 According to the "Los Angeles Times", "Martin's brilliance in evoking atmosphere through description is an enduring hallmark of his fiction, the settings much more than just props on a painted stage", and the novels captivate readers with "complex storylines, fascinating characters, great dialogue, perfect pacing, and the willingness to kill off even his major characters".CNN remarked that "the story weaves through differing points of view in a skillful mix of observation, narration and well-crafted dialogue that illuminates both character and plot with fascinating style", and David Orr of "The New York Times" found that "All of his hundreds of characters have grace notes of history and personality that advance a plot line.Every town has an elaborately recalled series of triumphs and troubles."