George R.R. Martin's A Song of Fire perfectly utilizes point-of-view characters to tell its story. The first book, A Game of Thrones, features eight characters (not counting the prologue storyteller, Will), who act as the story's narrators, with the perspective shifting between each with every chapter: Eddard "Ned" Stark. Catelyn Stark, Tyrion Lannister, Daenerys Targaryen, Jon Snow, and Bran, Sansa, and Arya Stark. With each subsequent book in the series, Martin adds more and more point-of-view characters, while some, whose stories have ended, are removed.
Especially in the later novels, most of Martin's point-of-view characters remain far apart. The story has spread each narrator out across Westeros or Essos, with every individual acting as the lens into that section of the World of Ice and Fire. As such, it's rare that two point-of-view characters cross paths, thus preventing readers from learning what certain narrators think about others. Though there are some exceptions to this — such as Jaime and Cersei Lannister remaining close by each other in King's Landing throughout part of the fourth book in the series, A Feast for Crows, multiple narrators coming together in the Iron Islands and Dorne in the same book, and several point-of-view characters converging in Meereen towards the end of Martin's most recent A Song of Ice and Fire novel, A Dance with Dragons — for the most part, Martin's chapter protagonists act alone, telling their own story.
However, in A Feast for Crows and A Dance with Dragons, two books which take place concurrently and focus on different characters, two characters' storylines overlap in the most direct way yet. Not only do they occupy the same location for a brief time, each recounts the same event from their own perspective.
Jon Snow sends Sam Tarly to Oldtown to become a maester
Ever since A Game of Thrones, Jon Snow and Samwell Tarly have been close friends, reminding readers that the Night's Watch is a brotherhood. Jon acts as Sam's first ally after joining the Watch, helping the shy, bookish, and cowardly nobleman find his place on the Wall. Sam, meanwhile, helps Jon rise through the ranks, becoming Lord Commander of the Night's Watch after the death of Jeor Mormont.
Sam acts as a point-of-view character in A Feast for Crows, while Jon takes the reigns again in A Dance with Dragons. However, before their paths diverge, Jon and Sam share a quick scene, in which Jon sends Sam to Oldtown to become a maester of the Cidatel. Martin includes this scene in both A Feast for Crows, as the first Sam chapter, and A Dance with Dragons, as Jon's second.
Though these two chapters occur hundreds of pages apart, Martin's use of overlapping story beats and dialogues causes readers to recognizes this as the same event without overtly calling attention to it. This helps audiences piece together the complicated, interwoven timelines of A Feast for Crows and A Dance with Dragons.
Additionally, experiencing the same event from the perspectives of two of the series' main characters helps shed light on who both Jon and Sam are, and what they think of each other. While Jon and Sam discuss each other often, showing their reactions to the same conversation from each's perspective makes for a fantastic point of comparison.
Sam holds Jon in the utmost respect, to the point where he is almsot afraid of his old friend now that he has become Lord Commander. However, Sam still knows Jon well enough to see through some of his facades, noting that Jon is "trying to convince himself" at times, something Jon doesn't even mention of himself during his chapter.
Jon, meanwhile, internally distances himself from Sam. Though he loves his brother in black, and views him in high esteem, high enough to recognize that he would make for a fantastic maester, he doesn't respect Sam as much as Sam respects Jon. Although Jon makes a point to tell Sam not to embrace his cowardice, Jon's internal monologue picks up on Sam's nervousness and fear. Jon's thought process also clarifies that some statements he made in Sam's chapter were lies, such as where he sent Gilly after their earlier conversation.
Showing Jon's perspective after Sam's also highlights some of his insecurities as Lord Commander. In Sam's chapter, Jon seems confident and in control, but when telling the story from Jon's point-of-view, it becomes apparent that he is not used to command, and due to his age and relative inexperience, he is unsure of himself. This also showcases Jon's journey, as, when he was a new recruit to the Night's Watch back in A Game of Thrones, he was overconfident to the point of arrogance.
Martin's various point-of-view characters help bring his world and his story to life, but in having Jon and Sam tell the same story, their perspectives on both their conversation and each other add extra layers. Each of Martin's narrators adds depth to A Song of Ice and Fire, so having two different perspectives on the same quick scene shows just how developed Martin's characters, story, and world are.
To see more of Martin's works brought to life, make sure to catch A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms when it airs on HBO Max on January 18, 2026.