George R. Martin's A Song Of Ice And Fire

George Raymond Richard Martin, more commonly known as George R.R.Martin, is considered one of the best modern day authors, for his book series A Song of Ice and Fire. While often compared to J. R. R. Tolkien, Martin writes a grittier, earthier type of fantasy fiction than the man who created The Lord of the Rings. George R. R. Martin was born September 20, 1948, and grew up in Bayonne, New Jersey. He is the oldest of three kids, and the son of longshoreman Raymond Collins Martin, and his wife Margaret Brady Martin. He has two younger sisters, Darleen and Janet. His life consisted of "First Street to Fifth Street", between his grade school and his home. Because of this, he wanted to travel and experience other places other than his home. The

In addition to the novels, there are three prequel novellas currently available, with several more being planned. The story of A Song of Ice and Fire takes place in a fictional world, largely on the continent of Westeros, but also on the continent to the east, called Essos. A majority of the characters are human, but as the series goes forward, others are introduced, including the cold and menacing supernatural Others from the far North, and fire-breathing dragons from the East, both thought to be extinct by the humans of the world. There are three main storylines in the series: the ongoing civil war between royal houses for control of Westeros and the Iron Throne; the rising threat of the Others, who are beyond the large wall of ice at the northern border of Westeros, called The Wall; and the following of Daenerys Targaryen, the exiled daughter of the previous king who was killed in another civil war fifteen years before, as she works to return to Westeros and claim her rightful throne, conquering countries in Essos as she goes. As the series advances, the three storylines become progressively more and more interwoven, and dependent upon each other. The series is told through third-person point of view, through the eyes of many of the major characters. By the end of the fourth volume, the reader has seen the story progress through

Martin has also shown no mercy to his characters, killing off main characters and other favorites by surprise. Martin feels that he has "a certain moral obligation" to reflect the reality of war in his fantasy tales. "People die in wars. People get maimed in wars, and many of them are good, likable people who you would like to not see die," Martin once explained. A common saying between fans of the A Song of Ice and Fire is “Don’t get attached”. (“George R. R.