The cover of The Dragonbone Chair features Simon Snowlock and the dwarfish Binabik, as well as the wolf Qantaqa (on back cover). The cover of A Game of Thrones features Jon Snow and the dwarf Tyrion, and the direwolf Ghost.

It is no secret that bestselling Fantasy author George R. R. Martin drew inspiration for his A Song of Ice and Fire series of novels from the bestselling Memory, Sorrow and Thorn (MS&T) series by Tad Williams. Martin has stated repeatedly that Williams inspired him to write ASOIAF:

Martin wrote, “Tad’s fantasy series, The Dragonbone Chair and the rest of his famous four-book trilogy was one of the things that inspired me to write my own seven-book trilogy. I read Tad and was impressed by him, but the imitators that followed — well, fantasy got a bad rep for being very formulaic and ritual. And I read The Dragonbone Chair and said, “My god, they can do something with this form,” and it’s Tad doing it. It’s one of my favorite fantasy series.”

In fact, Martin purposely buried some homages to MS&T in ASOIAF, while at other points, he seems to reuse the same plot elements, often to a surprisingly detailed degree. Here are 36 similarities between the two book series [the below discussion contains spoilers for both series of novels]:

1) A high-born girl named (M)arya disguises herself as a boy, and learns to fight with a sword as she travels throughout the lands. In both “Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn” (MS&T) and “A Song of Ice and Fire” (ASOIAF), a young noble girl, called either Marya or Arya, flees her home, traveling in disguise as a boy. Despite the fact that many people see through her flimsy ‘disguise’, she keeps wearing it. Author George R.R. Martin’s naming of Arya is clearly an homage to the original cross-dressing noble girl, Marya from MS&T.

2) On her journey, the girl-in-disguise (M)arya meets many characters, including a man wearing a helmet shaped like a hound’s head, who is sent to bring her back to the king. In MS&T, this hound-helmeted character is named Ingen Jegger; in ASOIAF, his name is Sandor Clegane. In both cases, these men are skilled warriors who manage to escape death on multiple occasions. And in both cases, the noble girl in disguise manages to evade the hound-helmed figure repeatedly.

3) Strange, otherworldly icy creatures who live in the far north appear, and although they have been inactive for centuries, they plot to take over the mortal world. Their ruler is called the Night King/Storm King. They have been exiled at the northern edge of the world for many years, but the Night King/Storm King plots to soon take it all back, displacing Mankind. In MS&T, these icy, undead creatures are the Norns; in ASOIAF, they’re known as the Others. In both cases, the otherworldly creatures have pale, white skin; long, white hair; and unusual eyes: either blue or violet. They are also known as “white foxes”/”white walkers”. They can be killed with Valarian steel (in ASOIAF) or with iron (in MS&T).

4) In both series, the noble girl (M)arya strikes a blow to the otherworldly king of the north. In both respective series, (M)arya shoots/stabs the Storm/Night King, saving the realm from utter destruction in the final battle. And in both cases, the weapon she uses is a mystical weapon. It is thus that MS&T spoils the ending of A Song of Ice and Fire: it is no warrior who strikes the final blow but rather a noble girl dressed as a boy.

5) Two princely brothers who hate each other fight over the royal throne after the death of the old king. The country is torn apart as various factions choose sides. In MS&T, the princes are named Elias and Josua. In ASOIAF, the feuding brothers are named Stannis and Renly Baratheon. In both cases, the feud grows into a murderous dispute, with the older brother beginning to believe that his hated younger brother must be sacrificed.

6) A character whose name is Snow(lock), who is forced to journey into the north, is a main character; the character is an orphan. In MS&T, Simon Snowlock bears many similarities to ASOIAF’s Jon Snow, including more than just a similar surname: Simon is an orphan whose heritage is mysterious; it later turns out that he is the hidden heir to the throne by being the descendant of a former king. Similarly, Jon Snow travels to the far north; his parents are dead and his heritage is unknown, but it turns out he is in line for the throne.

Further, Simon Snowlock even travels to the far north of the world with a wolf companion (Qantaqa) and meets a dwarfish little man (Binabik) en route to the north. Similarly, in ASOIAF, Jon Snow travels to the far north with his wolf companion, Ghost, and meets Tyrion Lannister at the Wall.

7) In both series, the book begins with a wall-climbing kid overhearing a private conversation between two nobles. MS&T starts off with a wall-climbing young boy overhearing a private conversation between two noble siblings (Elias and Josua). In ASOIAF, the young boy accidentally overhears a conversation between two noble siblings (Jaime and Cercei Lannister) and then is flung out of a window. In MS&T, this character is Simon Mooncalf climbing the walls of Hayholt Castle: Simon skulks “around the castle like a scrawny shadow, could shinny up a wall as well as the roof-masons and glaziers, and knew so many passageways and hiding holes that the castle folk called him “ghost boy.” In ASOIAF, Simon Mooncalf’s counterpart is Bran Stark, climbing the walls of Winterfell.

8) The same character who climbs castle walls is plagued by prophetic, spooky dreams. These dreams appear to be a curse, as they usually do not reveal enough to be helpful. These dreams are another similarity between Simon Mooncalf and Bran Stark. And in both cases, the dreams contain clues about the fate of the world.

9) The character with spooky, prophetic dreams inherits the throne. In both MS&T and Game of Thrones (and presumably ASOIAF), the last king standing is the one sent to the north: the one who is always dreaming.

10) A red-robed advisor to the new king convinces the king that he needs to sacrifice his hated younger brother; this blood sacrifice, the red-robed advisor says, will make the kingdom whole once more. In MS&T, this red-robed advisor is named Pryrates; in ASOIAF, her name is Melisandre. In both series, these red-robed priests slowly convince their respective royal masters to allow them to practice a strange fire-ritual which they claim will allow them victory. This fire ritual, the red-robed advisors claim, requires royal blood in order to be successful.

11) The knight with the star-sword: One of the great knights of years agone, a legendary figure, wields a great sword forged from a fallen star. He’s not just a skilled fighter, but a valiant knight. In MS&T, this noble knight is Camaris sa-Vinitta, and his greatsword is the long blade Thorn, forged from star-stone; in ASOIAF, the noble knight is Sir Arthur Dayne, whose greatsword is named Dawn; it was also forged from star-stone.

12) The Children of the Dawn/Forest, who once lived throughout the realm, but who are now living in hiding in the forests of the world, have a mysterious role in the story. In both MS&T and ASOIAF, the Children of the Dawn and the Children of the Forest appear to be at odds with the otherworldly creatures in the far north. The Children of the Dawn/Forest predate the humans in the world, and these fairy-like creatures lived in these lands many centuries before the humans inhabited the realm. MS&T’s Children of the Dawn have a close analogue in ASOIAF’s Children of the Forest.

13) The mystical trees: Special trees, called witchwood/weirwood, are considered sacred, and in some cases, may allow someone to see visions. In MS&T, the witchwood groves are sacred to the Children of the Dawn; in ASOIAF, the weirwood trees were worshipped by the Children of the Forest. In both cases, the witchwood/weirwood can grant a person access to powerful, prophetic dreams.

14) The Northern besiegers: A race of iron-wielding northerners, the Andals/Rimmersmen, sail into the land, establish a kingdom in the northern part of the realm, and then, with cold iron, attack an alliance made of humans and Children of the Forest/Dawn. They burn the weirdwood/witchwood groves, and slaughter the Children of the Forest/Dawn, the remnants of whom are eventually driven into exile.

15) A tailed star appears in the sky, portending doom/change. In MS&T, this tailed star is called the Conqueror Star, or Sa Astrian Conquidilles, and it appears in the sky for three years after an absence of 497 years. In ASOIAF, this star is called shierak qiya, the Dragon’s Tail, or the Red Comet.

16) Feuding brothers named Elias/Elyas and Josua appear in the story. In a not-so-subtle nudge in Williams’ direction, author George R.R. Martin names two feuding background characters Elyas and Josua, in a tribute to one of his favorite Fantasy series, MS&T (which features the feuding brothers Elias and Josua). In an even less subtle nod, these two feuding brothers are said to be the sons of Lord Willum. These three characters are mentioned in chapter 22 of A Clash of Kings, the second volume of ASOIAF.

17) It is foretold of the coming of an unusual winter which will last a very long time, at the same time as the otherworldly invasion from the north. Only the northern farmers in rural areas take these old legends seriously. Everyone else laughs at such absurd tales. But the people of the north never forget.

18) An unusual throne lies at the center of the human dispute for the kingdom, but it is only a distraction for the real conflict. In MS&T, this throne is named the Dragonbone Chair, crafted by King John after he slaughtered the fire-drake Shurakai. In ASOIAF, it is the Iron Throne. In both cases, the mortal kingdoms are so busy fighting one another that they fail to take notice of eldritch powers rising in the north.

19) A major noble character, a close relative of the king, loses his hand in battle. In MS&T, the handless character is Prince Josua Lackhand. In ASOIAF, the character is Ser Jaime Lannister. In both instances, the nobles lose their respective right hands, causing one of them (Jaime) to have to relearn swordsmanship with his left hand. Josua is left-handed anyway.

20) A wolf character plays a major role in the series. In MS&T, it is the gray wolf Qantaqa, Binabik’s wolf companion, who is loyal to her friend, but a menace to all his enemies. In ASOIAF, the direwolves the Stark children discover in the first volume are named Ghost, Grey Wind, Lady, Nymeria, Shaggydog, and Summer. These canines are just as loyal to their masters as Qantaqa is to Binabik.

21) A character that is the ‘Hand’ figures prominently. In MS&T, the Prince’s Right Hand is Sir Deornoth, Prince Josua’s right-hand man. Early on in ASOIAF, the Hand of the King is Lord Eddard Stark. In both cases, the Hand is killed partway through the series.

22) A slender sword named ‘Needle’/’Naidel’ is wielded by a main character, who can’t use a heavier sword. In MS&T, the sword is named Naidel, and is wielded by Prince Josua Lackhand, while in ASOIAF, Needle’s owner is Arya Stark. In both cases, these swords are narrow to allow their bearers to use them. The name Needle is almost certainly a play on the earlier name Naidel.

23) Everybody laughs at the idea of giants and other otherworldly creatures in the north… until they see them for themselves. In both series, the soft southlanders eventually realize their folly, after encounters with what Tyrion originally dismisses as legends of “grumkins and snarks,” while in MS&T, these are legends of “pookhas and niskies”.

24) Young, noble children are cruelly thrust out into the cold, cruel world by evil adults. In both series, teenagers and pre-teens are chased by murderers, thieves, and con-men, as they slowly learn to fend for themselves as they grow into young men and women. In both series, a group of children must battle evil adults. In MS&T, these children are Simon Snowlock, Marya, Lelleth, and Jeremias. In ASOIAF, they are Jon Snow, Arya, Bran, and Sansa.

25) A crown made to resemble antlers is worn by a king. The crown in MS&T appears on the brow of Ineluki the Storm King, while in ASOIAF, the antlered crown is worn by Renly Baratheon.

26) A very short yet intelligent character has a betrothal as part of his storyline. But he is soon put on trial, where the penalty is death, and everyone seems set on killing him… even his own lover. In MS&T, this character is Binabik, and his betrothed is Sisquinanamook; in ASOIAF, the character is Tyrion Lannister, and his betrothed is Shae. In both series, Shae and Sisqi lie in order to get their respective lovers into further trouble.

27) The story begins shortly before the death of the old king, whose reign was peaceful, and which kept the kingdoms safe. The king brought peace and prosperity to the lands, but now his death has thrown the empire into conflict, with factions fighting. In MS&T, the old king is the nonagenarian King John Presbyter of Warinsten, who brought the language of Westerling to his people as he united all the realms under one rule. In ASOIAF, it is King Robert Baratheon, lord of Westeros.

28) A guilt-tormented legendary knight under a pseudonym spends years in exile in the south, only to return, where he is at last revealed as still being alive. In MS&T, this is Sir Camaris sa-Vinitta, while in ASOIAF, it is Ser Jon Connington. In both cases, these guilt-tormented knights spend years under secret identities: Camaris is known as “Ceallio” while Jon is called “Griff”.

29) A major character lives thousands of miles from the rest of the other main characters, for over a thousand pages having no real interaction with the main groups. But eventually, in both series, Danaerys/Tiamak interact with characters in the rest of the world.

30) The series was meant to be a trilogy, but got out of hand. In the case of MS&T, three volumes grew to four, while ASOIAF may eventually be seven volumes, if author George R.R. Martin ever completes the series. Martin has humorously referred to both Williams’ “four-book trilogy” and his own “seven-book trilogy”.

31) A new god, the Red God, demands blood sacrifice. His adherents are more than willing to do the Red God’s bidding, no matter how awful the sacrifice is. Once blood is spilled, the spell is created, and shadowy figures begin appear…

32) A fierce people of nomadic grasslanders lives to the east of the world. In MS&T, these are the Thrithings-folk, while in ASOIAF, they are called the Dothraki. In both cases, these warriors treat their women horribly, and live in loosely-knit clans where the leaders rule through barbaric acts. In both series, horses are treated better than the women of the clan, who hold no power in the society.

33) Birds are used as messengers between intellectuals. In MS&T, they are sparrows, sent between members of the League of the Scroll, while in ASOIAF, maesters send messages via ravens.

34) In both series, a battle takes place on a frozen lake. This is technically not yet canonical in ASOIAF but the scene appears in the television series. In MS&T, the battle scene takes place in the Stefflod River Valley.

35) In both series, a young woman of royal blood has an advisor who falls in love with her, as she tries to protect her people, who are refugees fleeing war. In both series, the young woman slowly falls into madness, after sending away her advisor, who has fallen in love with her. In MS&T, the young woman is Princess Maegwin of Hernystir, who sees Count Eolair of Nad Mullach slowly fall in love with her. She sends him away, and slowly falls into madness. In ASOIAF, the young woman is Daenarys of House Targaryen, whose advisor, Ser Jorah Mormont, falls in love with her. She eventually sends him away, and then — at least, according to the TV series — falls into madness.

36) In both series, there is a rich southlander kingdom ruled by a well-respected but toxic and dangerous family. In both series, the dowager queen is a poisonous woman who mocks, gloats, and schemes her way in court, and who places great import on prophecies and predictions. In MS&T, the poisonous dowager is Duchess Nessalanta of Nabban, who somewhat rudely tells Count Eolair that people should stay where they belong, and who employs a court astrologer. In ASOIAF, the poisonous dowager queen is Cercei Lannister, who believes in a prediction made by a fortune-teller. In both series, the cruel woman’s family comes to a grim end… if we believe the ending presented to us in Game of Thrones.

The “Split Marya” Theory

In the “Split Marya” Theory, George R.R. Martin consciously or unconsciously split Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn’s Marya into two characters: the cross-dressing noble girl Arya and the young noble ingénue (and Arya’s sister) Sansa. These two ASOIAF characters roughly follow the plot of MS&T’s Marya: Arya travels through the forests dressed as a boy, while Sansa is passed around from noble court to noble court, the victim of court intrigue at every turn. Similarly, Marya travels through the forest disguised as a boy, then is passed around from court to court, finding herself first in Ansis Pelippe, at the court of Count Streawe, where she is a pampered “guest” who is not allowed to leave. Later, she is taken to Nabban, where she becomes the guest of Lector Ranessin, at the Sancellan Aedonitis.

The “Split Simon” Theory

In the “Split Simon” theory, George R.R. Martin consciously or unconsciously split Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn’s Simon Snowlock into two characters: the wall-climbing eavesdropper Bran Stark and his reputed half-brother Jon Snow. These two ASOIAF characters roughly follow the plot of MS&T’s Simon: at the beginning of the series, Simon the wall-climber overhears a conversation between two siblings, much like the wall-climber Bran. And just like Simon, Jon travels to the far north with a wolf companion.

While ASOIAF has two more Stark brothers (Robb and Rickon Stark), these two characters have no corresponding stand-ins in MS&T, are never point-of-view characters, and both are killed off by the third volume.

The “Split Pryrates” Theory

In the “Split Pryrates” theory, George R.R. Martin consciously or unconsciously split Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn’s red-robed bald priest Pryrates into two characters: the bald warlock Pyat Pree and the red-robed priestess and king’s advisor Melisandre. Pryrates’ name is most similar to Pyat Pree, and like Pyat Pree he practices dark arts and attempts to assassinate one of noble blood (Pree attacks Danerys while Pryrates plots the death of Josua). Similarly, Melisandre attempts to convince her king, Stannis Baratheon, to sacrifice his hated younger brother in a blood and fire sacrifice. This is mirrored in MS&T, where Pryrates attempts to convince King Elias to sacrifice his hated younger brother, Josua.