When authors give shout outs to other great works, people, and events, it's usually not accidental. Put on your super-sleuth hat and figure out why.
- Since A Clash of Kings takes place in a fictional universe separate from our own, there are no shout-outs in the entire novel. Instead, Martin has created his own world complete with internal shout-outs that appear several times. Figures from the Age of Heroes, such as Bran the Builder and Durran Godsgrief, are mentioned in several mythical tales (32.Catelyn.8). Historical events are recounted time and again to explain present predicaments, especially Robert and Ned's deeds in the War of the Usurper and Aegon Targaryen's conquest of the Seven Kingdoms.