The Wheel of Timeisn’t commonly regarded for its similarities toA Song of Ice & Fire, but there are far more than one would expect. Fans ofGeorge R.R. Martin’sASOIAFbook serieshave beenwaiting over a decade forThe Winds of Winter, and many have turned their heads toward other fantasy series as a “replacement"to tide them over in the meantime. Joe Abercrombie is generally a go-to author for fans of the moral ambiguity and darker aspects ofGame of Thrones, but there’s much more to Martin’s creation than just the sex, violence, and political intrigue.
Robert Jordan’sThe Wheel of TimeseriespredatesA Song of Ice & Fireby about six years, and the fourteen-book saga was concluded in 2012. Themost common comparison for Jordan’s work is likely J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings, especially regardingThe Eye of the World, where a set of small-town boys are plucked out of their lives by a magic user to go fight an evil dark lord. But there’s plenty more happening in Jordan’s world than just the battle between good and evil, just as Martin’s saga isn’t as grimdark as it’s often credited for.
The Wheel Of Time’s “Game Of Houses” Political Story Makes It A Great ASOIAF Replacement
The Wheel Of Time Offers Similar Political Intrigue To ASOIAF
It doesn’t take long withThe Wheel of Timeto realize the epic fantasy series is more than just a simple quest to defeat evil. Jordan’s world is beautifully constructed with a vast assortment of civilizations and cultures, with multi-faceted political situations standing in the way of a clear-cut battle against evil. In that sense, it’s rather similar toA Song of Ice & Fire.“Daes Dae’mar” is a common phrase inThe Wheel of Time, which refers to the “Great Game” or the “Game of Houses,“referring to the political conflict between major noble houses in Jordan’s world.
Much like how Tyrion “plays the game” inASOIAF, characters inTWOTtreat the navigation of the political world as a skill to be honed.
That detail alone makes the comparison hard to ignore. WhileThe Lord of the Ringsundoubtedly explores the nature of humanity in response to the powers of Sauron and the One Ring, there’s far less conflict of interest between the noble families of Gondor and Rohan.The Wheel of TimeandA Song of Ice & Fireshow worlds where the corruption and conflicts of nobles are actively detrimentalto humanity’s chances against rising evil. Much like how Tyrion “plays the game” inASOIAF, characters inTWOTtreat the navigation of the political world as a skill to be honed.
Wheel of Time Theory Reveals Season 3 Will Cover Three Books At Once
The Wheel of Time could conceivably merge three of Robert Jordan’s books into a single season when it continues the Dragon Reborn’s story.
The Wheel Of Time And A Song Of Ice & Fire Have A Lot More In Common Than It Seems
Prophecy Plays A Similar Role In Combatting Evil In Both Worlds
Mostly due to the representation ofA Song of Ice & Firein pop culture fromGame of Thrones, Martin’s books have a reputation for being directly antithetical to Tolkien in examining fantasy from a lens closer to historical fiction. But this isn’t entirely true.Martin’s books are filled with magic and prophecy, and though those elements aren’t as widely prevalent as they are inThe Wheel of Time, they’re still equally important to the overarching narrative. Both books see an ancient, magical evil being awoken, and magic must return in some form to defeat it.
InThe Wheel of Time, the “Dragon Reborn” is a man who can channel magic, which has become increasingly uncommon in the world. InA Song of Ice & Fire, Daenerys Targaryen births dragons for the first time in over a century. Both are instrumental in defeating their respective world’s major forces of evil.
Just so,The Wheel of Timeexamines many characters who are morally ambiguous, and prophecy isn’t as clear-cutin this world. Sure, readers will find who the Dragon Reborn is rather quickly, but there are significant X factors in the Karaethon Cycle that continue the mystery, similar to how Martin keeps audiences guessing with thePrince That Was Promised prophecy. Fans of either of these series who haven’t explored the other certainly need to check them out, as both are among the most detailed and sophisticated works of fantasy ever written.
Wheel Of Time Has Set Up 3 Huge Egwene Stories From The Books
Egwene al’Vere is one of The Wheel of Time’s main characters, and the TV show is setting the gears in motion for Egwene to follow her book story.
How Robert Jordan Influenced A Song Of Ice & Fire’s Success
Martin Credits The Wheel Of Time For Making ASOIAF Possible
While George R.R. Martin hasn’t directly spoken aboutThe Wheel of Timelike he has about Tolkien and his influences fromThe Lord of the Rings, he has credited the series' success as a huge contributor to his own.TWOTpredatesA Song of Ice & Fire, but both found their footing in the 1990s, laying the foundation for the fantasy genre in the 21st century. On hisblog, following Robert Jordan’s passing in 2007, Martin had this to say:
“My own ICE & FIRE series might never have found its audience without the cover quote that [Jordan] was so kind as to provide, back when A GAME OF THRONES was first published. I will always be grateful to him for that.”
Both authors are absolutely crucial to the modern fantasy landscape. Though Martin is often seen in pop culture as being more influential due to the mass appeal of his television adaptations,Game of Thronesmight not exist withoutThe Wheel of Time. Robert Jordan changed the game for fantasy, pushing the genre closer to what contemporary audiences are more familiar with, allowing George R.R. Martin to break ground even further.
The Wheel of Time
The Wheel of Time follows Moiraine, a member of the powerful all-female organization Aes Sedai, as she leads a perilous quest with five young individuals. Moiraine suspects one among them could be the prophesized reincarnation of a mighty figure destined to either save or doom humanity.
