A review by riften
Fire & Blood by George R.R. Martin, Archmaester Gyldayn

3.0

I leave this book completely enthralled by Westerosi historiography. Can we trust the court fool called Mushroom to give us an accurate account of a civil war? Maybe. But I rather ask: who is this maester writing this book and why is he so charming? I think it’s very cheeky that GRRM doesn’t date this fake history; I want to know if my guess about when this was written is right. (Northmen are savages + subtle derision towards Lannisters + glorified nostalgia of Targaryen competence + Our Noble House Baratheon = Tommen’s regency methinks) ((orientalist attitudes towards Essos are also very interesting but unhelpful to date this, bc I imagine that transcends post-Robert Rebellion history))

But more than I enjoyed the historiography, I loved the infrastructure!!! Yes to explaining the plans behind constructing sewage systems in King’s Landing / cross country road networks / dragonpits that are levied for entertainment. The widows’ marriage markets after the Dance of the Dragons? Genius. I want more of this in fantasy.

Reading Fire and Blood has awoken the diehard ASOIAF fan within me and already I’m suppressing the desire to reread the series