And if I'm guilty of having gratuitous sex, then I'm also guilty of having gratuitous violence, and gratuitous feasting, and gratuitous description of clothes, and gratuitous heraldry, because very little of this is necessary to advance the plot. But my philosophy is that plot advancement is not what the experience of reading fiction is about. If all we care about is advancing the plot, why read novels? We can just read Cliffs Notes.
George R. R. MartinIs there any creature on earth as unfortunate as an ugly woman? (wonders Lady Catelyn Stark)
George R. R. MartinI had an encyclopedia with a list of flags in the back, so I would look at all these flags of China and Liberia and England and Denmark and whatever, and I learned all the different flags and I tried to imagine what it would be like to be voyaging on some of these ships.
George R. R. MartinSer Cleos looked like a weasel, fought like a goose, and had the courage of an especially brave ewe.
George R. R. MartinLady," she whimpered softly, wondering if she would meet her wolf again when she was dead.
George R. R. Martin