George R.R. Martin has been caught in a controversy regarding his latest book “The Rise of the Dragon: An Illustrated History of the Targaryen Dynasty, Volume One” as fans plan to boycott the caught because of comments by its coauthors.
Fans Plan to Boycott George R.R. Martin’s New Book
Slated to be released on October 25th, the book is being called a “deluxe reference book” that will explore more about Westeros and the powerful families that occupy it. But fans were not happy to find out that the coauthors were married couple Linda Antonsson and Elio M. García Jr. and their “history of racism.”
The backlash was swift as many took to the announcement post on social media and commented their feelings about the coauthors. “I will not be buying anything with Linda and Elio attached to it,” one commenter wrote. Many others pleaded for Martin to sever his ties with the pair.
The coauthors responded back with Antonsson telling Variety that she isn’t racist and Garcia said that he feels under attack for sticking to his views and feelings about Martin’s original works.
The controversial remarks that have landed the couple in hot waters is their outrage with people of color being casted in Game of Thrones over a decade ago. In a blog post from March 2012, Antonsson complained that Nonso, Anozie, a black man, was cast to play a pale character. In another instance, she celebrated when a white actor was chosen to play Daario Naharis because there were rumors that he was going to be cast as another ethnicity.
Casting issues have not gone away for Antonsson as she complained that ““There are no Black Valyrians and there should not be any in the show,” regarding the casting of the Velaryons in House of the Dragon. She said that fans are “cherry-picked statements stripped of context,” and it bothers her to be labeled a racist, when my focus has been solely on the world building.”
Commentary
Antonsson saying that her focus being “solely on the world building” is ironic when she complains about stuff that has nothing to do with world building. Casting does not affect world-building at all. I believe the fans are right to call her out and take issue with her involvement of the new book.
Martin does also deserve some criticism for choosing them as his coauthors. The couple has worked with Martin ever since they created an online forum Westeros.org in 1999. They fact-checked his book Feast for Crows and they also were coauthors on the illustrated companion book The World of Ice & Fire.
I do not think there will be any significant changes as the book is weeks away from being published. Expect a response denouncing their stance and the fans outcries have been heard. If the book doesn’t sale well, then expect some real change to follow.
I do get it if some people would prefer that characters that were originally of a certain colour remain that way, just like people tend to want the movies/shows to be closer to the book than they usually are, but I don’t think that is what her focus is. I think she is actually racist. It is sad but I have to agree with the boycott.
I agree. If the race played a part in the plot or part of the character’s identity, then you have a point. But that is not the case.
Also it is just F*cked up to tweet about it.
Agreed