NEW YORK (Web Desk) – “Some writers enjoy writing. I am told. Not me. I enjoy having written,” said George Raymond Richard Martin, an American novelist and short story writer in the fantasy, horror, and science fiction genres.
Now Martin, best known for his international bestselling series of epic fantasy novels, A Song of Ice and Fire, which was later adapted into the HBO dramatic series Game of Thrones, has found joy in recommending his fans a list of books written by different authors of his time.
“I get emails all the time from fans asking me to recommend books for them to read ‘while I am waiting for your next one,'” he said.
“I can’t possibly reply to all my emails, of course. But I do reply to some, when the mood strikes me. And I am always glad to recommend good books. There is so many of them out there that do not get half the attention that they deserve,” the famous author was quoted as saying by imgur.com.
Here are a list of books recommended by George R.R. Martin:
J.R.R. Tolkien (LORD OF THE RINGS)
“For some readers I like to draw attention to the classics of our genre. It never ceases to amaze me to discover that some of my own fans have never heard of all the great fantasists who came before me, without whom A SONG OF ICE AND FIRE could never have been written… without whom, in truth, there might not be a fantasy genre at all.”–George R.R. Martin
Sir Walter Scott (IVANHOE and his other novels)
“Fantasies are not the only books I recommend to my readers, however. It has always been my belief that epic fantasy and historical fiction are sisters under the skin, as I have said in many an interview. A SONG OF ICE AND FIRE draws as much on the traditions of historical fiction as it does on those of fantasy, and there are many great historical novelists, past and present, whose work helped inspire my own.
“Sir Walter Scott is hard going for many modern readers, I realize, but there’s still great stuff to be found in IVANHOE and his other novels.”–George R.R. Martin
Nigel Tranter (The Wallace)
“Nigel Tranter lived well into his 90s, writing all the while, and turning out an astonishing number of novels about Scottish medieval history (his Bruce and Wallace novels are the best, maybe because they are the only ones where his heroes actually win, but I found the lesser known lords and kings equally fascinating)”–George R.R. Martin
George McDonald Fraser
“Thanks to George McDonald Fraser, that cad and bounder Harry Flashman swashed and buckled in every major and minor war of the Victorian era.”–George R.R. Martin
Maurice Druon (The Iron King)
“And then there is Maurice Druon. Which is actually why I called you all here today, boys and girls.
“Look, if you love A SONG OF ICE AND FIRE, and want “something like it” to read while you are waiting (and waiting, and waiting) for me to finish THE WINDS OF WINTER, you really need to check out Maurice Druon and THE ACCURSED KINGS.”–George R.R. Martin
Check out some more reading recommendations from George R.R. Martin here.
