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Quartet: Four Tales from the Crossroads

george r.r. martin chris carpenito charles vess

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This trade paperback reprint of the Boskone 38 Book contains a sampling of Bokone 38 Guest of Honor, George R.R. Martin: three stories and one teleplay. Introduction by Melisssa Snodgrass. Dustjacket art by Charles Vess.

Contents:
The Skin Trade (1988)
Blood of the Dragon (1996)
Black and White and Red All Over (2001)
Starport (2001)

448 pages, Paperback

First published January 1,1996

This edition

Format
448 pages, Paperback
Published
September 1, 2001 by NESFA
ISBN
9781886778351
ASIN
1886778353
Language
English

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About the author

Profile Image for george r.r. martin

george r.r. martin

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George Raymond Richard "R.R." Martin was born September 20, 1948, in Bayonne, New Jersey. His father was Raymond Collins Martin, a longshoreman, and his mother was Margaret Brady Martin. He has two sisters, Darleen Martin Lapinski and Janet Martin Patten.

Martin attended Mary Jane Donohoe School and Marist High School. He began writing very young, selling monster stories to other neighborhood children for pennies, dramatic readings included. Later he became a comic book fan and collector in high school, and began to write fiction for comic fanzines (amateur fan magazines). Martin's first professional sale was made in 1970 at age 21: The Hero, sold to Galaxy, published in February, 1971 issue. Other sales followed.

In 1970 Martin received a B.S. in Journalism from Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, graduating summa cum laude. He went on to complete a M.S. in Journalism in 1971, also from Northwestern.

As a conscientious objector, Martin did alternative service 1972-1974 with VISTA, attached to Cook County Legal Assistance Foundation. He also directed chess tournaments for the Continental Chess Association from 1973-1976, and was a Journalism instructor at Clarke College, Dubuque, Iowa, from 1976-1978. He wrote part-time throughout the 1970s while working as a VISTA Volunteer, chess director, and teacher.

In 1975 he married Gale Burnick. They divorced in 1979, with no children. Martin became a full-time writer in 1979. He was writer-in-residence at Clarke College from 1978-79.

Moving on to Hollywood, Martin signed on as a story editor for Twilight Zone at CBS Television in 1986. In 1987 Martin became an Executive Story Consultant for Beauty and the Beast at CBS. In 1988 he became a Producer for Beauty and the Beast, then in 1989 moved up to Co-Supervising Producer. He was Executive Producer for Doorways, a pilot which he wrote for Columbia Pictures Television, which was filmed during 1992-93.

Martin's present home is Santa Fe, New Mexico. He is a member of Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers of America (he was South-Central Regional Director 1977-1979, and Vice President 1996-1998), and of Writers' Guild of America, West.

http://us.macmillan.com/author/george...

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Community Reviews

Rating(4.1 / 5.0, 7 votes)
5 stars
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7 reviews All reviews
Profile Image for Kimberly .
earthborn
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
July 15,2025
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The novel fragment presented in this collection is truly outstanding.

It has a certain charm and allure that makes it impossible to ignore.

If George R. R. Martin, the renowned author, were to make the decision to abandon his current highly anticipated series and instead resume writing this particular fragment, I would almost find it within myself to forgive him.

The quality of this fragment is such that it has the potential to become a masterpiece on its own.

It captivates the reader from the very first sentence and holds their attention throughout.

The characters are well-developed, the plot is engaging, and the writing style is simply superb.

One can only imagine the heights that this story could reach if given the proper attention and dedication by the author.

It is truly a gem within the collection and a testament to the author's incredible talent.

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Profile Image for Kimberly .
Normal_Lee
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
July 15,2025
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While patiently waiting for the next installment in the Song of Ice and Fire series to be released, I decided to re-read the entire series. During this process, I also began delving into other collections of Martin's stories.

The Skin Trade, on its own, is truly worthy of 5 stars. It is perhaps the only one among the four that I read from cover to cover. The journalist story, unfortunately, remained unfinished and failed to be particularly compelling. I simply wasn't in the mood to read a script, and I had already read the original form of Song of the Dragon (which is excellent) within the Song of Ice and Fire series. It's truly a pity that these works serve as the background for such a great overarching story.

***SPOILER (sort of)***

When Martin wrote about the reasons why he didn't complete his noir story about the journalists, it made me have an epiphany. While he may indeed have the intention to finish it, I have a strong feeling that he isn't going to finish the Ice and Fire series either. All the necessary elements are already present and could be pieced together.

Sigh

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Profile Image for Kimberly .
Rokiebottom
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
July 15,2025
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I was truly shocked at the finish of "Black and White and Red All Over". The ending came as a complete surprise, leaving me with a sense of awe and wonder.

Despite the shock, I found myself really loving what there was of it. The story had me engaged from the very beginning, with its unique premise and interesting characters.

The author did a great job of building up the tension and creating a sense of mystery that kept me on the edge of my seat throughout.

Even though the ending was unexpected, it also made perfect sense within the context of the story. It tied up all the loose ends and left me with a feeling of satisfaction.

I would highly recommend "Black and White and Red All Over" to anyone looking for a thrilling and engaging read. It's a book that will stay with you long after you've turned the last page.
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Profile Image for Kimberly .
Nao9
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
July 15,2025
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There you have it, Quartet - Four Tales from the Crossroads. It presents four stories in four different genres, which is Martin's writing in a nutshell. But does this make the book truly worth reading? Well, I'd say it's only for the real fan.


An unfinished novel, a part of another, a teleplay... they are all interesting to a certain extent and worth reading. However, they are still just bits and pieces of Martin's career. Unfinished projects, unrealized ambition, and a taste of a much larger endeavor - none of this makes for completely satisfying reading.


Yet, it does give the reader a better understanding of Martin's development as a writer and the reasons behind the path he chose. Martin's career is filled with ideas that didn't materialize into full stories and projects that were ultimately abandoned. It takes courage to publish some of this material anyway, and in that sense, I did enjoy reading it.


On the other hand, it leaves me longing for him to have finished Black and White and Red All Over. Or perhaps hoping that he will do so at some point. But the chances of that happening seem extremely remote.


So, think carefully before picking up this book. Quartet will leave you with a hunger for something that hasn't been written yet, and what's even worse, something that may never be written.


Full Random Comments review

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Profile Image for Kimberly .
ShabbaRico
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
July 15,2025
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This is an interesting collection of four long works by Martin.

First, there is a screen play titled "Starport", which is a very well-done piece. I truly wish that it would have been produced. It has the potential to be a great visual experience.

Then, there is a novella excerpted from his famous "Fire and Ice" series. However, I could have done without the partial story. It's just frustrating not knowing where he was going with it.

"Skin Trade" is an excellent, award-winning werewolf story. It explores the themes of transformation and the darker side of human nature in a captivating way.

Finally, there is a stand-alone horror novella called "Blood of the Dragon", which also was award-winning. Surprisingly, it works very well outside of the structure of the full novel. It manages to create a sense of dread and mystery that keeps the reader on the edge of their seat.

Overall, this collection offers a diverse range of works that showcase Martin's talent as a writer.
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Profile Image for Kimberly .
ea_l-0
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
July 15,2025
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It is truly worth obtaining just to have the opportunity to read the teleplay of the pilot of a show that never came to be, known as Starport. This teleplay is highly, highly amusing. It offers a unique and entertaining experience that is sure to captivate the reader. The story and characters are engaging, and the plot is filled with twists and turns that keep you on the edge of your seat. Despite the fact that the show never made it to the screen, the teleplay itself is a gem that is well worth exploring. Whether you are a fan of science fiction or just looking for a good read, the teleplay of Starport is definitely something that you should check out.

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5Reinheit
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
July 15,2025
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I really only read "Skin Trade", and there are several reasons for this. Firstly, I don't have a great fondness for reading screenplays. Secondly, I'm already familiar with the story from "Game of Thrones". Additionally, I firmly refuse to read something that the author admits was unfinished.

However, "Skin Trade" is a different story. It truly held my interest throughout. The plot was engaging, filled with twists and turns that kept me on the edge of my seat. The characters were well-developed, and I found myself easily connecting with them. The author's writing style was also quite captivating, making it a pleasure to read.

Overall, while my reading preferences may be a bit particular, "Skin Trade" managed to break through those barriers and provide an enjoyable reading experience. I would highly recommend it to others who are looking for a good story that can keep them entertained from start to finish.

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