Langley - Game of Thrones psychology the mind is dark and full of terrors

STERLING and the distinctive Sterling logo are registered trademarks of Sterling Publishing Co., Inc.

2016 by Travis Langley

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means (including electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without prior written permission from the publisher.

This book is an independent publication and is not associated with or authorized, licensed, sponsored or endorsed by any person or entity affiliated with the well-known Game of Thrones publications or TV show or movie. All trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Such trademarks are used for editorial purposes only, and the publisher makes no claim of ownership and shall acquire no right, title, or interest in such trademarks by virtue of this publication.

ISBN 978-1-4549-1841-7

For information about custom editions, special sales, and premium and corporate purchases, please contact Sterling Special Sales at 800-805-5489 or .

www.sterlingpublishing.com

IMAGE CREDITS:

Courtesy of Dover: Medieval Feast; Serving Food; Crossbow; Medieval Music and Dancing; Plants with Roots; Spear and Shield; Men Impaled on Spikes; Man Kneeling in Prayer; Man and Woman Kneeling in Prayer; Wolf, Deer, Lion, Bird; Mothers with Children; Empty Coffin; Man with Head of Beast; Dagger; Three Women Mourning

Depositphotos: King and Queen Chess Pieces lhfgraphics

Getty Images: Crowning a New King Culture Club

iStock: Bell ilbusca; Dog Food Bowl keko-ka; Dog kolb_art

National Gallery of Art: Man Roasting Stick over Fire

Rijksmuseum: Ship on Turbulent Sea

Shutterstock: Stack of Books KUCO; Sun and Moon RRA79; Three Swords sharpner; Man Juggling truhelen

Throughout: Flourishes KateVogel; Scrolls Lukiyanova Natalia/frenta; Banners Seamartini Graphics; Parchments yaviki

Though the game of books spills less blood than does the game of thrones, the publication process presents challenges and hazards aplenty throughout the winding journey from inception to reception. The number of people writing, illustrating, editing, discussing, promoting, paying the bills, and supporting in other ways could rival the cast of characters listed in one of George R. R. Martins 50-page appendices. While well not go that far, we need to honor a few.

As our work on The Walking Dead Psychology wound down and Star Wars Psychology started rolling, I was wondering whether to go ahead and suggest Game of Thrones Psychology as book three when my editor, Connie Santisteban, asked if we would consider covering Game of Thrones. Wed each separately known what the next topic needed to be. Working with Connie is a joy. She plans battles, wrestles wights, solves riddles, and knows the importance of hot tea. The fine folks at Sterling support our work in ways that make some of my friends who publish elsewhere turn green with envy. I must thank Toula Ballas, Michael Cea, Diana Drew, Lisa Geller, Marilyn Kretzer, Sari Lampert, Eric Lowenkron, Josh Mrvos, Rodman Neumann, Blanca Oliviery, Lauren Tambini, Theresa Thompson, and too many other Sterling folks to list in every book.

Such an ambitious series would never be possible without our chapter authors. Different conventions create opportunities for us psych geeks to get to know each other and to share ideas not only with each other but with audiences as well: the Comics Arts Conference (Peter Coogan, Randy Duncan, Kate McClancy), San Diego Comic-Con International (Eddie Ibrahim, Sue Lord, Adam Neese, Gary Sassaman), New York Comic Con (Lance Festerman), Southwestern Psychological Association (Jennifer Bonds-Raacke), many Wizard World cons (Christopher Jansen, Peter Katz, Donna Chin, Danny Fingeroth, Tony Kim, Mo Lightning, Madeleine McManus, Jerry Milani, Alex Rae, Aaron Sagers, Brittany Walloch), and more. The best part of any convention is making new friends and visiting with friends I dont normally see elsewhere, like many of our writers and my editorial assistants on this volume: Alan Sizzler Kistler and Legion of Leia founder Jenna Busch.

Those of us writing about Game of Thrones and those of you reading about it reached this point by many routes. Some of us owe Gary Gygax and company for creating a game. Mike Southerland introduced me to Dungeons & Dragons, and D&D introduced me to a lot of fantasy literature. Our roster of D&D warriors is lengthy, from those who played it with us way back at the beginning (Tim Cogburn, Dennis Cunningham, Misti Borders, Kevin Green) and those who came soon after (Darrell Barton, Melissa Langley Biegert, Craig Brown, Richard Castor, Wingo Johnson, Missy Johnston, Kevin Robbins, Scott Stewart, Ross Taylor) to pros who analyze the game with me on convention panels today (Genese Davis, Larry Elmore, Jon Peterson, Gygax biographer Michael Witwer) and over a hundred in between. If D&D players David Bush and Lisa Sunderman Kelly or The Lord of the Rings lover Lisa Crutchfield were still in our world, they might have some stimulating thoughts to share about George R. R. Martins fictional world, and I want to remember them here.

Todays warriors, who also LARP, card-battle, and adventure online, include my universitys Comic Arts Club and the Legion of Nerds, a lively campus organization which Ashley Bles, Dillon Hall, Coley Henson, and Bobby Rutledge founded and which leaders like Olivia Bean, Steven Jacobs, and John McManus keep going. Alumni formed the Comic Arts Council (Tommy Cash, Erica Ash Lemons, Greg Lemons, Robert ONale, Justin Poole) because nerdiness never has to expire. Teaching at Henderson State University, I have been fortunate to enjoy the support of administrators who value creative ways of teaching: President Glendell Jones, Provost Steve Adkison, Dean John Hardee. Librarians like Lea Ann Alexander keep our library full of fantastic resources. David Bateman, Lecia Franklin, Carolyn Hatley, Ermatine Johnston, and Linda Mooney help me and my students travel. Millie Bowden, Denise Cordova, Renee Davis, Sandra D. Johnson, and many other staff members make sure other essentials get done. Our faculty writers group (Angela Boswell, Matthew Bowman, Vernon Miles, Davis Sesser, Suzanne Tartamella, Michael Taylor, and Melanie Wilson) reviewed portions of this manuscript. My fellow psychology faculty members offer endless encouragement and insights of their own: Chair Aneeq Ahmad, Rafael Bejarano, Emilie Beltzer, Rebecca Langley, Paul Williamson.

My sons Alex and Nicholas, who grew up loving fantasy novels and games galore, expanded our unofficial family by bringing other players into House Langley: Carly Cate, Renee Couey, Michael Dorman, Sarah Fuller, Marko Head, Katrina Hill, Stephen Huckabee, Ryne Johnston, Cordell Moss, Austin Phillips, Jimmy and Nicole Smith, Tim Yarbrough. Sister-in-law Sharon Manning takes care of so many things and needs to know how very much we value her. My parents, Lynda and Travis Sr., let me be me. My wife Rebecca gets the greatest credit as my sounding board, proofreader, best friend, and person who keeps up with all kinds of things when I must immerse myself in exploring these fantasy worlds.