I suspect that this question was meant partially in jest, but I see fit to answer it. For the record, I know that this question is directed at GRRM’s fantasy series, and not his other writings, which I have had the privilege to read. So I will direct my answer to the intent of the question.
There are a lot of reasons why I have yet to read George R. R. Martin’s fantasy series. Some of them, or perhaps all them, the questioner will probably not like (or already knows about):
- I have too many books on my review list.
- I have too many books in my reading list for college courses.
- I don’t like being pressured into reading books because it ruins the reading experience for me.
- The work is over-hyped by the people who like it, which also ruins the reading experience for me.
Perhaps the first one isn’t a great excuse. After all, I should probably attempt to work in books that aren’t sent to me for review in order to keep things fresh. And, if we’re to knock that off, then we can drop the second one as well, since it would no longer be relevant. That leaves the last two.
My biggest problem with reading books recommended to me is that too often it feels like I’m being bludgeoned to death with the entire prospect. This isn’t always so, but a lot of folks with a professed love for a particular writer or series have a tendency to really drive home their desire to get you to read the same work that they’ve fallen head over heels for. This is not directed necessarily at the questioner, but more at the GRRM fanbase in general.
I have been told by multiple GRRM fans that I have to read A Game of Thrones. It’s repeated over and over to me by these folks, even when I’ve asked some of them to stop and let it rest (some of them have been kind enough to stop). This creates a lot of problems for me as a reader. I want my reading experience to be enjoyable, and right now I cannot escape the reality that reading A Game of Thrones will be fraught with conflicting messages: the side of me that wants to remain unbiased, and the part of me that believes that A Game of Thrones is the best fantasy novel ever written, even though I haven’t read it. I need to clear my head of all this in order to properly read a game of thrones without bias.
The same thing has happened to a lot of other books. I can’t help it, but the more pressure placed on me to read something, the less likely I’m going to read it. Think of it like going to a movie that has received an overwhelming amount of hype and realizing it doesn’t live up. I don’t want that to happen to A Game of Thrones. I want that book to be great when I read it, not because others say so, but because I can actually see it.
What about you? Any of you out there have similar issues? Have any of you folded to pressure and had a bad experience (or a good one)?
Anywho. If you have a question you’d like me to answer, feel free to send it to arconna[at]yahoo[dot]com, or leave it as a comment, or send it as a twitter message with @shaunduke at the front of the message. Thanks!
