...realized yesterday was that kids who grew up with Harry Potter, are now old enough to enjoy The Game of Thrones.

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And because these two series are the most successful fantasy books of our generations, I thought that there must me something common in them. But what?
Sure, there are all the fantasy elements that, well... a fantasy book has to have.

But what else is there to make two soooo different things so loved? And as I thought about it, I think I managed to find the common ground. Here's the recipe (if you ever decide to write one yourself).

Take one big family:

Add a dash of a hurt brother:

One that gets killed:

The "Mary Sue" girl (with red hair):

You will also need a crazy bitch, of course (who's in love with the wrong person).

A crazy lord (with mommy issues):

The crippled guy on the EVIL side (with missing hands):

You will need the blonde beauty (it doesn't hurt if they are big lords, and a little bit stuck up too):

You will need the friend-zoned traitor/spy:

Hmmm what else, what else?

Maybe a little bit of a coward-turned-hero:

Oh, and let's not forget the woman warrior:

A good story also needs a guy who is unfairly accused of being a traitor.

A cunning little "monster":

You also need an overly attached girlfriend:

We need at least one natural shape-shifter too!

Oh, and of course, let's not forget the mother and the father who die:

And now on to other fantasy elements you'll have to include. First off, a bird to carry your messages (which isn't particularly fantasy-ish, since people used the technique in RL, but still)