Reddit reviews The Buried Giant: A novel

ASOIAF is a masterwork of storytelling. However, here's a question: after it's all over, once we have answers to what happens, are we going to be still debating the meaning of the work?


>Thematically, power is at the center of this – the use of power, the corrupting influences of power, what people will do to get power and what power will do to them. And, it’s about politics. It’s not an allegory. People have occasionally asked me, “Is this an allegory for modern politics?” No, it’s not. I agree with Tolkien, in the sense that you really don’t want to inject any sort of allegory and satire or contemporary political issues into your medieval fantasy. But, nonetheless, there are certain universal themes. There are certain things that I’m trying to say about politics, governance, the use of power, kings, and all of that stuff.


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There are fascinating themes, but when it comes down to it Martin wants to tell a great story for the sake of telling a great story, rather than having every word tightly focused toward making the Author's Point. This is both a strength and a weakness, depending on what you want out of a work. Do you want literature or Literature? They're not mutually exclusive, but I for one want an entertaining and satisfying story above all other wants.

Edit: compare ASOIAF to the recently-released novel, the Buried Giant, by Kazuro Ishiguro, whose other works have been highly praised in literary circles. The story is tightly focused around its themes, and, as a result, it's not the wildly entertaining spectacle that ASOIAF is in comparison. They're simply trying to accomplish different things, one maximizing meaning and the other maximizing awesome.

This would make a great scene for The Buried Giant where the boatmen questions husband and wife and only takes one to the Island...