Subplots: How Game of Thrones Mastered Complex Storytelling

Subplots are the lifeblood of epic fiction.

While Game of Thrones hasn’t seen a lot of praise in recent weeks (especially after its botched TV finale), it’s still one of the most successful epic fantasies around. The massive scope and deep sense of history make the books immersive, while the early seasons of the show serve as great examples of how to adapt a book series for television.

However, there’s another key element of the A Song of Ice and Fire series that makes it the complex, compelling adventure that it is—its subplots. (more…)