Is Pizza Why George R. R. Martin Hasn’t Finished the GoT Books?

It does sound like the fantasy novelist spends an awful lot of time running around New York sampling slices...

Pizza isolated on the white background

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Pizza isolated on the white background

Photo by: Issaurinko ©Issaurinko

Issaurinko, Issaurinko

We’ve all probably used pizza as a procrastination tool from time to time. Yeah, I’ll finish that project right after I finish this slice … But not all of us have masses of intensely passionate fans waiting and waiting (and waiting) for us to finish that project.

So when George R. R. Martin, in the midst of juggling other projects, released a video of him giving a lengthy discourse on New York City pizza, which he considers the “food of the gods,” rather than spending his time, say, finishing and then releasing the final books in his A Song of Ice and Fire series, well, let’s just say Game of Thrones fans were none too pleased.

“Do you ever get the feeling that George R.R. Martin will do literally anything to get out of finishing the A Song Of Ice & Fire series?” griped Gothamist.

“Planet Earth: ‘Please George R. R. Martin, finish the book!’” wrote one commenter on YouTube.

“Procrastination 101,” sniffed another.

“He's definitely going to die before finishing the books,” worried a third.

Maybe and maybe not, but the 70-year-old fantasy/sci-fi writer is clearly dying to tell us all about his favorite NYC pizza locales, which offer, in his estimation, “best pizza in the world.” (Sorry, Chicago and all other places.)

To him, a lot of it comes down to the crust, which “has to be thin,” he says in the video, “the thinner, the better. The crust can't get too thin.” Then again, he adds, “it also has to have a flavor to it.”

Although Martin says that pretty much any slice you can find in New York is “better than what you'll get in 97% of America,” he’s partial to coal-fired-oven pizza, which, he says, “gives the crust a char and a smokiness that you get from any other thing.”

Fave spots include John's on Bleecker Street, Lombardi's in Little Italy and Brooklyn’s highly popular Di Fara's.

As for toppings, Martin is not a fan of what he considers “weird stuff.”

“None of this sprouts or pineapple or anything like that. You get a basic plain pie, cheese, maybe some pepperoni, maybe some sausage, you know. But don't go crazy with the toppings,” he advises. “Get the basic, pure pizza experience.”

Good to know. Now back to writing, please, Mr. Martin.

Photo: iStock

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