquered the southern peninsula of Dorne, forging another powerful kingdom.

By five centuries later the expanding Valyrian Freehold had reached the far coast of the narrow sea and established links with Westeros, using the island of Dragonstone as a trading port. However, a mere century later the Valyrian Freehold was destroyed by a titanic disaster known as the Doom. The Valyrian family that controlled Dragonstone, the Targaryens, spent a further century in preparing their forces, and then launched a devastating invasion of Westeros under Aegon the Conqueror. Although their forces were tiny, they had with them the last three dragons in the western world and they were able to use these to subjugate the continent. Six of the Seven Kingdoms were conquered in this initial war, but Dorne resisted so fiercely that Aegon agreed to let them remain independent. The Targaryens adopted the native Faith of the Seven (although they still married brother to sister in the ancient Valyrian tradition in defiance of the Faith's teachings) and Westerosi customs, and within a few decades had crushed all resistence to their rule. The last dragons died out a century and a half into the Targaryen rule, but by this time they had become the ruling power on the continent and their rule was not challenged at this time. Image:Targaryen Sigil. ... Image:Targaryen Sigil. ... For other uses, see Dragon (disambiguation). ...

Fifteen years prior to the beginning of the novels, the Targaryens were displaced from power in a civil war brought about by King Aerys II's insanity and cruelty. An alliance of houses under the leadership of Lord Robert Baratheon, Lord Jon Arryn and Lord Eddard Stark successfully destroyed the Targaryen armies, slew King Aerys and his heirs and wiped out most of the line, aside from Aerys' pregnant wife and his son Viserys, who fled to Dragonstone. Aerys' wife died giving birth to Daenerys Targaryen, who was taken to safety in the Free Cities beyond the narrow sea by loyal retainers. In the meantime, Robert Baratheon took the Iron Throne and married Cersei Lannister, whose father Tywin had delivered Robert the capital of King's Landing through treachery. House Baratheon is a fictional family from George R. R. Martins A Song of Ice and Fire. ... House Arryn is a fictional family in George R. R. Martins A Song of Ice and Fire. ... House Stark is a fictional noble family from George R. R. Martins A Song of Ice and Fire. ... Daenerys Targaryen is a fictional character from George R. R. Martins A Song of Ice and Fire. ... House Lannister is a fictional family from George R. R. Martins A Song of Ice and Fire book series. ... House Lannister is a fictional family from George R. R. Martins A Song of Ice and Fire book series. ...

Plot summary

A Song of Ice and Fire follows three principal storylines, divided by geography and participants.

The first storyline, set in the Seven Kingdoms themselves, chronicles a many-sided struggle for the Iron Throne that develops after King Robert's death. The throne is claimed by his son Joffrey, supported by his mother's powerful family, House Lannister, but Robert's brother Stannis claims that Robert's children are illegitimate, and that the throne should fall to him. Robert's youngest brother, Renly, also places a claim with the support of the extremely powerful House Tyrell. Whilst these three claimants battle for the Iron Throne, Robb Stark, Lord Eddard Stark's heir, is proclaimed King in the North as the northmen and their allies in the Riverlands seek to return to self-rule. Likewise, Balon Greyjoy also (re-)claims the ancient throne of his own region, the Iron Islands, with an eye towards independence. The War of the Five Kings is the principal storyline in the second and third novels, while the fourth novel concerns the realm's recovery in the face of the coming winter. House Baratheon is a fictional family from George R. R. Martins A Song of Ice and Fire. ... House Lannister is a fictional family from George R. R. Martins A Song of Ice and Fire book series. ... House Baratheon is a fictional family from George R. R. Martins A Song of Ice and Fire. ... House Baratheon is a fictional family from George R. R. Martins A Song of Ice and Fire. ... House Tyrell is a fictional family in George R. R. Martins epic fantasy book series A Song of Ice and Fire. ... House Stark is a fictional noble family from George R. R. Martins A Song of Ice and Fire. ... House Greyjoy is a fictional family from George R. R. Martins A Song of Ice and Fire. ... The War of the Five Kings is a fictional war that takes place in American fantasy author George R. R. Martins A Song of Ice and Fire series of novels. ...

The second storyline is set on the extreme northern border of Westeros. Here, eight thousand years ago, a huge wall of ice and gravel was constructed by both magic and labor to defend Westeros from the threat of The Others, a race of ice creatures living in the uttermost north. This Wall, 300 miles (480 km) long and 700 feet (210 m) tall, is defended and maintained by the Sworn Brotherhood of the Night's Watch, whose primary duty is to guard against the Others, but by the time of the novels it is badly under-strength and has almost forgotten its original purpose, instead being threatened by the human 'wildlings' or 'free folk' who live to the north. This storyline follows Jon Snow, bastard son of Eddard Stark, as he rises through the ranks of the Watch, learns the true nature of the threat from the north, and prepares to defend the realm from it, despite the fact that the people of Westeros are too busy warring to send support. By the end of the third volume, this storyline has become somewhat entangled with the civil war to the south with the arrival of one of the claimants to the Iron Throne after the defeat of his armies in battle. The Nights Watch is an organization dedicated to defending the realms of man in George R.R. Martins epic fantasy series A Song of Ice and Fire. ... The Nights Watch is an organization dedicated to defending the realms of man in George R.R. Martins epic fantasy series A Song of Ice and Fire. ... House Stark is a fictional noble family from George R. R. Martins A Song of Ice and Fire. ... Illegitimacy is the status that was once commonly ascribed to individuals born to parents who were not married. ...

The third storyline is set on the huge eastern continent and follows the journeys of Daenerys Targaryen, the last (known) scion of House Targaryen and another claimant to the Iron Throne. Daenerys's adventures showcase her growing ability, as she rises from a near-penniless wanderer to a powerful and canny ruler who possesses the last living dragons. Though her story is separated from the others by many thousands of miles, her stated goal is to reclaim the Iron Throne, and it is presumed she will travel to Westeros before the end of the series. While she has no memories of Westeros and is barely known there, she may still be welcomed: the chaos of two civil wars in rapid succession has led to much yearning among the smallfolk for the days of stability under the Targaryens. Daenerys Targaryen is a fictional character from George R. R. Martins A Song of Ice and Fire. ... Image:Targaryen Sigil. ... In a detail of Brueghels Land of Cockaigne (1567) a soft-boiled egg has little feet to rush to the luxuriating peasant who catches drops of honey on his tongue, while roast pigs roam wild: in fact, hunger and harsh winters were realities for the average European in the...

The eponymous Song of Ice and Fire has been mentioned only once in the series so far, in a vision Daenerys sees in A Clash of Kings. This vision depicts a Targaryen (her dead older brother Rhaegar[3]) speaking of his son, saying, "He is the prince that was promised, and his is the song of ice and fire". It is implied that there is a connection between this song, the promised prince, and Daenerys herself, who according to her grand-uncle Aemon will fulfill the prophecy (the Valyrian word "prince" is gender-neutral, just as their dragons are hermaphrodites). The phrase "ice and fire" is also mentioned in the Reeds' oath of loyalty to Bran in A Clash of Kings. Image:Targaryen Sigil. ... For other uses, see Hermaphrodite (disambiguation). ...

Historical and literary sources

Numerous parallels have been seen between the events and characters in A Song of Ice and Fire and events and people involved in the Wars of the Roses. Two of the principal families in A Song of Ice and Fire, the Starks and the Lannisters, are seen as representing the historical House of York and House of Lancaster, respectively. Lancaster York For other uses, see Wars of the Roses (disambiguation). ... The House of York was a branch of the English royal House of Plantagenet, three of whom became English kings in the late 15th century. ... The House of Lancaster is a dynasty of English kings. ...

A similar reality-inspired conflict is the succession struggle called the Dance of Dragons between two children Aegon II and Rhaenyra. A historical struggle (labeled The Anarchy) between Empress Matilda, daughter of Henry I of England, and her cousin Stephen of Blois, provides the inspiration. Each daughter is announced as her father's successor, but due to differing reasons, male rivals seize the crown and are anointed as rulers. During the dynastic struggle, the rival claimants are deposed and succeeded by the son (Aegon III and Henry II of England respectively) of the original designated heir. Neither Empress Matilda nor Rhaenyra actually ruled in their own name. Image:Targaryen Sigil. ... The Anarchy in English history commonly names the period of civil war and unsettled government that occurred during the reign (1135â€“1154) of King Stephen of England. ... Empress Matilda (February 1102 â€“ September 10, 1167; sometimes Maud or Maude), also called Matilda, Countess of Anjou or Matilda, Lady of the English, was the daughter and dispossessed heir of King Henry I of England. ... Henry I (c. ... Stephen (c. ... Image:Targaryen Sigil. ... Henry II of England (5 March 1133 â€“ 6 July 1189) ruled as King of England (1154â€“1189), Count of Anjou, Duke of Normandy, Duke of Aquitaine, Duke of Gascony, Count of Nantes, Lord of Ireland and, at various times, controlled parts of Wales, Scotland and western France. ...

A comparison of Martin's map of Northern Westeros and a map of Great Britain will also show a geographical resemblance. Martin's "Wall" geographically corresponding with Hadrian's Wall and Dorne with Cornwall. Westeros is, however, much huger than Britain, stretching for nearly three thousand miles from the Wall to the Summer Sea. Hadrians Wall is a stone and turf fortification built by the Roman Empire across the width of modern-day England. ... For other uses, see Cornwall (disambiguation). ...

Martin is an avid student of medieval Europe, and has said that the Wars of the Roses, along with many other events in Europe during that time, have influenced the series. However, he insists that "there's really no one-for-one character-for-character correspondence. I like to use history to flavor my fantasy, to add texture and verisimilitude, but simply rewriting history with the names changed has no appeal for me. I prefer to reimagine it all, and take it in new and unexpected directions." ^[3] The Middle Ages formed the middle period in a traditional schematic division of European history into three ages: the classical civilization of Antiquity, the Middle Ages, and modern times, beginning with the Renaissance. ...

Martin has also said the Albigensian Crusades are an influence for the series. The Albigensian Crusade or Cathar Crusade (1209 - 1229) was a 20-year military campaign initiated by the Roman Catholic Church to eliminate the heresy of the Cathars of Languedoc. ...

Origins of the series

Although George R. R. Martin had long had a love of model knights and medieval history, his early novels and short stories mostly fit into the science fiction genre, although eventually several fantasy stories did appear, such as The Ice Dragon. In the mid-1980s, Martin worked mainly in Hollywood, principally as a writer or producer on The New Twilight Zone and Beauty and the Beast. After Beauty and the Beast ended in 1989 Martin returned to writing prose and started work on a science fiction novel called Avalon. In 1991, whilst struggling with this story, Martin conceived of a scene where several youngsters find a dead direwolf with a stag's antler in its throat. The direwolf has several pups, which are taken by the youngsters to raise as their own. Martin's imagination was fired by this idea and he developed it into an epic fantasy story, which he envisaged as a trilogy consisting of the books A Game of Thrones, A Dance with Dragons and The Winds of Winter. Martin had previously apparently not been inspired by the genre, but reading Tad Williams' Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn series had convinced him it could be approached in a more adult and mature way than previous authors. This article is about the study of the past in human terms. ... Science fiction is a form of speculative fiction principally dealing with the impact of imagined science and technology, or both, upon society and persons as individuals. ... ... The New Twilight Zone is the popular nickname for the 1985 revival of Rod Serlings acclaimed 1950/60s television series, The Twilight Zone; it was officially titled the same as the original. ... Beauty and the Beast is an American television series, originally broadcast in 1987, centered around the relationship between Catherine (Linda Hamilton), an attorney who lived in New York City, and Vincent (Ron Perlman), a gentle, but lion-faced beast who belongs to a society of misfits and outcasts (see mole... High fantasy is a subgenre of fantasy fiction that is set in invented or parallel worlds. ... Robert Paul Tad Williams (born March 14, 1957) is the author of several fantasy and science fiction novels, including Tailchasers Song, the Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn series, the Otherland series, and The War of the Flowers. ... Memory, Sorrow and Thorn is Tad Williamss epic fantasy trilogy, comprising The Dragonbone Chair (1988), Stone of Farewell (1990) and To Green Angel Tower (1993). ...

In 1992 he put the book to one side when one of his television ideas was picked up by Hollywood, resulting in the production of a pilot called Doorways. The pilot was not successful and the series was not made.

In 1994 Martin resumed work on A Game of Thrones and completed it the following year, although he was only one-third of the way through his initial plan for the first novel. Martin then expanded the series to four books, and eventually to six. Publication of A Game of Thrones followed in early 1996. Pre-release publicity included publication of a 'sample novella' called Blood of the Dragon, which went on to win the 1997 Hugo Award for Best Novella. The 2005 Hugo Award with base designed by Deb Kosiba. ...

After expanding the series to four volumes, Martin remarked, "What can I say? It's a BIG story, and a cast of thousands." ^[4]

After A Storm of Swords was completed in 2000, Martin began writing A Dance with Dragons, the intended fourth volume which would pick up the story five years after the previous volume. Martin found it difficult to make this work without an over-reliance on flashbacks. At the World Science Fiction Convention in Philadelphia on 1 September 2001, Martin announced that he was scrapping more than a year's work and writing a different fourth book that would fill in the gap, named A Feast for Crows. He found it extremely difficult to go back and start again, especially as this novel was not planned for in his scheme for the series, and work on the book progressed slowly. Worldcon, a. ... For other uses, see Philadelphia (disambiguation) and Philly. ... is the 244th day of the year (245th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2001 (MMI) was a common year starting on Monday (link displays the 2001 Gregorian calendar). ...

By May 2005 A Feast for Crows had become longer than A Storm of Swords and his publishers said they could not publish the book in one volume. They suggested splitting the book in two and releasing the volumes as A Feast for Crows, Volume I and A Feast for Crows, Volume II, but Martin was unhappy with this idea. After discussing the matter with his publishers and his friend and fellow writer Daniel Abraham, Martin decided to split the book by character and location instead. The published A Feast for Crows thus contained all of the characters in the South of the Seven Kingdoms, whilst the forthcoming A Dance with Dragons will contain the characters in the North, the Free Cities and in Slaver's Bay. Daniel Abraham is a science fiction / fantasy author who lives in Albuquerque, NM. His short stories have appeared in numerous publications and anthologies. ...

In a May 2005 statement, the author also said that this move now meant that the series would require seven volumes. Martin recognized that this decision could cause frustration among some of his fans. He wrote: "I know some of you may be disappointed, especially when you buy A Feast for Crows and discover that your favorite character does not appear, but given the realities I think this was the best solution... and the more I look at it, the more convinced I am that these two parallel novels, when taken together, will actually tell the story better than one big book." ^[5]

Despite the problems, A Feast for Crows was released in October 2005 and immediately won largely positive reviews. Time dubbed Martin, "The American Tolkien"[4], and the novel went straight to the top of the New York Times bestseller list. â€œTIMEâ€ redirects here. ... Tolkien redirects here. ... The New York Times is an internationally known daily newspaper published in New York City and distributed in the United States and many other nations worldwide. ...

Despite initial hopes of A Dance with Dragons being published quickly after A Feast for Crows, the writing and rewriting process for this fifth novel proved difficult. On January 1st, 2008 Martin published an update on his website saying he hoped to have the book published in the autumn of 2008.

TV adaptation

Variety reported on January 17, 2007 that the rights for A Song of Ice and Fire have been sold to HBO with the intent of turning the novels into a television series.^[6] Written and executive produced by David Benioff and D.B. Weiss, the series is expected to cover one novel's worth of material per season. Martin plans to co-executive produce the series and is expected to write one episode per season. The series will be filmed in Europe or New Zealand. Variety is a daily newspaper for the entertainment industry. ... is the 17th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... For other uses, see HBO (disambiguation). ... David Benioff (born circa 1970 in New York City) is an American writer. ... D.B. Weiss is the author of Lucky Wander Boy and the current writer for the Halo film. ...

Martin reported in August 2007 that the first draft of the script is complete^[7] and stated in November that the script was approved and budgeting has begun. It should be noted, however, that the series has still not been officially greenlit, and the 2007 Writers Guild of America strike could have delayed the process.^[8] Striking writers and supporters raise signs at a WGAW rally in Los Angeles Writer-actor Jeff Garlin of Curb Your Enthusiasm (foreground, right) and others at a WGAW rally outside the Fox Studios in Los Angeles The 2007 Writers Guild of America strike is a strike by the Writers Guild...

Spin-offs

In addition to the novels and novellas, there are number of other products inspired by the series.

Related publications

Some of the novels' chapters have appeared previously in collected form in other outlets.

Cover for an issue of Asimovs Science Fiction. ... The Hugo Awards are given annually for the best science fiction or fantasy works. ... Cover for an issue of Asimovs Science Fiction. ... The cover of the 300th issue Dragon is one of the two official magazines for source material for the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game and associated products. ...

A Game of Thrones collectible card game

This is a collectible card game (CCG) produced by Fantasy Flight Games. A number of base sets have been released for the game, each with a number of expansions. The game's primary designer is Eric Lang and the lead developer is Nate French. The A Game of Thrones: Westeros Edition won the Origins Award for Best Trading Card Game of 2002. The Game of Thrones: Ice and Fire Edition won the Origins Award for Best Card Game Expansion or Supplement of 2003. It is an ongoing project consisting of five editions and eight expansions to date. A Game of Thrones Collectible Card Game (sometimes referred to as AGoT) is a collectible card game produced by Fantasy Flight Games, the game is based on the A Song of Ice and Fire fantasy series by George R. R. Martin. ... Collectible card games (CCGs), also called trading card games (TCGs), are played using specially designed sets of cards. ... Fantasy Flight Games (FFG) is a Roseville, Minnesota-based game company that creates and publishes role-playing, board, and card games. ... The Origins Awards, presented by the Academy of Adventure Gaming Arts and Design, are presented at the Origins International Game Expo for outstanding work in the game industry. ... The Origins Awards, presented by the Academy of Adventure Gaming Arts and Design, are presented at the Origins International Game Expo for outstanding work in the game industry. ...

A Game of Thrones Board Game

In 2003, Fantasy Flight Games released the A Game of Thrones strategy board game created by Christian T. Petersen. The Origins Award-winning game allows the players to take on the roles of several of the Great Houses vying for control of the Seven Kingdoms, including House Stark, House Lannister, House Baratheon, House Greyjoy, House Tyrell, and as of the expansion A Clash of Kings, House Martell. Players maneuver armies to secure support in the various regions that comprise the Seven Kingdoms, with the goal of capturing enough support to claim the Iron Throne. Two expansions for the game, A Clash of Kings and A Storm of Swords have been released. A Game of Thrones is a strategy board game created by Christian T. Petersen and released by Fantasy Flight Games in 2003. ... Fantasy Flight Games (FFG) is a Roseville, Minnesota-based game company that creates and publishes role-playing, board, and card games. ... Puerto Rico, a popular German-style board game German-style board games are a broad class of games that feature simple rules, modest length, and attractive components. ... The Origins Awards, presented by the Academy of Adventure Gaming Arts and Design, are presented at the Origins International Game Expo for outstanding work in the game industry. ...

A Game of Thrones Roleplaying Game

The A Game of Thrones Roleplaying Game (2005), created by the defunct Guardians of Order company and published by White Wolf, is a roleplaying game using the d20 and the Tri-Stat dX rules systems. The game consists of a single large, full-colour rulebook featuring information on role-playing in the Seven Kingdoms and also background information to the series not found in the novels, including a detailed map of the Seven Kingdoms. The game was very well-received and was nominated for several awards, but this was not enough to save its parent company from closure in July 2006. A Game of Thrones is a role-playing game produced by Guardians of Order, the game is based on the A Song of Ice and Fire fantasy series by George R. R. Martin. ... Guardians of Order was a Canadian company founded in 1996 by Mark C. Mackinnon based out of Guelph, Ontario in the business of creating roleplaying games. ... White Wolf, Inc. ... A roleplaying game (RPG) is a type of game in which players assume the roles of characters and collaboratively create stories. ... d20 redirects here. ... Tri-Stat dX is a generic role-playing game system developed and published by Guardians of Order in 2003. ...

On 28 July 2006 George R. R. Martin confirmed that he had received word from the head of Guardians of Order that the company was folding and that no further releases for the setting would take place. Martin expressed hope that the game might be salvaged by another company, and on 24 April 2007, Green Ronin Publishing announced they would be producing a new role-playing game entitled A Song of Ice and Fire. is the 209th day of the year (210th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 114th day of the year (115th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Green Ronin Publishing is a company based in Seattle, WA, USA. They have published several role-playing game related products. ...

The Art of Ice and Fire

This book, published in 2005 by Fantasy Flight Games, contains numerous works of art inspired by the series from a variety of different artists and illustrators. Some of the art previously appeared in the card game or on-line, but most of it was new.

Models and figures

Testor Corporation announced that in late 2006 it would begin releasing model figures based on the series, to be followed by a tactical wargame. Only one product shipped, a Ruby Ford diorama. In April 2007, Martin announced that the licensing agreement with Testor had expired, and Testor's A Song of Ice and Fire product lines had been canceled.^[9] In December 2006, Haute Productions signed a deal to release a range of resin mini-busts featuring characters from A Song of Ice and Fire, under the name Valyrian Resin. The company plans to expand the line to include resin statues and pewter chess sets.^[10] On August 13, 2007, Dark Sword Miniatures announced a line of premium pewter miniatures based on the world of George R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire, and sculpted by renowned miniatures artist Tom Meier.^[11] Testor Corporation is a manufacturer of model kits, tools, and accessories based in Rockford, Illinois. ... The War of the Usurper (circa 282-283 AL), also known as Roberts Rebellion, is a fictional war in American fantasy author George R. R. Martins A Song of Ice and Fire series of novels. ... A diorama is any of the two display devices mentioned below. ...

The World of Ice and Fire

A companion volume for the series, provisionally known as a 'world book', is in development by George R. R. Martin and co-authors Elio M. García, Jr. and Linda Antonsson, although no publication date has been announced as yet. García and Antonsson run the largest A Song of Ice and Fire community on the web and assisted in the writing of the roleplaying game. The companion volume was given the working title The World of Ice and Fire at the 2006 Worldcon, during a discussion between the writers. They confirmed that the book will open with a historical overview of the setting, have a 'who's who' of characters and have a large amount of heraldry and at least the Targaryen family tree, possibly more. The book will also contain a large amount of artwork and will be published after A Dance with Dragons is released.[5] The artist Ted Nasmith, best known for his work on illustrated editions of J. R. R. Tolkien books, has been asked to do some landscape and castle portraits for the book. In his correspondence with the publishers, Nasmith was told that the target release date was spring 2008 [6]. It has been suggested that World Science Fiction Society be merged into this article or section. ... Ted Nasmith Ted Nasmith is a Canadian artist, illustrator and architectural renderer. ... Tolkien redirects here. ...

Weapon replicas

On 20 March, 2007, George R. R. Martin announced on his blog[7] that he had "signed a deal with Jalic, Inc of East Lansing, Michigan, granting them a license to manufacture and sell full-sized high-quality replicas of the arms and armor from A SONG OF ICE AND FIRE", under the name Valyrian Steel[8], starting with the bastard sword Longclaw wielded by Jon Snow. is the 79th day of the year (80th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... early langes schwert dating to ca. ... House Stark is a fictional noble family from George R. R. Martins A Song of Ice and Fire. ...

Pronunciation of names

Unlike J. R. R. Tolkien, who provided detailed instructions for the pronunciation of the languages of Middle-earth, Martin has provided no canonical way of pronouncing Westerosi names, stating "You can pronounce it however you like." ^[12] However, it is possible to establish some guidelines based on authorial chapter readings and question-and-answer sessions (marked "GRRM" in the following list), and the audio book adaptations read by Roy Dotrice ("RD") and John Lee ("JL"). Among the multimedia clips of the author speaking, RH indicates the Random House audio interview ^[13] and FF indicates the Fast Forward television interview.^[14] Entries marked with a question mark (?) are probably the pronunciations of RD and/or JL. Tolkien redirects here. ... The languages of Middle-earth are artificial languages invented by J. R. R. Tolkien and used in his books about Middle-earth, including The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings and The Silmarillion. ... Cassette recording of Patrick OBrians The Mauritius Command An audio book is a recording of the contents of a book read aloud. ... Roy Dotrice (born May 26, 1925) is a British actor. ...

The list uses International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) symbols. See Help:pronunciation to learn about the symbols. Articles with similar titles include the NATO phonetic alphabet, which has also informally been called the â€œInternational Phonetic Alphabetâ€. For information on how to read IPA transcriptions of English words, see IPA chart for English. ...

Characters

Houses and surnames

Presumably, bastard names (like Snow and Rivers) are always pronounced like the corresponding common noun House Baratheon is a fictional family from George R. R. Martins A Song of Ice and Fire. ... House Lannister is a fictional family from George R. R. Martins A Song of Ice and Fire book series. ... House Stark is a fictional noble family from George R. R. Martins A Song of Ice and Fire. ... Image:Targaryen Sigil. ...

Places

Titles

Notes

id="External_links"> is the 279th day of the year (280th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1998 (MCMXCVIII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display full 1998 Gregorian calendar). ... is the 149th day of the year (150th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 17th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 226th day of the year (227th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 107th day of the year (108th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 205th day of the year (206th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 340th day of the year (341st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 205th day of the year (206th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 225th day of the year (226th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 240th day of the year (241st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

External links

Heraldry in its most general sense encompasses all matters relating to the duties and responsibilities of officers of arms. ... For other uses, see Portrait (disambiguation). ... The Internet Speculative Fiction Database is a database of bibliographic information on science fiction and related genres such as fantasy fiction and horror fiction. ... George Raymond Richard Martin, sometimes called GRRM, born September 20, 1948 in Bayonne, New Jersey is an American author and screenwriter of science fiction, horror, and fantasy. ... A Game of Thrones is the first of seven planned novels in A Song of Ice and Fire, an epic fantasy series by American author George R. R. Martin. ... A Clash of Kings is the second of seven planned novels in A Song of Ice and Fire, an epic fantasy series by American author George R. R. Martin. ... A Storm of Swords is the third of seven planned novels in A Song of Ice and Fire, an epic fantasy series by American author George R. R. Martin. ... A Feast for Crows is the fourth of seven planned novels in A Song of Ice and Fire, an epic fantasy series by American author George R. R. Martin. ... A Dance with Dragons is the fifth of seven planned novels in the epic fantasy series A Song of Ice and Fire by American author George R. R. Martin. ... The Winds of Winter is the working title for a future volume in the epic fantasy series A Song of Ice and Fire by George R. R. Martin. ... A Dream of Spring is the working title for the projected final volume of the epic fantasy series A Song of Ice and Fire by George R. R. Martin. ... The Tales of Dunk and Egg are a series of novellas written by George R. R. Martin named after their protagonists. ... The Tales of Dunk and Egg are a series of novellas written by George R. R. Martin named after their protagonists. ... House Arryn is a fictional family in George R. R. Martins A Song of Ice and Fire. ... House Baratheon is a fictional family from George R. R. Martins A Song of Ice and Fire. ... House Bolton is a fictional family in George R. R. Martins epic fantasy series A Song of Ice and Fire. ... House Frey is a fictional family in George R. R. Martins A Song of Ice and Fire. ... House Greyjoy is a fictional family from George R. R. Martins A Song of Ice and Fire. ... House Lannister is a fictional family from George R. R. Martins A Song of Ice and Fire book series. ... House Martell is a fictional family from George R. R. Martins A Song of Ice and Fire. ... House Stark is a fictional noble family from George R. R. Martins A Song of Ice and Fire. ... Image:Targaryen Sigil. ... House Tully is a fictional family from George R. R. Martins A Song of Ice and Fire. ... House Tyrell is a fictional family in George R. R. Martins epic fantasy book series A Song of Ice and Fire. ... Many of the major and minor characters in George R. R. Martins series A Song of Ice and Fire belong to one of the major houses of Westeros, and are described on the page for that house. ... Many of the major and minor characters in George R. R. Martins series A Song of Ice and Fire belong to one of the major houses of Westeros, and are described on the page for that house. ... List of characters in A Song of Ice and Fire, George R. R. Martins fantasy book series and its fictional universe. ... Daenerys Targaryen is a fictional character from George R. R. Martins A Song of Ice and Fire. ... The Nights Watch is an organization dedicated to defending the realms of Westeros in George R.R. Martins epic fantasy series A Song of Ice and Fire. ... The Kingsguard are the royal bodyguards of Westeros in George R. R. Martins A Song of Ice and Fire. ... The maesters are a fictional order of scholars, healers and scientists in George R. R. Martins A Song of Ice and Fire. ... The Brotherhood Without Banners is an outlaw organization in George R.R. Martins epic fantasy series A Song of Ice and Fire. ... The fictional world of George R. R. Martins fantasy epic A Song of Ice and Fire includes a number of organizations, societies, and mercenary companies. ... Westeros is one of the three continents described in George R. R. Martins fantasy series A Song of Ice and Fire. ... Much of the action in George R.R. Martins epic fantasy series A Song of Ice and Fire takes place in and around various settlements and strongholds of note on the continent of Westeros. ... Much of the action in George R.R. Martins epic fantasy series A Song of Ice and Fire takes place in and around various strongholds of note on the continent of Westeros. ... The North refers to a region in the fictional series A Song of Ice and Fire by George R. R. Martin. ... A large part of the narrative in George R. R. Martins epic fantasy series A Song of Ice and Fire lies across the Narrow Sea from Westeros, an area comprising of a large, unnamed eastern continent and a number of islands. ... The Free Cities are a geographic and cultural region in George R. R. Martins epic fantasy series A Song of Ice and Fire. ... Ghis is a cultural and geographical region in George R. R. Martins epic fantasy series A Song of Ice and Fire. ... The fictional history of George R. R. Martins fantasy epic A Song of Ice and Fire includes a number of major wars. ... The War of the Usurper (circa 282-283 AL), also known as Roberts Rebellion, is a fictional war in American fantasy author George R. R. Martins A Song of Ice and Fire series of novels. ... The War of the Five Kings is a fictional war that takes place in American fantasy author George R. R. Martins A Song of Ice and Fire series of novels. ... Tourneys play a central role in George R. R. Martins fantasy epic A Song of Ice and Fire. ... A Game of Thrones Collectible Card Game (sometimes referred to as AGoT) is a collectible card game produced by Fantasy Flight Games, the game is based on the A Song of Ice and Fire fantasy series by George R. R. Martin. ... A Game of Thrones is a strategy board game created by Christian T. Petersen and released by Fantasy Flight Games in 2003. ... A Game of Thrones is a role-playing game produced by Guardians of Order, the game is based on the A Song of Ice and Fire fantasy series by George R. R. Martin. ...

Contents

Novels and novellas GA_googleFillSlot("encyclopedia_square");