Game of Thronesreached an unprecedented level of success during its 8-season run, becoming a phenomenon and not fading in the intervening years. Based onGeorge R. R. Martin’sA Song of Ice and Firenovels, the show introduces a sprawling fantasy world unlike anything that came before. In the wake ofGame of Thrones,the fantasy genre took off, with many companies making similar shows to attract the same audience. Whether it’sThe Witcher,Game of Thrones' own spin-off,House of the Dragon,The Wheel of Time,orLord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, every new fantasy show longs for the fullGame of Thronestreatment. But among the many shows competing to be the “newGame of Thrones,“one shares an important connection with the original.
The Wheel of Timemay seem like another attempt fromAmazon to break into the genre, but there is much more to it.The Wheel of Timeis based onRobert Jordan’s novel series of the same name. With 14 books, his story is bigger than most, providing plenty of material. Interestingly, thoughGame of Thronescame to screens first, Jordan’s books predate Martin’s, adding a level of irony to the claim thatThe Wheel of Timeis the newGame of Thrones. But there is more to connect them than being fantasy series adapted from books. Not only were Martin and Jordan friends, but Martin admits that withoutThe Wheel of Timebooks,Game of Throneswould quite possibly never have happened.
Game Of Thrones
Nine noble families fight for control over the lands of Westeros while an ancient enemy returns after being dormant for millennia.
George R. R. Martin Wrote Robert Jordan Into His Books
With so many events to celebrate the genre, it’s not surprising that the two authors would meet, but their relationship was more than that.Martin credits part of his success to his friend.After Jordan’s death,Martin wrote on his blog, “My own ICE & FIRE series might never have found its audience without the cover quote that [Jordan] was so kind as to provide, back when A GAME OF THRONES was first published. I will always be grateful to him for that.” Martin’s post described their final interaction, where, at Jordan’s suggestion, Martin took credit for the other man’s work in front of the convention, and Jordan pretended to catch him, turning Martin’s introduction into a gag. Clearly, these authors had fun together, butthe connection between their works go deeper.
In a move reminiscent ofJ. R. R. TolkienandC. S. Lewis' famed friendship,Martin wrote a character based on Jordan.Though minor, Lord Trebor Jordayne got his name fromThe Wheel of Time’s author. Jordayne is not only similar to Jordan, but Trebor is Robert spelled backward. To further his comparison, House Jordayne’s banner fittingly shows a quill and their seat in Dorne is called Tor, referencing Jordan’s publisher, Tor Books. ThoughLord Trebor does not appear inGame of Thronesand is only mentioned in the books, his character is a clear nod to Robert Jordan. Martin claims to include such references often (like his choice to name a generation ofHouse Tullyafter Muppet characters), yet Lord Trebor is unique because everything known about the character is a reference to Robert Jordan.
Without ‘The Wheel of Time’ There Would Be No ‘Game of Thrones’
ThoughThe Wheel of Time’s show premiered long afterGame of Thrones, Jordan’s books came first, paving the way for Martin’s writings.Without Jordan’s novels, the fantasy genre would look different. Martin’s memorial post also stated, “His huge, ambitious WHEEL OF TIME series helped to redefine the genre, and opened many doors for the writers who followed.” And Martin himself was one of those writers. With the popularity of long fantasy series, Jordan’s contribution cannot be forgotten.
In an interview withEntertainment Weekly, Martin explained, “Jordan essentially broke the trilogy template that Tolkien helped set up. He showed us how to do a book that’s bigger than a trilogy. I don’t think my series would’ve been possible withoutThe Wheel of Timebeing as successful as it was.” BothThe Wheel of TimeandA Song of Ice and Firecontain countless characters andsprawling worldswith a variety of cultures and histories. This is not entirely new for the genre – just look at Tolkien’s Middle-earth. However, Tolkien’s story, though lengthy, is focused, while bothThe Wheel of TimeandA Song of Ice and Firespan their designated worlds, focusing on characters that do not share a singular focus. As such, there are simply more of them.The Wheel of Timefills 14 books, whileA Song of Ice and Fireis ongoing, with five released andtwo more to come.
‘The Wheel of Time’ Season 1’s Biggest Changes From the Book
What played out differently on-screen?
Did ‘The Wheel of Time’ Inspire ‘Game of Thrones’?
Martin’s statements have resulted in some people believing that his work is inspired by Jordan’s, and there certainly are similarities. Relying on similar genre norms, there are more than a few commonalities between the two. The lethal game played inGame of Thronesis reminiscent ofThe Wheel of Time’s Daes Dae’mar (The Game of Houses), and both includewolf dreams— albeit very different ones. However, these two stories are drastically different. While Jordan certainly played with expectations, as seen by the sheer volume of his writing, Martin took it a step further. Martin’s books deconstruct the expectations of the genre as the nobleNed Stark (Sean Bean) diesalmost instantly, and the cold, calculating characters like Tywin Lannister (Charles Dance) are skilled rulers despite their lack of virtues. But this tendency of Martin’s would not have been accepted so readily if Jordan had not first questioned the template.
What is undeniable is thatwithoutThe Wheel of Time,Game of Throneswouldn’t exist, and even George R. R. Martin acknowledges that. Jordan’s series paved the way for Martin’s story, resulting in a snowball effect as, without Martin’s books, HBO would never have made the show that caught so many people’s attention. No matter how different they are, these two series are more interconnected than most.The Wheel of Timebooks broke genre conventions, makingA Song of Ice and Firepossible. In turn,Game of Thrones’success made big-budget fantasy series viable, leading toThe Wheel of Time’s adaption.
Game of Thronesis streaming on Max in the US.
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