5 Reasons To Immerse Yourself in the Game of Thrones Universe
2. Realism
As mentioned previously, the injuries sustained are a token to the realism of the series. It doesnt stop there. GoT, at times, seems closer to historical-fiction than fantasy. At first, especially, theres a noticeable absence of magic and the otherworldly in the book. This might seem a problem - if youre a fantasy fan - but it does let Martin focus on building a believable world with deeply layered characters, and when the magic finally does kick in it makes all the more of an impact for having been used sparingly. Sometimes prophecies and spells seem to function, and other times they fall flat or are pure chicanery. This helps add suspense, as you lack the segurity and stable elements you find in other fantasy series. Game of Thrones constantly includes clues as to how events will pan out. And its incredibly hard to predict. The sole fact that both of these statements are true offers a compelling reason to experience the world Martin has created. Its a universe that rewards the reader/viewer for returning to experience it again and again, as the second time dozens of subtle hints will resonate with you in a way they didnt before. The clues are natural and organic a casual action early on may show a characters true nature even before they realise it themselves. The fact that its so hard to predict despite these clues is testament to the fact that Martin doesnt observe (at all) the rules. As we go into a T.V episode of, lets say, a cop drama, we can be sure of certain things. The police will kill, incarcerate or punish any morally guilty villain encountered (normally during the course of one episode, perhaps over a season with more advanced threats.) The eponymous character of the show will not die, unless its the end of the shows run. The antagonists undoing will probably come, directly or indirectly, at the hands of the protagonists, and so on. George R.R Martin doesnt care a fig for the laws of narration (or at the least hes very skilled at providing red herrings,) and so everything feels more realistic and less contrived. Which brings us to...
Laurence Gardner was born in Canterbury, England. After moving around various cities during his childhood, and spending some time travelling in Europe and America, he studied English Literature at Oxford University. Since then, he’s been living abroad, teaching English, learning a range of languages, and writing in his free time. He can currently be found in Heidelberg, working as an English Tutor and Translator and studying at the University. If you liked this article, follow him on Twitter to get automatic updates on his work.
