WI: A Song of Ice and Fire published in 1970s?

  • Thread starter Deleted member 67076
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Deleted member 67076

In the 1970s, George RR Martin was selling Short stories as a writer. What if instead, he had the inspiration to create ASOIAF and published it (and around 3, maybe 4 of the books, it would be ASB if any more) during the decade. Assume it was as best selling as in OTL. How would this effect popular culture and the world?
 
The late 60s and early 70s was when Tolkien first became popular. Depending on the timing A Song of Ice and Fire could do fairly well in that time period.
 
I had a most vacant though, where Martin is an Alt-Hist. writer. "Song of Ice and Fire" tells the story of the Seven Kingdoms of the HRE - Neustria, Austrasia, etc. - and how the Empire falls to anarchy and Moor invasion, while the last heir of Charlemagne marries Batu Khan and convices him to retake her throne.
 
Then it gets compared to the rest of the then "first batch" of the High Fantasy Rennaisance: The Sword of Shannara, Lord Foul's Bane, The Book of Morgaine (Gate of Ivarel and sequels), A Wizard in Bedlam, Tea with the Black Dragon, Another Fine MYTH, and Magician: Apprentice. Possibly Alan Dean Foster's Spellsinger and Lawrence Watt-Evans' Ethshar series as well.
 
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