George R.R. Martin has created one of the greatest fantasy epics, which has led to a very popular series. Therefore, it is not surprising that he is compared to the most important writer in the genre. However, Martin sees a significant difference.
“A Song of Ice and Fire” is the most well-known book series by George R.R. Martin, and since the release of the TV series, the title of the first volume, “A Game of Thrones”, has become widely established.
Today, Game of Thrones can undoubtedly be called a significant and influential fantasy story. Countless fans are waiting for the continuation of the books. George R.R. Martin himself has often been compared to another author who had an even greater influence on the genre: J.R.R. Tolkien.
The creator of Middle-earth has greatly influenced fantasy literature. However, George R.R. Martin has explained the extent to which Tolkien influenced him.
A Rougher Kind of Fantasy
Who is George R.R. Martin telling stories to? In an interview with Adria’s News, the writer was asked about Tolkien. Not only do they operate in the same genre, but they have also created works that enjoy great popularity.
However, Martin does not dispute that Tolkien is a significant influence today and even criticizes him. But he has appreciated “The Lord of the Rings” since he read the books at the age of 12. At that time, they impressed him so much that he even considered writing Tolkien a fan letter. However, that never happened.
As a writer, however, Martin has been influenced by much older works:
Tolkien had no direct influence on me when I decided to write “A Song of Ice and Fire”, although my books belong to the fantasy canon that Tolkien improved. I mean, fantasy is very old. We can find it in the “Iliad” or in the “Epic of Gilgamesh”, but Tolkien made it a modern genre, and “A Song of Ice and Fire” shares some of those patterns, but not all.
George R.R. Martin via Adria’s News
Martin looks to authors like Homer for inspiration. He also says that a significant difference is that he writes “dirty fantasy”. It is much rougher than that of Tolkien.
This is indeed evident when comparing the two works side by side. In Martin’s stories, characters are often ambivalent. Classical heroes who only do good, like Aragorn in “The Lord of the Rings”, are rare.
However, Martin has still drawn some conclusions from “The Lord of the Rings”. He praises the treatment of magic in Tolkien’s work (via ign.com). It is not used excessively and is not overpowering. Gandalf draws his sword when he faces an orc and does not just make him disappear.
This creates a more realistic world, and magic appears more mysterious than if it could be used at any time. The writer has also compared his own work with science fiction and points out what really matters in a story: George R.R. Martin does not care if characters fight against aliens or dragons – what’s important for the story is one thing
