Yes, it only took him 6 years to write a new book!
Well, I'm a fan of the classics. It's hard to say, but I think George Orwell is my favorite author. I also like novels that have to do with mystery, intrigue, and/or the military, but they're not exactly my favorites.
My favourite author is Steven Erikson. Erikson is perhaps the greatest fantasy writer since Tolkien. I do not make the claim lightly seeing as I have read a great deal of fantasy literature.
Erikson combines a fantastically indepth world of his own creation with an assortment of all too real characters. He shows the triumphs and failings of humanity, along with that of our own society throughout his ten novel epic The Malazan Book of the Fallen. He is in no way perfect, but I do consider him to outclass many of today's writers in this genre.
Question about Martin. Being a fantasy reader I've managed to read his work, but he leaves so much to be desired in my opinion. His characters never really develop, and often times are removed from the thick of things. A perfect example is Catherine. She is the grieving widow. I understand that, I do not need a repeat of that through 3 more books, yet that's what he does.
So, what exactly do people find so greta about Martin? His plot? By and large it relies of re established stereotypes and is often so quagmired in politics it barely progresses.
