re: #313 LudwigVanQuixote

His son Christopher is very much in the business of publishing them and reconstructing them. There are something like 12 volumes already out in print.

I agree that Tolkien was a genius in what he did, and I adore him. What makes his work unique is exactly what you described - legendary back story, culture and languages built first, plot and characters later. And it shows, both in the good way and the bad way. Let’s face it Tolkien really can not write dialog.

Martin started his books thinking he would base a fantasy world around the Wars of the Roses. It is pretty transparent. Somewhere about the 30th page and ever after though, his characters become so alive and his world so hintingly epic that the writing almost got away from him. You feel as if he is channeling people and writing a history at the same time.

Well, enough people I respect have now written so glowingly about his work that it’s now on the list.

Groan.

Don’t ask me how long the list is.