Strong Flame Posted October 26, 2013 Share Posted October 26, 2013 SPOILER: TWOWJust reading Arianne's TWOW chapter, and noticed at the beginning she mentions a holding called "Ghost Hill" home to the Tolands. Seems like a reference to the Bog Mummies found in Scandanavia (famously, the Tollund Man), which have been the subject of a few stories of ritual sacrifices whose vengueful ghosts returned to haunt their killers :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Light a wight tonight Posted October 26, 2013 Share Posted October 26, 2013 SPOILER: TWOWJust reading Arianne's TWOW chapter, and noticed at the beginning she mentions a holding called "Ghost Hill" home to the Tolands. Seems like a reference to the Bog Mummies found in Scandanavia (famously, the Tollund Man), which have been the subject of a few stories of ritual sacrifices whose vengueful ghosts returned to haunt their killers :) Just in time for Hallowe'en! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Flowers Posted November 4, 2013 Share Posted November 4, 2013 (edited) It occurred to me that the possible explanation of the identity of the Shrouded Lord was reminiscent of the Dread Pirate Roberts in the Princess Bride. My impression that this was a reference was strengthened by the fact that Haldon happens to exclaim "inconceivable" when they see that the boat is heading for the bridge again. and that would make Duck... :) I just got a mental image of Andre the Giant as Duck. It was worth a little grin at least. Edited November 5, 2013 by Jon Flowers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grave Rob Posted November 9, 2013 Share Posted November 9, 2013 (edited) I've not seen anyone mention this but it seems to me that the "children of the Forest" are a massive homage to the 70's cult hit comic book series Elfquest. The similarities between the two are to many to ignore: Appearance:Both the EQ elves and the CotF are small in stature and are about as tall as a human child.Both have large slanted eyes.Both have large ears.But perhaps the most telling: both have only 3 fingers and a thumb. This really drives the homage home for me, since that was one of the distinguishing features of the EQ elves. Behavior/magic/society:Perhaps less telling, since these things are common amongst almost every incarnation of "elves", but still interesting none the less:Being able to communicate with animals and sometimes change into them.Being one with nature, living off the land and being able to hide easily in forests.Having a form of magic that gives them power over trees. (greensight in GoT, Plant-shaping in EQ)Having a very long lifespan.Being at war with a early form of humans. (The First Men in asoiaf, Cavemen in EQ).I can't find any reference to it, but doesn't Bran mention that he never sees the CotF talking to each other? Because the EQ elves had a form of telepathy called 'sending'. It made their eyes light up when they were communicating mentally.On top of that, the names Bran gives to the CofF (Leaf, Snowylocks, Black Knife, etc) are very similar to the way the EQ elves are named (Rain, Clearbrook, Red Lance, etc).Despite having faded into obscurity in recent years Elfquest was HUGE in the late 70's to early 80's. It ran until well into the 2000s. An older comic book lover like GRRM would definitely know about it. To me the Children of the Forest are a wonderful homage to Elfquest. Edited November 9, 2013 by Grave Rob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paradoarify Posted November 9, 2013 Share Posted November 9, 2013 I'm pretty sure that Hoster Tully is based off of Henry "Hotspur" Percy from Shakespeare's Henry IV part one.The Percy's are loosely analogous to the Book's Tully's. Hotspur's rebellion is similar to Hoster's refusal to surrender.And Richard III is sort of Stannis. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morienthar Posted November 13, 2013 Share Posted November 13, 2013 This might seem out of the blue.....I believe Varys is heavily based off of Shakuni(A character from the Mahabharata) or at least bears an uncanny resemblance to in terms of motives and characterizations especially if the Blackfyre conspiracy turns out to be true. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arya kiddin' Posted November 13, 2013 Share Posted November 13, 2013 This might seem out of the blue..... I believe Varys is heavily based off of Shakuni(A character from the Mahabharata) or at least bears an uncanny resemblance to in terms of motives and characterizations especially if the Blackfyre conspiracy turns out to be true. I agree to some extent, the image kind of fits. Shakuni vowed to destroy Bhishma, who had made his sister marry a blind man. He also wounded his leg, making himself lame and vowed not to let it heal till Bhishma is destroyed. While Varys' motives are for now unclear, I can envision him sacrificing his privates for some greater goal, as he doesn't sound like a man who'd just plainly tell about his past to Tyrion, or anyone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aerys the Glad Posted November 24, 2013 Share Posted November 24, 2013 (edited) whoops Edited November 24, 2013 by Aerys the Glad Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
salladhorsaanpimpslap Posted November 30, 2013 Share Posted November 30, 2013 I'm sure this has already been said but Mountains of the Moon and Darkstar are both Grateful Dead song titles..I think GRRM is a deadhead Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Net-Viper X Posted November 30, 2013 Share Posted November 30, 2013 Targaryans could be a throwback to when GRRM was younger and spent time browsing Playboy magazine (for the articles of course). In his fantasy world "peroxide blondes" aren't just created in a salon, they are born that way. And on a similar note, Fat Pink Mast could be a tribute to Ron Jeremy. On a slightly more serious note, I have always felt a similarity between Robert Strong and Master Blaster from Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome. They are both towering mindless powerhouses, and both have a massive bucket helmet bolted to their breastplate so it cannot be removed. In both cases the helmet is permenantly attached to conceal the true identity of the wearer. They are also both being controlled by someone else who is very intelligent but relatively frail and uses their towering golem as their muscle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hoelk Posted December 1, 2013 Share Posted December 1, 2013 Targaryans could be a throwback to when GRRM was younger and spent time browsing Playboy magazine (for the articles of course). In his fantasy world "peroxide blondes" aren't just created in a salon, they are born that way. And on a similar note, Fat Pink Mast could be a tribute to Ron Jeremy. On a slightly more serious note, I have always felt a similarity between Robert Strong and Master Blaster from Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome. They are both towering mindless powerhouses, and both have a massive bucket helmet bolted to their breastplate so it cannot be removed. In both cases the helmet is permenantly attached to conceal the true identity of the wearer. They are also both being controlled by someone else who is very intelligent but relatively frail and uses their towering golem as their muscle. Could Robert Strong be a wink at Arnold Strong, an early pseudonym of Arnold Schwarzenegger? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eliz Posted December 4, 2013 Share Posted December 4, 2013 It might have come up beofre in the 53 pages of this thread I didn't bother to read.Immediately when I started reading a novel called Planet of Exile by Ursula K. Le Guin came to mind. The set is a distant planet inhabited by a humanoid race closely related to us, where there is a colony of regular earth humans as a diplomatic/research mission. The native race is primitve and the humans have abandoned most technology in order not to interfere with their development.The planet's revolution around its sun lasts sixty years and the story begins on the onset of the fifteen year old winter, as one of the sedentary native tribes and the human colony are about to face the incursion of the northern nomadic and migratory tribes, which for the first time in their history have unified under a charismatic leader. To make matters worse the daughter of the native clan's chieftain falls in love and runs off with the leader of the humans bringing the colony and the tribe to the brink of war.Any of it sound familiar?By the way read it, it's awesome. Le Guin and Martin are the only two writers that I have come across, that can make you believe that they have actually met the characters they write about. I know this post is from ages and ages ago, but I totally agree. The first time I read the books, I had just come of a huge Ursula K. LeGuin binge. (Basically I hold up her, Tolken and GRRM as the shining standards of what fantasy can and should be.) I was looking for some substantial and good fantasy that I hadn't read a million times already (a hard combo to find!) to read, and a friend recommended ASoIaF. I remember being TOTALLY struck by the similarity to the world in Planet of Exile. I also completely agree about LeGuin and Martin's talents with creating real characters. The tiny shout-out that strikes me every time I see his name is Hosteen Frey. There is a very minor character in Dan Simmons' Hyperion series called Ket Hosteen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Winterfell's Crypt Posted December 14, 2013 Share Posted December 14, 2013 (edited) Has anyone listed all of the Lovecraft references on the maps? There are a lot. Leng, Kadath, etc. Edited December 14, 2013 by Winterfell's Crypt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morienthar Posted December 14, 2013 Share Posted December 14, 2013 Has anyone listed all of the Lovecraft references on the maps? There are a lot. Leng, Kadath, etc.Even the "Old Gods" are Lovecraftian in origin and I don't just mean the names.http://asoiaf.westeros.org/index.php/topic/35549-cthulhu-reference-in-asoiaf/ http://asoiaf.westeros.org/index.php/topic/91069-lovecraft-and-the-old-gods/?hl=lovecraft Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Winterfell's Crypt Posted December 14, 2013 Share Posted December 14, 2013 Thanks Morienthar. Good stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greyjoykraken Posted December 17, 2013 Share Posted December 17, 2013 "Steelshanks" Walton's name seems to be a play on "Longshanks", a nickname of King Edward I of England, because he was tall for his era. There isn't much in the description of Steelshanks to link him to Edward I other than this line: "Steelshanks Walton stood above them, tall and dour." (A Storm of Swords, p. 612) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carl Drogo Posted December 17, 2013 Share Posted December 17, 2013 (edited) I recently went on a city trip to Istanbul and while reading up about the history of the city, I noticed several similarities to Kings's Landing that were lost on me previously: The great chain across the Golden Horn inlet. A huge chain pulled across the inlet, albeit to prevent ships from entering, not to trap them.The use of Greek Fire, the secret recipe for this primitive form of napalm supposedly having been revealed to the Byzanthine emperors by an angel. The material was lobbed or launched in pots or spewed onto other ships using a ship-mounted syphon.Roxelana, the concubine of Suleyman the Magnificent, who later became his wife and a palace power broker active behind the curtains, working towards and achieving the death of other sons of the sultan to ensure the succession of one of her sons to the throne.Interesting stuff. Edited December 17, 2013 by Carl Drogo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Akhôrahil Posted December 19, 2013 Share Posted December 19, 2013 I think it's highly likely that the shadowcats are a reference to Kitty "Shadowcat" Pryde of the X-Men. Shadowcats also appear in Tuf Voyaging, along with the Windrider Ororo, doubtlessly an X-Men reference. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Rusty Coin Posted December 20, 2013 Share Posted December 20, 2013 Oh c'mon! Valyria = Atlantis = Thera Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morienthar Posted December 22, 2013 Share Posted December 22, 2013 Oh c'mon! Valyria = Atlantis Agree with this bit also The Valyrians are GRRM's Dwarves. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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