George R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice & Fire book series is still waiting on its final volume, but the five previous books offer plenty to analyze.
George R.R. Martin's book, The Armageddon Rag, prominently features characters in a fictional band called the "Nazgûl."
Given their respective visual media adaptations, Martin and Tolkien's worlds have earned reputations for their disparate depictions of fantasy worlds. Due to HBO's Game of Thrones, Martin's work has a reputation for being grittier and more raunchy, exploring the inward issues of humanity. Meanwhile, The Lord of the Rings centers around a battle between good and evil, exploring more classical archetypes as humanity faces an outward threat. But beyond these broad summaries, there's plenty of similarity in the worlds of LOTR & ASOIAF.
10 The Iron Throne & The One Ring Play A Similar Role In ASOIAF & LOTR
ASOIAF & LOTR Both Have Iconic Objects That Symbolize Power
The idea that Tolkien presents an idealistic version of humanity that can rise up to thwart great evil is fairly prevalent in the analysis of his work, but it wouldn't be fair to say his characters aren't without their shades of gray. The One Ring isn't just an item that makes men evil; it's a device that attracts humankind's base desire for power and control. Human characters like Boromir, Denethor, and more fall victim to its allure, losing themselves in their desire for its gifts. At the center of ASOIAF, the Iron Throne represents a similar concept.
In the Game of Thrones television ending, the Iron Throne is lit ablaze, similar to how the ring is destroyed in The Return of the King, symbolizing the end of a cycle corrupted by this desire for power. In the ASOIAF books, practically everyone seeks after the power of the Iron Throne in some capacity, with thousands losing their lives over it. Daenerys has received comparisons to Sméagol/Gollum due to her TV counterpart's eventual descent to madness after spending the entire series wanting nothing but to retake the Iron Throne.
9 Valyria & Númenor Were Powerful Foreign Kingdoms Destroyed By A Cataclysmic Event
Valyria & Númenor Are Extinct Civilizations With Long-lasting Impact On Their Respective Worlds
In Tolkien's world, Númenor was an island-based human kingdom away from Middle-earth that was graced with gifts from the Valar, allowing them to live prolonged life spans and develop one of the most impressive societies Arda had ever seen. In ASOIAF, Valyria was an empire that utilized the power of dragons to accomplish similar wonders. Both Valyria and Númenor were eventually destroyed by cataclysmic events, symbolizing that their power and hubris had brought them too close to the gods.
Aragorn is a long-lost king from the line of the Dúnedain, while Daenerys is allegedly the last Targaryen
These events take place long before their respective stories, but both still have prevalent effects on their worlds. The Númenórean line has ed down into Middle-earth through the kingdom of Gondor and the Dúnedain. The Valyrian line is represented by the Targaryen monarchy, which united Westeros using the Valyrian dragon power led by Aegon the Conqueror. Aragorn is a long-lost king from the line of the Dúnedain, while Daenerys is allegedly the last Targaryen after her father's throne was usurped by Robert Baratheon.
The narrative leading to Númenor's fall is featured prominently in The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power
8 George R.R. Martin Uses Many Names From Tolkien's World
Some Of Martin's Characters Are Named After Tolkien's Creations
George R.R. Martin built a massive fictional world with a history that rivals even that of Tolkien, and suggesting that he draws from Tolkien doesn't discredit the sheer creativity that went into this process. With that having been said, there are several names in Martin's world that are taken directly from characters and locations in Tolkien's creations. This isn't uncommon in modern fantasy, as most fictional universes offer some homage to Tolkien. For example, a lead character in the Warcraft universe is Anduin Wynn, named after the Anduin river in Middle-earth.
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As for characters in Martin's world, Khal Drogo is named the same as Frodo's father, Drogo Baggins (which is kind of a funny comparison). Tyrion Lannister's name is almost identical to Tirion, which is a city in Valinor. One of the castles along the Wall and also one of the islands off the coast of the Reach in Westeros is named Oakenshield, a reference to The Hobbit's Thorin Oakenshield. Beren Tallhart's name is drawn from the character Beren in Tolkien's legendarium. In the Dance of the Dragons, the character Ulf decides to go by "the White." The list goes on.
7 Jon Snow & Aragorn Fulfill A Similar Archetype As The Long-lost King
ASOIAF May Be Gritty, But Jon Snow Fills The Lost-King Hero Archetype
A Song of Ice & Fire is known for defying typical fantasy archetypes and exploring more complex, three-dimensional characters. Yet, Jon Snow is arguably one of the series' two lead protagonists, and he fulfills a very similar role to Aragorn. Aragorn is the lost heir to the throne of Gondor, whose destiny involves him returning to his kingdom to reclaim his title and lead the human civilization into a new age. But his character is often defined by his not wanting that honor and seeing it as a responsibility instead.
As Aragorn was a Ranger of the North, Jon is a member of the Night's Watch, both making it their top priority to defend the people of their respective worlds from an existential evil threat
Similarly, Jon Snow is all but confirmed to be the son of Rhaegar Targaryen and Lyanna Stark, which would make him the rightful heir to the Iron Throne. As Aragorn was a Ranger of the North, Jon is a member of the Night's Watch, both making it their top priority to defend the people of their respective worlds from an existential evil threat. Both characters would take the responsibility of king if it were to help them lead humanity against evil, but neither revels in the idea of power nor superiority.
6 Dragons Are A Forgotten Breed In Both Game Of Thrones & Lord Of The Rings
Dragons Used To Be More Prevalent In Both Westeros And Middle-earth
By the time of The Fellowship of the Ring, dragons are essentially a non-factor in Middle-earth. Smaug is the main antagonist of The Hobbit, but he's considered the last of Middle-earth's "great dragons," and there are none in the events of the proceeding War of the Ring. Similarly, in ASOIAF, dragons have been extinct for over a century in Westeros and have become mythical creatures. This represents a broader similarity in the two worlds, in which both are beginning to age away from the magic and mysticism of their early ages.
In Tolkien's mythology, the First Age is filled with the conflicts of magical beings as the Valar combat Morgoth for the future of Arda. The ancient history of Martin's world saw the Age of Heroes, where mythical figures fought with White Walkers in a magical war. By the Third Age in Middle-earth, the elves are leaving Middle-earth, and the Valar have sent the Istar as guides, but the world is shifting into the age of men. At the start of A Game of Thrones, White Walkers and dragons are fairytales.
5 Samwell & Samwise Have Similar Roles In Their Respective Stories
ASOIAF & LOTR Both Have ing Protagonists Named Sam
Samwise Gamgee is one of the most iconic characters in The Lord of the Rings, as the pudgy best friend of Frodo who travels from the quaint of Hobbiton to the horrors of Mount Doom, remaining by his side at the end of all things. Many even consider Sam to be the hero of their story, as his will and spirit keep Frodo going in their darkest hours. Samwell Tarly is easily the most direct character homage that Martin has.
Just as Frodo, Sam, and the hobbits develop a beautiful friendship throughout The Lord of the Rings, Jon, Samwell, and their brothers of the Night's Watch form a camaraderie that stretches beyond the bounds of duty. Like Samwise, Samwell is the ing friend that the hero can rely on, bringing atypical but essential skills to the table. Neither is a fierce warrior, but both are absolutely vital in defending their worlds.
The Lord of the Rings is a multimedia franchise consisting of several movies and a TV show released by Amazon titled The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power. The franchise is based on J.R.R. Tolkien's book series that began in 1954 with The Fellowship of the Ring. The Lord of the Rings saw mainstream popularity with Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit trilogies.
4 The Frozen Lands To The North Of Middle-earth & Westeros
Evil Stirs In The North Of Middle-earth & Westeros
Geographically, Middle-earth and Westeros take a lot of inspiration from real-world maps, with heavy Anglo-Saxon influence in their aesthetics and cultures. A major commonality between them is that both have practically uncharted frozen lands in their north where evil stirs. In The Rings of Power season 1, Galadriel is shown traveling to the far north to track Sauron at the beginning of the Second Age, as this was where Morgoth had settled in Middle-earth.
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While Sauron eventually lays the foundation for his kingdom in Mordor, the cold north is the original home of evil in Tolkien's world. In Westeros, the far north is the realm of the White Walkers, with the "Land of Always Winter" engulfed in a mystical veil preventing any human settlements. The White Walkers have spent thousands of years cultivating their strength in this land.
3 A Song Of Ice & Fire Sees The Return Of An Ancient Threat That The World Is Unprepared For
The White Walkers & Sauron Return To Power To Wage War On Humanity
In both A Game of Thrones and The Fellowship of the Ring, an ancient threat has awoken and posed an existential crisis for the people of their respective worlds. In LOTR, Sauron has finally regained strength since his defeat at the end of the Second Age by the Last Alliance of Elves and Men, and is launching his armies against the free people of Middle-earth. In ASOIAF, the White Walkers have returned after thousands of years beyond the Wall, after they were defeated in the Age of Heroes.
What's more important to both worlds is the fact that neither is prepared for such a threat. Gondor is without its true king, and relations with Rohan have grown dire. Many elves have left Middle-earth, and mankind essentially has to defend itself for the first time, which it's far from prepared for. In ASOIAF, wars and struggles between human kingdoms continue to ravage the realm, weakening everyone by the time the White Walkers finally arrive.
2 Magical Elements Are Vague In Game Of Thrones & Lord Of The Rings
Tolkien never stops to explain the powers of Gandalf or the powers of the One Ring, as they aren't digestible by mortals (the reader).
While modern authors like Brandon Sanderson have popularized the "magic system" and created magical elements with defined scientific properties, Martin draws more from Tolkien's thoughts on the matter. Magic in Tolkien's world is more similar to the real-world mythology of the Greeks and Norse, where there are mystical properties that aren't explicitly explained. For example, Tolkien never stops to explain the powers of Gandalf or the powers of the One Ring, as they aren't digestible by mortals (the reader).
Similarly, Martin explores various magics and religions in his world, such as Melisandre's powers and visions, the abilities of the Faceless men, and the bond between dragons and riders. All of these are prevalent forces, but there's no guide to understanding their properties. This is essential to the vast, ancient feeling of their worlds, allowing the reader to implant themselves in the confusion of mortal characters, observing events with wonder and mysterious intrigue.
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1 George RR Martin Is Expanding His World With Historical Texts
George R.R. Martin's Fire & Blood Is The ASOIAF Equivalent Of Tolkien's The Silmarillion
Beyond just The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, Tolkien also has The Silmarillion, a fictional historical text that examines his world in great detail. It's commonly said that Tolkien wrote The Lord of the Rings as a story to fit in the world/mythology he wanted to create rather than vice versa. Martin seems to have similar desires with his world-building, as his most recent volume is Fire & Blood, a fictional historical text that s the various monarchs of the Targaryen dynasty.
When talking about this book in 2018, Martin jokingly referred to it as the GRRmarillion. Much of A Feast for Crows and A Dance of Dragons also seem to have an express desire to explore the broader stories of his world, constantly seeing characters share anecdotes about various historical events. Martin has built a masterful world in A Song of Ice & Fire, and he seems to have equal desire to explore its intricacies as he does in writing the central narrative.
- Created by
- George R.R. Martin
- Cast
- Milly Alcock, Emily Carey
Game of Thrones is a multimedia franchise created by George R.R. Martin. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire is the basis for the award-winning HBO series Game of Thrones, which lasted for eight seasons. After the incredibly divisive final season of Game of Thrones, the series was followed up by the prequel series House of the Dragon, which also received critical acclaim.
