Seriously, spoilers for everything.

This isn't really aimed as a response to anything in particular, just a general thought I've been having, and here seems as good a place as any to express it.

People seem to have this idea of Martin as someone who will kill anyone at any time for any reason, just for the shock value. This isn't really the case. There's truth to the idea that he makes you care about characters and then puts them through terrible ordeals, but that's a different kettle of fish.

When it comes to character deaths, how many major characters has Martin truly killed off over the course of five books?

Eddard Stark, Drogo, Lord Commander Mormont, Robb Stark, Joffrey Baratheon, Tywin Lanister, and Quentyn Martell?

That's not a big list, and none of them were random. You could even argue that Mormont and Martell aren't even major characters. Ned and Robb were shocking, sure, but we can't pretend they came out of nowhere, or happened for no reason.

Ned's death set the tone for the entire series, making us believe that no one was safe, which gave real emotional resonance to everything that happened afterward. This also has allowed Martin to employ his fake-out technique, which admittedly he's used a bit too often. But he couldn't use it with any effectiveness at all if Ned hadn't died. It also established the notion that playing by the rules in this world will land you in trouble. Ned had to choose between personal honor and family honor at the end. He chose family honor, violating his own personal principles, and was killed.

Robb got it from the opposite direction. He chose personal honor over family honor, and got a lot more than just himself killed. His death was also foreshadowed from multiple directions throughout the previous book and a half.

Drogo was killed to get the dragons and to put Dany on her own, away from the Dothraki. Mormont was killed to put the Night's Watch in dire straits and to leave the path open for Jon to take command. Joffrey was killed because he was a prick who deserved it, and to set up Tyrion's arc from that point onward, away from his family. Tywin was killed to separate Tyrion from his family as well, and to create a bit of a power vacuum in Westeros. Quentyn was killed because he was the prince riding to rescue and marry the princess, and A Song of Ice and Fire is all about upsetting fantasy tropes. Also no one really cared about him, he was only around for one book.

Those are all simplified versions of the reasons involved. The story is complicated enough that there are a lot of other intersections with events and ideas related to these deaths.

There have been some minor characters killed too. Balon Greyjoy, Maester Luwin, Beric Dondarrion, Oberyn Martell, Kevin Lannister, Lysa Tully, Hoster Tully, Maester Aemon, Qhorin Halfhand, Ygritte, Craster, probably a few others. But those were no one's favorite characters, and their deaths weren't random either. They've all served to set up future events that Martin has been aiming toward.

And there have been characters who have appeared to die but who return in some form, not truly dead. Catelyn Stark, Gregor Clegane, Sandor Clegane, Theon Greyjoy. Probably Jon Snow.

If a person doesn't like seeing characters die, major or secondary, for any reason, then yeah, Martin's a bad choice. But I don't really agree with that seemingly widespread notion that Martin kills lots of characters off just for the shock value. He does things for plot-related reasons, and because his entire story is designed to set up fantasy tropes (both for good guys and villains) and then subvert them (to the point where you can pretty much expect it, making it almost a trope of its own).

I don't find anything capricious or random about what he does. I find the uncertainty interesting. And I'll continue to feel that way until the motherfucker kills Arya or Tyrion, and then I'll probably lose my crackers.