George R.R. Martin reveals the inspiration behind his best-selling “A Song of Fire and Ice” saga series and his career as a writer in a new interview with the New York Post.
Martin’s “Game of Thrones”, which was published in 1996, was loosely based on England’s War of the Roses. Martin told the NY Post fans shouldn’t take him literally, as the war served more as inspiration for the story than a reference for his characters.
“I don’t want to just take a character from history and change his name. I take a bit of this character and a bit of that character and a bit of a third … and then I add some entirely imaginative elements and twist some things around,” Martin said.
Martin’s “A Song of Fire and Ice” saga is known for its graphic violence and sexual themes. However, the writer has always been anti-war and refused to serve during the Vietnam War and decided to join the Peace Corps instead.
The NY Post asked if his stance on war changed since writing “Game of Thrones”, to which Martin responded, “If by not writing about violence I could abolish violence, I would gladly do so, but I don’t think you make any progress toward a better world by turning your face away from it.”
“War is an important subject and it’s the center of all of the great fantasy epics — certainly ‘Lord of the Rings’ is all about war.”
Martin is two novels away from finishing his “A Song of Fire and Ice” saga. The writer is currently working on the sixth installment “Winds of Winter”, and Martin may finally reveal Jon Snow’s true paternity.
“I’ve not finished ‘The Winds of Winter’ yet, so maybe in that book,” Martin told the NY Post, “but if not then definitely in the next book.”
