GAME OF THRONES author George R R Martin has revealed what he actually envisaged the titular throne from Game of Thrones looking like.

In a blog post entitled ‘The Real Iron Throne’ Martin has said that:

A dozen different artists have done versions of the Iron Throne over the years. Some have been very striking, some less so, but none of them have ever been quite RIGHT. Their versions never quite matched what I saw in my mind’s eye.

So what of HBO’s incarnation of throne then?

Well, Martin has essentially said that it’s “grand”. Ouch.

He’s admitted that while “in some ways the HBO throne is more real than mine could ever be” (because they’ve actually built it), it’s still “not right”.

Joffrey (ugh) sits on the HBO Iron Throne (via HBO)

Somewhere, a set designer’s heart just broke into a million little pieces.

It’s not the Iron Throne I want my readers to see. The way the throne is described in the books… HUGE, hulking, black and twisted, with the steep iron stairs in front, the high seat from which the king looks DOWN on everyone in the court… my throne is a hunched beast looming over the throne room, ugly and assymetric…

THIS is how Martin saw his throne:

That’s the version painted by Marc Simonetti, and Martin says the artist has:

… come closer here to capturing the Iron Throne as I picture it than any other artist to tackle it.

Good work Simonetti, good work.

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