Game of Thrones author George R.R. Martin is known for two things beyond his talent as a fantasy writer: He has a reputation for killing off all your favorite characters and is taking a very, very long time to pen the next installment of the Song of Fire and Ice series. But an old fan letter written by a teenage Martin might be the key to understanding why fans have to wait so long between books.
On July 19, redditor imagesofnetwork posted a series of photos titled, "16-year-old George R R [sic] Martin gives Stan Lee and Jack Kirby some writing tips in a fan letter (1964)." The letter, reportedly written by a young Martin, praises the latest comic by Lee and Kirby, but does include some criticism.
He explained in his letter, "When we last saw Red Ghost in FF #13 he was stuck on the moon being chased around by three super-powered apes livid with hatred and waving Mr. Fantastic's paralyzer ray at him. Now suddenly you bring him back in full control of his apes without one single word of explanation."
As Mic points out, Martin seems to be a stickler for a character's backstory. And as anyone who has ever spent time with a group of Game of Thrones fans knows, readers and viewers alike are constantly on the lookout for clues that could reveal the past (or future) of their favorite characters — and they're looking for inconsistencies, as well. Martin is probably taking his time to ensure that when a character's backstory is revealed, readers have an aha moment, instead of confusion.