Talking with Folio Society Editor James Rose about The Ultimate Limited Edition of The Illustrated A GAME OF THRONES feels a little like stepping into a workshop where every detail matters. Paper stock, binding choices, artwork curation, even the way a page feels when you turn it. Rose isn’t just editing a book; he’s shaping an experience. And with a story as monumental as A Game of Thrones, that responsibility becomes equal parts craft, reverence, and pure fandom.
What makes this edition so exciting is how personal it feels. You can tell Rose and The Folio Society approached it with the mindset that Westeros deserves the kind of treatment usually reserved for historical epics or treasured classics. The newly commissioned art, the bespoke materials, the sense of weight and permanence—this is the kind of project built for readers who want to live inside the world, not just revisit it. It is a tactile feel from the cover to the slipcase and all points in between.
In advance of its release, we chat with Rose about the editorial decisions behind the edition, the collaboration with artists, and what it takes to turn one of fantasy’s most iconic novels into a collector’s piece worthy of its legacy. So, let’s welcome Folio Society Editor James Rose to GVN Talking Comics.
The Ultimate Limited Edition of The Illustrated A GAME OF THRONES
GVN: Thank you for giving us some of your time, James. With such an exciting prospect of a Folio Society deluxe edition of Game of Thrones, let’s jump right in: This 30th‑anniversary release is being positioned as the ultimate illustrated edition of A Game of Thrones. From your perspective as editor, what core principles or ambitions shaped this edition from day one?
JR: Folio have been fortunate enough to have been publishing beautiful editions of the Song of Ice and Fire series since 2019, but the 30th anniversary of the first book we felt deserved really special attention. What was foremost in our minds was the creation of an incredible, but still readable, edition of the text that was a knockout volume appealing directly to the fans. This was the one book that we had to give our all to, and that included getting George R. R. Martin to sign every single copy on a limitation page blocked in real gold.
Artist Jonathan Burton
GVN: Folio Society editions are known for their extraordinary visual curation. How did you approach choosing Jonathan Burton for this project, and what qualities made him the right fit for Martin’s world?
JR: Jonathan is an illustration genius. He has worked for Folio on several titles across a number of years – from the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, to our latest Enid Blyton book, The Faraway Tree – and what is always remarkable is his ability to change his style to suit each book. Each of our books are crafted individually, there is no template, and equally Jonathan’s art is tailored to fit each title, including this one, and his work here is nothing short of stunning.
“Stay Faithful to the Text”
GVN: Game of Thrones is deeply familiar to millions of readers. How did you strike the balance between honoring iconic imagery and offering something visually fresh that even longtime fans haven’t seen before?
JR: It’s always a really difficult balance between new art and existing visuals – especially those as iconic as A Game of Thrones –but the key is simply to stay faithful to the text. Fans have fallen in love with this book, its world and characters, and this is where it all started, so I feel that as long as we remain faithful to the text and respect the depictions within the book then we shouldn’t go too far astray.
Folio Society Books as an Art Form
GVN: Folio Society books are as much art objects as they are reading experiences. What were the most challenging or rewarding decisions around materials, binding, slipcase design, or production techniques for this edition? From the examples I’ve seen, it’s VERY impressive. In addition, with the recent popularity of AI in creation, what is the importance of the human hand when creating such collectible editions?
JR: The most significant decision we made was also one of the earliest – I wanted this to look and feel like a tome from the Citadel library itself, and therefore, it had to be bound in dragon leather! That was rather a daunting prospect, but one that really paid off in the end. We started with samples of various reptile skins before contacting Harmatan leathers who blocked our dragon skin design. This was then hand-finished to give that black and red patina.
The books themselves have been bound at Ludlow Bookbindery – probably the best hand bindery in the country – and are housed in the most magnificent box, blocked in silver and gold foils. And as if that wasn’t enough we’ve added handmade endpapers (that feature a hidden dragon watermark) and a map that is printed on linen and rolled into a secret compartment.
All in all it has been the most ambitious project Folio have ever done, and one that we are incredibly proud of. All the way through we had the reader in mind, and hope that the feel and look of the leather, the map, the box, everything, will create an immersive experience for anyone lucky enough to get one.
In terms of AI though, that is something that would never have worked here. This volume has been created through hours of human collaboration, whether that was with the author, the illustrator or the expert craftspeople making the book, and that you simply can’t get that with AI.
Choosing Illustrations
GVN: Editing a landmark novel like this—especially for a prestige edition—requires a careful hand. What aspects of Martin’s prose or worldbuilding most influenced your editorial approach to layout, pacing, and illustration placement, and did George R.R. Martin have input on any of the included embellishments?
JR: This is such a visual book that we had to be careful in the selection and presentation of the images. Obviously we can’t illustrate every fantastic scene, but that made the pacing of the illustrations all the more important. Luckily though we’ve had complete approval of George R. R. Martin for everything we’ve done to this edition.
Celebrating 30 Years
GVN: Thirty years on, A Game of Thrones remains a cultural force. How did the anniversary context shape your thinking about what this edition needed to communicate about the novel’s legacy?
JR: The continuing popularity of the novel after 30 years is simply astonishing. It really is bigger than ever and so we wanted to create an edition that honoured the legacy, gave the fans something they would adore and also was a project that looked ahead – this really is a book that can (and should) be handed down from generation to generation. In fact, I’m jealous of that next generation as they still have the opportunity to read the books for the first time!
What Fans Can Expect
GVN: Thank you once again, James. Finally, for readers who already own multiple editions (like myself)—or for those discovering the book for the first time—what do you hope they feel when they open this version and experience Westeros through the lens of this new visual and physical presentation?
JR: I hope very much that they feel transported to the shores of Westeros. Whether they are coming at the book for the first time or picking it up because they are already in love with it, I think they will all find something new in this version. And they should relish the physicality of the book and box – it really is wonderfully tactile.
Talking with James Rose about The Ultimate Limited Edition of The Illustrated A GAME OF THRONES is a reminder that some books aren’t just read—they’re experienced. Rose and The Folio Society didn’t aim for “premium”; they aimed for “legendary,” and every choice in this edition hits with that kind of intent. The materials, the artwork, the craftsmanship—this is the sort of release that makes collectors clear space on the shelf before they even see it.
The Folio Society’s passion for elevating Martin’s world into a true art object comes through in every detail, and it’s hard not to walk away impressed by the ambition baked into this project. This isn’t just a love letter to G.R.R. Martin and A Game of Thrones—it’s a statement piece, built to last, built to be shown off, and built for fans who want the definitive version of a modern classic. You can check out this masterpiece edition here.
Senior Writer at GeekVibesNation – I am a 60 something child of the 70’s who admits to being a Star Trek/Star Wars/Comic Book junkie who once dove headfirst over a cliff (Ok, it was a small hill) to try to rescue his Fantastic Four comic from a watery grave. I am married to a lovely woman who is as crazy as I am and the proud parent of a 21-year-old young man with autism. My wife and son are my real heroes.
