Firstly of course I’d like to add my thanks as a fan (alongside millions of others!) to George RR Martin for creating such an utterly wonderful, rich, engrossing world.
To my marvellous agent Susan Smith–thank you for believing in me! To the wonderful teams at Coronet, Hodderscape (or Hodorscape, as they will always be to me) and Little, Brown.
It was a huge privilege to get so much help and learn about fascinating science from all the experts I talked to for the book–a few were friends, some acquaintances, but many were complete strangers and all gave their time, insights and knowledge to this project with great generosity. Please do go to www.helenkeen.com/morescienceofGoT to find out more about them.
I’d particularly like to thank the following founts of wisdom: Ryan Consell–for all the swords and grand armour I now keep in the Great Hall of my imagination, Dr Marek Kukula, Dr Jonathan Pettitt, Dr Kelly Weinersmith and Professor Richard Wiseman for much magic and kind encouragement.
Thank you to the following friends for encouragement, ideas, draft help, and general brilliance–Ian Simmons, Tim Hemmings, Miriam Underhill (particularly for being the best possible person to watch Season 1 with) and extra huge thanks to Deborah Sabapathy for so much helpful editing and for being an inexhaustible source of kindness, great ideas and even better jokes.
So, one final time, thank you so much one and all. You have my banners!