George R.R. Martin chats with Stephen Colbert about Fire & Blood and The Winds of Winter

Last night, A Song of Ice and Fire author George R.R. Martin stopped by The Late Show with Stephen Colbert to promote his new book Fire & Blood, his fake history about the Targaryen dynasty, and also to talk about how his pet turtles always died when he was a kid. Watch their conversation below, and see which topic you find more compelling:

I like how the audience cheers when Colbert mentions the Lannisters, Starks and Targaryens. They know who this is.

Martin isn’t exactly the Platonic ideal of a latenight guest, but he’s clearly having a good time, and if there’s anyone in latenight for him to talk to, it’s Colbert, who has a long reputation as a fantasy nerd. He knows enough about science fiction to talk with authority about Martin’s influences, who include Robert A. Heinlein, J.R.R. Tolkien, Robert E. Howard, and to make a joke about Valinor at the end there. But as much as Colbert loves fantasy, even he’s surprised to learn that Fire & Blood is only half of a planned two-volume series about the Targaryens. “There were a lot of kings!” Martin explains.

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Eventually, Colbert broaches the question on everyone’s mind: “Aren’t you supposed to be finishing The Winds of Winter this entire time?” he asks. “How did you have time to do a 700-page book?”

Martin reiterated that finishing The Winds of Winter is his top priority. After that, he has options, among the second half of Fire & Blood, more Tales of Dunk and Egg, and of course, A Dream of Spring, the final book in his series. “There’s a lot of stuff to write,” he said. “I should actually get home and get to work, I guess.”

Fire & Blood is available now!

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