Developing the ability to relate to extremely different people is for me a cornerstone of my live for reading. I read (and want to read) about people that are so far from my daily life. Now, a fascist man fighting against Russia during the coldest winter of the war. I’m not a man, I am not fascist, I am not a soldier, and still it has something to share with me.

Author here. Careful, some of us are very aware of what we put and don't put in our books. It's baiting and hooking.

Honestly? No, I don’t see that. I’ve read over 300 books over the last few years, quite a few were even romance novels, but I don’t see what you are referring to. Authors often use trauma as a plot device for character growth and story development, sometimes it gets a bit tropey, which is probably what you are referring to as a “fetish”.

Now if you want more fetish books, you’ll want to get into the BDSM/dark romance books. Those have lots of delicious fetishes in them.

Nope that’s fine. Thank you.

I didn't say it's not weird. Maybe you could re-read?

It's entirely possible reading stuff you can't relate to is how you come to be able to relate to it.

People are more than their gender, we can relate to each other on some many levels, so many ways, and we're missing out on human connections of all kinds if that's limited.

... George?

It's been a good time since I've done a reread but as I remember in the books Dany's experiences with Drogo are unfortunately critical in forming her character. She's essentially sold into slavery by her brother and it is the driving reason why she goes on an emancipation crusade across the continent. The first scene in the book is the most graphic and in the moment. From there on her abuse is increasingly alluded to without giving a specific play by play. And each time her POV is revisited, it's of her carving out more room in that relationship by the limited means she's afforded. I could see it if Martin was increasingly putting her in those situations, but Dany's story is very much her insuring the she and no one else is put in that same predicament.

Writing a graphic scene depicting rape doesn't necessarily make Martin a fetishist towards it. You take umbrage that there are sexual elements in the depiction, but it's an act of sexual violence. It is both inherently sexual and violent. But what are the indications that it's something Martin himself enjoyed?

Theon's mutilation happens once. Varys exists as a eunuch, but it isn't an event you visit.

Sorry, but I don't see it as something Martin is revisiting over and over. If anything he's removing his main character from those situations as the story progresses. Unless I'm forgetting a character other than Dany? I mean rape is an element in the books, but it's only with Dany that you're actually brought into the moment.

Anyone else think this was going to be about Piers Anthony?

How is it a yellow flag...

So Stephen King writing about underage kids taking turns on the only female protagonist isn't weird at all to you. Because unnecessary things add so much to the story.

Daenerys Targaryen getting raped by Drogo and her liking it... She's 14, with detailed descriprions of her boobs.

Outlander, a whole chapter of the male protagonist getting raped and tortured in explicit ways, the next chapter we start with the rape of a 10 year old boy also very explicit.

In IT there's a kid's gangbang, a group of boys taking turns on the only female protagonist.

Need anything else?

Underage girls getting raped and eunuchs getting mutilated

Girl, I'm just not reading something I can't relate to. It's so easy to say this when you're a man and most of the fictional works are catering to you.

Lol, Brando Sando has all his main characters obsessing over their own morality. That always seemed weird and mormon-esque.

I think they should also add at least 6 female characters to the "12 angry men" remake.

I adore the idea that Shelob is a powerful female character, and not just a monster

Who else is going to write their fetishes?

You want something done right, you do it yourself! 😁

Mate, you're going to need to be specific because your third paragraph is a yellow flag and I'm curious what you think is a fetish now.

Name one woman in Lord of the Rings.

I mean, ignoring Éowyn, Galadriel, and Arwen.

And maybe also ignore Rosie Cotton, some of the other women hobbits that I can't remember, or Shelob.

I bet you can't. Check mate.

Like how Steven King wants to fuck middle school aged girls while everyone on earth urinates themselves simultaneously.

horse cocks accordingly to South Park

Edging people.