From Carrie to The Shining, from Salem’s Lot to IT, from The Stand to The Dark Tower, Stephen King may be the most famous and successful writer of our times. When he talks, people listen, especially when he talks about other book series.
And we here at WinterIsComing.net pay special attention to when he talks about the Song of Ice and Fire books by George R.R. Martin, which he did in conversation with Martin himself at The Kiva Auditorium in Martin’s native Albuquerque in 2016. “I had not read any of the Game of Thrones books,” King said at the time. “I had kind of, a thing, where I said to myself ‘You know, I probably don’t want to read these things because I tried to read Robert Jordan, and I couldn’t read any of those books’, and so I thought, probably ‘these are just terrible.’”
Robert Jordan wrote the 14-book strong Wheel of Time series, which Amazon is turning into a show even as we speak; the first season wrapped just last month. I would love to hear more about why The Wheel of Time books didn’t sit well with King, but for now, let’s move on to the main event.
Stephen King: The Song of Ice and Fire books “saved my life”
Some years before this interview, King was suffering from chronic sciatica pain and having trouble sleeping. So one night he did what any of us do when we can’t sleep: read. “I’ll try one of these fucking George Martin books and see if this thing is any good,” he remembered. “It just carried me away”.
"What I had not expected, the last thing I had expected from those books, is what page-turners they are. I just got lost. When I couldn’t sleep at night, I read the books, and then when I had to go and record this thing, I had the audio versions, and I’d plug in the CD’s in the car."
Been there, Mr. King. The Song of Ice and Fire books are definitely page turners, especially the first three. I wonder if King could gently prod George R.R. Martin about finishing The Winds of Winter on our behalf.
Just kidding, mostly. Anyway, it’s cool to hear someone as respected as King have such a positive reaction to the books. “They saved my life man, so thank you,” he said.
Why didn’t Stephen King like The Wheel of Time books?
But back to that earlier question, I wonder why The Wheel of Time books didn’t work for King while the Song of Ice and Fire books did. The series are certainly very different: they’re both tales of high fantasy, but The Wheel of Time is a bit more traditional, a bit more about good guys vs bad guys; whereas in Martin’s books, hell is ultimately other people.
I also think Martin is better at writing characters, although obviously your mileage may vary. I’m reading The Wheel of Time books right now — I’m on Book 4 — and while I’m enjoying them, they haven’t sucked me in like the Song of Ice and Fire books did. But I’m happy they’re doing well: Amazon’s TV show has propelled the first book in the series back to the top of the charts!
It’s official—#TheEyeoftheWorld by Robert Jordan is a #1 @nytimes and a @USATODAY bestseller! 🎉 Check out the Wheel of Time series, plus the epic @TheWheelofTime adaptation, streaming now! pic.twitter.com/6u2A5b32CL
— Tor Books (Check Mark) (@torbooks) January 8, 2022
I’d take a follow-up interview between Martin and King where they discuss the issue whenever they’re ready.
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h/t Far Out Magazine