What age is the target audience of ASOIAF?

[Nerevanin]

I was inspired by this thread: http://asoiaf.westeros.org/index.php/topic/126698-small-things-that-annoy-you/

My question is: Who do you think is the target audience of the books? People of what age?

The majority of the POV characters, especially in the first 3 books, are children or teenagers. That would hint that the target audience are children or / and teenagers. This would be supported by the fact that most of the characters are somehow special, which is popular feature that happens to main characters in most books for children (see Harry Potter, Twilight...). This includes Daenerys the last of her kind and her dragons, Bran and his wargs powers, Arya's independence, Robb's leader skills... There is something about all of them thanks to which they can be considered outcast and are more relatable for the readers (Sam is fat, Jon is bastard, Bran can't walk, Arya isn't very feminine, Sansa is later held hostage by the Lannisters, Daenerys is put in culture she doesn't understand...) but they all possess considerable amount of courage, inner strenght and stamina to face it all the odds and survive (poor Robb), so they can be great role models. They also all act much more mature than they should considering their age, another common feature in books for kids.

But, of course, this whole theory tumbles to the ground when you notice the explicit sex scenes and violence, which make the books highly inappropriate for kids. Once you remember the sex and the violence, the books seem to be destined for adult readers. But why are the majority of the characters children then?

I am 21, in other words not that old. Yet, I am slightly annoyed every now and then by some of the child characters because they don't act their age (but Sansa) and although I can relate to them when they are fighting the odds, I can barely relate to them in their entirety because some of them are about 10 years younger than me. Although my mind usually portrays them as at least 5 years older than they are, I still know what they real age is supposed to be. That's why I applaud the addition of more adult POV characters like Cersei, Davos, Jaime, Brienne, Barristan, Asha and Victarion in the latter books to previously known Tyrion and Catelyn and Ned.

How do you feel about the fact that the most of the main characters in ASOIAF are children or teenagers? Who is the target audience of the books age-wise?

[Mish Windage]

Just a throw out guess: 20

But I've got my eldest, (15 yr. old son) on them and we watch the HBO version together. (Bought him Zelazny's Amber series for his 14th)

I'm 39.

Spawned some Great discussions.

[Bluetiger]

I was 13 when I've read ASOIAF. I think that show is for +14, but some scenes people ( even those above 18 ) shouldn't watch some scenes if they aren't mature enough.

[Lady Beefheart]

Most likely 18+, but honestly, I'd have no issue with people over 12 reading it. I was about that age when I started seeing sex and violence online. The books are no worse than that.

[livball2012]

You definitely bring up a good point. It is really tough, at least for me, to imagine people of those ages doing the things they are doing. Arya is what, 9-11 in the time covered in the books, and she has gone through some seriously traumatic stuff. Also Dany is 13-16 I believe and what she has done is also incredibly hard to imagine doing at those ages. I don't think that Martin is trying to target a younger reading audience by making some of these main characters so young and relate-able but rather just show all different elements of human life, through all different ages, and all different minds. Back in the olden times, things happened at much younger ages partly because of how short lifespans were so some of these elements like Robb becoming the leader he did at 16 isn't that far off. I don't think his characters purpose was to appeal to those ambitious teenagers out there today but just give a glimpse at what it must have been like to be thrown into that kind of situation at such a young age. I mean kids were getting married and having children before they were in their 20's in real life so I don't really think that some of the things that these child characters have done in the books are such a stretch for the most part. There are definitely some things that aren't realistic but hey, it is a fantasy novel series right?

[Ser Fingerbones]

Well, I imagine they were made to be so young, because GRRM intended for many years to pass throughout the series. So by the time he reached the end, the Starks would be between mid-late adolesence, with Jon being in his 20's. This way the wacky shit they'll be getting up to in the end-game would be more believable, they'd be easier to write (GRRM wouldn't have to wonder: Would a child say/think/do this?), and be more relatable to the majority of his readers. (The intended age range being between 16-30, I'd say.)

Unfortunately, this didn't work out and now we have an 11-year old assassin, a 10-year old greenseer, and a 5/6-year old savage cannibal (maybe.) The five-year gap would have sorted this out, but obviously that didn't go so well. Why didn't he make aFfC and aDwD occupy more time? Who knows.

I imagine that in the next two books (or three) we'll have to just ignore their age to an extent and not let it impact our enjoyment of the story.

[SevasTra82]

The books where initially supposed to be a "coming of age" tale for the Stark kids, as well as having a planned "5 year gap" into the novels.

I believe one of GRRM's overall themes for the books was to show the effects of reality and real-life on the children, and show how they grow up over time, dealing the the harsh realities of life through many different mediums (love, death, war, etc). The only real way of properly doing this is to have the main characters start out at a younger age, and write them in growing up. And with a 5 year gap planned in, that would put the Stark kids into their what...mid late teens, mid 20's when the story was finished.

Also, if he is going with typical European History, his ages are actually more accurate than most. Kids had to grow up young and fast back then, and I believe that is something also he wanted to show...historical, grim realities of the time period.

[Nerevanin]

Also, if he is going with typical European History, his ages are actually more accurate than most. Kids had to grow up young and fast back then, and I believe that is something also he wanted to show...historical, grim realities of the time period.

I know that back then the average age for various things was different (lower) and that GRRM probably tried to portray a similar era, still he could add a few years to the characters, because another, older era doesn't really explain some of the kids' maturity. A teen king or semi king (Robb) is pretty much fine I guess, but you can question some of the actions of Arya and Daenerys.

I guess I wouldn't mind the age of the kids that much if it wasn't constantly mentioned in the worst possible moments. Like when Tyrion asked Sansa on their wedding night who old she was and she said 13. Or anytime Robb's rebellion was at a critical point, Catelyn was like "he's only 15/16".

[eyenon15]

I'd say 16+ is best.

Younger if one can appreciate it, i know I wasn't ready for this type of reading until around 18.

[RobOsevens]

Ya 15/16 but really depends on each person's ability to understand and comprehend the story

[Ser Arthur Hightower]

The books where initially supposed to be a "coming of age" tale for the Stark kids, as well as having a planned "5 year gap" into the novels.

I believe one of GRRM's overall themes for the books was to show the effects of reality and real-life on the children, and show how they grow up over time, dealing the the harsh realities of life through many different mediums (love, death, war, etc). The only real way of properly doing this is to have the main characters start out at a younger age, and write them in growing up. And with a 5 year gap planned in, that would put the Stark kids into their what...mid late teens, mid 20's when the story was finished.

Also, if he is going with typical European History, his ages are actually more accurate than most. Kids had to grow up young and fast back then, and I believe that is something also he wanted to show...historical, grim realities of the time period.

I think that some of his ages push it too far, I just don't buy that 13 year old Jaime bested grown men in a melee, or than most men find 12/13 year old Sansa highly attractive.

A lot of these problems would be solved if Martin aged all the characters up by 1 1/2-2 years: Dany would be 15 when she married, Robb would be 16-17 when he went to war, Arya would be 12 when she was running through the Riverlands.

[Balerion's Whiskers]

I've pretty much ignored the ages in the books with the understanding that kids grew up faster and adults died earlier in the aSoIaF world. Ned and Robert would have been in their mid 30's or so, and that's considered an older active person, very much like someone in their 50's in today's world. I understand about the planned 5 year gap that never materialized, but have decided to read the books without giving a whole lot of weight to the age range of the characters. Yes, there's some bearing on the maturity and decisions of our characters, but I'm just rolling with it. (incidentally, I'm 58 and don't think the book is too 'young')

edited for spelling and grammar

[Sigbjorn]

I would have no problem letting my (imaginary) 12 year old child read the series. But aside from a few modern novels I read in college, I can't think of much I would prohibit a kid from reading if they wanted.

The ages of the characters don't bother me. Romeo and Juliet are supposed to be 13.

[Nerevanin]

I would have no problem letting my (imaginary) 12 year old child read the series. But aside from a few modern novels I read in college, I can't think of much I would prohibit a kid from reading if they wanted.

I think I'd consider 12 years too little, as some members in this thread mentioned, 16-18 seem appropriate to me. But that's mainly because of sex scenes. Of course 12 years old kids aren't completely clueless about where do babies come from but that doesn't mean I would serve them some of the very explicit sex scenes like that. I don't really mind the violence (excluding things like someone eating someone else's face etc) but I suppose I'd somehow edit the sex scenes out of the books if my imaginary kids wanted to read them in a young age.

[LordStoneheart]

Age isn't really a good judge for literature. I read things at 13 that were just as graphic or worse than asoiaf in terms of violence and sex, but there are people older than me now that probably couldn't handle it. It really depends on the person and their exposure to mature themes.

[Clegane'sPup]

As to this question: How do you feel about the fact that the most of the main characters in ASOIAF are children or teenagers? Who is the target audience of the books age-wise?

Intellect over emotion. My first reaction was target audience is 26+. The child and teenager POV's convey how their life is progressing through their eyes. Telling their story - how they see it, feel it, think about it, mentally, physically and spiritually.

[Bluetiger]

I have classmates who can't understand what is true point of ASoIaF. They think that it's just about violnence and erotical things... they don't analyse, find refrences and homages, they haven't even read the books but watch stupid YouTube videos about HBO's show...

[LordPathera]

16+

The youth of many protagonists was something that Martin added from Historical research about age of majority and standards of adulthood in the Middle-Ages. However, he had considered throwing in a Time Skip, but dropped that idea and I believe later regretted not making some characters older.

[Bironic]

As to this question: How do you feel about the fact that the most of the main characters in ASOIAF are children or teenagers?

I'd like to have some of the younger characters a bit older than they are in the books. That's almost the only thing I like better about the HBO show.

[Aerys Blackfyre]

20/30 y.o.