This is an exploration of George R.R. Martin's bestselling "A Song of Ice and Fire" fantasy series, on which the HBO series "A Game of Thrones" is based. The world created by George R.R. Martin in his high fantasy series "A Song of Ice and Fire" - now the basis for the hit HBO series "Game of Thrones" - is not only richly drawn, but also immensely popular. By the time the TV show aired in May 2011, the series had already sold more than 16 million copies worldwide. Since then, "A Game of Thrones" and subsequent titles in the series have appeared consistently on the bestseller lists. The latest title in the series, "A Dance with Dragons", sold nearly 300,000 copies on its first day in print. "Beyond the Wall" explores the book series' influences, its place in the fantasy pantheon, its challenging narrative choices, and the pull of its stunningly epic scope.

James Lowder has worked extensively on both sides of the editorial blotter. His bestselling, widely translated dark fantasy novels include Knight of the Black Rose and Prince of Lies, and his short fiction has appeared in such anthologies as Shadows Over Baker Street and The Repentant. As an editor he’s helmed over a dozen anthologies, including Curse of the Full Moon and the recent Smart Pop collection Triumph of the Walking Dead, and has directed book lines or series with subjects ranging from Arthurian Britain to zombies. His nonfiction writing on film and comics has seen print in Amazing Stories, Sci-Fi Universe, and the Smart Pop collections King Kong Is Back! and The Unauthorized X-Men.