George R.R. Martin

Game of Thrones Week 8: Siege Mentality

Sieges are a major part of warfare in Westeros — they’re the reason for those stout castles, and a huge reason why dragons were such game-changers. Last night’s episode of Game of Thrones was all about people preparing to be under siege. And the way they thought about siege tactics told us everything we needed…

Television Charlie Jane Anders May 21

How I Brought Game of Thrones‘ Ned Stark to Life

John Picacio is a super-talented cover artist whose art has graced many of your favorite novels — but many people now know him best as the creator of the 2012 Song of Ice and Fire calendar. Picacio’s iconic art has helped to capture the splendor and squalor of Westeros for many readers. Here, in the…

Television John Picacio May 18

Game of Thrones Week 7: The More People You Love, the Weaker You Are

Leave it to Queen Cersei to come out with a brilliant bit of life advice. You have no choice but to love your children, but you should love as few other people as possible, if you want to be powerful and free. Last night’s Game of Thrones saw several characters flirting with huge betrayals —…

Television Charlie Jane Anders May 14

Fantasy Novels That Will Restore Your Faith in Humanity

Everbody loves a good dark, horrible fantasy. A misanthopic adventure, in which everybody is morally compromised, and we all live and die in the dirt. But every now and then, it’s nice to read a fantasy novel in which people are, you know… good. So we decided to contact some of our favorite fantasy writers…

io9 Charlie Jane Anders May 11

Game of Thrones Week 6: You can’t control wild creatures, and you can’t own people

Last night’s episode of Game of Thrones had so many “oh shit” moments it was almost too stressful to watch — like when you’re in an airplane and it suddenly drops a few hundred feet in a few seconds. Everybody’s suspended over the abyss, with a few threadbare ropes keeping them aloft. And last night,…

io9 Charlie Jane Anders May 7

Awesome Game of Thrones Travel Posters for Your Next Trip to Westeros!

Planning a vacation? Why not consider a stop in scenic Westeros, where the vistas are legendary. Artist Nicholas Hyde, aka Harshness on Etsy, has created some beautiful travel posters for the Seven Kingdoms. They’re also perfect for sending a postcard home when you’re visiting the Wall. Check out more of Hyde’s work over at his…

io9 Charlie Jane Anders May 5

Brush up on your Game of Thrones history with these animated shorts

If you need a scorecard to tell the Baratheons from the Targaryens, or just want to delve more deeply into the history and legends of A Song of Ice and Fire, then check out the extra features from the first season of Game of Thrones, animated videos that explain the background behind the houses, religion,…

io9 Lauren Davis May 5

Is Game of Thrones‘ gratuitous sex worse than the gratuitous violence?

One of the biggest things people noticed about Sunday’s episode of Game of Thrones was something that wasn’t there: nudity and explicit sex. The show totally failed to meet whatever quota you might imagine it would have for naked skin and heaving bosominess. This was especially noticeable because in the past week or so, we’ve…

io9 Charlie Jane Anders May 2

5 Scientific Explanations for Game of Thrones‘ Messed-Up Seasons

We real-world Earthlings take for granted that the seasons will change on schedule. Our planet’s clockwork-like seasonality allows us to predict the passage of time with complete precision, and we can always be sure that spring is right around the corner. The same cannot be said, however, for the unlucky inhabitants of George R. R.…

io9 George Dvorsky Apr 30

Game of Thrones Week 5: What wins wars: magic, money or manpower?

We barely saw any magic at all in Game of Thrones season one, until the final moments. But now, that’s all starting to change. Magic is suddenly bursting out all over, playing a huge role in deciding the course of the war in Westeros. But magic carries a heavy cost with it — and even…

io9 Charlie Jane Anders Apr 30

Game of Thrones Week 4: True greatness means letting others do your dirty work

One of the enduring concerns of Game of Thrones, week after week, has been where power comes from. But last night’s episode, instead, gave us a window into where power goes. We saw several unpleasant glimpses of the end result of the struggles of the powerful, and we learned one basic lesson: True power usually…

Television Charlie Jane Anders Apr 23

Relationship Secrets from Science Fiction and Fantasy

Love is the greatest adventure of all. And it’s one that no holographic mentor or alien sidekick can prepare you for. So it’s lucky that science fiction and fantasy are chock full of stories of people who’ve played the game of love… and won. (Or, in some cases, just not died.) We combed through science…

Movies MaryKate Jasper and Charlie Jane Anders Apr 16

On Game of Thrones, everyone’s a king, and children are pawns

Westeros is infested with wannabe kings. And on last night’s Game of Thrones, we explored more of just what makes men powerful: the ability to make children, or control the children they already have. Whether it’s marrying your kids off, or just throwing them away, everybody is treating their children like pawns. To a large…

Television Charlie Jane Anders Apr 16

HBO renews Game of Thrones for a third season

In totally unsurprising news, Game of Thrones has been renewed by HBO for a third season. Lemon cake for everybody! Says the official press release: HBO has renewed GAME OF THRONES for a third season, it was announced today by Michael Lombardo, president, HBO Programming. “Series creators David Benioff and D.B. Weiss raised our expectations…

Television Meredith Woerner Apr 10

Game of Thrones Week 2: Who Watches the Watchers?

The opening scene of last night’s Game of Thrones sets the tone. Arya Stark is in the woods, peeing by a stream. Nervously, lest she betray her big secret. The camera creeps up right behind her, like the viewpoint of someone spying on her. Until at last, the voyeuristic lens gets right up to Arya,…

Television Charlie Jane Anders Apr 9

The New York Times misses the point on Game of Thrones… Again

Last year the New York Times published an interesting “review” for Game of Thrones. I’m sure many of you remember it: reviewer Ginia Bellafante called the series “boy fiction” — and the tide of internet rage was felt far and wide. https://jezebel.com/really-why-would-men-ever-want-to-watch-game-of-thron-5792574 This year, a different New York Times reviewer has made a different, equally…

Television Amy Ratcliffe - Geek Femme Apr 2

HBO pays for Game Of Thrones fans to get tattooed by the House of Lannister

Here’s a pretty rad event for Game Of Thrones that we’re supremely sad we missed. HBO paid for a collection of die-hard Game Of Thrones fans to drop by the Wooster Street Social Club for free tattoos. They could be inked with one of five sigils from the warring families of Westeros. And they turned…

Television Meredith Woerner Apr 2

On Game of Thrones, knowledge is power and truth is slavery

In the season opener of Game of Thrones, a huge secret becomes common knowledge. (Or at least common rumor.) And a whole bunch of people learn that it’s better to avoid seeing the truth that’s right in front of their eyes. Does power come from knowledge, as Littlefinger suggests? Or does power come from other…

Television Charlie Jane Anders Apr 2

Jaime Lannister vs. Cthulhu, written by George R.R. Martin

While the rest of us have been trying to figure out who will win the NCAA Championship, or what’s the worst scifi movie of all time, A Song of Ice and Fire author George R.R. Martin has been occupied with much weightier matters, like who would win in a fight between Jaime Lannister and the…

io9 Lauren Davis Mar 31

Our Spoiler-Free Verdict on Game of Thrones Season 2

Game of Thrones returns to HBO this Sunday, and at last our burning questions will be answered. For some of us, those questions include, “What happens next to Arya and Sansa in the wake of their father’s death?” For others of us, they’re more like, “How can a television show possibly capture everything that happens…

Television Charlie Jane Anders Mar 29

Game of Thrones Week 8: Siege Mentality

How I Brought Game of Thrones‘ Ned Stark to Life

Game of Thrones Week 7: The More People You Love, the Weaker You Are

Fantasy Novels That Will Restore Your Faith in Humanity

Game of Thrones Week 6: You can’t control wild creatures, and you can’t own people

Awesome Game of Thrones Travel Posters for Your Next Trip to Westeros!

Brush up on your Game of Thrones history with these animated shorts

Is Game of Thrones‘ gratuitous sex worse than the gratuitous violence?

5 Scientific Explanations for Game of Thrones‘ Messed-Up Seasons

Game of Thrones Week 5: What wins wars: magic, money or manpower?

Game of Thrones Week 4: True greatness means letting others do your dirty work

Relationship Secrets from Science Fiction and Fantasy

On Game of Thrones, everyone’s a king, and children are pawns

HBO renews Game of Thrones for a third season

Game of Thrones Week 2: Who Watches the Watchers?

The New York Times misses the point on Game of Thrones… Again

HBO pays for Game Of Thrones fans to get tattooed by the House of Lannister

On Game of Thrones, knowledge is power and truth is slavery

Jaime Lannister vs. Cthulhu, written by George R.R. Martin

Our Spoiler-Free Verdict on Game of Thrones Season 2

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