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George R. R. Martin
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Portraits of his children Hardcover – January 1, 1987

by George R. R Martin (Author)
3.9 3.9 out of 5 stars 68 ratings
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  1. Print length
    263 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Dark Harvest
  4. Publication date
    January 1, 1987
  5. ISBN-10
    0913165182
  6. ISBN-13
    978-0913165188
  7. See all details
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Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Dark Harvest; First Edition (January 1, 1987)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 263 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0913165182
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0913165188
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1 pounds
  • Customer Reviews:
    3.9 3.9 out of 5 stars 68 ratings

About the author

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George R. R. Martin

George R. R. Martin

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George R.R. Martin is the globally bestselling author of many fine novels, including A Game of Thrones, A Clash of Kings, A Storm of Swords, A Feast for Crows, and A Dance with Dragons, which together make up the series A Song of Ice and Fire, on which HBO based the world’s most-watched television series, Game of Thrones. Other works set in or about Westeros include The World of Ice and Fire, and A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms. His science fiction novella Nightflyers has also been adapted as a television series; and he is the creator of the shared-world Wild Cards universe, working with the finest writers in the genre. He lives in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

Customer reviews

3.9 out of 5 stars
3.9 out of 5
68 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

K
5.0 out of 5 stars Very good story by Martin
Reviewed in the United States on May 29, 2016
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I agree that Amazon needs to do some housecleaning on the description page here. It is misleading. The reader is getting one story, not a collection of Martin's work.

Having said that, for $1.99, I think most people of sense wouldn't think they're getting an entire book from a writer of Martin's popularity.

This is a great story to dive into on a Saturday when you just want to stay in and read. It's dark, but that's Martin. He can get a whole lot darker and it's not just "A Song of Ice and Fire" I'm talking about. Some of his work is straight up disturbing. At least he didn't have cannibalism in this one.

I think the main character is true to life because most of us have known completely self-absorbed people like that. The story is powerful because it was a 21st century take on Scrooge's journey. It's not really fantasy, per se. The fantastic element is just a way to push forward the narrative and it works well, here.
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Diane
3.0 out of 5 stars hmmm
Reviewed in the United States on April 17, 2013
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i think i have come to expect much more from Martin because of his Game of Thrones series. this did not have characters that are all that strong...............although i wonder if Martin is being autobiographical in this. is he that haunted by his characters. you can only wonder.
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Virginia Wellington
4.0 out of 5 stars Satisfying read.
Reviewed in the United States on February 6, 2017
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I think that this story was similar to an old Twilight Zone episode. It was good and I did enjoy it.
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Gloria
5.0 out of 5 stars Haunting and soul searching
Reviewed in the United States on August 31, 2017
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This novella by George R.R. Martin is one of the Best story I have read in a long time. His style is so that it leave you in the mindset of the characters and you actually feel the pain, fear, and hurt from both sides. I will be a follower of his work and not just for the Fire and Ice Saga.
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Matt
5.0 out of 5 stars Martin writes excellent characters and excels at diving into their motivations
Reviewed in the United States on October 31, 2015
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Martin writes excellent characters and excels at diving into their motivations. This is quite simply one of the best short stories I've ever read. The author, who is the subject of the story, is haunted by his own creations. I don't like giving too many details away because it could spoil the plot the experience of reading the story.
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G. Filipovic
3.0 out of 5 stars Not his best
Reviewed in the United States on November 3, 2010
It almost seems like GRRM mailed this one in. The concept is intelligent but none of the characters, especially the lead, really seemed alive to me. It's average work, and I was disappointed. I've come to expect much more from the greatest writer of our time.
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Kenya Starflight
4.0 out of 5 stars Varied and fascinating, but often dark and grim, story anthology
Reviewed in the United States on April 17, 2013
NOTE: This review is for the paperback anthology collection, not the Kindle version of the stand-alone "Portraits of His Children" story.

A few years back, a co-worker of mine came to work raving about a movie she had seen the previous night ("The Dark Knight" for the curious). Her reaction was, and I quote, "It was fantastic! It was amazing! I'll never watch it again."

At the time I could only laugh... but after having read George R. R. Martin's "Portraits of His Children," I find myself echoing her review, only applying it to this book instead of that movie. Martin is an amazing writer, and the worlds and characters he has woven in this short-story collection fascinate and captivate. His imagination is unique and varied, and he proves adept at constructing tales of hard science-fiction, fantasy, and even contemporary fantasy and science fiction with equal skill. But all that said... I doubt I'll be reading this collection again, as though Martin's a master of his craft, his stories are often tragic, depressing, or just plain morbid.

"Portraits of His Children" collects eleven of Martin's short stories, both fantasy and science fiction. Said stories are as follows:

"With Morning Comes Mistfall" -- A scientist comes to a mist-shrouded world intending to prove that the mysterious "wraiths" the planet is famous for don't exist. But a crusty innkeeper tries to dissuade him, claiming that this world -- and mankind -- need mystery and myth, and that some mysteries are better left unraveled.

"The Second Kind of Loneliness" -- The sole worker at a remote warp gate must battle his loneliness -- and his encroaching mental demons -- while he waits for his replacement... and eventually his madness gets the better of him.

"The Last Super Bowl" -- Exactly what the title says, it's the story of the final Super Bowl in a world where the outcome of sporting events is decided totally by computer, and depicts the future death of an era.

"The Lonely Songs of Laren Dorr" -- A sorceress travels from world to world, seeking her beloved and fighting the keepers of the gates that allow her to travel between worlds. But on one world she is waylaid by a different foe entirely, one who ensnares her not with battle, but with song...

"The Ice Dragon" -- An eerie little girl's best friend is a dragon of living ice. Her family finds her strange, and her father in particular resents her for causing her mother's death. But when her family's farm comes under attack, it may be up to one brave little girl and her dragon to save the day.

"In the Lost Lands" -- A cold-hearted monarch sends her champion to a mysterious sorceress to learn the ways of shapeshifting. But she will learn the hard way to be careful what you wish for...

"Unsound Variations" -- A millionaire invites three of his former chess club buddies to his mansion, where he reveals that he has taken his revenge for a humiliating defeat years ago... and challenges them to a chess game if they wish to set things right.

"Closing Time" -- A bartender serves as a bewildered spectator as his patrons bicker over an amulet said to change its wearer into an animal. Said amulet does work... but with an unexpected twist...

"Under Siege" -- In a post-apocalyptic future, a secret organization seeks to avert a devastating war through the use of telepathic mutants with the ability to enter the minds of people in the past. But one mutant in particular grows disenchanted with his chore and seeks to sabotage it...

"The Glass Flower" -- A strange and eerie sci-fi tale about a body-hopping woman who holds court in an obsidian castle, using an alien artifact to trade out bodies she is bored with for new ones... and allowing those willing to pay the price the same chance. She may have met her match when a cyborg comes to her palace to play her game...

"Portraits of His Children" -- After a nasty falling-out with his adult daughter, a successful novelist begins to receive portraits of the characters from his novels... a flattering gift until said characters begin paying him nighttime visits, and are upset with his treatment of them.

Martin doesn't use a lot of flowery prose, but he doesn't need to -- he is effective at painting a captivating world with few words, and doesn't fall back on awkward metaphors or similes like many authors are prone to doing. Each of the worlds he creates in these stories sucks the reader in, and many of them would be suited to further exploration in a full-length novel. His characters are flawed but fascinating, with imperfect heroes and sympathetic antagonists. And every one of his plots is unique, rarely falling back on clichés to make work.

If I have a problem with Martin's writing, it's that all too often it's bleak and unforgiving. His stories rarely end happily, his characters often go through hell with precious little or no reward, and he seems to have a grim view of humanity. Even the comedic story in this anthology, "Closing Time," ends on a rather dark note, and though one story does end relatively happily ("Unsound Variations"), it's still rather bleak throughout. I don't mind characters being put through their paces in a story, going through conflict and even terrible catastrophe or loss, but at least a little ray of light would be appreciated. Because when the stories are simply one crapsack world after another, it eventually leaves the reader feeling indifferent instead of caring.

Martin is a master storyteller, and as I haven't read his "Song of Ice and Fire" series yet this was a nice introduction to his writing and imagination. But all that said, I'm not sure I'm ever going to read this book again or pick up another of his works. I suppose I can only take so many bad endings and grim tales in a single sitting.
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Tuzi
5.0 out of 5 stars A Captivating Short Story
Reviewed in the United States on August 15, 2016
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This short story has a brisk storyline, well-defined characters, and best of all, a punch of an ending! Very enjoyable.
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Top reviews from other countries

N. Robinson
4.0 out of 5 stars Not what I expected
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 9, 2012
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Not as good as game of thrones, a weird story but still enjoyable, it's not a book I would re read though
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Mick
4.0 out of 5 stars Four Stars
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 17, 2014
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Short story but very good
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Orchid
2.0 out of 5 stars Disappointing
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 13, 2013
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This would probably have made a better short story than a book. Started out okay and then went hurtling into a black hole that left me feeling flat and wishing I hadn't bothered. I was quite dazed by the ludicrous and abrupt ending that didn't make sense to me, although that may be my fault and not that of the author.

Quite frankly, if I wasn't so fond of the Game of Thrones books I would never read another book by this author and I certainly won't deviate from the series in future. Awful, just awful.
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