Game of Thrones artwork by Marc Simonetti

Tyrion in King’s Landing

THERE WILL BE SPOILERS IN THIS GODDAMN ARTICLE.  YOU’VE BEEN WARNED.  I’M ABOUT TO SPOIL THE SHIT OUT OF SOME SHIT RIGHT HERE.

I fucking love me some Game of Thrones.  If you’ve been listening to the podcast the last few years, that’s no surprise right?  I’ve read each book at least twice, listened to the audiobooks multiple times, and the show is kept on in the background when I’m working at home.  I recite lines from the books daily.  I want to follow the Old Gods and have a pet direwolf.  I often daydream about sharpening my sword with a whetstone as I take a break from roaming the countryside.  I’ve bought t-shirts, lithographs, stickers and I even drink wine out of a muthafuckin’ chalice.  If I ever have another kid, I will name him Jon Snow.  If it’s a girl, Jon Snow.  Fuck it.

Some time early last year, while “surfing the web” (people still use that right?) to quench my Song of Ice and Fire thirst, I stumbled upon Marc Simonetti’s deviantArt gallery.  Marc is an illustrator who develops cover and concept art for books, video games and TV ads.  Going through a ton of fan art on message boards and other legitimate artists who’ve done commissioned ASOIAF artwork, I’ve gotta say that in my opinion, Marc’s is the best.  His interpretation of the material transports you right into the heart of Westeros.

Most of these images can be found in the 2013 calendar of ASOIAF, which you can buy here.  Why would you buy a 2013 calendar in 2014?  One, because it’ll help us out, and B) because the artwork is pretty solid.

Check out Marc’s deviantArt gallery here and his website for other illustrations here.

SERIOUSLY.  I’M GOING TO SPOIL SHIT.  PICS AFTER THE IRON THRONE BECOME SPOILERY.

Among with the crows

Brandon Stark goes roof hopping around Winterfell.  That should end well.  The tall, broken keep is where Bran climbed to find the Kingslayer raw dogging his sister, Queen Cersei.  The brightness of this piece really gives you a sense of how cold and snowy The North is.  Put some fucking shoes and a coat on Bran.

The Greyjoy Castle

Here’s a rider just lollygagging around the Greyjoy Castle, the biggest castle on the Iron Islands, as befits one of the Great Houses of Westeros.  You can see a little bit of the network of bridges that connect all of the keeps, a distinctive feature of the castle.

The House of Dust

I looked but I’m not sure why it’s called The House of Dust when it’s The House of the Undying, although I think it’s referred to as the Palace of Dust at one point.  Dany gives into the warlocks offer to accept counsel.  She shows up to their crib, they show her a bunch of visions and try to take her life, only to have Drogon burn the fucking place to the ground.  I like the juxtaposition of the dark and menacing look of the Undying and the soft, light contrast of Dany.  Drogon looks bigger than I thought he would in this scene, yet not as small as in the season 2 finale of the show.

The Great Sept of Baelor

The person at the bottom really gives you a sense of how big this thing is.  The Great Sept of Baelor is the building where the High Septon resides.  Think The Vatican.  Without all that pesky boy fucking.

The Iron Throne V1

This is an earlier illustration of the Iron Throne.  Another instance where you can admire the attention to detail and sense of scale.  The Iron Throne is made out of swords from fallen enemies of the old dragon kings (Dany’s ancestors).  But if you look at the swords jutting out in comparison to the Knights of the Kingsguard, those are pretty fucking huge swords.

The Iron Throne V2

According to Jar Jar Martin’s blog , any iteration of the Iron Throne just hasn’t matched what was in his head.  Working on the  upcoming The World of Ice and Fire, a historical volume for ASOIAF, Marc and Jar Jar once again went over the details on what makes the Iron Throne, the Iron Throne.  This was the result, and as per Martin, Marc “has come closer here to capturing the Iron Throne as I picture it than any other artist to tackle it.”  Martin calls the Iron Throne, “massive. Ugly. Assymetric. It’s a throne made by blacksmiths hammering together half-melted, broken, twisted swords, wrenched from the hands of dead men or yielded up by defeated foes… a symbol of conquest… it has the steps I describe, and the height. From on top, the king dominates the throne room. And there are thousands of swords in it, not just a few.  This Iron Throne is scary. And not at all a comfortable seat, just as Aegon intended.“

Flag Bearer

As we use a white flag for surrender or as a sign of peace, the rainbow flag acts as the same.  Perez Hilton would be really confused in this world.  Here, in book 5, Reek (rhymes with meek) is traveling to visit the Ironborn to ask them to surrender Moat Caitlin.

A New Face

In Book 4, Arya finds herself across the Narrow Sea to the House of Black and White, which is the headquarters of The Faceless Men, a guild of assassins.  The hundreds of faces are used to disguise the assassin, especially when they’re really fucking ugly.

The Kingsmoot

After Theon Greyjoy’s father King Balon dies and Theon (his heir) is presumed dead in Book 4, the Iron Islanders call a “Kingsmoot” in order to find out who’s going to rule.  While succession laws call for the King’s eldest brother to take the Seastone Chair, Balon’s daughter and Theon’s sister Asha is having none of it, as she feels she’s entitled to it. I like the hip cock, it shows that she means business and maybe wants it where the poo comes out.

Atonement

Things really come to a head in King’s Landing during Book 4 and 5.  With Joffrey dead and Tommen now King, Queen Cersei is on top of the world, until she becomes a falling down drunk and almost ruins the capital city.  Her viewpoint character is one of my favorites in the book, since you can see how deluded with power she is.  For her multiple indiscretions, which includes fucking a lot of dudes (which is a no-no) and conspiring to kill Queen Margaery, the High Sparrow has Cersei atone for her sins by doing the naked walk of shame from the Great Sept of Baelor to the Red Keep.  If it’s possible, you actually feel bad for her.  It’s also one of the funniest chapters in the whole series when reading how all of the citizens of King’s Landing actually feel about the Queen Regent.  I think someone actually says, “I wouldn’t fuck her with your cock.”

Drogon and Dany

Turns out, this is the Brazilian cover for Book 5, A Dance with Dragons.  I love this shit, though I think if you pick this paperback up, it kind of spoils a big moment.  The odd thing about Drogon in this piece is that he apparently hasn’t reached his full size, yet he still looks pretty fucking big here.  This is such a cool scene in the book as we get to see Drogon tear shit up and Dany ride him like a gangsta.