Beyond the Wall: Exploring George R. R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire, From A Game of Thrones to A Dance with Drago
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The best part of any anthology for me is getting to collaborate with so many writers whose work I enjoy and admire. Beyond the Wall boasts contributions from a lineup of essayists possessing good humor, professionalism, and talent—everything an editor could ask for. Thanks to their agents, for helping to make their participation possible. And special thanks to R.A. Salvatore. From conversations about fantasy fiction Bob and I have had—and there have been many since he contributed a short story to the first anthology I edited, way back in 1993—I knew that he was a great choice to open the collection. I’m glad he agreed.
Finally, my participation in Beyond the Wall—in fact the book itself—would not have been possible without George R.R. Martin. In addition to giving us all something spectacular to talk about with A Song of Ice and Fire, George, along with his tireless assistant Ty Franck, helped me to get the project rolling at the 2011 San Diego Comic-Con and pointed me toward several of the key essayists. His graciousness and generosity is matched only by his vision and skill as an author.
ABOUT THE EDITOR
JAMES LOWDER has edited book lines or series for both large and small houses and has helmed such critically acclaimed anthologies as Curse of the Full Moon, The Doom of Camelot, the Books of Flesh trilogy, and the 2011 Smart Pop release Triumph of The Walking Dead. As an author, his publications include the bestselling, widely translated dark fantasy novels Prince of Lies and Knight of the Black Rose, short fiction for such anthologies as Shadows over Baker Street and The Repentant, and comic book scripts for Image, Moonstone, and DC. He’s written hundreds of feature articles, essays, film reviews, and book reviews for publications ranging from Amazing Stories and The New England Journal of History to BenBella’s King Kong is Back! and The Unauthorized X-Men. His work has received five Origins Awards and an ENnie Award, and been nominated for the International Horror Guild Award and the Bram Stoker Award. Online at jameslowder.com.
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Table of Contents
FOREWORD
Stories for the Nights to Come
INTRODUCTION
In Praise of Living History
THE PALACE OF LOVE, THE PALACE OF SORROW
Romanticism in A Song of Ice and Fire
MEN AND MONSTERS
Rape, Myth-Making, and the Rise and Fall of Nations in A Song of Ice and Fire
SAME SONG IN A DIFFERENT KEY
Adapting A Game of Thrones as a Graphic Novel
AN UNRELIABLE WORLD
History and Timekeeping in Westeros
BACK TO THE EGG
The Prequels to A Song of Ice and Fire
ART IMITATES WAR
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder in A Song of Ice and Fire
THE BRUTAL COST OF REDEMPTION IN WESTEROS
Or , What Moral Ambiguity?
OF DIREWOLVES AND GODS
A SWORD WITHOUT A HILT
The Dangers of Magic in (and to) Westeros
PETYR BAELISH AND THE MASK OF SANITY
A DIFFERENT KIND OF OTHER
The Role of Freaks and Outcasts in A Song of Ice and Fire
POWER AND FEMINISM IN WESTEROS
COLLECTING ICE AND FIRE IN THE AGE OF NOOK AND KINDLE
BEYOND THE GHETTO
How George R.R. Martin Fights the Genre Wars
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
ABOUT THE EDITOR