For those of you who are a) fans of good storytelling and b) fans of A Song of Ice and Fire and HBO’s Game of Thrones, season 7 was probably disappointing. Without ranting on about it (today), I’ll just say that it was poorly written.
Jason Concepcion of the “Binge Mode” podcast on TheRinger.com has perfectly summed up my feelings on the season, and the weight that fantasy stories carry as a whole.
“Fantasy stories are about princes and magical swords and that stuff, and those things are childish in a certain way. But that’s where their power comes from — from places that are so fragile that they have to be hidden away from life’s hard edges…”
Skip ahead to about the 1:35:15 mark to hear his full speech.
I’ve listened to Jason’s speech three times now, and I still find it moving. As Jason says, most fantasy stories are tales of heroism against overwhelming odds, but they are also tragedies. That heroism is not possible without sacrifice.
Despite its “childish” themes of warrior mice wielding magical swords, the Redwall stories taught me what love, sacrifice, and compassion could mean.
I doubt that anyone who reads this blog would say anything less about the stories that matter to them, but I am curious…
What do fantasy stories mean to you? Which books or series have indelibly shaped your life and worldview?
If you’re a fan of anything ASoIaF-related, I recommend listening to the podcast (all 67 episodes!). And then we can talk about them!
Steve D
Evening Satellite Publishing 
Fantasy serves as an escape. It allows us to relax from life and enter a world of unimaginable possibilities. A few of my favorite fantasies are The Chronicles of Narnia and The Lord of the Rings.
Thanks for sharing! I love sinking into a different world.I acutally didn’t read The Chronicles of Narnia as a kid, but I’d like to go back to that series at some point. And Lord of the Rings still blows my mind, even 15+ years after I first read them (and The Hobbit, and The Silmarilion) 🙂