The sense of instability …

… John Lanchester reviews ‘A Song of Ice and Fire’ by George R.R. Martin and ‘Game of Thrones’ — LRB 11 April 2013. (Hat tip, Dave Lull.)

Game of Thrones was first described to me, by someone familiar with the project from before its initial broadcast, as ‘The Sopranos meets Lord of the Rings.’ At that point, I knew I was going to like it. But then, I am that person – the one who likes fantasy and SF. It was far from clear that anyone else would like it. So I have to admit I feel an obscure and entirely unjustified sense of vindication at the fact that now, with the third series about to start airing,Game of Thrones is universally seen as a roaring success, and Martin’s books have hit the best-seller lists, many years after they were first published.