A Song for Lya by George R. R. Martin

An assortment of George R. R. Martin's early SFF.

https://jamesdavisnicoll.com/review/worryin-round-my-door
--
My reviews can be found at http://jamesdavisnicoll.com/
My tor pieces at https://www.tor.com/author/james-davis-nicoll/
My Dreamwidth at https://james-davis-nicoll.dreamwidth.org/
My patreon is at https://www.patreon.com/jamesdnicoll

--- PyGate Linux v1.5.19
* Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)

On 10/25/2026 8:35 PM, James Nicoll wrote:

A Song for Lya by George R. R. Martin

An assortment of George R. R. Martin's early SFF.

https://jamesdavisnicoll.com/review/worryin-round-my-door

Given his atrocious plots in Song of Ice and Fire, or whatever the games
of thrones book series was called, I am not interested in his early fic-
tion. Yes, he writes well, and he is quite good at individual scenes,
but the overall plot and story was atrocious.

I was /bored of the story/ before I knew there was a T.V. show. I may
have read the first 1.5 books before the show was even made, but I'm
not keeping track.

And because of his popularity, I'm sure students will be forced to read
his works several hundred years from now. I hope they won't complain
too loudly.


Best wishes, and happy fantasies!
--
Johann | email: invalid -> com | http://www.myrkraverk.com/blog/
I'm not from the Internet, I just work there. | via Easynews.com https://bsky.app/profile/myrkraverk.bsky.social | for ( ;; ) _:;
Federated at https://fed.brid.gy/bsky/myrkraverk.bsky.social

--- PyGate Linux v1.5.19
* Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)

In article <UNnDS.20993$IO17.1227@fx15.ams4>,
Johann 'Myrkraverk' Oskarsson <johann@myrkraverk.invalid> wrote:

On 10/25/2026 8:35 PM, James Nicoll wrote:

A Song for Lya by George R. R. Martin

An assortment of George R. R. Martin's early SFF.

https://jamesdavisnicoll.com/review/worryin-round-my-door

Given his atrocious plots in Song of Ice and Fire, or whatever the games
of thrones book series was called, I am not interested in his early fic- >tion. Yes, he writes well, and he is quite good at individual scenes,
but the overall plot and story was atrocious.

One can draw a line through Martin's career at the GOT thermocline.
Before GOT, each work functioned as stand alone, which meant each
plot had to be tied up, even in series. After GOT, oh well. But
GOT made him rich and the earlier stuff did not.
--
My reviews can be found at http://jamesdavisnicoll.com/
My tor pieces at https://www.tor.com/author/james-davis-nicoll/
My Dreamwidth at https://james-davis-nicoll.dreamwidth.org/
My patreon is at https://www.patreon.com/jamesdnicoll

--- PyGate Linux v1.5.19
* Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)

On 10/25/2026 8:35 AM, James Nicoll wrote:

A Song for Lya by George R. R. Martin

An assortment of George R. R. Martin's early SFF.

https://jamesdavisnicoll.com/review/worryin-round-my-door

50 years ago? Oh god, I feel old.

I found the title story quite disturbing when I was
a teen.

Still do.

pt

--- PyGate Linux v1.5.19
* Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)

Johann 'Myrkraverk' Oskarsson wrote:

On 10/25/2026 8:35 PM, James Nicoll wrote:

A Song for Lya by George R. R. Martin

An assortment of George R. R. Martin's early SFF.

https://jamesdavisnicoll.com/review/worryin-round-my-door

Given his atrocious plots in Song of Ice and Fire, or whatever the games
of thrones book series was called, I am not interested in his early fic- tion.ÿ Yes, he writes well, and he is quite good at individual scenes,
but the overall plot and story was atrocious.

It's probably not meant for you. It's not an intellectual tale. It's a
lowbrow romp for the unwashed masses and thus very successful. You can't
fault Martin for chasing the market.

I was /bored of the story/ before I knew there was a T.V. show.ÿ I may
have read the first 1.5 books before the show was even made, but I'm
not keeping track.

I never got bored of it. I have the first series on fandango.com. It's
just not a very compelling story in my opinion. The book was quite a bit better from what I can tell, although I mostly enjoyed the prologue &
didn't get any further after seeing the show.

And because of his popularity, I'm sure students will be forced to read
his works several hundred years from now.ÿ I hope they won't complain
too loudly.

I saw a news piece the other day criticizing it from a left viewpoint.
It was criticized for its depictions of sexual depravity such as rape & whatever. It's probably just a flash in the pan.

--
Can you strip away so we may start again?
"There?s a switch and they don't
seem authentic or themselves. It
feels like I?m an unnecessary
body and it?s a waste of time to
even be there." -- Grim, playful Blaine.

--- PyGate Linux v1.5.19
* Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)

James Nicoll wrote:

In article <UNnDS.20993$IO17.1227@fx15.ams4>,
Johann 'Myrkraverk' Oskarsson <johann@myrkraverk.invalid> wrote:

On 10/25/2026 8:35 PM, James Nicoll wrote:

A Song for Lya by George R. R. Martin

An assortment of George R. R. Martin's early SFF.

https://jamesdavisnicoll.com/review/worryin-round-my-door

Given his atrocious plots in Song of Ice and Fire, or whatever the games
of thrones book series was called, I am not interested in his early fic-
tion. Yes, he writes well, and he is quite good at individual scenes,
but the overall plot and story was atrocious.

One can draw a line through Martin's career at the GOT thermocline.
Before GOT, each work functioned as stand alone, which meant each
plot had to be tied up, even in series. After GOT, oh well. But
GOT made him rich and the earlier stuff did not.

How is GOT not just another author chasing the American Dream of
Dragons? Even Rebecca Yarros is better, although I didn't get past the
first sexual encounter. What was it ten pages dedicated to their
consummation? What the actual fuck?

--
Can you strip away so we may start again?
"There?s a switch and they don't
seem authentic or themselves. It
feels like I?m an unnecessary
body and it?s a waste of time to
even be there." -- Grim, playful Blaine.

--- PyGate Linux v1.5.19
* Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)

On 26/10/2026 02:49, Johann 'Myrkraverk' Oskarsson wrote:

On 10/25/2026 8:35 PM, James Nicoll wrote:

A Song for Lya by George R. R. Martin

An assortment of George R. R. Martin's early SFF.

https://jamesdavisnicoll.com/review/worryin-round-my-door

I have forgotten the tale but awarded A Song of Lya just three stars. My favourites from amongst his other short works, were Sandkings, five
stars and The Way of Cross and Dragon four.

Given his atrocious plots in Song of Ice and Fire, or whatever the games
of thrones book series was called, I am not interested in his early fic- tion.ÿ Yes, he writes well, and he is quite good at individual scenes,
but the overall plot and story was atrocious.

I am not great but perhaps I do not wash frequently enough as I enjoyed
the five 'main' books which are the only ones that I have read of the
fourteen. However I lost interest long ago and would not read the sixth
if it should be completed.

I was /bored of the story/ before I knew there was a T.V. show.ÿ I may
have read the first 1.5 books before the show was even made, but I'm
not keeping track.

I loved the tv series as well enjoying the characters so well suited to
their roles and although I am not interested in porn I have a strong predilection for unclothed women's chests on tv. I revelled in the
pragmatic ignorance of the squirming for survival, the wielding of power
with no attempt for hypocritical justification, (We are not interested
in Iraq's oil. Saddam is a very naughty man), and the visual spectacles.

And because of his popularity, I'm sure students will be forced to read
his works several hundred years from now.ÿ I hope they won't complain
too loudly.

Best wishes, and happy fantasies!

--- PyGate Linux v1.5.19
* Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)

Johann 'Myrkraverk' Oskarsson <johann@myrkraverk.invalid> wrote:

Given his atrocious plots in Song of Ice and Fire, or whatever the games
of thrones book series was called, I am not interested in his early fic- >tion. Yes, he writes well, and he is quite good at individual scenes,
but the overall plot and story was atrocious.

This is less of an issue for a short story where you are limited in how
far you can go and it's not possible to just keep going on hundreds of
pages after you should have stopped.

Read _Sandkings_. It's horrifying and disgusting and maybe the best thing
he ever wrote. It will take you an hour or two and you will not feel that
you have wasted that time.
--scott

--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

--- PyGate Linux v1.5.19
* Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)

In article <11blg7b$3raec$2@dont-email.me>,
Blaine <cactus_DAC@yahoo.com> wrote:

James Nicoll wrote:

In article <UNnDS.20993$IO17.1227@fx15.ams4>,
Johann 'Myrkraverk' Oskarsson <johann@myrkraverk.invalid> wrote:

On 10/25/2026 8:35 PM, James Nicoll wrote:

A Song for Lya by George R. R. Martin

An assortment of George R. R. Martin's early SFF.

https://jamesdavisnicoll.com/review/worryin-round-my-door

Given his atrocious plots in Song of Ice and Fire, or whatever the games >>> of thrones book series was called, I am not interested in his early fic- >>> tion. Yes, he writes well, and he is quite good at individual scenes,
but the overall plot and story was atrocious.

One can draw a line through Martin's career at the GOT thermocline.
Before GOT, each work functioned as stand alone, which meant each
plot had to be tied up, even in series. After GOT, oh well. But
GOT made him rich and the earlier stuff did not.

How is GOT not just another author chasing the American Dream of
Dragons? Even Rebecca Yarros is better, although I didn't get past the
first sexual encounter. What was it ten pages dedicated to their >consummation? What the actual fuck?

I have not read it but it does sound like the actual fuck.
--
My reviews can be found at http://jamesdavisnicoll.com/
My tor pieces at https://www.tor.com/author/james-davis-nicoll/
My Dreamwidth at https://james-davis-nicoll.dreamwidth.org/
My patreon is at https://www.patreon.com/jamesdnicoll

--- PyGate Linux v1.5.19
* Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)