844 Quotes by George R. R. Martin

Fiction is lies; we're writing about people who never existed and events that never happened when we write fiction, whether its science fiction or fantasy or western mystery stories or so-called literary stories. All those things are essentially untrue. But it has to have a truth at the core of it.

It was a story called ‘The Hero’ which I sold to Galaxy magazine in 1970, for $94.

The Gods give with one hand and take with the other.

There is a savage beast in every man, and when you hand that man a sword or spear and send him forth to war, the beast stirs.

A man who fights for coin is loyal only to his purse.

Is there any creature on earth as unfortunate as an ugly woman? (wonders Lady Catelyn Stark)

I never finished any of my early stories. They were all beginnings, an endless number of beginnings.

As Faulkner says, all of us have the capacity in us for great good and for great evil, for love but also for hate. I wanted to write those kinds of complex character in a fantasy, and not just have all the good people get together to fight the bad guy.

I crossed a thousand leagues to come to you, and lost the best part of me along the way. Don't tell me to leave.