{"id":6053,"date":"2011-05-10T06:00:34","date_gmt":"2011-05-10T14:00:34","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/aidanmoher.com\/blog\/?p=6053"},"modified":"2012-09-08T19:01:45","modified_gmt":"2012-09-09T03:01:45","slug":"guest-post-michael-j-sullivan-on-game-of-thrones-grrm-and-the-nyt","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/aidanmoher.com\/blog\/2011\/05\/articles\/guest-post-michael-j-sullivan-on-game-of-thrones-grrm-and-the-nyt\/","title":{"rendered":"Guest Post | Michael J. Sullivan on GAME OF THRONES, GRRM and the NYT"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Theft<\/a>Hello,<\/p>\n

My name is Michael J. Sullivan<\/a> and I’m the author of the Riyria Revelations<\/em>. This series has been picked up by Orbit Books<\/a> for a fall release and I’ll be back after Aidan’s honeymoon to tell you more about that. In the meantime, he asked if I would do a guest blog so that you all have something to read so you don’t go into withdrawls. I have a morning ritual that involves coffee and reading articles on my ipad. The day after the George R.R. Martin A Song of Ice and Fire<\/em> debuted on HBO, I read a few reviews that really got my blood boiling. I wrote a blog boast entitled “Song of Bias and Prejudice”, but since I’m still a relatively new, and unknown author I don’t think many people saw it. In any case I think it is appopriate for the audience so I though I’d take this opportunity to share. I hope you enjoy. Here goes…<\/p>\n

When I was in eighth grade I was caught with a copy of Tolkien\u2019s The Fellowship of the Ring<\/strong> in shop class, by another kid. This \u201ckid\u201d who I will refer to as \u201cRichard,\u201d because that was his name, had been my best friend in sixth grade. Richard had just moved to the area that year and didn\u2019t know anyone, and I adopted him when he was shunned by everyone else. After settling in however, Richard traded me for a better, cooler, best friend the following year. One of the ways he endeared himself to his new circle was by using what he knew, from our best-friend-years, to belittle and humiliate me, which always plays well to a group of twelve-year-olds trying to establish themselves as superior to anything. So when he found me reading a book, his eyes lit up with new potential.
\n
\nHe snatched the paperback and leafed through it. Then formulating his plan of attack declared: \u201cIt\u2019s fantasy!\u201d<\/p>\n

He let out a laugh more easily associated with a DC comic villain who had a superhero strapped to some Rube Goldberg torture device and about to unleash his ultimate monologue. \u201cYou read fantasy!\u201d He said it like I had given him a gift of untold value. \u201cSullivan reads fantasy books!\u201d He continued addressing the class with a mocking tone. The other students, less worldly than either of us, could not quite see the significance of this discovery. I suppose they were confused by the fact that I read books at all–this usually being a sign of intellectual superiority to the average twelve-year-old male. Nothing to be proud of certainly, but not something to be obviously embarrassed of either.<\/p>\n

Irritated at the lack of understanding, Richard turned to the most learned in the room\u2026the shop teacher. \u201cSullivan is reading a fantasy book. Fantasy books are stupid, aren\u2019t they? Just made up crap. Right?\u201d<\/p>\n

I felt my heart sink. He had me. Even at that age I knew fantasies with dwarves and elves weren\u2019t going to have the legitimacy of say, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn<\/strong>, or To Kill A Mockingbird<\/strong>. Not in a teacher\u2019s eyes. And this guy was a shop teacher, one intellectual step above the gym teacher who got drunk after hours and tried to light the school on fire. <\/p>\n

I was doomed. <\/p>\n

\u201cActually,\u201d the teacher began, standing before the class sagely in his knee length gray lab coat. \u201cFantasy novels are known for often conveying greater truths about the world and the human condition than more realistic novels. And fantasy books make up a large portion of the great classics of literature.\u201d<\/p>\n

It was at that moment that I discovered several things. First, that shop teachers aren\u2019t shop teachers because their too stupid to be anything else. Second, that fantasy books are a lot cooler than I ever thought. Third, that Richard looked really dumb with his mouth hanging open and his face turning red. And fourth, that a lot of people have a tendency to denounce fantasy novels because they think it is cool, and will somehow make them look superior. <\/p>\n\"Game<\/a>\n

Today two kids in a shop class stood up and made fun of George R.R. Martin\u2019s new HBO series. Not so much because it is good or bad, but because it is fantasy. Ginia Bellafante<\/a> of the New York Times, and Troy Patterson<\/a> of Slate, both attacked Martin and fantasy in general in the guise of reviewing a television series. <\/p>\n

Not wanting to offend anyone, least of all those that might love Martin, I must confess that I’m not a huge Martin fan. His style and mine differ greatly and while I appreciate his talent, it’s just not my cup of tea. But these people are not making intelligent comments about his work, or even about the show–they are merely displaying an open prejudice for alternate-world fantasy as a concept. They are standing up in shop class and trying to make themselves look cool.<\/p>\n

Martin and the producers of the show don\u2019t deserve this kind of pre-meditated judgment and crucifixion from reviewers who could have written the bulk of their articles in advance of seeing the show. And I find it disheartening to see that same mentality I faced in eighth grade still prevalent in the minds of adults in positions to sway a population\u2019s thoughts. <\/p>\n

I\u2019d just like to apologize to Mr. Martin on behalf of those who don\u2019t know enough to realize they should.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Hello, My name is Michael J. Sullivan and I’m the author of the Riyria Revelations. This series has been picked up by Orbit Books for a fall release and I’ll be back after Aidan’s honeymoon to tell you more about that. In the meantime, he asked if I would do a guest blog so that… Read more »<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":16,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"spay_email":"","footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":""},"categories":[21],"tags":[50,38,49,51,102,52,113,114],"class_list":["post-6053","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-articles","tag-a-song-of-ice-and-fire","tag-fantasy","tag-game-of-thrones","tag-george-r-r-martin","tag-guest-post","tag-hbo","tag-michael-j-sullivan","tag-the-riyira-revelations"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"yoast_head":"\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n