I must confess that I haven’t ever read anything by George RR Martin, nor have I seen the series that it inspired. My excuse is that I don’t like fantasy. But after reading this book about his inspiration, I’m now inspired by Martin’s prolific ability and more equipped in my own journey as a writer.
In this book, the author introduces us to the breath of Martin’s inspiration, stemming from his voracious reading of history, comic-book characters, the works of great science and fantasy authors, cartography and the study of atlases, among other things. The author describes Martin as a voracious gatherer of knowledge, of experience, or story.

The book is supplemented with an eclectic collection of photos of Martin’s childhood home, various paintings of subjects that inspired him etc. Among others, there are photos of him at the signing table at the 2014 world science Fiction Convention, as also the cast of Game of Thrones on HBO and covers of the first editions of his books. There are photos of paintings depicting the history on which his oeuvre is based.

The book details his life, education, publishing successes and failures and his tryst with writing for TV, besides the influences on his life and writing and the episodes of The Twilight Zone that he scripted.

It’s fantastic to read about how Martin’s books grew and the powerful storytelling that drove that growth. The book explores Martin’s journey to writing the book and the Game of Thrones series, their production, impact and relationship with the source novels. the Epilogue talks about the astonishing success of the book and its adaptation to the silver screen (did you know that the first episode scored 2.2 million viewers on the first night itself?).

The book was divided into chapters, named after locations in the book, such as the Wall, Winterfell and the Iron Islands. There is no fixed format to the layout of the pages. Quotes accompanying photos take up whole pages, sometimes even double spreads.

Never having read the books or watched the series, and being largely unfamiliar with European history, which we didn’t study at school, I wasn’t always able to figure out what was happening. There was a lot I couldn’t relate to, but the author’s style was engaging.

I got a sense of the depth of reading and research that informed Martin’s work, in terms of history, the mythology of Norse, Saxon and other cultures, the architecture and geography of the regions in which the books are set, and Martin’s own vast reading of historical fiction, fantasy and horror.

I want to point out just one error in the book. The author points out that the name given to a particular “city’s distinctive elephant-drawn carts, hathay, echoes the Hindu word for elephant, hathi.” The right word here is Hindi. Hindi is a language. Hinduism is a religion followed by Hindu people.

Towards the end, the author tells us about how far the books are inspired by the real world. The threat of "Winter is coming" in the book is synonymous with the real danger of climate change in the real world.

‘The Worlds of George RR Martin’ explores the vast range of influences that inspired George R.R. Martin’s ‘A Song of Ice and Fire’. Huddleston delves into the historical, literary, and personal sources that helped shape this monumental fantasy series, making connections that highlight the intricate tapestry of storytelling woven throughout Martin's work.

Accuracy: ★★★★★

The book is meticulously researched, offering detailed accounts of Martin's many inspirations and how they informed his writing. Huddleston’s exploration is both thorough and precise, providing strong connections between Martin’s fictional world and real historical events, ensuring readers gain a comprehensive understanding of the subject matter.

Perspective: ★★★★☆

Huddleston provides a fresh and insightful look at the numerous influences on Martin’s work, which adds depth to the overall narrative. However, a bit more critical analysis of how these historical and literary sources are uniquely adapted into Martin’s storytelling style would have added another layer of depth and engagement.

Relevance: ★★★☆☆

With ‘Game of Thrones’ now past its peak popularity, this book may appeal more to devoted fans of the series who are eager to delve deeper into its foundations. That said, it offers valuable insights and context for those still captivated by the series, serving as an intriguing exploration of the themes and influences behind the beloved saga.

Engagement: ★★★★☆

The book is engaging for readers who are deeply invested in Martin’s world and want to learn more about the background of the story. For casual readers, however, the depth of information might feel a bit heavy at times, potentially making it a slower read for those unfamiliar with the intricate details of the lore.

Readability: ★★★★☆

The writing is clear and informative, making it accessible even when covering complex topics like historical context and literary analysis. Huddleston strikes a nice balance between scholarly tone and general readability, ensuring that both fans and newcomers can enjoy the material without feeling overwhelmed.

Enjoyment: ★★★★☆

Fans of the series will enjoy the rich details and historical connections presented in the book, as they offer a new appreciation for Martin’s creative choices. While it may not appeal to everyone, dedicated readers of ‘A Song of Ice and Fire’ will find it a rewarding and enlightening read, filled with fascinating insights.


‘The Worlds of George RR Martin’ is a detailed and engaging exploration of the inspirations behind Martin’s fantasy world. It’s an insightful read for devoted fans, providing context that enhances the understanding of the series but might be too niche for casual readers who are less familiar with the intricate lore and influences that shaped Martin's work. Overall, it’s a valuable addition to the library of any fantasy enthusiast.

An exceptional behind the scenes peek into the inspirations for George R. R. Martin's epic Song of Ice and Fire saga. This is the kind of stuff I love devouring, so I can bring it up the next time somebody is talking about Game of Thrones or House of the Dragon. Incredibly well done.

Special Thanks to Quarto Publishing Group/White Lion/Frances Lincoln and Netgalley for the digital ARC. This was given to me for an honest review.

Oh I really, really enjoyed this book!
It does predispose that there is an enjoyment of, or knowledge about GRRM in order to pick it up, but this is not *just* a Game Of Thrones book.
It looks at his life, his process and his professional works as well as what is coming next-hopefully 'Winds Of Winter', pretty please!!
It is really well put together, so much about George is in the public domain thanks to his huge success, and as someone who has been reading his books for a very long time, there was new information in here for me to enjoy, particularly the biographical details, now I know why he has a fondness for those particular hats!
This is a really well put together book with gorgeous design and pictures that are not regularly reprinted, and it's definitely something I would like to have on my bookshelf in real life!

I received an advance reader copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review via netgalley and the publishers.

The Worlds of George R R Martin is an indepth and detailed book about George R R Martin and where and how he came across his inspiration for his much loved books. I found it fascinating to read about every source he took inspiration and insight from, including his own family history. I loved the pictures included as they helped break up the book sections and made ot even more interesting. This is a perfect read for anyone interested in history, Game of Thrones, George R R Martin himself, fantasy and writing themselves.

An in-depth book that tells of George RR Martin's early life, early writings and inspirations for his works, with a main focus on the world of Game of Thrones. Accompanied by pictures from Game of Thrones television series, the books, his early book covers and fanzine.

Great read for all The Song of Ice and Fire fans.

The author takes us through Westeros, from the North all the way to the Free Cities, focusing on the biggest points on the map, like The Wall or castles. We get a description of the place, and its role in the books/TV shows, then inspirations from the real, but not only for the castles but also for the people and Westeros customs.

There's a lot of information in each chapter but written in an accessible and not overwhelming way. This book is beautifully illustrated, there are not only photos from the TV shows but also illustrations of the places and things that inspired George R.R. Martin.

There's even a short biography of Martin that helps us with understanding his fascination with certain things that appear in his books.

I also really appreciated that Tom Huddleston mentioned controversies with the Westeros universe, like the high amount of violence against women (defended by all creators as "historically accurate" in a series that has several dragons 🙄), white savior trope and orientalism. It's important that while we can enjoy this universe, we also discuss the mistakes that the creators (by which I mean Martin but also the producers of the tv shows) made and how they can do better.

My slight issue while reading was the placement of the illustrations. In many places the text stopped in the middle of the sentence and was picked up after a page or sometimes two of photos. It's especially annoying when you're reading on a tablet like me.

Overall, this book is a great gift idea for all Martin fans, even if they (like me) haven't read all the books.

This book did the impossible -- made me want to rewatch Game of Thrones 😄 Fascinating insight into the inspirations behind the world of Westeros.

I’m a big fan of game of thrones and wanted to read this to gain more insight into its creation. I found it really interesting to learn about not just the historical and cultural inspirations but who his literary influences were as well. I liked how it was structured by landmark/region and got to learn more about each than was touched on in the show.

The ARC was slightly difficult to read (some pages were blacked out entirely) but I got the gist. I’m a big ASOIAF fan and would love something like this as a gift so I imagine it’s going to appeal to fans!

I loved the pictures! I loved the influences! I loved the history and the pageantry! This book is heavily illustrated but it is also full of details about the books, the movies, the history of some of Martin's influences, and the areas where the stories are filmed. It was fascinating, but my favorite part was reading about how Martin planned for a smaller story and it grew out of his control. Thanks to NetGalley for letting me read this.

I think this book was very insightful and I liked to learn how. If you are a big fan of A Song of Ice and Fire/Game of Thrones or just like George R.R. Martin writing and want to learn more about what inspired him to create this amazing and complex world of Westeros and Essos.

I liked the book, it is filled with photos, but it can be a bit dry at times, however, personally I found the topic interesting enough so I got over that easily.

Very interesting little book about Westeros, I recommend it for die hard ASOIAF fans, but casuals might find it a bit too dry.

This was a very thorough companion book to George R R Martin's work and is sure to interest fans of the Song of Ice and Fire books and Game of Thrones TV show.

A fascinating insight into George R.R. Martin and his inspirations, both in history and in other works of fiction.
Highly recommended to fellow ASOIAF enjoyers, as well as fantasy writers who might be intrigued about how others go about worldbuilding!

A well researched analysis of George R. R. Martin’s “Game of Thrones” series’ influences from both real world and literature. Tom Huddleston is sure to capture these events and stories and how they help shape the well-beloved series.

“The Worlds of George R.R. Martin” is a good reference for any reader interested in the “Game of Thrones” series. The influences that are covered are brief but insightful, making it a good resource for both those who are seeking starting points in their own exploration of these influences and those who simply seek the basic knowledge behind them.

Unfortunately, my only option was to read this on the NetGalley app and I just couldn't. It's a bummer because I love Martin and was really hoping to read this one. But the type showed up as black and adjusting the settings did nothing for me.

This book is so wild and well put together! I can not praise this enough! Especially for lovers of world building. So much great insider information and incredible photos.
Highly recommend.

Thank you to NetGalley and Quarto Publishing Group – White Lion for the opportunity to read and review this book!

I have reviewed the Worlds of George RR Martin for book recommendation and selling site LoveReading.co.uk. I’ve chosen the book as a Liz Pick of the Month and a LoveReading Star Book. Please see the link to the site for the full review.

The breadth and the depth of the George RR Martin is as vast as the universes he creates. Detailing his illustrious career as a short novelist, screenwriter, and successful novelist his worlds have touched what may seem like all of the world.

Hailing from a lineage of a once wealthy family, George lived in his head inspired to create worlds from the pieces of the world around him. He was always bursting with creativity and honed that skill in his many forms of writing.

There was so much in this book not just about the author himself (a wealth of knowledge of that exists here as well) but also so much that can inspire burgeoning writers alike. So much to take away from the process and the unrelenting determination to "keep writing" and the importance of not only the story but also the execution which largely is to credit for Martin's success.

Fans of History and historical fiction will also love this book as there is much ado about Martins Westeros and its many inspirations.

Film and book buff will so appreciate this compendium.