‘THERE ARE NO BLACK VALYRIANS’

George R.R. Martin’s Co-Authors Deny Racism Claims After Fans Threaten Boycott

The couple tapped to write the “Game of Thrones” author’s newest companion book have criticized the casting of actors of color in the series.

Will George R.R. Martin ever finish A Dream of Spring? It’s unclear, but the bestselling fantasy author seems intent on supplying fans with no small amount of drama in the meantime. A new companion guide to the Games of Thrones universe has stirred up controversy, with some fans calling for a boycott over the book’s co-authors, two Martin megafans with a history of racist social media posts. The pair, a married couple named Linda Antonsson and Elio M. García Jr., are primarily known for founding the Martin fan site Westeros.org. They have complained about diverse casting practices in Game of Thrones in the past, with Antonsson once writing on Tumblr: “Unremarked skin colour=>white. In other words, white is default.” Most recently, according to Variety, Antonsson decried House of the Dragon’s casting, saying that “there are no Black Valyrians and there should not be any in the show.” Antonsson defended her comments to the trade magazine, saying she is not racist and that her statements had been “cherry-picked” by disgruntled fans. The deluxe reference book, titled The Rise of the Dragon: An Illustrated History of the Targaryen Dynasty, Volume One, is set to hit shelves Oct. 25.