George R.R. Martin holds firm to his position: Dragons have two legs, not four

As a seasoned gamer and voracious reader of fantasy literature, I’ve had the pleasure of immersing myself in countless worlds teeming with mythical beasts, enchanting spells, and epic battles. However, none have captivated my imagination quite like George R.R. Martin‘s Westeros. The intricate tapestry of politics, love, and betrayal that he weaves within the pages of his Song of Ice and Fire series is unparalleled.

Recently, author George R.R. Martin expressed his critique regarding the way dragons were illustrated in both “Game of Thrones” and “House of the Dragon”. Specifically, he pointed out that some dragon symbols on these shows portray dragons with four legs, whereas in his “Song of Ice and Fire” series and the book “Fire & Blood”, Martin consistently depicts dragon sigils as having only two legs. In essence, Martin commented that it seems someone made a mistake or, perhaps, someone glanced at a heraldry book, grasped a bit of information, but ended up confusing everything. As he put it, “A little knowledge is a dangerous thing.”

As a dedicated fantasy writer, I can’t help but stand firm on one particular detail: dragons should have two legs. It might seem like a minor point, but it’s crucial for maintaining the authenticity I strive for in my work. You see, the four-legged dragons that many people are used to seeing are actually a product of medieval heraldry, created by individuals who had never encountered a real dragon because, let’s face it, they don’t exist. The misconception is that wyverns have two legs, but in my world, only dragons do. So, when people correct me on this, well, they’re simply mistaken.

The point is, in Westeros, we do have dragons. So why would anyone put a four-legged dragon on a shield? You just have to go out and see the real dragon and count, like, ‘One. Two.’ That’s all you need. Plus the wings. And I checked with Neil deGrasse Tyson…and got, ‘yes, there are no six-limbed animals on the face of the Earth.’ So I went for the more realistic thing.

Neil deGrasse Tyson is a well-known astrophysicist and science commentator; it’s unclear if Martin is being playful or not, but I’ve marked him as someone who believes in the existence of dragons among humans.

George R.R. Martin holds firm to his position: Dragons have two legs, not four

How does George R.R. Martin approach magic?

Martin weaves his dragon-focused discourse into a broader exploration of magical elements in fantasy literature, highlighting numerous authors who meticulously design their magical systems, such as Brandon Sanderson and Patrick Rothfuss. Contrasting this approach, the magic in Martin’s works is deliberately left obscure and enigmatic, which he prefers.

It appears to me that if a system is labeled as ‘magic’, it’s essentially an illusion disguised as science…True magic, in the real sense, is not subject to predictable rules…Ideally, magic should be risky, uncertain, and something we can’t fully comprehend – not just a misrepresentation of science. And while this perspective sometimes slows me down, I find it challenging to wrap my head around these specific concepts.

He also expresses opinions on prophecies, a topic that the series “House of the Dragon” delves deeply into. Martin believes that magic and prophecies should not be entirely predictable. In his perspective, a prophecy shouldn’t always come true exactly as written; rather, it should have an element of unpredictability, leading to unexpected consequences. He draws this idea from how prophecies are typically experienced in real life, where they often turn out differently than expected, sometimes resulting in unforeseen complications.

Martin narrates a tale about a man living in the actual War of the Roses era, who was warned never to set foot in a specific castle or face certain death. Throughout his life, he managed to steer clear of the castle, only to ultimately perish outside a tavern, whose sign depicted the forbidden castle. “Such is the nature of desire, it often twists in complex ways, but fulfilling it isn’t always straightforward.”

Keeping magic strange and impenetrable definitely adds a layer to Martin’s books that I don’t find in the works of someone like Sanderson or Rothfuss; don’t get me wrong, I enjoy their work, but I agree with Martin that those kinds of magic systems are less magic and more fake science, which isn’t as interesting to me. It does make things hard to write, though; Martin says that the most difficult character for him to write in the Song of Ice and Fire books is Bran Stark, both because he’s a young boy and that’s outside Martin’s usual perspective, and because his story is the one most closely associated with the magic of the world. “All I can say is it’s something that requires a lot of thought,” Martin said.

From my perspective as a gamer, Tyrion Lannister is hands down the most effortless character for Martin to pen down, given his sharp wit and quick-fire comebacks. Honestly, it shows in his writing. If only George R.R. Martin would hurry up and complete ‘The Winds of Winter’, then we could rejoin Tyrion and the gang again. But that’s a tale for another time.

2024-08-21 17:42