An Evening with George R. R. Martin [CC]
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- Опубликовано: 11 ноя 2019
- HBO’s Game of Thrones may have ended this past May, but the Song of Ice and Fire isn’t over--and no one knows this better than George R. R. Martin. Martin’s global bestselling books that comprise A Song of Ice and Fire have sold more than 90 million copies worldwide, inspired the hit HBO show, and earned him comparisons to J. R. R. Tolkien. Central to the acclaimed series is its sprawling, richly-detailed world that--despite the dragons and direwolves--often echoes our own, especially when it comes to power moves and betrayals. Martin is joined by author Eve L. Ewing to discuss his career, his creative process, his latest book Fire and Blood, and why, perhaps counterintuitively, fantasy may be the best way to capture the realities of power. Featuring a performance by special guests Spektral Quartet.
This program is generously underwritten by Ben Axelrad and Christy Bloom, and presented in partnership with the Chicago Public Library Foundation. Spektral Quartet generously underwritten as part of the Stanek Endowed Music series. This program was recorded on October 11, 2019.
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He gives off such a pleasant vibe.
He's a hobbit.
Even during that part about getting hacked up by 6 guys with axes.
indeed, such a thoughtful man, content with his role as a storyteller. very glad he’s been able to enjoy such success
I think the reason George is interviewed that often is because he always has something interesting to say. You could listen to this man for hours and still be captivated.
1:55 Does it bother you that people want to talk primarily about ASOIAF and not your earlier works
6:35 Wild Cards part 1
7:58 Comics - move over Shakespeare, Stan Lee's here!
13:50 LOTR and the importance of high stakes in stories
19:10 Editing (Wild Cards) - Is a good editor rarer than a good writer?
23:00 In a world that fetishises brevity, what do you see as the virtue of continuing to write very long works? - The importance of worldbuilding and setting.
28:00 [On the issue of long waiting time between books and fan entitlement] Do some people fundamentally misunderstand what writing and making art is?
32:30 George is glad he achieved international fame late in life
34:25 Community work and being a 'citizen author' - Paying fame forward.
37:30 How do you balance the actual writing with your requirements to attend public events? (George has an interesting relationship with travel)
42:25 WorldCon
45:00 How do you see the relationship between TV Westeros and Book Westeros and how are you operating in both worlds?
48:30 Initially you thought that the series would be too epic in scope to adapt, what do you think was the X Factor that made it work?
52:10 The question of diversity in speculative fiction and George's favourite type of sci-fi (I have a newfound respect for Gene Roddenberry now)
58:50 You are interviewed a lot - what is the question you wish people would ask but never do, and what is the question you are often asked and hate the most?
1:01:32 Presubmitted Fan Q&A
1:01:45 BryndenBFish: Were Robert, Ned and Jon Arryn justified in their rebellion against the Mad King and would you have stayed loyal to the Targaryens?
1:06:36 Leah Rachel von Esen: Do you think Arya and Sansa parallel each other and how does their relationship mirror the dynamics of real life sibling relationships?
1:12:25 LuciferMeansLightbringer: You have created several in-universe mythical figures which seem to serve as archetypes and echoes of the main characters at times. Can you say a few things about myth and internal folklore and the way those things interact with the main story and characters?
1:16:28 LAST QUESTION Adam Prestigiacomo: What is something that makes you happy?
You are a hero
I watched it all but seriously, you are a hero.
What a gray character.
Você é um anjo
I was thinking anyone anyone posting this kind of comment, and then I found yours.
I like listening to George talk. He should do a podcast.
Imagine the hate he would get if he was to make 2 or 3 hours long podcasts on a regular basis...
Mathieu Bishop What cause people will think that he isn’t working on winds of winter?
@@SirDehumanized well... yeah, he spoke about this in that very interview
Mathieu Bishop Idk I think if it’s just a weekly one it wouldn’t be a big deal. I think one thing he could do that would make people happy is give progress updates on his writing. Like he could just tell us how many pages he wrote that week or something like that. I feel like that would quell the people who are foaming at the mouth for winds.
@@SirDehumanized writing doesn't really work like that... everything is rewritten endlessly, chapters are cut, etc. It's only finished when it's finished... and even then not always. The first book of a series is often modified with new editions (The Hobbit and The Gunslinger are two examples)
I like this interviewer's questions actually based on specific things about grrm and his works rather than just ask general questions
She’s amazing. Much better than the ghastly Brown university interview night. Lol
Whenever George coughs, my heart skips a beat.
Coronavirus
Time?
@@karjeezus6490 😢
I don’t think there a person alive who has more people wishing them a long life,than George.
@@gavinross2471 LMAO! Very true!
This was a great interview because it has questions and answers I haven´t heard George talk about before which is great!
I liked the duo's energy too. It was more insightful to him as a writer writing and his process. And you could tell the interviewer appreciated his twists and turns in his answers and wasn't rushing him. It felt more like a conversation than a battle.
@@kimfrankwatson4688 Yes, indeed! George tends to be very long winded in his answers and go off on many tangents, all of which are just as interesting as the actual answer, but way too many interviewers try to interject or cut him off. I appreciate when they let him follow his train of thought wherever it takes him.
“If Professor Tolkien was here we could argue about whether Gandalf should have come back.”
How amazing would that conversation be
That specific question would last a few seconds. Gandalf not coming back wouldn't fit with the lore that Tolkien made. Gandalf was send back cause he is not a human, he just has a body that can be destroyed, and the One send him back for his task was not finished. So his not dying makes total sense, and Tolkien never ever said he died, he just fell and big colored flashes came from the abyss. In Tolkiens notes he actually planned his not death before he fell in the first place.
Tolkien would be asking question like: "Why is everbody grey or evil in your world? Ive been in the trenches of the sommes and never have I seen a darker place full of fouler people like yours.. how is this remotely realistic?"
Besides..Tolkien would be explaining it like he would a graduate, and George would go "hmm, but what about Aragorns Tax plans then..?!"- and Tolkien would go: "Now I have to go, for this is getting rather silly.. you'd better finish your funny little scribbles my boy.. Tataa old chap!"
..and then an Eagle would swoop down picking up Tolkien and leaving George in the dust with both his R's stuck in a twister and his hat on backwards while some asshole in the back would yell: "Where's Winds of Winter, George?!"
@@spacegerrit9499 aah poor little boy who hurt you?
@@Laketwig ???
@@spacegerrit9499 poor boy
@@melonenkopf2790 Be original
I really liked this interviewer! Great charisma!
For once
Just shows what a little trash-weasel you are to make this such a big deal...
@@user-td4do3op2d Let's keep this clear: There is no interviewer of any bestselling author who isn't a million times more charismatic or a literally more valuable human being than you are... That's why low-lives like you obsess about such primitive topics...
@@bfkc111
Wow. It seems like someone upset you today and you're taking it out on me. I'm allowed to be unhappy with an interviewer (or multiple interviewers) without being a better one myself. How do you know how charismatic I am anyway? I could be George RR Martin for all you know.
Agreed
I just love hearing interviews with GRRM. Not just because I’m obsessed with ASOIAF, but because he just seems like such a witty, intelligent, pleasant man.
I really appreciate the interviewer for her charisma and great questions. I listened to this whilst grinding on animal crossing.
the gold is hearing martin talk about how science fiction has always been diverse. nice dunk.
room for him at the table? he is one of the few that actually deserves to be at the table.
Yep, GenXr here, who doesn’t mind waiting. It’ll be worth it. Why would you rush a genius at his work? It’s going to take as long as it takes. I’m grateful to be alive in s time in which both the works of Tolkien & GRRM are available to me.
Ideal viewpoint if it were a given that there will be an end. Pace of publications are not on the side of GRRM
What a lovely guy. I hope he has many more healthy years doing all the things he loves. It must be stressful having people ask for your project to be done. He's been writing for decades and knows what pace he works best at. There's no point in pressuring and stressing a writer out. Rushing and pressuring someone will only bring the quality down anyways.
Im surprised hes still alive and in good health given his lifestyle and weight
It is incredibly refreshing to see an interview that doesn't just focus on GoT and aSoIaF, you can feel how excited George is to talk about his career as a whole, instead of answering the same questions over and over again
This interview is so great
I always enjoy watching his interviews, they're always so interesting!
With Kobe gone, hang in there George. My heart can only take so much. Take it easy with those pizzas.
What a fantastic interview and interviewer! I’ve never seen this one. Would love these two to meet and chat many more times!
51:45 Or a Starbucks cup.. or a water bottle..
If everyone understood human complexity like George, we would not be as divided as a country. "The personal informs the political." What is different about this person's life that makes them have a different point of view and opinion than me? We all want a better world. Let's stop killing each other trying to obtain it.
When they do a digital zoom I always expect for a weird/funny/something reaction. Internet has killed my common sense.
I like when he discuss literature in general; development of character, plot, theme, other great writers. His ability to rip out a character’s soul and show it to you will be studied for generations. At least it should be.
Ehm. You must not have read many of the greatest books. Read more, if you think he is the only one to write intensely about the inner workings of the human mind and soul, and the conflict of the human heart.
@@ilderogtyde He never said that Martin is the only one, Sherlock.
The reason people constantly ask about the books is not because they are demanding instant gratification. It's because the show ended so badly that many many fans want the proper ending to the story and the wait is agonising. That said, I hope he takes his time and maybe in a few years we will get an ending that does justice to this story.
What a fantastic interviewer and a great interview. I’ve listened to like every interview with him ever, that’s on youtube anyway. And she is the best interviewer by far. And nearly everything covered was new to me. Major props!!
Good lord! This host did an amazing job. You can tell she is a true fan. Thanks for this.
This was much more fascinating than I expected. Great interview.
yay finally another interview XP
Incredible interview. I enjoyed this so much.
It’s really fun to hear George talk about marvel comics!
Ye
I’m curious now if the comic books value including his letters has risen simply because of his fan letters?
I don't care if It takes 6-9 yrs to get the next book. The art and quality is what matters.
SO the last book will be written post mortem then....
@@dmp1520 There is the chance, I agree. Let us pray haha
@@luizantoniofrancaescobarfi9752 im not praying anymore. I bought the first 3 books minus the 2nd part of storm swords i refuse to buy the other two until he can finish anything. Hes been jerking off for years. He started this ....in 1996!!!!!! Hes obese probably diabetic , might have a heart attack one of these days , plus hes engaged with 20 other projects and spent thr last 9 years giving endless interviews panel appearances and traveling all over... if winds of winter foes come out it will be a miracle.
DM P don’t shame him
@@lordblenkinsopp1537 shaming who? george? i wasnt. i couldnt possibly shame him come one. i was however , venting ... winds of winter could have been adpated to the tv series but it didnt and we will never see it! forget about dream... wanst he supposed to go to the nz convention in august with winds in hand? thats his supposed promise on his blog... im not holding my breath... but if he doesnt manage that , i will officially move on.
great questions and great answers
thank you both for an enlightening conversation
People are anxious about Winds of Winter because Martin is in his 70s.
This is really good - one of the best GRRM interviews I’ve seen. The host does a fantastic job.
I'm in tears. Never finished any of the books yet but what an uplifting interview.
What a legend
29:39 "I think the older readers are used to waiting for things, but the internet has created a generation that is used to instant gratification."
It's been a decade, George.
Okay, what would you like?
We will get Winds of Winter my friend. Stay strong. But I'm afraid A Dream Of Spring will remain a dream.
I re-read all the books earlier this year when George made the announcement that he'd have it done by the time he did the New Zealand event. Then the old man let me down again. Got hyped again just to get disappointed again. I'm thinking 2022 is realistically when we get it now. At best the end of 2021.
@@nicholsonfile gayeee question
Great host and great questions.
Enjoyed the interview, however my one tiny gripe with Martin is that when he mentions his influences and Stan Lee as one of them, he would also acknowledge the true genius behind Marvel Jack Kirby, it’s both astonishing and quite depressing how much credit Stan Lee still gets for all of Jack’s work when he was at Marvel. Thank goodness we have people like Alan Moore who actually dispel the Stan Lee mythology from the historical reality. Otherwise good interview.
Xwing Class Agree 100%
Great point there.
Jack Kirby yes but Alan Moore had nothing to do with Marvel during the period he was speaking of
I always thought that people loved writing except for me. Now it feels that I'm not alone. This interview was great.
Great interview. His advice or his own experience always encourages me to keep on writing my own stories, the way I want to.
Same here.
Tony Treloar awesome!
the interviewer here really is top class. Feels like I'm watching myself or someone of my mindset talk to him. Glad to just give george a fun conversation
Great interview. George RR Martin is as real as they come. That's why listening to him is always insightful.
Do you know the game, the one ‘what celebrity - either alive or dead - would you like to have dinner with, or have a beer with?’
This guy is absolutely on my list
Yea same. But then I have a great time with anyone who is into science fiction/fantasy/comics/anime. I used to think I hated being around people but then once I started going to comic cons and made nerdy friends I realized I was just around the wrong people.
I'd choose "alive". Having a beer with a dead celebrity would suck. If I had to have a beer with a dead celebrity, I'd chose Elvis.
George's answer from about 1:18:00 on writing is perfect. I think I'll have this on loop for whenever I'm having a bad day at it.
“And I love finishing them” made me laugh out loud 😂😂😂 do you really, George?
@@ThatDangerousWolf Ha ha ha yes. I think we all laughed slightly bitter little laughs at that one.
He has a very relaxing voice
That crown on the table has brought some lines from song of durin into my memory:
They stooped and looked in mirrormere,and saw a crown of stars appear.
As gems upon a silver thread,
Above the shadows of his head.
I could listen to George talking about comics all day
George is such a beautiful person
Great interviewer, pleasant and informative interview overall
A couple years ago I got the Fantastic Four Omnibus #1 and organically discovered George Martin’s letter to the Editor, at the time I freaked out and there was nothing online about it I could find, I’m so happy to learn it was really him!
Also, he has said he is a big pack rat, has he ever said if he still has these priceless comic issues???
I enjoy this interview just like I enjoyed watching an episode of the show.
Nice to listen to again, for some parts that don't talk about game of thrones of course.
Clean for Gene! It's been so long since I've heard that slogan and thought about the concepts it englobed.
Loved LML's question. Wish GRRM woulda said more on the topic but I think he kept it intentionally vague.
He is the king of humble bragging
The only question I want to know the answer to is how far along Winds is😞😞
I guess George didn't hear about the plastic coffee cup near Daenerys LOL. That's a bit worse than a zipper.
The interviewer did a good job
Dont stress about the book George, take your time.
No please not anymore
@@charlesc106 u all are so selfsish. Let him write in his own pace
@@jovanjakovljevic7507 I was really impatient that night after watching several interviews haha. That goes to show how much interest he generates in his writing.
@@charlesc106 But he is really old, he doesn't think and can do like he used to. And that's normal. If someone rushes him to finish, it wouldn't be as he intended.
3 years later I hope you're not standing by that comment. The A hole has had almost 14 years now. He's already damaged his reputation as a writer just by that.
OMG I haven't heard the name Max Headroom for Decades!!! Luv ya George!
If you look at Feast and Dance and how long it took George to write them it make sense that he is talking that time to finish TWOW to wrap up those two books with all their characters in one big book, baring in mind how much he was busy guiding the show and the intensity of celebrity life that hit them after the show succeeded we really shouldn't expect the TWOW even in the next two years
The way he gets hyped talking about LOTR is how I feel about his writing. Unreal George NJ for life
George’s voice has been helping me sleep lately😂
I think if I stepped outside I was surrounded by six guys with axes my primary emotion would be confusion
I am always confused by his frustration with Gandalf’s resurrection, but we all know Jon Snow is likely about to be reborn. Not judging the mastermind, this just always baffles me!
Assuming Jon is gonna spend a good while "inside" Ghost, I think Jon is gonna be somewhat changed when he comes back! More wolfish in nature--- death will have changed him 😊
I just saw a theory on this that makes since to me. The Theory is that Jon wasn’t stabbed and it was Tormund with a glamor on instead. And we see Jon’s thoughts because he has a mental connection to Tormund like stannis did with his shadow baby.
My new tin foil theory is that whatever brought back Dondarrion, and then Lady Stoneheart, will bring back Jon and he will be really different
I think George's point is that coming back from the dead should have a cost, almost to the point where staying dead would be preferable. Beric can barely remember his life before his first death. This is kind of where the show dropped the ball with Jon's character - he's despairing for a couple of episodes but really it's just a more intense variety of his usual solemnity and there aren't major shifts in his personality over the long run. He doesn't start to forget his family, he doesn't get more savage as he likely will in TWOW, he's still our hero.
Gandalf on the other hand comes back much the same in character and more powerful. For George, death and resurrection should have a more substantial toll.
@@redmilo92 Exactly! Drogo, Beric, Stoneheart & Gregor all come back worse for wear, magic always has a cost (for example Stannis is visibly aged & weakened after creating the Shadow Babies)
I can't picture this guy growing up in the projects.
I completely agree about the instant gratification of young people today, and I truly despise when people rudely attack George for not finishing the winds of winter...BUT I didn’t know that waiting patiently for 9 years and counting for a novel to come out was an instant gratification problem. I guess nine years is an instant in George’s view. It is amazing literary art and he will finish when his genius allows it to be finished, but come on, blaming the fans for not being patient enough? They’ve been more than patient and the wait is crossing into territory of dare I say being negligent and/or dismissive of just how much his story means to the fans who propelled him to international fame in the first place. I feel sorry for those who got hooked in 1996, when game of thrones came out. Maybe those people have an instant gratification problem too. Waiting over three and probably four decades for a series to finish gives those people a right to be a bit let down. Sorry to be that guy, but take responsibility A bit George.
the question that needs to be asked is, Has the general public opinion of s8 made it difficult to finish the books, are you trying to think of ways to adapt the ending or is it just a general lack of impetus to continue, how has the tv shows ending affected your writing, if at all?
I suspect this is the reason questions were pre-selected and not live. The reception of S8 has made anything related to GoT/ASOIAF really awkward for George and the actors of the show. The elephant in the room that you can't really talk openly about... Still too early to openly criticize it I'm guessing.
You need to rewatch, he clearly states the show/movie stand alone from the Books. Just because GoT show fizzled that’s the show. GRRM books are not the show and vice versa
Good.
LOL OPA! Love you George! Greetings from Greece
I have recognized every name he has referenced!
He needs to read Injustice from DC. I think everything he mentioned was missing was present in that storyline. One of best DC comics IMO.
The 1980s were DC’s answer to what GRRM pointed out was their weakness.
Nothing wrong with any of that. I don't want to bait trolls by giving actual praise. More of this type of thing please.
13:37 Thats a nice nugget of information about Jon. He's going to be "screwed-up"
And leet
vampires and steamboats sounds fucking awesome 😂😂😂
the people who bring up the fact that other writers are faster than George should also bring up the fact that those writers don't have massive world building with hundreds of detailed and unique characters with foreshadow, interconnected stories, conspiracy theories, heavy symbolism and all sorts of things that George has in his writing that others don't, these people don't understand how hard it is to write something this huge.
Fever Dream sounds awesome.
Correction: Fevre Dream
Good interviewer! So many interviewers talk too much. No one comes to watch these talks because of you and you can't change that.
51:55 ...or a Starbucks Coffee cup; yeah, I know what you mean.
I really have to disagree with George on the younger generation expecting instant gratification. George's generation grew up in the era of serialized television where every week at the same time a new episode would come out to further the plot, and not to mention weekly comic books etc. His generation grew up expecting that whatever story they were following would constantly, at an even pace, be updated and expanded. I doubt any of his readers would complain if he released a chapter of TWOW like once a month or so
Dude, no, serialized television didn't have a plot in his time, every week was a reset in the story, same with comics, long stories were in books or movies, in terms of intertainment, yes, this generation is kind of spoiled, having many more options
The comment was a little boomer-y, yeah, though I think he has a bit of a point about people feeling entitled. I like to keep some perspective. I remember the time before everyone had the internet. We have it pretty good.
13:40 We will see, let's see what happens to Jon Snow then, I hope that it is not something insignificant in the books, as it was in the TV series.
18:40 Why did she get all weird? Idk why it bothered me, just seemed disrespectful to cut george off.
6 guys with axes how about 100,000 undead. There fine, it's good, everyone is ok
No armor like plot armor
Har!
He's a natural bard in person and in print.
"David and Dan did an amazing job" hahahahaha
So when IS Dream of Spring coming out?
Justin Curll after WoW
Well I had hoped that this was a GRRM dinner roleplay asmr
30:40 I'm not sure people are responding to these waits very differently now, necessarily.. I think the largest change is how easily, quickly and publicly you can air the feelings you might have about it at any one point?
Rather than thinking/wishing *fucking.. come out with the next book already!*, which I think is a strange thought to few. You can just then easily write "Fucking come out with the next book already!!?"...
I duno, just a thought.
Fuckin' love you G
Why isn't there a word processor on that table George?
at 30:00 the audio mixer is paying attention...
52:41 why’d they both drink at the same time?
Good interviewer!
Not all the jokes landed:p But enough to make her excellent at interview him:)
We all know Wonder man George, you talks about him ALL the time!
not enough for you to learn English from his speeches, evidently.
K
"and then you spot a zipper! and suddenly your suspension of disbelief is out the window! "
*or a Starbucks cup*
Oh snap knew this was coming
13:15
The moment when it all began …
If one thing I disliked about this was 50:00, the mention of the duo who shall not be named. But sure, even the devil must be paid his due.
Hahaha!
Lol Yeah... My take is those guys are good at a lot but NOT story creation. And then their egos happened. They did pull together an awesome team, I'll give them that.
Idk if it’s just me but George reminds me a lot of myself. It seems like he doesn’t want the praise thrown ag him and it lowkey makes him uncomfortable
Wondermans story sort of reminds me of Theon
Is there a Make a Wish Foundation for fat, 40 yr old dudes? I’d love to spend an evening at the local pub with George, he seems awesome, great interview.
51:40 They didnt leave a zipper but a starbucks cup and water bottle