Being first a bestselling novel series, then an award winning television program, it’s no secret that George R.R. Martin’s “A Song of Ice and Fire” has been making waves since the release of the first book in August 1996. Since then, the series has risen to become second only to Tolkien’s “The Lord of Rings” trilogy in terms of popularity and renown. But what did “A Song of Ice and Fire” do to gain such praise? How did it become one of the most successful fantasy epics to date? As it turns out, the answer lies not in how fantastical the world is, but rather in how realistic it seems, being in many ways a mirror of our own global situations.

Often times in fantasy, authors make their characters larger than life, giving them much more skill and courage than any person could possibly have. They go against unbeatable odds and emerge victorious and sacrifice themselves without a moment of hesitation. These characters are written this way because they are heroes, and in heroic stories the hero always wins. While there is nothing wrong with this trend and in light more hearted stories it could fit perfectly, but the clear problem with characters like this is that they aren’t believable. It for this reason that people criticize “Star Wars: The Force Awakens.” The main character, Rey, has no flaws. She can fight better than anyone, is an amazing shot, and can fly better than Han Solo himself. Naturally, the people of the audience don’t have any of these skills, and the skills they do have are not nearly as versatile as hers. Simply put, Rey is too impressive for the viewer to relate to her as a character.

The opposite, however, is present in “A Song of Ice and Fire.” There, the whole fantasy setting is actually used to reinforce the central theme that people are people regardless of where they are. Like us, Martin makes his characters flawed and imperfect. They have fear, ambition, lusts, and courage, but not anymore than someone in today’s society might possess. That is the thing readers are attracted to in these characters and why some have even gone so far as to name their children after a few. They can see themselves in in them.

Another thing that makes “A Song of Ice of Fire” so loved is its realism. Laden with dragons, knights, and magic, it clearly falls into the fantasy genre, a genre that many find at least somewhat familiar, and enjoy because of its clear separation from the real history. However, Martin’s world is no light hearted adventure, nor is much different from reality. Rather, it goes far away from those norms and is filled with very dark and political tones, tones that are often considered alien in most fantasy stories.

Though being placed in a fantasy setting, Martin managed to create a world with much more realism than one would expect. Yes, “A Song of Ice and Fire” has dragons and magic, but it also has a startling amount of historical research to it as well. When describing armor, Martin accurately names the pieces. When horses are involved, he labels the specific breeds. While it’s true that most readers were never aware of such titles, or had any reason to learn them, their inclusion in the story adds a certain layer of authenticity to the narrative. The readers know that the story is fiction, but it seems real none the less, and when a story feels real, its themes become all the more powerful. The characters act like people, the setting feels like it could exist, and as a result we as the reader connect with the messages of the text in a quicker fashion.

A similar idea was used in years prior by Polish author, Andrzej Sapkowski, the creator of the world famous “Witcher” series, which made its debut in 1993, three years before “A Game of Thrones” was published. In Poland, the novels sold amazingly, many say due to its realistic setting and characters. Regardless of whether Martin was influenced by Sapkowski or not, it is undeniable that the more realistic take on fantasy is one that readers are looking for.

Another thing that helps “A Song of Ice and Fire” is its plot. It is complex and interesting, constantly keeping the reader guessing. A main reason for this is the level of suspense the story has. In the past, main characters were generally invincible, somehow making it out of any situation even if it seemed death was a certainty. That cannot be said for “A Song of Ice and Fire.” The latest casualty list for the show alone was tallied at 5,348 characters dead. That’s a lot of people. When reading the series, there is a sense of danger not present in most stories, regardless of genre. The narrative gives a sort of unease and fear that makes it impossible to put the book down.

And speaking of unease, I must bring up the characters in power as well. Many are distrustful, sneaky, dangerous, and cruel. Those that aren’t usually become pawns or are killed outright. This is a dark motif, but has also aided in its popularity.

For years, many populations around the world have been losing trust in their respective political machines. After exposed government controversies like the Watergate, the PATRIOT Act, and most recently Hillary Clinton’s emails, it’s no surprise why many people have lost faith in their leaders. “Game of Thrones” only helps to reinforce that. The kings and queens presented in the plot lie, cheat, and murder to keep power, things citizens like to believe are commonalities with their own government.

When “Games of Thrones” first debuted not many people noticed it. While the book wasn’t negatively received, it definitely wasn’t seen as the success it is today, certainly nothing to rival “Harry Potter,” which was dominating the literature community at the time. Simply put, when it was first released, the themes “A Song of Ice and Fire” were portraying just weren’t that relevant at the time. “Game of Thrones” dealt with dark tones and motifs at a time when most of the literary community was focused on the light hearted adventures of a young wizard. However, when the War on Terror began and people were being judged and persecuted by their friends and neighbors, Martin’s themes were exactly what the public was looking for. A major theme in the book is that there is good and evil on both sides of a conflict, something that the world was willing and wanted to hear at the time. Though the setting was one of utter fantasy, the plot still managed to resonate with people simply because they could see the real world mirrored in Martin’s.