Game of Thrones: George R.R. Martin Finally Explains Why He Writes Such “Gratuitous” Food Scenes

When it comes to Game of Thrones author George R.R. Martin’s writing, there is one fairly common critique of sorts: the author often includes “gratuitous” food scenes in his work, with some critics even commenting that his books might not be quite as long if it weren’t for the various “gratuitous” feasts — among other so-called excess scenes — packed in them. It’s not criticism that Martin is bothered by, but now he’s explaining why there is so much food in his work. In his foreword for the new The Official Game of Thrones Cookbook (via Polygon), Martin says that, for him, the food matters because the journey is as important as the destination.

“When used in the context of literary criticism, ‘gratuitous’ usually translates to ‘more than I wanted’ or ‘did not advance the plot’ And you know, often that is true,” Martin writes. “Was it necessary for me to mention that the minor knight who just entered the lists bore seven golden hedgehogs on a field of dark green? In that sex scene, couldn’t I just have tumbled them into bed and cut to ‘the next morning’? And the feasts, oh those feasts, surely the only thing that mattered was what the characters were saying, not the honey-roasted duck they were eating as they said it? Well, no. Not for me.”

He continued, “It’s not the destination that matters to me, it’s the journey. I have been a voracious reader for as long as I can remember. A reader of fiction, specifically. Fiction is not about getting from point A to point B as fast as possible. It can educate, but it is not educational at heart. For that, nonfiction is infinitely superior. Fiction is about emotion. The heart, not the head. Fiction gives us vicarious experience. It takes us beyond ourselves and the world around us.”

Martin goes to write that he wants readers to “live with my story, not just read it. When they sit down at my table, I want them to taste the food.”

What’s Going On With The Winds of Winter?

Interestingly, Martin also (sort of) addresses the next book in A Song of Ice and Fire, The Winds of Winter, in the forward as well. The author notes that he hopes readers enjoy cooking the dishes in the cookbook and that they take them back to the first time they “tasted them” in A Game of Thrones “or (one day, I hope) The Winds of Winter.”

Fans of the series have been waiting on The Winds of Winter for quite some time at this point. The most recent book in the series, A Dance With Dragons, was published in 2011 and even Martin himself has acknowledged how overdue the next installment is late last year.

“The main thing I’m actually writing, of course, is the same thing… I wish I could write as fast as [The Last Kingdom author Bernard Cornwell] but I’m 12 years late on this damn novel and I’m struggling with it,” Martin said after acknowledging he’s made very little progress in the last year. “I have like 1100 pages written but I still have hundreds more pages to go. It’s a big mother of a book for whatever reason. Maybe I should’ve started writing smaller books when I began this but it’s tough. That’s the main thing that dominates most of my working life.”

When Does Season 2 of House of the Dragon Debut?

While fans are waiting for The Winds of Winter to finally make its way to publication, they will at least have not only the official cookbook to look forward to, but a second season of the prequel television series, House of the Dragon. The HBO series is set to return for Season 2 sometime in June of this year. The second season of House of the Dragon will continue the story of the Targaryen family, as its members battle for power in Westeros. The first installment ended with the death of one of Rhaenyra Targaryen’s children at the hands of her half-brother. The family is split into two factions, kicking off a massive war that will be depicted in the new season.

The Official Game of Thrones Cookbook goes on sale May 7th.